Random Bite

Well, it is over. The marquee, grandstand, larger than life, the collage of awesomeness that is the CONCACAF Gold cup is done. I maybe a bit cynical but honestly all the group and knock out matches played was an absolute waste of time. Why? I would like to begin this sentence with because but I can't due to my formality to proper grammar but that aside all those matches from Grenada's besmirching at the hand's of Jamaica to Canada's poor attempt at a victory against Guadeloupe, we all can just really say we were just waiting on the Americans and Mexicans to show up in Pasadena on the 25th of June. They  did meet it was quite the game. The men from Mexico City toppled their host 4-2 in California. It was no doubt the best game the federation can offer. That is why I will forever say I don't see the point of the Gold Cup.
  Point number one. As seen in some of the score lines in this installment of the competition CONCACAF has a serious problem. Its just not competitive enough. Jamaica 4 Grenada 0, Costa Rica 5 Cuba 0, Honduras 7 Grenada 1. I mean Grenada all respects to them are as good as my little brother when he gets drowsy of Robitussin when he comes down with a cold but the fact of the matter is Caribbean members of the federation outside Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago (who didn't even make the tournament) are flimsy all while the mainland contingents outside USA and Mexico are good amongst themselves but really aren't well equipped to take on the better teams of the world. Just look at Honduras at the 2010 World Cup. Three games played and not one single goal scored. This is a problem and what hurts the region is the lack of another or a few other strong nations. Canada may not have the populous but they surely have the finances and if Costa Rica or Honduras are able to ship more of their players abroad they really do have a chance to upset the order.
 Forget the quality of team but lets give look to the cup itself. Where can it actually be successfully held? United States, we have seen that this time around, but getting the Americans to embrace it, is difficult you just have to look at their attendance throughout the tournament and they were absolutely eclipsed by the Mexican support in the final. Mexico is very capable of hosting and Canada has wonderful infrastructure and would probably be the best but who else? You know the answer, no one else.  They are 40 member states in CONCACAF and they are only three that I can see that can host this tournament. Now it has a lot to with finance and tradition and a hold bunch of things but only three countries? That gives an awful lot favor to the trio and let's be honest FIFA is shady and the North American market is where the bulk of revenue for the federation lies so who can blame them. As a fan even if another country or a duo like Costa Rica Guatemala tried to host, I wouldn't go anywhere near there. I just know the experience will be awful. Europe has multiple nations that can host grand football events  as to the Asians and to a lesser extent the Africans. So in fact CONCACAF officials bank that their two largest cash cows USA and Mexico making it to the final but  what do I know.
 What I do know something has to be done about it by FIFA and CONCACAF if they are not too busy siphoning off and conniving each other they need to bring some parity to the region. It is not easy, resources are spread so unevenly that one wonders if parity can ever be achieved but they have to try. They have to enrich the Gold Cup with teams worthy of lifting it but as it stands they are only two you can claim that right I don't have to mention them I think you have an idea who they are. With that I sign off the CONCACAF Goldfish... sorry Gold Cup can't wait for the next one. Congrats Mexico on hosting that massive trophy. I wonder if the cup is actually made of pure gold?