Club World Cup Schedule Released – Does Anyone Care?

By: chris | November 12th, 2009

fifaclubworldcup2008_155074 I’ll be frank: I don’t. I think it’s a ridiculous competition with nice ideals, but one which falls short due to that which has felled many a great idea in history: theory does not always translate well to practice.

Such as it promotes itself as a legitimate competition with integrity and meaning – the club equivalent of the World Cup, if we’re to take the name at face value – when the setup and weighted system renders it an absolute joke. It’s essentially the club version of the Confederations Cup, but more intrusive and without the added motivation to dry run for the impending World Cup.

A few reasons as to why we shouldn’t care:

i. We all know that Europe and South America hold the strongest federations, with Asia stampeding behind in third with all sorts of resources at the ready. But Brazil and Italy don’t waltz into World Cup knockouts with group stage byes simply due to their superior World Cup trophy hauls, perceived quality or confederation coefficient. Make it even across the board. If Europe and South America are so good, they’ll get there anyway.

ii. It shouldn’t be held in the same place multiple years as though it’s a friendly tournament. Let a different city around the world, switching continents much like the real thing, throw a gala each year. In the process give the city a reason to put on a show, people to watch a city put on a show and fans a reason to travel to the site rather than look at pictures of last year’s trip to Tokyo or the UAE.

iii. Legitimate competitions also shouldn’t have ‘fifth place’ matches. This isn’t u7. Not everyone is a winner, not everyone deserves a trophy and not everyone deserves orange slices at halftime. I’m not even entirely sure a six team competition should have a third placed match. No need for a ranking system here: there’s a winner and then everybody else.

iv. If it’s so necessarily important, create an international break for it and cease interrupting in-season competitions. I’m no fan of extra int’l breaks, but it solves a host of scheduling issues and doesn’t force clubs into ridiculous fixture sandwiches later in the campaign.

All with fairly simple solutions and all reasons why you shouldn’t care.

But if you do care, this is what the schedule looks like:

Playing on Dec. 9 Al Ahli (UAE) v Auckland City (New Zealand)
Playing on Dec. 11 TP Mazembe (DR Congo) v Pohang Steelers (South Korea)
Playing on Dec. 12 Ah Ahli/Auckland City v Atlante (Mexico)
Playing on Dec. 15 TP Mazembe/Pohang Steelers v Estudiantes (Argentina)
Playing on Dec. 16 Ah Ahli/Auckland City/Atlante v Barcelona (Spain)
Dec. 16, Fifth place match
Dec. 19, Third place match
Dec. 19, Final

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Category: Club World Cup

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Luka

I think Auckland's part timers would care!
Sleepingman

I think most of the Barca fans care about it because we have never won this tournament before. Think about The European Cup, it wasn't that important in the past but look at now. Real Madrid is the club of the 20th century because of European Cup. Barca need to win it to become the club of the 21st century!!!
Flor

As a European I always find it entertaining to see teams like TP Mazembe & Pohang Steelers, since we don't ever really get a glimpse of non-European clubs otherwise. But you're right, the current set up is a joke and basically makes the whole thing amount to: Confederations Cup & Champions League winners both play a warm up game, then face each other in the final, with no one caring about any of the other fixtures.
Jose44

Usually those that don't care are Europeans. Or Euro-snobs. You can bet that the fans outside of Europe care to see how their Confed's representative matches up with Barcelona and the rest of the world. And you can DAMN well bet that South Americans want to bring Europe down a notch by beating their champion.

There're bragging rights at stake here, man... Gotta be blind to miss 'em.
Tommy Wong

I love watching this tournament. Even if the teams don't care, the history books sure do.
chris

Thanks, MD - fixed.
FBL

I like this tournament, and if Sir Alex Ferguson takes it seriously, there has to be a reason.

1) You mention that there should be an international break, but many of the other major leagues have a winter break around that time anyway, all apart from England, hence why it hasn't been respected there.

2) It is a Fifa tournament, Man Utd forfeited the FA Cup for it, Fifa tournaments mean something.

3)I agree that it should not always be in Japan, but I think it'll evolve and move around, that said holding it in Europe in Milan/Manchester/Madrid may give an unfair advantage to the European side. Same if it was in South America.

4) Having been in Kinshasa, I met a few fans of TP Mazembe, and they were dreaming of facing Barcelona/Estudiantes in December, maybe Europe doesn't see it as big enough for them anymore, but the rest of the world seem to respect it and hold it in high regard.
MD

That's actually Al-Ahli (UAE), who is the host, not Al-Ahly (Egypt).
mlyons

Why are there two African teams this year?
Bruno Romani

I care
Oli Davies

The only use is to prove Barca are the best.
john

Q: Club World Cup Schedule Released – Does Anyone Care?

A: No.

But I'll try to if any fixtures take place on an otherwise football-less day.
Elliott

Atlante fans really care, Estudiantes fans kinda care, and everybody else....(crickets chirping)