The 2nd place qualifying table

[M@ttitude]

Slovakia would have been great, loved that trip to Bratislava! Dont fear portugal, I fear France, Russia.. Whoever we play it will be a close game, we'll prob play **** but we'll grind out something! Hopefully.

[Claret Murph]

Slovakia would have been great, loved that trip to Bratislava! Dont fear portugal, I fear France, Russia.. Whoever we play it will be a close game, we'll prob play **** but we'll grind out something! Hopefully.

I would hate to have to go back to Slovakia , as Brat was a hole to tell you the truth .

[dodgycanadian]

for all you saying you dont fear portugal are you kidding me? imagine the fun ronaldo would have running rings around our world class left back zinedine kilbane... though they do ship quite a few balls themselves i think we would struggle against a side that plays flowing football.

[M@ttitude]

I would hate to have to go back to Slovakia , as Brat was a hole to tell you the truth .

Is that the truth? Myself and my 15 mates thought it was great..

[NeilMcD]

for all you saying you dont fear portugal are you kidding me? imagine the fun ronaldo would have running rings around our world class left back zinedine kilbane... though they do ship quite a few balls themselves i think we would struggle against a side that plays flowing football.

Yeah not a great city at all. Probably the most unfriendly city I have been to on ann Ireland trip. Not that I had any bother or anything but the locals were just so unfriendly and they do not really know much about customer service there.

[M@ttitude]

I have read that on here before but none of us felt that about the place at all, although we did mostly try to avoid the irish fans at night and went to the local pubs and clubs which were fantastic and the best looking birds ever! Hated the following few days in Prague, sleazy dirty place that gave me food poisoning!

Just dont think Portugal have enough strength this year to be feared! Can someone jog my memory on our friendly with portugal over the past couple of years, I was at it and all I can remember is Ronaldo being non existent!

[newrynyuk]

Bratislava was a disappointment I must admit. It was absolutely bucketing down the day before the game. The locals weren't as friendly or helpful as others places I've experienced. Taxi drivers were a complete rip off. And I was unfortunate enough to stay in a tip of a hotel with leaky ceilings and lukewarm water. Plus all the bars and clubs were shut after the match and we resorted to queuing nearly an hour outside the one kebab placed that stayed open.

That said, all talk of a return there is probably academic as Slovakia will most probably win their group.

[Claret Murph]

There was 5 of us and I only found out on the day that they had double booked out apartment , lucky my other half back in Ireland sorted it out from home . Never once did any taxi driver work from his metre . in all the time I was there I can say hand on heart only remember once when I got a smile from market trader who was selling boiled cabbage , and that was it .
Now I have never been to eastern block when the wall was up but this is what I did think it would be like just a total distrust of anything western .
I was in China in 89 for 5 months and they were better than the slovaks .

[eirebhoy]

Our first night in Bratislava we were in some club in the centre with a slide. I went into the toilet and the lights were turned off. A load of kids came in the jax and then the lights were turned on and they laughed. Like a scene from the hostel. :) There were men standing on street corners in the early hours of the morning waiting to mug some Irish person who happened to be on his own. Almost every taxi driver tried bringing us to brothels in the middle of nowhere. One taxi driver demanded a huge fair off us and got his baseball bat out of the boot when we refused (he accepted a 10 euro note in the end). The bars ran out of drink. The big niteclub wouldn't allow Irish in. We had a good time thanks to the dungeon karaoke club but you had to walk across a small road to have a **** in the pitch dark toilets. Crazy place.

[paul_oshea]

Our first night in Bratislava we were in some club in the centre with a slide. I went into the toilet and the lights were turned off. A load of kids came in the jax and then the lights were turned on and they laughed. Like a scene from the hostel. :) There were men standing on street corners in the early hours of the morning waiting to mug some Irish person who happened to be on his own. Almost every taxi driver tried bringing us to brothels in the middle of nowhere. One taxi driver demanded a huge fair off us and got his baseball bat out of the boot when we refused (he accepted a 10 euro note in the end). The bars ran out of drink. The big niteclub wouldn't allow Irish in. We had a good time thanks to the dungeon karaoke club but you had to walk across a small road to have a **** in the pitch dark toilets. Crazy place.

Jeez eb, i hope you weren't the receipient of their actions?! Was it a glow in the dark type light?! ;)

[Brendan 82]

Our first night in Bratislava we were in some club in the centre with a slide. I went into the toilet and the lights were turned off. A load of kids came in the jax and then the lights were turned on and they laughed. Like a scene from the hostel. :) There were men standing on street corners in the early hours of the morning waiting to mug some Irish person who happened to be on his own. Almost every taxi driver tried bringing us to brothels in the middle of nowhere. One taxi driver demanded a huge fair off us and got his baseball bat out of the boot when we refused (he accepted a 10 euro note in the end). The bars ran out of drink. The big niteclub wouldn't allow Irish in. We had a good time thanks to the dungeon karaoke club but you had to walk across a small road to have a **** in the pitch dark toilets. Crazy place.

Cool story! I love stuff like this; getting up to all sorts of hijinks in unknown places

[DeLorean]

Bratislava = worst place I've ever been, and that's not exclusive to Football trips. I would have thought that with the right preparation the bars could have made a killing in the square, but they were just too depressed to bother I'd say. It was a long, painful chu chu train ride back to Prague but well worth it.

[Jicked]

Another +1 for not wanting to return to Bratislava, an awful place. Friend of mine got mugged the last time, bars were extremely dodgy. Can Slovenia still finish second, a trip to Ljubljana would be amazing (and more importantly, extremely winnable!)

[DeLorean]

Can Slovenia still finish second, a trip to Ljubljana would be amazing (and more importantly, extremely winnable!)

They are 2nd at present. Think it would be reasonable to disgard Northern Ireland's chances at this stage so Slovenia are 2pts ahead of the Czechs and 3 ahead of Poland.

[gspain]

They are 2nd at present. Think it would be reasonable to disgard Northern Ireland's chances at this stage so Slovenia are 2pts ahead of the Czechs and 3 ahead of Poland.

If Slovenia beat San Marino then NI are out.

Re Bratislava,

Another late goal, taxis were a ripoff and it did rain non stop. Otherwise I thought it was one of the better trips. Better than Prague imo. We didn't go near the Dubliner thankfully but enjoyed good cheap food and plenty of cheap drink with friendly locals.

You needed to agree the price before getting i nthe taxi or you got totally screwed. We got caught once.

[Jicked]

Good stuff, Ljubljana is one of Europe's most beautiful capitals (just check out Lake Bled about 40 mins outside it!) and the friendliest people I've ever met in Europe.

[bennocelt]

Jesus ye guys are funny..........."taxis were a rip off" ......what, really!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose ye all eat in Mcdonalds as well and drank min Oirish bars:eek:

[eirebhoy]

Jesus ye guys are funny..........."taxis were a rip off" ......what, really!!!!!!!!!!

I suppose ye all eat in Mcdonalds as well and drank min Oirish bars:eek:
I suppose you've no problems with ticket touts and the like. Are the taxi drivers allowed rip us off because they don't earn as much over there?

[bennocelt]

I suppose you've no problems with ticket touts and the like. Are the taxi drivers allowed rip us off because they don't earn as much over there?

but why are you surprised!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[paul_oshea]

Good stuff, Ljubljana is one of Europe's most beautiful capitals (just check out Lake Bled about 40 mins outside it!) and the friendliest people I've ever met in Europe.

ill agree on this one ;)

Jees for more than a few reasons id love it to be slovenia.

[DeLorean]

The taxi thing didn't really bother me in Bratislava really. Even ripping us off it was still probably cheaper than here I found. Like somebody above said you just had to agree a price beforehand. The hotel we were leaving charged us a few ridiculous hidden extras as well but again - no big deal. I just thought the place itself was ugly, gloomy and miserable and the people were the same. Of course the weather didn't help but even so.

[paul_oshea]

I was in getting a meal with the girlfriend, the waitress(although seriously hot so i let her away with it) just threw the plates on the table, seriouslly, literally slipped her hand from under the plates before they touched the table and turned away.

If you go to cuba you will find the same sorta service, its a communist mentalitiy, why work harder for the same amount of money?! Very unfriendly place, and as I say I was with the girlfriend we didnt really hang around the Irish bars, so no real reason why people would be "suspicious" etc. Having said that Ive met a lot of slovaks over here and all have been more than friendly, but then again when away from home you need to be that way.

[eirebhoy]

but why are you surprised!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not surprised but it's typical bennocelt when that's the only single point you've picked up on. I had a good time in Bratislava because there was a good crowd there. But it seemed like we weren't wanted there which is a pity. Although it had the highest proportion of good looking women of all the cities I've been.

[DeLorean]

Having said that Ive met a lot of slovaks over here and all have been more than friendly, but then again when away from home you need to be that way.

Yeah I met a girl from Bratislava in Cork and she was sound. She couldn't believe that I thought her homeland was such a sh!thole!! I could have left it off I suppose but it wasn't long after the trip and I felt fairly passionately about it.

[NeilMcD]

Hope you were not trying to chat her up DeLorean. Never a good line to destroy someones home country.

[paul_oshea]

Yeah I met a girl from Bratislava in Cork and she was sound. She couldn't believe that I thought her homeland was such a sh!thole!! I could have left it off I suppose but it wasn't long after the trip and I felt fairly passionately about it.

HAHA, good way of breaking the ice there....You annoy her and then start joking and reel her in. "how much does a fat polar bear weigh?!" " i dont know" "either do i but it breaks the ice " :D

[geysir]

And if the ice hasn't broken, she is wondering why you thought of a fat polar bear.

[paul_oshea]

If the ice hasn't broken thats some thick ice, and a frosty reception received, or else its not a very fat polar bear ;)

[Superhoops]

McDonnell in today's Independent seems to think it will be an open draw 'provided FIFA stay true to their plans'. Please let that be the case!

Just out of interest I sent the following e-mail to FIFA in Zurich a week or so ago:

'When the draw is made on 19th October for the 4 ties to determine the remaining 4 places allocated to the European Zone between the best eight second placed group teams in the European Zone, will those eight teams be seeded or will it be a straight forward open draw?'

This morning I got this reply:

'we thank you for your enquiry. Please understand that - at the moment - there's no more information available.

Kind regards

Communications & Public Affairs
FIFA - Fédération Internationale de Football Association
www.FIFA.com'

Smells of rats and hot balls :eek::confused:

[Stuttgart88]

PORTUGAL, GREECE,CZECH REPUBLIC,RUSSIA, BOSNIA-HERZ,CROATIA, FRANCE...these are the seven teams I expect to join us in the "draw".
I love a good conspiracy theory myself, but who of these would be FIFA's favourites?

Portugal (or Sweden), Russia & France on basis of perceived pedigree and size of TV audience.

How would you rank Greece, Bosnia, Czechs, Croatia and ourselves (assuming...)?

On size of country ourseves, Croatia & Bosnia would be at bottom I think.

From Edgar's site the October FIFA rankings are:

7 Croatia
8 Russia
12 France
13 Portugal
21 Czechs
22 Greece
29 ROI
45 Bosnia

If any open draw was to be fixed the only guess I'd make would be that Russia, France & Portugal would be kept apart. The rest FIFA can live with or without.

Sweden's ranking of 41 would put a spanner in the works if they got second ahead of Portugal. I think FIFA would like them at a WC. I would. Good looking birds and all that.

[DeLorean]

Hope you were not trying to chat her up DeLorean. Never a good line to destroy someones home country.

Yeah, tact passed me by on that occasion, as well as many others.

[Superhoops]

.....From Edgar's site the October FIFA rankings are:

7 Croatia
8 Russia
12 France
13 Portugal
21 Czechs
22 Greece
29 ROI
45 Bosnia

If any open draw was to be fixed the only guess I'd make would be that Russia, France & Portugal would be kept apart. The rest FIFA can live with or without.....

If these were the eight teams. I could see FIFA using the rankings as justification to keep the top four apart and from a footballing point of view they are probably the four teams of the eight they would prefer to be at the finals.

If that was the case, I could not see us beating any of them over 2 legs.

[gspain]

I love a good conspiracy theory myself, but who of these would be FIFA's favourites?

Portugal (or Sweden), Russia & France on basis of perceived pedigree and size of TV audience.

How would you rank Greece, Bosnia, Czechs, Croatia and ourselves (assuming...)?

On size of country ourseves, Croatia & Bosnia would be at bottom I think.

From Edgar's site the October FIFA rankings are:

7 Croatia
8 Russia
12 France
13 Portugal
21 Czechs
22 Greece
29 ROI
45 Bosnia

If any open draw was to be fixed the only guess I'd make would be that Russia, France & Portugal would be kept apart. The rest FIFA can live with or without.

Sweden's ranking of 41 would put a spanner in the works if they got second ahead of Portugal. I think FIFA would like them at a WC. I would. Good looking birds and all that.


The big thing is tv audience. France is a big country with a big tv market share. Germany is a massive tv market. They will be there.

Portugal is simply a Ronaldo thing - FIFA will want him at the World Cup.

Good looking Swedish fans or a big travelling Irish contingent don't really factor in. France's away support has always been pathetic. They sold half their allocation for a World Cup semi final in a neighbouring country and most of those were to touts. We had more fans at Israel v France ( I went home but my mates stayed on) than they had in 2005.

Although Russia is a massive market I don't know how financially lucrative it is for FIFA.

If it is just France then they'll probably let the balls fall as they do. If France, Germany and Portugal are in the playoffs then expect a seeding change at the last minute.

[geysir]

I wouldn't underestimate the power of good looking Swedish birds to heat up the balls.

[Stuttgart88]

very good

[elroy]

A guy on newstalk tonight said that Uefa have announced that the play off draw will be seeded, anyone hear anything to confirm this?

[Torn-Ado]

Yeah I met a girl from Bratislava in Cork and she was sound. She couldn't believe that I thought her homeland was such a sh!thole!! I could have left it off I suppose but it wasn't long after the trip and I felt fairly passionately about it.

I take it you got your hole then.

[Tipp Townie]

If that was the case, I could not see us beating any of them over 2 legs.

I'd actually be quite hopeful against all of those except Portugal and Russia. Germany would also be incredibly tough, were they to be involved.

Don't get me wrong i wouldnt actually jump with joy whoever we get. Some previous play-offs have included a weak team that everyone wanted to draw; but not this time it would seem.
Nevertheless, some of the more 'established' names there are in terrible form (France, Croatia), whilst we should feel confident of at least matching up to the others like Bosnia or Greece. All to play for, to use the old cliche.

Speaking of Greece - if we got them in the playoffs, surely that'd be the most boring 2 legs of football ever?!

[SuperDave]

A guy on newstalk tonight said that Uefa have announced that the play off draw will be seeded, anyone hear anything to confirm this?

Well, seeing as FIFA run the competition, chances are he was talking through his hole. :p

[youngirish]

Speaking of Greece - if we got them in the playoffs, surely that'd be the most boring 2 legs of football ever?!
The midfield for both sides could agree to meet in the centre circle before kick off for a few cans of guinness and a bottle of ouzo and sit out the entire game with no-one being the wiser.

[Drumcondra 69er]

A guy on newstalk tonight said that Uefa have announced that the play off draw will be seeded, anyone hear anything to confirm this?

Think he said that it would be based on the final positions in the 2nd place table, top 4 v bottom 4 (excluding last place obviously).

Dunno if there's any truth in it, was the first I'd heard of it anyway.

[Stuttgart88]

Do we have any chnace of being in the top 4?

[Acornvilla]

win last two games and were in most likely

[Greenforever]

If Germany qualify automatically and Portugal fail to qualify for the playoffs it may well be an open draw as of the likely 8 nations the only ones that FIFA would be concerned about would be France and Spain who should really be capable of beating any of the other qualifiers. They will be miracously kept apart with no need for seedings. :D

However if Germany and Portugal end up in the mix they will find some way of seeding Spain, France, Portugal and Germany. The method of seeding will be chosen to accomodate the required result :D

[twoenz]

If Germany qualify automatically and Portugal fail to qualify for the playoffs it may well be an open draw as of the likely 8 nations the only ones that FIFA would be concerned about would be France and Spain who should really be capable of beating any of the other qualifiers. They will be miracously kept apart with no need for seedings. :D

However if Germany and Portugal end up in the mix they will find some way of seeding Spain, France, Portugal and Germany. The method of seeding will be chosen to accomodate the required result :D

Why would FIFA want to demote Spain into it? They've booked their flights already.

[carloz]

This **** really annoys me. Every team knew the story at the beginning of the playoffs, and every team have had the same struggle to get into the playoffs. Why not just leave it at that instead of ****ing around with a seeding system. No doubt this will benefit France, but im sure that has nothing to do with Mr. Platini :rolleyes:. Changing the system this far into qualifying is a joke


edit: this is for a world cup, i presume then its Blatters idea. Silly me

[MeathDrog]

This **** really annoys me. Every team knew the story at the beginning of the playoffs, and every team have had the same struggle to get into the playoffs. Why not just leave it at that instead of ****ing around with a seeding system. No doubt this will benefit France, but im sure that has nothing to do with Mr. Platini :rolleyes:. Changing the system this far into qualifying is a joke


edit: this is for a world cup, i presume then its Blatters idea. Silly me
That doesn't necessarily mean that Platini doesn't have a big say. It is the UEFA jurisdiction of the WC qualifying afterall.

[geysir]

How was the draw for the 2002 qual play offs made?

Looking at it, the 4 top teams played away first, though 2 of them failed to go through.

Belgium v Czech Rep
Ukraine v Germany
Austria v Turkey
Slovenia v Romania

[DeLorean]

For those of you interested (especially in the first match) the live Qualifiers on ESPN are:

Saturday

Russia v Germany (1600)
Denmark v Sweden (1900)

Wednesday

Germany v Finland (1700)

[SuperDave]

For those of you interested (especially in the first match) the live Qualifiers on ESPN are:

Saturday

Russia v Germany (1600)
Denmark v Sweden (1900)

Wednesday

Germany v Finland (1700)

Denmark Sweden would be worth watching from an Irish pov as we want the swedes to finish second in that group and beneath us in the seedings.... we will prob need a draw in that game, with the swedes hammering albania in a shoot-out against the portuguese, who are at home to hungary saturday and Malta wednesday... portugal currently two points down, 10 5, GD +5, Sweden 9 3, GD +6