Fixture dates confirmed [Archive]

mypost

16/03/2010, 12:08 AM

Due out today, please god they will, and we don't have to wait for UEFA to draw them up.

Given the time difference, they should be out around lunchtime here if everything goes well. But I think it will be a hard slog, the Russians will probably play hardball when it comes to the fixtures, though they probably won't force anyone to go there in the depths of winter. Ideally, we'll get an Andorra game near the end of the series, which would allow us to have a celebration party if we've got the points from the other games.

What I don't want is the kind of fixture list the North got. Away first and last, no double home/away weeks, and off to Italy's qualification party in the last game. Scotland have to go to Spain last too. We don't want to have to go to Moscow that late in the series.

EastTerracer

16/03/2010, 1:29 AM

Based on the story below it doesn't seem like the FAI are too confident that the fixtures will be agreed today. If none of the countries are able to agree then UEFA can step in and dictate the fixtures.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0316/1224266352578.html

mypost

16/03/2010, 2:13 AM

I wouldn't be too concerned by that, in fact I think it's good that no fixtures have been pre-arranged. The whole point of the meeting is to sort them out there and then. They have the whole day to sort them out, and it could go on for 9-12 hours, like it did in 2004. As long as they get them done, that's the important thing.

But England's will have to be decided by UEFA, the second time in 3 qualifying campaigns. As usual, the Brits don't want to play in June. They don't realise that the draw is give and take.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/international/article7063152.ece

Hope we don't have to go down that route, as it will probably mean a trek to one of the heavyweights later on.

gspain

16/03/2010, 7:25 AM

This could be posturing to stop us being screwed by the Russians. There is the concern that a side deal has already been done. Italy, France and Scotland got together and screwed the Ukraine a few years back. They just said no thanks and got UEFA to draw the fixtures.

I have heard but can't provide a source that UEFA also take into account who they feel has been awkward. This means that the top seed doesn't necessarily get the last game at home etc.

I would have been happier if we had games arranged in advance.

mypost

16/03/2010, 7:38 AM

Don't think it makes much difference if the games are arranged in advance, you still have to go to the meeting and formally agree to them. Even if they're pre-arranged, one slip up becomes a domino for all the other games.

But I also think, it should have been done on the day of the draw. All the delegations were there, they could just have easily sorted it out at the time, as very few would have changed their wish list in the intervening period. Whatever though, it's taken way too long just to get to this point, it should have been all done and dusted by Christmas.

Gather round

16/03/2010, 8:24 AM

But England's will have to be decided by UEFA, the second time in 3 qualifying campaigns. As usual, the Brits don't want to play in June. They don't realise that the draw is give and take

If by the 'Brits' you mean England (given that Wales are in the same group), they say they did manage to agree all their own fixtures, unlike all the other countries. Suggesting that they realise the need to give and take rather more than the others do.

What I don't want is the kind of fixture list the North got. Away first and last, no double home/away weeks, and off to Italy's qualification party in the last game

Most of our fans seem content with the set up. To be positive, if we're to improve it means winning away against similar size/ standard teams, so starting with Sovenia (or Estonia) makes sense. Pretty much nobody wanted an away double-header, which obviously in turn reduces the likelihood of a home equivalent. We did have one this time, which went well, but were then left with the two nominally strongest teams away in the last three games. More negatively, it doesn't really matter playing Italy away last as we won't be expecting much from the game. Unless they play with a man short for 87 minutes, maybe.

ArdeeBhoy

16/03/2010, 9:27 AM

You are confusing us.

Gather round

16/03/2010, 9:35 AM

You are confusing us

It isn't difficult.

ArdeeBhoy

16/03/2010, 9:38 AM

We know!

EastTerracer

16/03/2010, 11:49 AM

No dates agreed - it's up to the UEFA computer now.....

http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0316/fai_ireland.html

mypost

16/03/2010, 2:11 PM

If by the 'Brits' you mean England (given that Wales are in the same group), they say they did manage to agree all their own fixtures, unlike all the other countries. Suggesting that they realise the need to give and take rather more than the others do.

I mean both of them, they were in the same group. Bulgaria objected to the arrangements.

In your group, Slovenia are a hard side to go to first. They beat you there in the last campaign. As for us, it's just more waiting.

Declanus

16/03/2010, 5:29 PM

Seemingly they just couldn't agree dates. UEFA are going to do a draw in Isreal on the 25th March. Do they do a home and away draw or have they to meet again. Just means we won't be able to make arrangements any time soon.:ball:

finbarrk

23/03/2010, 12:51 PM

Info about it here.

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1465821.html

stiffler

23/03/2010, 5:42 PM

any idea what time on thursday these fixtures will be released?

mypost

24/03/2010, 12:14 AM

Lunchtime

eaststand85

24/03/2010, 2:24 PM

Info about it here.

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/news/newsid=1465821.html

Just been looking at that standard fixture list and in all cases where there's two matches to be played in the same week the weekend ones are scheduled for Fridays which would mean any of our weekend matches this year would be on a Friday (presumably at night).

Does anyone know if the associations can switch a game to the Saturday after the draw if they both agree? They may not want to, particularly if there's travelling to be done but be interested to know if it's a possibility.

mypost

24/03/2010, 2:39 PM

No. Once the dates are set, they're set. The time for agreements ended last week.

The March and June single dates are Saturdays but that's it.

eaststand85

24/03/2010, 4:35 PM

No. Once the dates are set, they're set. The time for agreements ended last week.

The March and June single dates are Saturdays but that's it.

I saw that but wouldn't be so sure with UEFA, there always seems to be room for manoeuvre. For example they said after the original draw that countries had 30 days to agree fixtures but our group's meeting in Russia didn't take place until a couple of weeks after that deadline!

Have sent the FAI ticket office an e-mail, will post if I get a reply.

mypost

24/03/2010, 7:03 PM

When it comes to scheduled dates, there is no flexibility. For the past 14 years, you could either play on Saturday or Wednesday. Saturday games will only be allowed now if there are no games the following week.

eaststand85

25/03/2010, 8:32 AM

I saw that but wouldn't be so sure with UEFA, there always seems to be room for manoeuvre. For example they said after the original draw that countries had 30 days to agree fixtures but our group's meeting in Russia didn't take place until a couple of weeks after that deadline!

Have sent the FAI ticket office an e-mail, will post if I get a reply.

See below for confirmation from the FAI that the fixtures are set in stone once drawn, the list they sent me was the one that can be downloaded from UEFA wesbite as per earlier posts.

Hi,

Once the draw is made the fixtures will be set as per the dates of the Standard UEFA fixture list, and cannot be negotiated from Friday to Saturday etc.

I’ve attached a copy of the list for your convenience (6 Team Group).

Regards,

Ticket Office.

EastTerracer

25/03/2010, 12:28 PM

NOT YET CONFIRMED !!!!

UEFA EURO 2012 Championship – Group B Fixtures

Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Armenia v Republic of Ireland

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
Republic of Ireland v Andorra

Friday, October 8th, 2010
Republic of Ireland v Russia

Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Slovakia v Republic of Ireland

Saturday, March 26th, 2011
Republic of Ireland v Macedonia

Saturday, June 4th, 2011
Macedonia v Republic of Ireland

Friday, September 2nd, 2011
Republic of Ireland v Slovakia

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011
Russia v Republic of Ireland

Friday, October 7th, 2011
Andorra v Republic of Ireland

Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
Republic of Ireland v Armenia

gspain

25/03/2010, 12:33 PM

source??????

EastTerracer

25/03/2010, 12:34 PM

Sorry, I got an email from someone who should know..... but I am told that they will be released officially in the next 15 minutes.

I would advise caution about booking flighst until they are confirmed.

pineapple stu

25/03/2010, 12:41 PM

Up on UEFA now (http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/competitions/Draws/01/46/80/13/1468013_DOWNLOAD.pdf) (pdf file link)

EastTerracer

25/03/2010, 12:43 PM

http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/EuroExperience/competitions/Draws/01/46/80/13/1468013_DOWNLOAD.pdf

newrynyuk

25/03/2010, 12:49 PM

Seriously? Most of our fixtures will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays?

EastTerracer

25/03/2010, 12:51 PM

Seriously? Most of our fixtures will be played on Tuesdays and Fridays?

Yes, not ideal. I will be taking a few Fridays off to get long weekends in Dublin (and Andorra)

pineapple stu

25/03/2010, 12:52 PM

We knew that was going to happen when the date template was laid out.

For the away match threads, I'm not going to put the date in the titles of all 35 threads, but the dates are in the summary thread (http://foot.ie/threads/132769-Euro-2012-away-match-thread-summary?daysprune=100), which will soon have all the links to the individual threads; I'm aiming that people can easily work from there if they need or want to share any info.

newrynyuk

25/03/2010, 1:02 PM

Huh, great!

Oh well, I gusss I'll have to make the best of a poor situation. Might give in to the anorak nerd in me and check the fixture lists of the other groups. See if I can take in a Saturday/Wednesday game in a nearby country.

DeLorean

25/03/2010, 1:07 PM

We knew that was going to happen when the date template was laid out

Fair enough and sorry if this has been answered already but why have they had Tuesdays and Fridays as the default (for weeks where there are two matches)? I don't really see the advantage, is it a new thing?

pineapple stu

25/03/2010, 1:21 PM

Yeah, it's new. I'd say it's for telly; more live games this way. Can't remember if a reason was given at the time.

EastTerracer

25/03/2010, 1:28 PM

Yeah, it's new. I'd say it's for telly; more live games this way. Can't remember if a reason was given at the time.

The clubs were also complaining that players were not being given enough time to recover from midweek matches and so insisted that the midweek game should be on a Tuesday. The Friday night was then just the result of moving that game forward and needing a few days in between qualifiers.

mypost

25/03/2010, 1:47 PM

Not bad. Could have been worse, and would have been worse with the FAI fixture list. The longest trip is out of the way straight away, we got Saturday games against Macedonia, and if we do our stuff beforehand, the last two games look perfect for qualification.

Only downside was no double headers in the same week, but that's a decent fixture list. No excuses for making the most of it now. :)

KK77

26/03/2010, 11:36 AM

Yeah, it's new. I'd say it's for telly; more live games this way. Can't remember if a reason was given at the time.

Nothing to do with the telly. It's so the clubs can get their players back a day earlier. Maks sense imo.

DeLorean

26/03/2010, 11:52 AM

gspain

26/03/2010, 1:21 PM

But do the groups that decided their fixtures already have to play on Tuesdays/Fridays? I can't find a full fixture list for all the Qualifiers (all groups) for some reason. If anybody has more success could you please throw up a link. Thanks.

They are here

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/50701/default.aspx

http://fourfourtwo.com/news/restofeurope/50702/default.aspx

I can't find any other games that fit in with our away trips. I had Serbia v Northern Ireland 25/3 planned if we were in Skope or Slovakia on 26/3. Hungary v Holland was also an attractive option for that date.

newrynyuk

27/03/2010, 12:37 AM

I can't find any other games that fit in with our away trips. I had Serbia v Northern Ireland 25/3 planned if we were in Skope or Slovakia on 26/3. Hungary v Holland was also an attractive option for that date.

Austria v Germany in Vienna is on the day before our match against Macedonia in Skopjie. Definitely a possibility.

mypost

27/03/2010, 3:09 AM

But do the groups that decided their fixtures already have to play on Tuesdays/Fridays? I can't find a full fixture list for all the Qualifiers (all groups) for some reason. If anybody has more success could you please throw up a link. Thanks.

Everyone has to play on those dates at some stage. Saturday games are very limited, and there are none on Wednesdays.