To replace Japan. I doubt the Spaniards will accept the invitation. They would certainly be humiliated.

Anyway, it would be nice to have a cup with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and Mexico. Stronger than the Euro Cup, no doubt.

Fishing!

Hlebagone wrote:Fishing!

double fishing. spanish and euro fishes.

"Japan will not take part in the Copa America. The (JFA) president came to explain the reasons. He believes the priority now is to try to save lives and (Japan's) reconstruction,"

2006: World Cup
2007: Break
2008: European Championships
2009: Confederations Cup
2010: World Cup
2011: Copa America?

Unless they take a 'B' team Spain should really be using this summer as a break.

I'm pretty sure they won't be allowed to take a full strength team if they do decide to participate. Many Spanish clubs will already be losing their South American players to the tournament this summer.

Mongrel Hawk wrote:To replace Japan. I doubt the Spaniards will accept the invitation. They would certainly be humiliated.

Anyway, it would be nice to have a cup with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain and Mexico. Stronger than the Euro Cup, no doubt.

España WILL NOT come to play Copa América. All the teams will set out to destroy España, to annihilate them, to utterly demolish them in our continent, you know that.

It's too much risk for España, a lot to lose and a lot to gain too: 'Peon champs 2008, World champs 2010, Copa América champs 2011? or total embarrassment knocked out in group stage!

Let's say they come, they'll get crushed by Argentina, most likely lose to Colombia (they had a hell of a time playing the Colombians recently AT HOME!), and Bolivia would have a good go at the Spanish too, but Bolivia do not have the firepower so they would probably lose. Thus, one win and two losses for España and out the door.

Copa América has always been stronger than the Euro Cup. The only thing we can not compete is with their stadiums and infrastructure, and in those aspects we're closing the gap rather quickly with new stadiums being built.

Ha! So many teams in that list we have beaten last year! The Dutch record vs SA teams is rather decent, but we should be able to beat every SA team in their own home as well!

But Holland wont get invited sadly, though we will play Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and peru later this year.

Still, its a bit poor to cant even fill 3 groups. A proper tourney has 16, so imo it would be best to invite only teams from the Americas, for the qualifiers for the WC they must do the same. Just 5 all american groups and only the nr 1 goes to the WC. Much more competative.

It's always so amusing how tetchy South Americans are about the Copa America VS Euro Cup. Just like the Inter Continental Cup:

"We would annihilate them! The Copa America is better! We DEMAND RESPECT!"

Just as we heard at the World Cup as well.

Ok, chill out - we're aware there are some awesome South American teams - Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile.

But don't kid yourselves it has the strength in depth of the Euros: Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Holland, England (yes England - only South American team with a better head to head against them is Brazil), Portugal, Croatia, Russia, Serbia: all of a higher calibre than the next tier of South American teams.

Im summary: Peru would be lucky to get a win against Israel. The truest story you will hear all year

Haha, so the Copa America is so poor they have to invite outside the region to make it interesting !

@fey and axe

we have to invite outsiders because there are only 10 countries in S America. we need two more to have 3 groups.


@noah

don't take us too seriously, mate.

besides, this S America vs. Europe thing is typical of this forum only, and I really don't remember how it started. I swear to you almost all Brazilians would cheer for England against Uruguay or Argentina.

and if Spain comes, they will probably be Brazilians favourites if we go out. Spain playing Argentina? Brazilians become Spaniards.


@Puro

yeh, I agree Argentina would beat Spain at home, and Colombia could have a chance. But Bolivia... Scotland could beat Bolivia.

Mongrel Hawk wrote:@fey and axe

we have to invite outsiders because there are only 10 countries in S America. we need two more to have 3 groups.

The obvious solution would be to *not* have three groups...

The other answer is that there are 13 countries in S America, should be possible to have 12 of them play me thinks...

Mongrel Hawk wrote:@fey and axe

we have to invite outsiders because there are only 10 countries in S America. we need two more to have 3 groups.


@noah

don't take us too seriously, mate.

besides, this S America vs. Europe thing is typical of this forum only, and I really don't remember how it started. I swear to you almost all Brazilians would cheer for England against Uruguay or Argentina.

and if Spain comes, they will probably be Brazilians favourites if we go out. Spain playing Argentina? Brazilians become Spaniards.


@Puro

yeh, I agree Argentina would beat Spain at home, and Colombia could have a chance. But Bolivia... Scotland could beat Bolivia.

I know mate, it's good banter. Not taken seriously. South American football has given us some incredible footballers and teams, the envy of many European nations, and Copa America some amazingly open and entertaining games.

I'll be cheering on Brazil, as long as THE SAMBA UNIT plays of course:

@axe

we've got 10 footballing countries here. the 3 guianas are concacaf's.



@noah

after the disaster of the Dunga era, people want samba football back. and, since the next WC will be in Brazil, we gotta play very attacking football. so I think it will be back.

It's indeed a bit ridiculous that Japan gets invited and Suriname not. You have to speak Spanish or Portuguese to be regarded true South American or what? And dont give me that bullshite that they are not good enough, so feckin what. Parimaribo has produced more CL winning players then Lima for example.

Very weird they arent even part of Conmebol, worse then Turkey and Israel being part of UEFA.

Other option would be to cut Brazil into smaller pieces!

In how many successive World Cups does South America need to be humiliated by Europe before they give up this chip-on-shoulder superiority thingy (clearly driven by an inferiority complex)?

Japan have reversed their decision to withdraw from Copa America following Spain's decision not to take part. The tournament will clash with the J-League fixtures (re-scheduled following the earthquake/tsunami which disrupted the pre-season preparations for a number of teams based in north and eastern Japan) and the squad will consist mostly of European based players - which will go down like a lead balloon with their clubs. JFA anticipating trouble.