Who do we want to get in the play-offs?

[French Toasht]

And second leg at home .... absolute dream draw!

[Stuttgart88]

We had better not mess this up!

[BonnieShels]

We are owed this. Cooommmeeee oooooonnnnnm!!!

[pineapple stu]

Ryanair flights E300 on the Thursday, E40 on the Tuesday!

[Ozymandias]

could not have asked for any better.....didn't the faroes beat Estonia

[Sullivinho]

That's made my weekend. Let's be honest, if we can't step over Estonia we don't deserve to be there.

[Straightstory]

I imagine over at foot.ee they're pretty pleased too tbh
Very true. They won't believe their luck.

[Supreme feet]

If we don't make it past Estonia, Trap must go. We will probably end up in many more playoffs in my lifetime, but we will never get a more favourable draw than this.

[French Toasht]

Got carried away in all the excitement

The other draws are

Turkey v Croatia
Bosnia v Portugal (again)
Czech v Montenegro

[paul_oshea]

Yes!!!

[Lionel Ritchie]

Smashing news, couldn't have got any better. Trap certainly is a lucky manager.

Do Opus Dei accept atheists?!?? Where can I get an application form? I really think there's something to it.

[paul_oshea]

Estonia at home first?

[pineapple stu]

Correct.

[Sullivinho]

could not have asked for any better.....didn't the faroes beat Estonia

Lost 2-0 in the Faroes (http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/matches/season=2012/round=15171/match=2002195/index.html) and 4 times altogether in the group.

[Tipp Townie]

Estonia at home first?

Yep, they're at home first

[French Toasht]

Could Dare Vrsic be the Slovenian Gary Mackay?

[Sullivinho]

Got carried away in all the excitement

The other draws are

Turkey v Croatia
Bosnia v Portugal (again)
Czech v Montenegro

Nice to see the top 2 seeds getting the (imo) toughest draws.

[cornflakes]

happy days

[Sullivinho]

Could Dare Vrsic be the Slovenian Gary Mackay?

Credit also to Northern Ireland for giving the Estonians a false sense of security when it comes to green shirts.

[co. down green]

Gladly take that draw...now to qualify!!!..

[TerryPhelan]

Two words, lads: MORAL COMPENSATION!

[French Toasht]

Nice to see the top 2 seeds getting the (imo) toughest draws.


Yes according to Irwin and joe, if Bosnia and Turkey win those two ties, we stand a small chance of getting 3rd seeds at the Euros.

Provided we beat Estonia that is.

It must be said that it's very likely the Estonian's are dancing in the streets with this outcome too. Must treat them with the utmost respect and ensure we don't stuff it up.

[punkrocket]

We are owed this. Cooommmeeee oooooonnnnnm!!!

UEFA wouldn't have, would they?

Maybe Trap is just an old Karma Chameleon.

Delighted with this, no excuses now, let's just be professional and finish the job.

[SwanVsDalton]

It's pretty much a dream all round. Trying not to get carried away, still a job to be done. But very exciting.

[thischarmingman]

If we can't win this tie we don't deserve to be anywhere near Poland/Ukraine next summer.

[BonnieShels]

Have take the 16th of November off. Get in!

[paul_oshea]

booked out the friday back sunday 170 return.

[punkrocket]

So where do we prefer Poland or the Ukraine?

[DeLorean]

The last time we were this confident about our chances we were playing Wales in the Q/F of a World Cup.

Dream draw though, no excuses whatsoever if we can't negotiate this one.

[BonnieShels]

Have the month of the tournament booked off as well. Was going to do it anyway whether we got there or not.

[Acornvilla]

right, happy days! now to sort my grant out, the grant people actually are retarded I swear to god

[paul_oshea]

i have a couple of fit estonian friends unortunately they live in london :)

[Ozymandias]

right, happy days! now to sort my grant out, the grant people actually are retarded I swear to god

are you sure its not you who is the problem...got my grant no probs

[an_ceannaire]

Delaney caught laughing at the draw all over youtube
You absolute infantile bolix!!
Give us strength

[Irwin3]

Yes according to Irwin and joe, if Bosnia and Turkey win those two ties, we stand a small chance of getting 3rd seeds at the Euros.

Provided we beat Estonia that is.

It must be said that it's very likely the Estonian's are dancing in the streets with this outcome too. Must treat them with the utmost respect and ensure we don't stuff it up.

French Toasht my friend I haven't said anything about the Pots for the finals yet. When I said 3rd seeds I meant we were 3rd highest seeds in the playoffs. Sorry for any confusion.

Edit - Scrap that I think we're definately in Pot 4 if we get there.

[shakermaker1982]

I'll take any pot!

Mouth watering ties ahead if the squad don't get complacent. Score draw over there and stumble over the line at home. It won't be pretty but the finishing line is in sight.

[mypost]

French Toasht my friend I haven't said anything about the Pots for the finals yet. When I said 3rd seeds I meant we were 3rd highest seeds in the playoffs. Sorry for any confusion.

Edit - Scrap that I think we're definately in Pot 4 if we get there.

Current Seeds*:

Pot 1: Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Holland
Pot 2: Germany, Italy, England, Croatia**
Pot 3: Russia, Greece, Sweden, Denmark
Pot 4: Portugal**, France, Czech Rep**, Ireland**

*Based on current Co-efficients
**Assuming progression

The first 3 in Pot 1 are guaranteed, due to being hosts or holders.

Jackpot:
Ukraine
England
Denmark
Ireland

Pispot:
Spain
Germany
Russia
Ireland

[SwanVsDalton]

According to your working, my dream draw would be Poland, Croatia and Greece (or even Sweden). England would be fun mind but wouldn't fancy Denmark at all.

[mypost]

Everyone always wants to draw Greece, and they always qualify. Why?

[SwanVsDalton]

Everyone always wants to draw Greece, and they always qualify. Why?

Decent team but I'd still fancy my chances against them more than the Danes. Greece unbeaten in qualifying but in one of the easier groups imo, while Denmark topped a tough group. They strike me like Romania in 1990 - similarly obdurate, similarly beatable (ie by the skin of our teeth).

[mypost]

Denmark blow hot and cold, depending on what day it is. Greece keep coming back to progress and defy the pundits.

[The Fly]

Pispot:
Spain
Germany
Russia
Ireland

That would indeed be the Group of Death.

Personally, I'm going for the Group of Debt:

Spain
Italy
Greece
Ireland

[SwanVsDalton]

Denmark blow hot and cold, depending on what day it is. Greece keep coming back to progress and defy the pundits.

Progress? They haven't made a World Cup since '94 and got zero points as defending champs in '08. Hot and cold indeed. The Danes still appear far more potent. Their qualifying campaign looks the more impressive for who they played.

Not dismissing Greece here, but they're no great shakes. I'd fancy us to beat them, would be less confident against Denmark.

[mypost]

Greece qualified for South Africa, and topped their qualifying group against Croatia, who are a very strong side. Denmark topped their group, but having home advantage against Portugal on the last night was a major factor in that.

[SwanVsDalton]

Greece qualified for South Africa, and topped their qualifying group against Croatia, who are a very strong side. Denmark topped their group, but having home advantage against Portugal on the last night was a major factor in that.

You're right on the World Cup - completely forgot Greece were in that. They had a fairly poor tournament then too though, only points came against a Nigeria team who were dominant until getting a man sent off.

Denmark appear to me a team on an upswing, Greece not so much. Croatia, for instance, are a decent side but most onlookers would suggest they're not the team they were four years ago, bit too reliant on Modric it appears. Portugal and Norway (despite yesterday's friendly defeat) are stronger group opponents than Croatia and Israel imo. Just feels like the Danes would be the stronger team, but agree to disagree.

[mypost]

You're right on the World Cup - completely forgot Greece were in that. They had a fairly poor tournament then too though, only points came against a Nigeria team who were dominant until getting a man sent off.

Well "fairly poor" is relative really. It's still more than what we have done in recent campaigns. Yet again, the other seeds will want to get Ireland. If we get the nightmare draw as I posted earlier, we'll be doing well to get points too.

[Real ale Madrid]

If we can avoid Spain / Holland in Pot 1 and Germany in Pot 2 then we've got a fighting chance against everyone else IMO .

[thischarmingman]

The standard of teams at Euro 2012 :eek:

Any of around 12 of the 16 teams would fancy their chances.

[SwanVsDalton]

Well "fairly poor" is relative really. It's still more than what we have done in recent campaigns. Yet again, the other seeds will want to get Ireland. If we get the nightmare draw as I posted earlier, we'll be doing well to get points too.

Oh aye but we're not debating the quality relative to us, just who we'd prefer - of course everyone will want us! Bring it on I say.

[Eirambler]

If Portugal beat Bosnia on Tuesday they will go into the third pot creating an even more nightmarish group:

Spain
Germany
Portugal
Ireland

Poland, England and Greece would give us half a chance of progressing.