Euro Qualifying

[Rossi]

RTE reporting that we are going to be third seeds for qualifying. Thats a joke. We proved ourselves against Italy and France but they put us in third seed. With play-offs being introduced its going to make it difficult to qualify.

[pineapple stu]

Proved ourselves against Montenegro too. And how we hammered the Cypriots and Georgians.

Is thinking about things before complaining gone out of fashion now?

[Duggie]

RTE reporting that we are going to be third seeds for qualifying. Thats a joke. We proved ourselves against Italy and France but they put us in third seed. With play-offs being introduced its going to make it difficult to qualify.

got to do with seedings hasnt it. dosent really matter how we got on v italy+france. on our day were as good as most the top seeds(spain maybe not). might get a half decent group but would still be tough to qualify outright.

[Crosby87]

Proved ourselves against Montenegro too. And how we hammered the Cypriots and Georgians.

Is thinking about things before complaining gone out of fashion now?

Have to agree with Stuwie. The honest fact is we havent beaten a good team in years. Even got smoked at home by the Aussies in a friendly that was supposed to be "an important tune up" for good measure.

[macdermesser]

HThe honest fact is we havent beaten a good team in years. .


just checking the date of the post ... we beat France 1-0 away. I know it has been lost in all the noise.

France 0 Ireland 1

[Schumi]

We finished second in this group and a distant third last time so third seeds sounds about right.

[SeanDrog]

tyring to put the handball incident behind me and focus now on teh Europeans - when is the draw?

I really hope that this incident, this trial of pain (so to speak) will unite and glavanise the team to really push hard in the forthcoming qualifiers.

[Junior]

Draw is in Feb I believe.

[Wolfie]

Its been widely flagged on here for months that we'd be most likely 3rd seeds, has it not?

[Noelys Guitar]

We are destined to draw France as first seeds.

[Wolfie]

We are destined to draw France as first seeds.

Indeed - and the Faroe Islands as well...........................

[colemany2k]

It's not surprising we're in the third pot. We are a long way behind Romania who are the bottom team in pot 2. The damage caused during the kerr and staunton era's cannot be underestimated. We're now ranked 25th in europe with a number of teams ahead of us in pot 3. We would need to win the majority of the games in the next qualifiers to stand any chance of getting into pot 2. It looks like we have between 5-10 years to wait before going into pot 2 and that's assuming we make steady progress through the qualifiers not to mention major competitions. Just to put a downer on the whole thing, when the senior players in the current squad retire then I fear we will really struggle

On another note I feel we're destined to get the French for the euro's along with Brian Kerr's Faroes! :D

Please see below for the teams and which pots their in:

Seeding pots
Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia

Pot 2: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania

Pot 3: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Pot 4: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, FYR Macedonia, Cyprus

Pot 5: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Pot 6: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefa/KeyTopics/92/18/20/921820_DOWNLOAD.pdf

[Gather round]

It's not surprising we're in the third pot. We are a long way behind Romania who are the bottom team in pot 2

Romania finished the qualifiers as the 35th team in Europe, based only on points in this series. Below Northern Ireland, Wales, Belarus, Macedonia and Lithuania. But of course they benefit from the craziness of ratings calculated over three tournaments, where a draw against Italy in 2009 earns less credit than a win against San Marino or whoever in 2004.


We would need to win the majority of the games in the next qualifiers to stand any chance of getting into pot 2

A more positive attitude would be 'win the majority of games and we'll likely qualify- with 'promotion' to pot 2 as a bonus'. That's basically what Slovakia have done.

[stiffler]

Slovakia got a handy group so now they are in pot 2! its all luck at the end of the day

[Gather round]

Slovakia got a handy group so now they are in pot 2! its all luck at the end of the day

Slovakia's group was no harder than Italy's overall; they won seven matches out of ten, including four away from home; ultimately it's about winning more points (and while I'm opposed to measuring them over six seasons as opposed to two, that obviously reduces the element of luck).

Slovakia outpointed you both in this tournament and overall in all qualifiers in the last three series. That's why they're seeded higher.

[irishultra]

Ireland won 4 games in the group stages. 3rd seeds is about right.

[jo84]

just checking the date of the post ... we beat France 1-0 away. I know it has been lost in all the noise.

France 0 Ireland 1


Glad you pointed this out. I'm sick trying to remind people all day that Ireland beat France on Wednesday in the regulation 90 minutes, just like France beat us on Saturday. The extra time 'equaliser' doesnt take away from the fact we beat them.

[stiffler]

Slovakia's group was no harder than Italy's overall; they won seven matches out of ten, including four away from home; ultimately it's about winning more points (and while I'm opposed to measuring them over six seasons as opposed to two, that obviously reduces the element of luck).

Slovakia outpointed you both in this tournament and overall in all qualifiers in the last three series. That's why they're seeded higher.


Yeah , it was no harder, it was easier as per my original point. Obviously its easier to pick up points in an easier group!!


Does anyone know who our next game is against? are there any friendlies lined up? the only 1 I can find details of is Argentina late next year.

[4tothefloor]

It's not surprising we're in the third pot. We are a long way behind Romania who are the bottom team in pot 2. The damage caused during the kerr and staunton era's cannot be underestimated. We're now ranked 25th in europe with a number of teams ahead of us in pot 3. We would need to win the majority of the games in the next qualifiers to stand any chance of getting into pot 2. It looks like we have between 5-10 years to wait before going into pot 2 and that's assuming we make steady progress through the qualifiers not to mention major competitions. Just to put a downer on the whole thing, when the senior players in the current squad retire then I fear we will really struggle

On another note I feel we're destined to get the French for the euro's along with Brian Kerr's Faroes! :D

Please see below for the teams and which pots their in:

Seeding pots
Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia

Pot 2: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania

Pot 3: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Pot 4: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, FYR Macedonia, Cyprus

Pot 5: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Pot 6: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/uefa/KeyTopics/92/18/20/921820_DOWNLOAD.pdf
Spain and England aside there is absolutely nothing to fear from pot one or pot two. Much of a muchness who you draw as even the big guns these days are all very very beatable

[christo]

Going to go for

France
Switzerland
Us
Cyprus
Liechtenstein
Faroe Islands

[noddy102]

When is the draw?

[jo84]

The draw is February 7.

More than Spain and England will cause us trouble from Pot 1, wouldnt fancy getting Holland especially, but the rest of the pots are grand. With a favourable draw we could qualify as the best second-placed team. Maybe even get France and top the group.

[tetsujin1979]

The second pot is surprisingly weak, none of Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey or Romania qualified for the World Cup.
Cyprus's improvement is shown in their promotion to Pot 4 (have they ever been higher?) while Montenegro are the obvious strongest side in the bottom two pots.

Dream:
Croatia
Sweden
Belarus
Liechtenstein
Andorra

Nightmare:
Spain
Greece/Turkey
Slovenia
Montenegro
Faroe Islands

(note: I don't think Faroe Islands are the worst team we could face, but the build up to facing the former manager would overshadow the game itself)

[Greenbod]

I'd hate to get the Faroes.........want to see Kerr doing well.

[Riddickcule]

Seedings is a complete farce

[Rossi]

Hopefully FIFA will see our injustice in not qualifying and will therefore rig the draw so we get an easy group!

[shakermaker1982]

England
Slovakia
Us
Wales
Liechtenstein
Andorra

[bennocelt]

Seeding pots
Pot 1: Spain (holders), Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia

Pot 2: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania

Pot 3: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Pot 4: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, FYR Macedonia, Cyprus

Pot 5: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein

Pot 6: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino


worst>
SPAIN
SERBIA
US
SLOVENIA
KAZAKHSTAN
AZERBAIJAN

best>
PORTUGAL
SLOVAKIA
US
WALES
LIECHIENSTIEN
SAN MARINO

[DonnyG]

Hopefully FIFA will see our injustice in not qualifying and will therefore rig the draw so we get an easy group!

They would never do such an underhand thing:rolleyes:

[DonnyG]

So it's still 16 countries in the Euro 2012 finals? And with Poland and Ukraine there as hosts that leaves 14 spots. So another play-off for 2nd placed teams?

EDIT:
There will be total of nine groups. Six of this groups will have six teams drawn into them (one each from pots 1 to 6 below); the remaining three groups will consist of five teams. At the conclusion of qualifying, the team at the top of each group will qualify automatically. The second placed teams will have their records adjusted (to account for teams from groups with five or six teams); the team with the best resultant record will also qualify by right, with the remaining eight contesting two-legged playoffs for the right to join them.

Gonna be tough again - lets hope we keep most of the team together.

[geysir]

Cyprus's improvement is shown in their promotion to Pot 4 (have they ever been higher?) while Montenegro are the obvious strongest side in the bottom two pots.

Afair Cyprus were in the 4th pot for the WC draw.
I remember there was a 50% chance of us getting Iceland from the 5th pot but we got Georgia instead.

[jo84]

The FAI have to demand from UEFA in advance that there will be no rule-changing regarding seedings for play-offs this time.

UEFA need to be put under pressure to state their position clearly before a ball is kicked.

[tetsujin1979]

The FAI have to demand from UEFA in advance that there will be no rule-changing regarding seedings for play-offs this time.

UEFA need to be put under pressure to state their position clearly before a ball is kicked.
Agreed, the farce of the play off draw cannot be repeated if these qualifiers are to be taken seriously.