LOI in Europe 2011

[TiocfaidhArmani]

The teams Rovers could get. Not easy, but sure we knew it wouldn't be.

Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)Beşiktaş JK (TUR)FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)FK Partizan (SRB)

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=1656289.html

[Kingdom]

Got to be looking at Metalist if they want to progress, hard to see a way past the others, very slight outside chance against Partizan or Pana.
In that case, they'd be just as well off drawing Atletico, for the exposure, the experience and the crowd. I think that's a fair assessment.

Edit: Just looking at the groups and both seeds and unseeds, you can see just how big a ceiling the Irish clubs have to break through. Here's hoping!

[pineapple stu]

Plucky effort from the LOI, but ultimately lagging way behind the talented ball-playing Iceland league.

LOI 3 wins 3 draws - coeff 1.125

LOIceland 5 wins 1 draw - coeff 1.375
(including a hammering dished out to champion league specialists Zilina and an emphatic home win against Norway's Rosenburg.
The plucky Irish side knocked out one of the talented ball-playing Icelandic sides.

The Irish sides started at a later UEFA Cup round than the Icelandic sides - because they were higher seeded (one in the first, one in the second and one in the third for Ireland versus two in the first and one in the second for Iceland) - so not really a surprise that Icelandic teams won more games given they were playing against poorer opposition.

Zilina aren't Champions' League specialists - they've qualified once ever, and lost every game.

Rosenborg were already 5-0 up from the first leg, a score they didn't rack up against LoI opposition.

Other than that, your post was spot on...

[Duggie]

our teams really need to score in away ties to have a chance against the bigger sides. not easy but. sligo had 2 great chances to score in ukraine but didnt. game over after 20 mins in sligo then. see who shams get in todays draw, will be tough to progress but at the least they will make some more money which is good for any LOI side.

[Spudulika]

Good spot PS, Zilina are a club at war with itself, they did well to get into the CL group, but I saw them being torn apart by Aiden and our non-scoring winger could have had 2-3 goals if he'd had a go than turning back around to beat the same man again.

[ger121]

The teams Rovers could get. Not easy, but sure we knew it wouldn't be.

Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)Beşiktaş JK (TUR)FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)FK Partizan (SRB)

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=1656289.html

It will end up being Metalist. Sure we can't get enough of the Ukraine!

[Real ale Madrid]

Have to say that Partizan are nothing special at all. Genk beat them over two legs and Genk are not in the same league as Copenhagen for example I think. Saw the first leg - Genk were all over them, eventually won 2-1 after Partizan opened the scoring. They would have a fighing chance there imo.

No chance against the rest, they might put it up to Kharkiv for a while but Ukrainan opponents look too stong for Irish teams. ( no sh!t sherlock )

[Stevo Da Gull]

The teams Rovers could get. Not easy, but sure we knew it wouldn't be.

Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)Beşiktaş JK (TUR)FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)FK Partizan (SRB)

http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/newsid=1656289.html

Damn, I was hoping it would Spurs. Redknapp has been talking as though he has no intention of playing his first team in the Europa.

From those teams, the big draw against Atleti would be nice. Partizan would be interesting. Their confidence can't be high but they'll fancy themselves big time against Rovers.. could be a good thing.

[DannyInvincible]

Are the goals from last night's games available to watch online anywhere yet? I just caught one of the goals against Sligo.

Just on Panathanaikos, I'd always wondered what the story was behind the shamrock in their crest. Turns out it may have (somewhat) Irish roots. According to Wikipedia:


In 1918, player Michalis Papazoglou proposed that the club adopt the shamrock as its emblem. He used to have it sewn on his shirt since he was competing for a club in his native Chalcedon, Constantinople. Papazoglou was possibly inspired by William Sherring, an Irish Canadian athlete who had won the Athens 1906 Olympic Marathon wearing a white shirt with a big green shamrock on it.

[paul_oshea]

Can they draw any of these teams?

PAOK, Austria Vienna, Rosenborg or Metalist might be the best chances of getting through. Birmingham are in the sh*tter as well - that's a big possibility.

How do Rovers fans feel - do they think they can advance or are they looking for the high profile game?

I love that name \m/

Just a pity they aren't from scandanavia.

[paul_oshea]

our teams really need to score in away ties to have a chance against the bigger sides. not easy but. sligo had 2 great chances to score in ukraine but didnt. game over after 20 mins in sligo then. see who shams get in todays draw, will be tough to progress but at the least they will make some more money which is good for any LOI side.

Sligo were very unlucky though. That second goal was a clear goal. And kirbys miss was ridiculous. It could have been 2-0 then. And in the second half over there Vorskla never looked like scoring. It really could have been very different.

[thischarmingman]

Other than that, your post was spot on...

It started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better, but apart from that...excellent."

[paul_oshea]

Are the goals from last night's games available to watch online anywhere yet? I just caught one of the goals against Sligo.

Just on Panathanaikos, I'd always wondered what the story was behind the shamrock in their crest. Turns out it may have (somewhat) Irish roots. According to Wikipedia:

Not quite....

"Is there any overt Irish connection there, given their crest and green strip, or is it, as my mate claimed in the pub during one drunken Champions League viewing, that Greece is the only place outside Ireland where shamrock grows?"

Much as it pains us to say it - for we love a good yarn more than most - neither story is true.

In 1918 Panathinaikos chose the shamrock - or trifylli as it's known in Greece - as their emblem on the suggestion of Mihalis Papazoglou, an athlete from Constantinople who played for Chalkidona, and Chalkidona had the same symbol. The idea was accepted by Panathinaikos's council and confirmed as the team's official badge.

[Straightstory]

One goal scored in six games in the last round by Pats, Sligo and Sham Rovers combined. Still can't get over that Kirby miss in the Ukraine.

[Kingdom]

It started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle and the less said about the end the better, but apart from that...excellent."

Paul O'Shea is having kittens reading all the abuse Geysir is getting. Retribution.

[paul_oshea]

Haha, me? Petty? I wouldn't say so.

Geysir doesn't ever get what i'm getting at, so its all lost.

I'm sure he knew what he was doing posting that, and I'd also say he got the reaction he was looking for.

[legendz]

Rovers are the lowest ranked team in today's draw.
Of the 38 seeds, the lowest ranked 10 of the 38 are:
Red Bull Salzburg
Rosenborg
Lokomotiv Moscow
PAOK
Birmingham City
Stoke City
Rennes
Austria Wien
Rapid Bucureşti
Partizan

[legendz]

Group 1
Seeded
Club Atlético de Madrid (ESP)
Panathinaikos FC (GRE)
Beşiktaş JK (TUR)
FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR)
FK Partizan (SRB)
Unseeded
FC Sochaux-Montbéliard (FRA)
Vitória SC (POR)
FC Alania Vladikavkaz (RUS)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC (ISR)
Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL)

[paul_oshea]

so the groups are there and then only those can play eachtoher. Well its obvious they will get atletico. Didn't panathainakos lose at home badly in the last round? Metalist or partizan would have to be the hope.

[harleyleeds]

One thing I noticed before the Sligo game... The Vorskla players were casually taking up their positions around the pitch before kick-off. They just looked confident; the demanour oozed superiority. In contrast, the Sligo players could barely hold still for a team photo. Bar Joey Ndo, they were racing around like nervous wrecks. The game was probably lost psychologically before it even kicked off.





You've gone quiet this evening. Are you prepared to admit your bluster was all rather outlandish now?


yes danney i was way off the mark Rovers obviously never had a chance . Bit sad for you that this is what makes you happy but then just being someone who has never and will never have a club of your own slagging off others is as good as it will get for you . yes i am sickened at the loss, yes i thought we could win the game based on the performance last week but we never turned up and poltava were quite a few classes above us. The thing is danney i now look forward to my team in the other competitions they have left and if it isnt too outlandish to say i think they can still win the league and or the cup. you on the other hand have nothing but more criticising of teams and or fans who dont share your opinion. the thing about supporting your team is you can be as outlandish as you want but you not having a team to support will never have that pleasure. I will follow my team to the day i die through good days and ones like yesterday and am proud of the effort they put in against the ukranians (turns out they werent in the same class) ,next up Dundalk away. Danny i think we can beat them away and i hope im not being to outlandish for you but really follow your local gaa team it would suit you better than having no team. I make no appologies for making any claims about my teams capabilities wheither you like them or not , they are mine and im entitled to my opinion right or wrong . when we sat down to watch the game yesterday and saw the great work done by the lads on the Showgies before getting a lesson in football I was very proud to be a Rovers fan and after said lesson still just as proud . So danney I dont think my claims were outlandish just an over excited fan not seeing past the pride he has in the ROVERS , simple mistake really for someone with a team to love.

[Nugget]

How is the seeding decided? It just seems odd that Birmingham are seeded, they're a championship side

[paul_oshea]

I don't think Detective Inspector was saying that at all. Just that you were talking through your hat without knowning anything about the other team.

But this is a common theme amongst - some i must state- LOI fans to those who dont support any club, you get the back up like a cat, and crawl behind your rock, become somewhat insular and revert to type - the age old Im better than you because I support a LOI club and you don't, barstooler, not a proper supporter etc etc. The thing is though, most on here wont actually see this and just "think/say" I don't know what im talking about - which is kinda exactly my point.

[Kingdom]

Quiet you, we're guests in here, don't go spoiling it for the rest of us.

[mypost]

yes danney i was way off the mark Rovers obviously never had a chance . I dont think my claims were outlandish just an over excited fan not seeing past the pride he has in the ROVERS , simple mistake really for someone with a team to love.

It's amazing what belief and confidence an 8-0 win at your rivals gives you. You believe you're invincible, and then reality soon crashes down on top of you.

[pineapple stu]

Remind me how many goals you thought Shams could score against Kobenhavn again?

[Spudulika]

Can Rovers get Spartak Moscow? If so it's happy days! Except for Thompson!

[legendz]

Shamrock Rovers FC (IRL) v FK Partizan (SRB)

[Kingdom]

Home leg first against Partizan! Stinger.

[DaveyCakes]

Partizan. First leg in Tallaght.

[Spudulika]

Oh crap - worse again! Ah well, at least Belgrade is a lovely city with cheap booze and nightlife. And at least it's not Red Star!

[legendz]

Partizan were the lowest ranked of the seeded clubs.

[pineapple stu]

Easiest draw they could have gotten, going on seedings. Significantly weaker than Kobenhavn going on club seedings. Should still have too much for Rovers though, but have to look at it as a chance.

[Real ale Madrid]

I'm telling ye - outside chance only maybe, but defo a chance !

Keep the dream alive Rovers.

[dantheman]

Tis the best they could have hoped for

[Spudulika]

Good team, they'll have a former Bohs foe leading them (Ilic) and Ivanov (I think he's Bulgarian but he played in Russia and is an animal).

[legendz]

They're ranked 114, Copenhagen are ranked 39. Rovers are 265.
Pat's 215, Bohs & Derry 236. Dundalk & Sporting Fingal though vanished 281 and Sligo 300.
This is all for 2011.

[Buller]

I'm pretty happy with this draw. They're definately one of the easier seeded teams would could have drawn.
Definately think we have a chance against them. :)

[legendz]

Partizan
Champions of 2010–11 Serbian SuperLiga and qualified as a result for 2011–12 UEFA Champions League Second qualifying round. The Serbian SuperLiga is a 16 team division played over two series.

Second qualifying round
Partizan beat Škendija (Macedonia) 5-0 on aggregate. 4-0 at home and 1-0 away in the second leg.

Third qualifying round
Partizan lost out 3-2 on aggregate to Genk (Belgium). Partizan lost the first-leg 2-1 away and drew 1-1 in the return leg.

[Acornvilla]

Club co efficent wise as it stands, serbia is 27th and we are 32nd

[ger121]

All Rovers would have wanted was a chance and with this side they'll have one. They really need to find their scoring boots though. 1 goal in 4 games is a poor return, based on the number of chances they created.

[TiocfaidhArmani]

Not bad for Rovers. They stand half a chance. Not much, probably make an arse of it like the others.

[paul_oshea]

Quiet you, we're guests in here, don't go spoiling it for the rest of us.

Its a public forum, you are a guest nowhere ;)

[paul_oshea]

Tis the best they could have hoped for

Tis, but the away leg first would have been ideal.

[mypost]

Red Star were drawn at home the same night. The stadiums are minutes apart from each other, one of them will probably have to be moved.

[ger121]

I don't know about playing the away leg 1st. Normally I'd prefer it, but being at home 1st, against a so called "superior" team does have it advantages. They'll be cautious and Rovers are at home, so should be more confident of getting a positive result to defend in the 2nd leg. It worked for them against Flora. A similar 1st leg result would be great, and not completely beyond the realms of possibility. Whether that result would be enough after the 2nd leg who knows...

[ger121]

Did I see right that Hearts got Spurs

[sullanefc]

Tis, but the away leg first would have been ideal.

Disagree with this. I'd prefer home first. The first legs are usually cagey affairs. I'd prefer to draw 0-0 at home first then draw 0-0 away from home first.

Then, if you go down 1-0 in the second leg away, you know that if you score once, you go through. In the same scenario at home second, you have to score twice to go through.

[pineapple stu]

Did I see right that Hearts got Spurs
Yep..

[sullanefc]

Did I see right that Hearts got Spurs

The battle of britain. No doubt.

[MeathDrog]

Better to get the home draw first IMO. With a little more pressure riding on the away leg, it should lead to more of a focus and lads actually taking the chances given to them..