Imagine if we were playing today? Will Eire make it out of a group in your lifetime?

[Crosby87]

I know there are too many threads already but do you wonder a bit?
What would you be doing? Would you have stayed in Polska or tried to get there? Or just savored the moment with family and or friends?

Would there be a huge Screen in Dublin, filled with amorous fans teeming with pride? Would you be living as an ex pat, maybe wishing there were a few more Irish around you to discuss it with, but soaking up every minute, instead of pretending to care about watching Spain play the most boring/"great" football in history?

I walked down 9th ave today and people were spilling out of the bars, watching that Spain/Portugal game. Even more than usual, for soccer, you could feel the passion. I couldnt help but think, how cool it would be if Ireland had finished second in the group, (somehow), then sent England packing, and were playing Germany.

How the pubs would be packed in all of Ireland: And how even the biggest football hater would be backing the team....
So my question is, and obviously this depends on age, sort of, do you think you will see:
1) Ireland make the World Cup or Euros again and
2) Get out of the group again in you life time?

I realize the Euros may be expanded but still. Do you see the Irish ever making a major tourney and playing out of the group again? Or has time passed our small nation by? Is just making it the best we can hope for? Or will you see the BIG not only make another WC or Euro, but be good enough, (or mediocre enough) to get out of the group?
I ask this b/c I am 35. I remember 2002 well. I was 25. And I am starting to wonder....

[osarusan]

Much easier to get out of a World cup group that a Euro's group.

[theworm2345]

Christ, bring back tricky_colour

[tricky_colour]

Christ, bring back tricky_colour

You called? :D

[tricky_colour]

I certainly hope we qualify again!!
We only just scraped through this time though and of course it look like we have the toughest team in our group (as usual - it must be rigged).
So it look like our only realistic hope is to finish second and not be the worst of the second placed teams and then win a play off.
So it like 50/50 we finish second and 50/50 we win a play off (and that may be optimistic). So we might qualify after 4 campaigns ie 8 years.
Which is pretty much what has happened since 2002.

Germany
Sweden
Republic of Ireland
Austria
Faroe Islands
Kazakhstan

Anyway the good news for us is we are currently ranked just one place behind Sweden (that will probably get a bit worse) but historically we are usually ranked above them.
(not sure if this link will work)
http://www.fifa.com/worldranking/rankingtools/compareteams.html#g=m&t1=IRL&t2=SWE&dRange=4&fm=8&fy=1993&tm=6&ty=2012

So if we do get second place then it is off to a play off with a 'mediocre team', that's not going to be easy.
Tough even for an optimist like to to contemplate getting top spot.

Edit - the link does work, just click the teams you do not want.
Unfortunate I confused Sweden with us as I thought we were the green line, but that is Sweden so it
it even tougher than I thought.

[Spudulika]

Of course we'll make to to the Euros again, it's being expanded to 24teams. World Cup, I don't see out current group as being anything ott special, 2nd is realistic. As for making it out of the groups when there, WC is much easier than EC.

[back of the net]

Well we do have a 100% record of qualifying for the world cup immediately after all the european championships we have previously qualified for.

[Murfinator]

Eire? *cringe*

I must have gone through a time warp, I thought this was 2012

[Stuttgart88]

I think the question doesn't relate to qualifying, but getting out of the 4 team group in a major tournament.

[osarusan]

I think the question doesn't relate to qualifying, but getting out of the 4 team group in a major tournament.



So my question is, and obviously this depends on age, sort of, do you think you will see:
1) Ireland make the World Cup or Euros again and
2) Get out of the group again in you life time?


Once the Euros are expanded, we'll get there easily enough.

[DeLorean]

Not meaning to sound too pessimistic, but I would have 'realistically negative' expectations for our next qualifying campiagn. With our key players getting older/retiring, it will take a bit of time for their replacements to find their feet. That, and I believe we have a really tough group. I honestly believe that the Swedes will give the Germans a better run for top spot, than we'll give the Swedes for second. We'll be fighting it out with Austria for third spot.

We should be better equipped to have a real cut at qualifying for France 2016, with qualification being easier and our younger players being more established. Once we get there, qualification from our group will be a fairly realistic target as well. The general standard of the tournament will be lower with all the extra teams, plus four 3rd placed teams out of the six groups will also make the last 16.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Eire? *cringe*

I must have gone through a time warp, I thought this was 2012
Maybe the chap who designed the training gear we used in this tournament was a sentamental type then because it said EIRE in five or six inch block caps embroidered gold lettering across the back of them.

[Irwin3]

Maybe the chap who designed the training gear we used in this tournament was a sentamental type then because it said EIRE in five or six inch block caps embroidered gold lettering across the back of them.

Are you sure it didn't say ÉIRE.

[Crosby87]

I couldnt fit Ireland and I was drunk from a golf outing. Yes, Im an idiot.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Are you sure it didn't say ÉIRE.

Ah ...Touché