We're now at 24 teams, but since bed head has already expressed his interest in joining, and we all expect Schip to participate as well, it's time to start thinking about what format we are going to use to accomodate for more than 24 teams playing, with atm 26 being the most likely number of teams in the cup (though it could become more, for example a very strong contender from Estonia iirc expressed interest in the fed forum, but is likely still in the national cup at that time).
When aiming to start at the week 7 league rounds, we have 9 full rounds to play during which we want everyone to have a friendly to play each week. I also think we should aim at at least 2 KO rounds, but more might be possible.
Should we perhaps create a double league system, where teams play each other in smaller leagues at first to qualify for a group 2 round of league systems, where groups are ordered by having one half consisting of group 1 winners and runners up, and the other half of the 3rd and 4th placed teams that play for the bottom half of the places (with of course still the KO rounds at the end of the cup)?
That would at least make it somewhat easier to get everyone to play each other at least once in a given group, and still ensure some diversity concerning who you end up playing against (or so I hope, haven't exactly thought this out yet).
edit: to clarify a little, that would mean (for example!) create 8 groups of 4 teams at first to play 3 games, then create 8 more groups to play 3 times again, where groups 1/4 would be winners and 2nd placed teams, and groups 5/8 3rd and 4th placed teams from group rounds 1, then followed by 3 K.O. rounds to decide the final rankings.
We could of course also create groups of larger sizes, but that would mean each team would not be able to play all other teams in that group, while still being classified in that same group with those teams not played against. Not an ideal situation I personally think, which hopefully can be avoided.
Anyone with some brilliant solutions to all this is very welcome to post (outstanding ideas accepted as well, of course...
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