Euro 2016 Qualifying

[tetsujin1979]

Group D. Germany, Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Georgia, Gibraltar.
Tough, but not impossible.

Have we played Poland recently?

[BonnieShels]

Two friendlies tets

[BonnieShels]

Sick of Germany. We're overdue England in a qualifier.

[christo]

Should beat everyone but Germany tbh

[shakermaker1982]

Only have to finish 3rd to get a play off.

Just need to beat everybody at home (bar Germany) & pick up points on the road.

[DannyInvincible]

The final line-up:

Group A: Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Latvia, Turkey, Czech Republic
Group B: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Andorra, Cyprus, Wales, Israel, Belgium
Group C: Spain, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine
Group D: Germany, Gibraltar, Georgia, Scotland, Poland, Republic of Ireland
Group E: England, San Marino, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Switzerland
Group F: Greece, Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland, Finland, Romania, Hungary
Group G: Russia, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Austria, Sweden
Group H: Italy, Malta, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Norway, Croatia
Group F: Portugal, Albania, Armenia, Serbia, Denmark

Our group is very tough. Gibraltar are an unknown quantity whilst none of the others will be a walkover.

[tetsujin1979]

Very little between ourselves, Poland and Scotland IMO. Scotland had some good results at the tail end of their qualifying campaign, beating Croatia home and away
Georgia are unpredictable, but only won once in 2014 qualifying, and kept Spain to a late 1-0 win in Tblisi

Anything could happen against Gibraltar

[DannyInvincible]

When is the fixture list to be decided?

[SwanVsDalton]

The more I think about the draw, the less I like it. There's almost nothing between us, Poland and Scotland. It's like four cup finals. Any dropped points against Georgia or (god forbid) Gibraltar will be punished big time. Consistency key. It's going to be tense, tight and luck will be a big factor.

In terms of travel, it ain't particularly exciting either but a couple of handy jaunts.

[Yard of Pace]

Gibraltar away will be like a home game so we should be beating them easily home and away. Danny Higginbotham is probably their star player. Good group. I'd fancy Scotland and Poland to drop points all over the place.

[SwanVsDalton]

When is the fixture list to be decided?

3.30pm today apparently.

[DeLorean]

Can't complain. We don't really deserve to be there if we can't finish ahead of Poland & Scotland, yet we still might even if we finish behind one of them. Group A would have been a nightmare and Group B would have been ideal. We got something in the middle which we have to be happy enough with I think. Some great trips too.

[geysir]

There should be a deal of attrition in our group, 20 points should do nicely for2nd spot.
Poland and Scotland are well below Sweden's quality.

[DannyInvincible]

Gibraltar away will be like a home game so we should be beating them easily home and away. Danny Higginbotham is probably their star player.

I think he's to play two more games for them before retiring from football for good: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2562119/DANNY-HIGGINBOTHAM-I-play-two-games-retiring-Gibraltar-month-I-finish-love-game-vanished.html

[geysir]

Out of the possibilities I think we got a middling strength group

If we had got group B, O'Neill would have jumped out of his seat and ran the length of the aisle. No wonder the Belgium manager had that smug smirk that oozed relief.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Don't get too hung up on Gibraltar lads, they'll be perennial 6th seeds. Have a very bad feeling about rest of the group though. Could be very scrappy just looking for third. Another German thumping would be horrible.

[DeLorean]

Funny listening to Dunphy talking about O'Neill & Keane's drive for top spot, that they won't see Germany as automatic group winners. I flicked over to Sky Sports News where O'Neill was being interviewed and he said...

"It looks like a group, Germany apart, where teams might take points off each other"

[peadar1987]

Tough group, especially with Scotland in resurgence. Georgia is a tough away trip, Germany always hard, and Poland are a pretty decent side, the type we've always struggled against. Could have been a lot better, but at least I'll get to see an Ireland game in the flesh for the first time in years!

[DeLorean]

Georgia away is awkward, but I think we're less likely to drop points there than Georgia and Poland. In that sense it might be no harm to have a game of that nature in the group as they have served us well over the years.

[christo]

Just saw Gibraltar is unbeaten in International football...

[Closed Account 2]

Pretty hard group, would rather have avoided Scotland and Georgia. Hopefully Germany beat everyone so we can factor them out.

[Cymro]

I watched the Gibraltar-Slovakia 0-0 draw on youtube. Gibralatar played very well to get a 0-0. They are perhaps slightly better than San Marino/Andorra, but basically your average pot 6 team. Nothing to worry about. Best known player is Danny Higginbotham, once of Stoke. They have a centre-back from Barnsley too, and a striker who plays for Farsley Celtic in the English non-league. Enjoy the trip to Portugal for that one, I'm sure Gibraltar will enjoy playing you and Scotland.

Poland look to be the biggest threat to you in that group. Scotland will compete with you over third. I personally would fancy Poland to nick second, but all the teams (even Georgia) will pick up some points off each other.

[Cymro]

Out of the possibilities I think we got a middling strength group

If we had got group B, O'Neill would have jumped out of his seat and ran the length of the aisle. No wonder the Belgium manager had that smug smirk that oozed relief.

I'm not quite so pleased about group B. Cyprus and Andorra are nice draws, but Israel are totally unpredictable and the away game we'll jut be happy to be still alive at the end.

Belgium and Bosnia are small countries, but that's irrelevant. In terms of their teams they're both at least as good as a number of the first seeds.

[SwanVsDalton]

I'm more worried about Scotland than Poland. They'll have targeted this qualifying campaign to end the major finals drought, they'll be scrapping for all points and recently have been very capable of upsetting better teams.

[Cymro]

Scotland also lost home and away to us. It's not just about the one off games, but consistency over the whole campaign. Scotland have been woefully inconsistent in the last 10-15 years. They often beat the good teams, then stuff up against the smaller ones. Don't be surprised to see them drop points to Georgia.

[SwanVsDalton]

Scotland also lost home and away to us. It's not just about the one off games, but consistency over the whole campaign. Scotland have been woefully inconsistent in the last 10-15 years. They often beat the good teams, then stuff up against the smaller ones. Don't be surprised to see them drop points to Georgia.

They'll get it right eventually and they'll be quite happy with us and Poland. Granted, I'd like to think our recent consistency against lower seeds will be an advantage.

How you fancy Group B? I'd say we'd both have loved if Ireland had been drawn out of that instead of Belgium.

[christo]

They also sneaked a 1-0 win and lost 3-2 to Liechtenstein. Poland and Scotland were both only 1 result away from finishing 5th in their groups as well

[geysir]

I prefer our group to finish second in, over these other options,
Portugal, Albania, Armenia, Serbia
Italy, Malta, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Norway,
Russia, Lichtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Austria,
Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Latvia, Turkey,

[Cymro]

They'll get it right eventually and they'll be quite happy with us and Poland. Granted, I'd like to think our recent consistency against lower seeds will be an advantage.

How you fancy Group B? I'd say we'd both have loved if Ireland had been drawn out of that instead of Belgium.

I'd have loved to get the Irish, but sadly we got Belgium instead. Whoever we got out of pot 2 would have been a difficult draw, but at least with someone other than Belgium we'd have had a chance.

The group's okay. The games against Israel are critical. if we get 4 points from them I reckon we'll probably be in the play-offs. That would be an excellent result. Andorra are basically the nicest bottom seed we could have had and Cyprus one of the easiest fifth seeds. But I don't see us getting much from B/H and Belgium.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Pretty disappointed tbh. We have got the second or third hardest first, third and fourth seeds possible. The Scotland games could turn out to be real "6 pointers".

[Stuttgart88]

I think that's one tough group. Scotland are resurgent under Strachan, Poland are technically good and could have huge support in Dublin. Georgia will be a banana skin. Fourth is as likely as second.

O'Neill will really have to earn his corn. The upcoming friendlies can not be wasted in any way.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Wales and Northern Ireland got pretty decent groups and of course England got their customary walkthrough.

[SwanVsDalton]

I'd have loved to get the Irish, but sadly we got Belgium instead. Whoever we got out of pot 2 would have been a difficult draw, but at least with someone other than Belgium we'd have had a chance.

The group's okay. The games against Israel are critical. if we get 4 points from them I reckon we'll probably be in the play-offs. That would be an excellent result. Andorra are basically the nicest bottom seed we could have had and Cyprus one of the easiest fifth seeds. But I don't see us getting much from B/H and Belgium.

Belgium really swung it the other way. But with a top three finish at stake, could've been a lot worse. Also Bosnia might suffer from the usual major finals debut hangover.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Bah, I see RTÉ's online coverage (http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/) of the draw this morning is Ireland-only. The UEFA website will be broadcasting it here from 11AM, however: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/draws/index.html

Sean St. Ledger is on Sky Sports News covering our interest in the draw.

I think Sean has played his last game for Ireland. Richard Keogh certainly hopes so.

[Bungle]

Germany were probably the hardest 1st seeds we could get. They will walk away with the group.

We got lucky with the 3rd seeds. Romania, Turkey and Serbia are much better than Poland. Poland are better than Norway but are probably a similar level to the other teams.

Scotland will be a derby. However, Armenia, Montenegro and Wales are better teams and I'd rather the Scots than Bulgaria.

Georgia could be a banana skin. 6 points won't be a formality. Definitely, one of the better fifth seeds. Gibraltar shouldn't pose too many problems.

All in all, it could've been a lot worse.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It would be great if any two of Piszczek, Blaszczykowski or Lewandowski were to encounter injury problems when we play them. They are probably Poland's best players and the former two have had pretty dodgy injury records recently. In fact, Blaszczykowski is out for the rest of the season with a cruciate. There is that and the fact that their club, Borussia Dortmund, are struggling this season in the Bundesliga.

As has been said, we don't deserve to be there if we can't get a couple of wins over teams like Poland and Scotland. We should know what Scotland are all about - bit of a derby though - and Poland did not cover themselves in glory when they hosted the Euros; they looked pretty average.

As for Germany, as Sweden have been proven, victory or a draw is not insurmountable if you don't show them too much respect. It's just a pity that O'Neill could have had a platform to learn from in the WC 2014 Qualifying campaign but instead we just showed up to lose against Germany in Dublin and by the time we reached the return game, we were already out and were playing a completely experimental strategy and team.

Lastly, I am probably clutching at straws here but Lahm, Mertesacker and Schweinsteiger will be in their 30's and Klose will be retired by the time we play them.

They don't have much coming through to take Klose's mantle and their defence - on paper and in reality - is pretty suspect.

[tetsujin1979]

It would be great if any two of Piszczek, Blaszczykowski or Lewandowski were to encounter injury problems when we play them. They are probably Poland's best players and the former two have had pretty dodgy injury records recently. In fact, Blaszczykowski is out for the rest of the season with a cruciate. There is that and the fact that their club, Borussia Dortmund, are struggling this season in the Bundesliga.

As has been said, we don't deserve to be there if we can't get a couple of wins over teams like Poland and Scotland. We should know what Scotland are all about - bit of a derby though - and Poland did not cover themselves in glory when they hosted the Euros; they looked pretty average.

As for Germany, as Sweden have been proven, victory or a draw is not insurmountable if you don't show them too much respect. It's just a pity that O'Neill could have had a platform to learn from in the WC 2014 Qualifying campaign but instead we just showed up to lose against Germany in Dublin and by the time we reached the return game, we were already out and were playing a completely experimental strategy and team.

Lastly, I am probably clutching at straws here but Lahm, Mertesacker and Schweinsteiger will be in their 30's and Klose will be retired by the time we play them.

They don't have much coming through to take Klose's mantle and their defence - on paper and in reality - is pretty suspect.
It's not their defence I'm worried about, it's the midfield and strikers that really concern me

[IsMiseSean]

I think Blaszczykowski done his knee in a few weeks ago. If we play Poland early he could still be out.

[Stuttgart88]

Klose's record is rubbish though. Oh wait...:)

[DannyInvincible]

Georgia could be a banana skin. 6 points won't be a formality. Definitely, one of the better fifth seeds.

France only managed to come away from Tbilisi with a point during World Cup qualification back in September. The two drew 0-0.

Georgia were very poor when we played them last June, however.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvIiQ1iZ3vk

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

Klose's record is rubbish though. Oh wait...:)

Nobody ever said that. It would be worth putting money on Klose scoring in any game. Unlike some people. :p

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

It's not their defence I'm worried about, it's the midfield and strikers that really concern me

Schurrle you can't be serious?

I am, and don't call me Schurrle.

[DannyInvincible]

Just been having a look at Gibraltar as, other than Danny Higginbotham, I know next to nothing about them.

Some highlights from Gibraltar's first official fixture as a full member of UEFA against Slovakia last November here:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FpGQE1D67Y

[DannyInvincible]

And footage from the second half:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLUfCqvyo3A

Most of the players selected for their upcoming friendlies against the Faroes and Estonia play for amateur Gibraltarian sides Lincoln Red Imps (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_F.C.) or Manchester 62 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_62_F.C.) with quite a few others being England-born and qualifying through Gibraltarian ancestry.

Obviously, Danny Higginbotham is well-known, but they do have a small number of other players who've carved out professional careers. Scott Wiseman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Wiseman) plays with Preston North End (previously of Hull, Rochdale and Barnsley) and has three England under-20 level caps to his name. I see we also happen to share the same birthday. Reece Styche (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reece_Styche) currently plays with Wycombe Wanderers and holds an England 'C' cap from 2010, whilst Liam Walker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Walker), once of Portsmouth, now plays for Bnei Yehuda in Israel. Of course, Shamrock Rovers knocked them out of the Europa League's second qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate win in 2010.

They don't look absolutely awful or anything from the Slovakia friendly footage, but they shouldn't be too much trouble either. 0-0 was a decent result for Gibraltar and it wasn't all one-way traffic, but it's hard to judge how serious Slovakia were in their approach to that game. In official competition, anything other than six points from our two games against them would be an embarrassment.

[Stuttgart88]

Just as an aside, I was at a talk about Gibraltar's bid for UEFA membership. Unlike some two bit Caribbean members of FIFA or even Andorra, there is a thriving football community there with large numbers playing in what seems to be a well organised set up.

Our U19s only just beat them a while back.

[Stuttgart88]

Sorry if mentioned above, but is fixture list published later today?

[DannyInvincible]

Sorry if mentioned above, but is fixture list published later today?

SvD said it would be announced at around 3:30PM.

[pineapple stu]

Happy enough with that, all told. Probably a middling group, which is kind of what you'd expect from a draw. We've had harder and we've had easier. Third and a play-off definitely achievable.

Have also only been to Germany out of that lot, so might pick up a new country or two. :)

[tetsujin1979]

fixtures posted on twitter: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/437610502714556416/photo/1
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhK0bvMIcAAPYas.jpg

[Razors left peg]

fixtures posted on twitter: https://twitter.com/FAIreland/status/437610502714556416/photo/1
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BhK0bvMIcAAPYas.jpg

We better have our work done before the last 2 games judging by that. Its a very tough group I think but I would be confident of at least the playoffs