Euro 2016 Play-Offs - November 13th and 16th

[Crosby87]

You'll get murdered in Mexico!

[SkStu]

when is this draw?

[Real ale Madrid]

when is this draw?

Sunday morning about ten-ish . ( must buy a racket )

[SkStu]

Cheers Rammo.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Simple discussion about the merits of the teams we can play compared to those we'll now avoid. At one point on Tuesday night we could have played Turkey (who are partially based in Europe but more importantly participate in UEFA competition). I think it's a fairly natural way for the conversation to evolve after the various permutations started working themselves out.
It was a, er, joke. Mainly.


Though Turkey and at least 2-3 other UEFA members are not in Europe!

[backstothewall]

Though Turkey and at least 2-3 other UEFA members are not in Europe!


Turkey is partially in Europe, partially in Asia. Same as Russia

[tricky_colour]

It was a, er, joke. Mainly.


Though Turkey and at least 2-3 other UEFA members are not in Europe!


Certainly not Israel.

Dunno what it is not in an Arab confederation.:D

[Wolfman]

Turkey mainly Asia as is Israel, Kazakhstan. Russia less so.

We need less teams, not more.

[DeLorean]

Russia is very much mainly Asia, land mass wise anyway. Same with Turkey, but it is partially in Europe, although AB seems to think that's a matter of opinion. Galatasaray and Fenerbahce's rivalry is an interesting one in that Galatasaray are based in Europe with Fenerbahce in Asia, so the cultural differences are vast compared to most city derbies.

[Wolfman]

95% of Turkey is in Asia tbf.

[DeLorean]

Nobody's disputing that tbf.

[Crosby87]

Ever have Asian Turkey? It's Turkey with soy sauce. They deep fry it at crackbird and drape it in vinegar.

[backstothewall]

95% of Turkey is in Asia tbf.

It should probably be noted that 10 million people live in that 5%.

[tricky_colour]

Ever have Asian Turkey? It's Turkey with soy sauce. They deep fry it at crackbird and drape it in vinegar.

Sounds great, say what you like about the Turks but they sure know how to cook.

[tetsujin1979]

Draw being streamed on RTE Player here: http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/live/3/

[NeverFeltBetter]

Jesus, why do UEFA feel the need to drag this particular draw out?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Not Ukraine! Or Sweden!

[tetsujin1979]

Ukraine playing Slovenia, dodged that bullet

[tetsujin1979]

Sweden playing Denmark. Still Bosnia in the draw.

[NeverFeltBetter]

Bosnia it is.

[tetsujin1979]

second worst team to draw for us IMO. Second leg at home is a bonus.

[zero]

anyone know when will the dates be announced?

[tetsujin1979]

anyone know when will the dates be announced?

Within an hour I think

[back of the net]

Within an hour I think



tough to get away tickets ...allocation under a 1000?

[tetsujin1979]

tough to get away tickets ...allocation under a 1000?

looks like it, stadium capacity is only 15,600 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilino_Polje_Stadium
under UEFA rules, they have to provide 5% to away fans = 780 :(

[davidatrb]

Not Ukraine! Or Sweden!

Yes but Slovenia got Ukraine. I want Slovenia at EURO 2016, it gives Ireland a chance at Pot 3 instead of Pot 4 for the group draw, if we make it.

[DeLorean]

second worst team to draw for us IMO. Second leg at home is a bonus.

Or the third best :) seriously though, they haven't really done anything of note. Sweden going poorly but have more pedigree overall and are serial qualifiers. Flip of a coin between those two really and gun to my head I would have preferred Bosnia I think. Not so sure being at home in the second leg is an advantage for us, but I'll bow to the superior knowledge of the general consensus on that one.

[BonnieShels]

I'm with Del on this. Would always prefer away leg second. Knowing us we'll play for the draw in Bosnia then lose on away goals.

Anyway, it could have been much much worse.

[Closed Account]

Confirmed dates for Bosnia-Ireland

Friday Nov 13: Bosnia v Ireland
Monday Nov 16: Ireland v Bosnia

[elroy]

Ah FFS, a Monday night!! Doesn't help make this the occasion it deserves to be

[elroy]

Looking at their squad. By and large a similar level to ourselves. Nothing to fear

[backstothewall]

I think it's a decent draw. It's there to be won

[the doc]

We may as well start booking our trips for France, even with our limited management staff and dodgey defence we will stroll the play offs.

Euro 2016 here we come.

[shakermaker1982]

Give it a rest Sean.

[shakermaker1982]

Conceded less goals than any other team in our group. Took 4 points off the world champions as well. Not a bad effort for a team with a dodgy defence and a limited manager.

[nigel-harps1954]

We may as well start booking our trips for France, even with our limited management staff and dodgey defence we will stroll the play offs.

Euro 2016 here we come.

Says a lot for poor old SSL when he can't even get into Irelands dodgy defence. :ball:

[davidatrb]

Some analysis of our outlook for next summer based on the bookie's odds as an objective source.

2335

[Cymro]

That's a close one to call. B&H are OK, but nothing special overall. Over the two games, there was very little between us and them. They did have injuries throughout the group though. Dzeko was not fit for the second game which they won 2-0 despite us edging the game statistically. Having watched the Republic a few times in this campaign too I feel safe in predicting there won't be more than the odd goal in it. It's probably like that pie chart suggests in that there is a decent chance for you to qualify but B&H are slight favourites, however, I disagree that the prospects of a good draw are poor from pot 4 - potentially some very reasonable sides to be drawn from pots 2 and 3.

[tricky_colour]

Confirmed dates for Bosnia-Ireland

Friday Nov 13: Bosnia v Ireland
Monday Nov 16: Ireland v Bosnia
http://addictedtoradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Feat.-Fri-Pic.jpg

[Crosby87]

Are those the people who still don't admit to the Armenian Genocide? How do you...anyway they gave up 2 to Cyprus last time out.

[Crosby87]

Bosnians mediocre on confidence.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/uefa-euro-2016-qualifications-play-offs-13-november-2015-republic-of-ireland.2000007/page-302

[elroy]

Not so sure about the confidence bit. Looks like they wanted to avoid is judging by comments prior to and immediately after the draw. Similar sentiments to us really

[tricky_colour]

Bosnians confident.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/uefa-euro-2016-qualifications-play-offs-13-november-2015-republic-of-ireland.2000007/page-302

Thanks, interesting reading it from a Bosnian perspective, indeed they seem to have quite a bit in common with us.

"It will take a long time before he's eligible for us, not sure if he has even begun the process to get Bosnian citizenship"

Replace Bosnian with Irish and that could easily have been written on this forum!

[Crosby87]

Off topic but I saw something interesting this week while doing work research...the guy that was Uday Husseins body double, Latif Yahia, is stateless...but he has lived in Ireland for 13 yrs and is married to an Irish gal and has kids. I wonder if he roots for the team.

[IsMiseSean]

Bosnians mediocre on confidence.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/uefa-euro-2016-qualifications-play-offs-13-november-2015-republic-of-ireland.2000007/page-302

They're quite bemused at Shay still being our keeper... As am I.

[Crosby87]

They have 3.829 million to your 4.525. One of the rarest but most favored items in Bosnia is Mexican Coca Cola, the only "real" Coca Cola left in the world. The Mexican Bottlers use cane sugar where everyone else uses corn syrup or cheaper crap.
1.9 percent of your population is Asian.
Bosnian culture asserts that red headed people may be witches. Be warned.

[tricky_colour]

I wonder how eligibility works there are it is part of former Yugoslavia?

[Olé Olé]

Bosnians mediocre on confidence.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/uefa-euro-2016-qualifications-play-offs-13-november-2015-republic-of-ireland.2000007/page-302

Interesting. Knowledgeable old bunch but have noted our biggest flaws in that Keane and Given still play for us (we lack a consistent high-level goalkeeper and goalscorer).

[Crosby87]

Why is this in Zenica and not Sarajevo? Poor POSH is going to have a hell of a time getting there.

[geysir]

I think it's advantageous for us to play away first. Bosnia play better football than us, at times much better football, Imo they outplayed Wales both times. But this is a play off environment and somehow I think we will turn that to our advantage.