European Championships - France 2016

[Charlie Darwin]

I also don't see us being as humiliated as we were under Trap.
Well there's next to no chance of us getting a draw that tough again, so unlikely.

[SkStu]

Well there's next to no chance of us getting a draw that tough again, so unlikely.

Spain, Italy, Sweden is equivalent.

[DannyInvincible]

I did all that the other night, and then someone on here burst my bubble. I think we're drawn into a group and then a draw to assign each country to a number in that group. So we could be anything from A2 to F4

The draw procedure is outlined here: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/draws/


The 23 qualifiers are divided into four pots based on UEFA national coefficients with Spain, as the reigning European champions, assured of a place in Pot 1 having qualified. France are not included in the pots as they are automatically assigned as team A1 so Pot 1 has five teams.

The teams will be drawn into six groups of four teams each (Groups A to F). The draw starts with Pot 1. One ball is drawn and the team is assigned to Group B, position B1; a second ball is drawn and the team is assigned to Group C, position C1; and so on till Group F.

The draw continues with Pot 4. A ball is drawn and the team assigned to Group A. The position of this team within Group A is also determined by draw. A second ball is drawn from Pot 4 and assigned to Group B; again the position within Group B is drawn. The procedure is repeated for all teams in Pot 4.

The draw continues with Pot 3 and concludes with Pot 2. Each time a team is drawn the position within the relevant group is determined by draw. The top two in each plus the four best third-placed sides advance to the knockout phase.

If I'm interpreting that correctly, the top seeds will all occupy slots B1 to F1 (France already occupy A1), but the positions (A2-A4, for example) within each group of the remaining teams will be determined by a second draw.

[Charlie Darwin]

Spain, Italy, Sweden is equivalent.
Don't think so, Spain and Italy aren't as good as they were four years ago. Spain and Italy were the best teams in the competition and Croatia weren't far off.

[geysir]

The draw procedure is outlined here: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/draws/



If I'm interpreting that correctly, the top seeds will all occupy slots B1 to F1 (France already occupy A1), but the positions (A2-A4, for example) within each group of the remaining teams will be determined by a second draw.
The bare default basics are that one team from each pot with occupy a place in each group. The position in that group must mean something and being seeded 2 or 3 doesn't mark your spot in the group. Probably means we'll end up in Corsica.

[BonnieShels]

http://www.live-production.tv/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_with_copyright/public/UEFA_EURO_2016_Venues.jpg?itok=AZDmfFXE

Would I be correct in assuming we'll be either A4, B4, C4, etc? I know France are automatically A1 but does this mean the rest of the Pot 1's will be B1, C1, etc. If this is the case then these are the possible venues for our group games:



Game No.
A
B
C
D
E
F


1
Lens
Bordeaux
Nice
Paris
Saint Denis
Bordeaux


2
Paris
Lille
Lyon
Saint-Étienne
Toulouse
Marseille


3
Lille
Saint-Étienne
Paris
Bordeaux
Nice
Lyon



You just did out the thing I was gonna do.

I think it matters not really. Get a camper van. Plan to be there for the first 2 weeks. sorted. :)

[SkStu]

Don't think so, Spain and Italy aren't as good as they were four years ago. Spain and Italy were the best teams in the competition and Croatia weren't far off.

Sorry, just seeing this now. What?? Italy are easily as good as they were 4 years ago. Unbeaten in qualifying. Underestimate Italy at your peril (as people probably did when we drew them 4 years ago). They'll be at the business end. Again. As always. Spain are Spain. Sweden are always strong in tournaments, similar to Croatia. So I presume you'd, what, fancy our chances of winning a point in that group?

Germany, Italy, Poland - equivalent.

[DeLorean]

You never really know with Italy, write them off at your peril for sure, but talk them up at your peril also! Either side of their good run in 2012 they got knocked out in the group stages of the World Cups, a bit unheard of by their standards. The same question marks would have applied in 2012 though so I'd agree there's nothing to suggest they couldn't put a run together.

[SkStu]

Yeah, I decided not to reference Brazil WC...forgot about SA!

Just to be clear though, I'm not talking about whether these teams will go far - I'm talking about getting a horrible draw and what combinations are out there. CD said it was impossible to get such a difficult draw again and while I agree that the quality of the 3rd seeds has diluted, it is still possible to get a few complete stinkers - similar to 2012.

To revise as CD has done and say well yeah but they were the two (possibly three) best teams in the tournament is a bit daft - at the time of the draw up til the game against Croatia there were many, many people here talking about 4 points being a target. On paper it was a stinker, on the pitch it was a stinker. I think the same applies to the two draws I've thrown out there. Any group with Italy second seed and Sweden/Poland/Ukraine in third is a stinker and equivalent to 2012.

[SkStu]

Apparently I like the word stinker.

[BonnieShels]

Apparently I like the word stinker.

http://i.imgur.com/YgKgnYy.gif

[SkStu]

Yeah, I decided not to reference Brazil WC...forgot about SA!

Just to be clear though, I'm not talking about whether these teams will go far - I'm talking about getting a horrible draw and what combinations are out there. CD said it was impossible to get such a difficult draw again and while I agree that the quality of the 3rd seeds has diluted, it is still possible to get a few complete stinkers - similar to 2012.

To revise as CD has done and say well yeah but they were the two (possibly three) best teams in the tournament is a bit daft - at the time of the draw up til the game against Croatia there were many, many people here talking about 4 points being a target. On paper it was a stinker, on the pitch it was a stinker. I think the same applies to the two draws I've thrown out there. Any group with Italy second seed and Sweden/Poland/Ukraine in third is a stinker and equivalent to 2012.

http://www.footballseeding.com/international-tournaments/euro-2016/

just noticed in this that Italy are only a second seed by virtue of the fact that France, as hosts, have to be a first seed. Italy have a higher point ranking than France (sure it has much to do with the lack of accumulated poinst for competitive games) Otherwise it would be France as the top second seed.

[IsMiseSean]

Just been looking at the schedule.
Since we're in Pot 4 does that mean we're going to be position 4 in whichever group we're drawn into?

Eg. If we're drawn in Group A our opening game will be against a team from Pot 3 in Lens on June 11.

[Closed Account]

Just been looking at the schedule.
Since we're in Pot 4 does that mean we're going to be position 4 in whichever group we're drawn into?

Eg. If we're drawn in Group A our opening game will be against a team from Pot 3 in Lens on June 11.
No, We can be any of A2-A4, B2-B4 etc. Preferably we'd be in Group A as it has the easiest route to the final. Groups B,C, and D are next. Groups E and F have the hardest draw with Group E being the absolute worst:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/290626039/EURO-2016-The-Group-E-effect

[DannyInvincible]

Just been looking at the schedule.
Since we're in Pot 4 does that mean we're going to be position 4 in whichever group we're drawn into?

Eg. If we're drawn in Group A our opening game will be against a team from Pot 3 in Lens on June 11.

The draw procedure is outlined here: http://foot.ie/threads/206692-European-Championships-France-2016?p=1849630#post1849630

[thischarmingman]

Conduct your own draw:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/08/euro-2016-draw-create-your-own-group-stage

I drew us with France,Slovakia and Austria.

[Fixer82]

Conduct your own draw:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/08/euro-2016-draw-create-your-own-group-stage

I drew us with France,Slovakia and Austria.

I got France, Hungary and Austria.
I'd take either of those

[NeverFeltBetter]

Spain, Ukraine, Slovakia. Wouldn't mind it.

[paul_oshea]

Is there going to be a ticketing procedure like the last euros

[Fixer82]

Spain, Ukraine, Slovakia. Wouldn't mind it.

Guaranteed 9 points!:)

[thischarmingman]

And also, the draw explained:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/dec/08/pot-luck-uefa-rankings-euro-2016-draw


Let’s keep this all in proportion: no team has ever lost a match because of their ranking, but they have lost a match because of a lasagne.

[thischarmingman]

More draw talk, this time from the Irish Times. We don't want Pot E!

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/andy-mcgeady-luck-of-the-draw-will-play-little-part-in-euro-2016-1.2459018


The winners of groups A, B, C and D are all guaranteed to face third-placed sides in the second round while the top teams in E and F will play runners-up (and not even the lowest-ranked runners-up). Move through the scenarios and the inequality compounds itself.
One result is that Group E is a bum draw: no third-placed opponent for the winner while the runner-up plays the winner of Group F (a group notable in perhaps having no real incentive to finish top as both the first- and second-placed side will face a runner-up).

[seand]

Conduct your own draw:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/08/euro-2016-draw-create-your-own-group-stage

I drew us with France,Slovakia and Austria.

Germany, Croatia, Poland. I do apologise.

[passinginterest]

Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland, Republic of Ireland - Group F. Would be a tough one to call.

[tetsujin1979]

Group B

1.Portugal
2.Switzerland
3.Poland
4.Republic of Ireland

Sorry.

[colonelwest]

Group B Difficulty 3/10

Belgium
Republic of Ireland
Russia
Slovakia






I'd take that!

[Real ale Madrid]

Conduct your own draw:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2015/dec/08/euro-2016-draw-create-your-own-group-stage

I drew us with France,Slovakia and Austria.

Germany, Russia and Poland.

No need for a scouting report anyway.

[backstothewall]

Portugal
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Ukraine

I'd definitely take that!

[MeathDrog]

Portugal
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Ukraine

I'd definitely take that!

The Guardian app generated the exact same group. That is a very nice group all things considered.

What time is the draw on at gents?

[thischarmingman]

The Guardian app generated the exact same group. That is a very nice group all things considered.

What time is the draw on at gents?

5-7pm Saturday evening.

[tetsujin1979]

it's on RTE2, and live on RTE Player
going on past events, the actual draw itself will probably only take up the last half hour of the 2 hour show!

[Kingdom]

I drew us in Pot E with England, Switzerland and Hungary. Have to say I'd fancy it.

[DeLorean]

Spain
Ukraine
Czech Rep
Republic of Ireland

Yuck... difficulty rating 5/10 apparently but wouldn't like the look of it at all.

I'd actually quite fancy the group Tets apologised for!

[Crosby87]

karim "Mercedes" Benzema suspended from Les Blues for sex tape:

http://screamer.deadspin.com/karim-benzema-suspended-from-france-national-team-due-t-1747309819

[geysir]

I don't have an iota who we'll be drawn with, from the available choices.

[DannyInvincible]

Is there going to be a ticketing procedure like the last euros

The application portal opens on the UEFA site on Monday: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/ticketing/teams/team=64/index.html

[tetsujin1979]

FourFourTwo's 16 things you need to know ahead of the Euro 2016 draw: http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/16-things-you-need-know-ahead-euro-2016-draw#:HU-S0DIKzIQTCQ
It's a little England-centric (obviously) but they think from a travel and tickets point of view, group D is the one to get

[punkrocket]

We all are.

[geysir]

I'm curious to find out what transpires but I can wait until the draw has finished in order to find out. Wild horses couldn't drag me in front of the tv to view the draw. If I was given an either/or ultimatum, I'd probably rather risk snuffing it while watching a 2 hour Daniel O'Donnell special, rather than sit through a Euro trash draw.

[davidatrb]

I pick ...

Germany - I don't think that we can be aiming to win the group but having the Germans in with us will mean no cheap points for the other teams, plus we can beat them.
Switzerland - Seem to be the weakest in Pot 2.
Hungary - I hope we can beat them.

Looking at the betting I see that only a half dozen teams are highly rated, the rest are pretty average and beatable. The key is probably to avoid Italy from Pot 2 and we can sail through to the next round. Even a good 3rd in the group will do us?

[davidatrb]

It's a little England-centric (obviously)

Well Drogheda Utd and Hunky Dorey Park gets a mention in there.


but they think from a travel and tickets point of view, group D is the one to get

The way I read it, then Group D was the one to avoid?

If we get Group A and top it ahead of the French then that article makes it sound like a cake walk to the semi's. Group A winner gets a 3rd place team in Round of 16 and a Group Runner up in the Quarters.

[Wolfman]

Bring on more dull football, a whole month of it!

And being ripped off by the French.

[DeLorean]

I'm curious to find out what transpires but I can wait until the draw has finished in order to find out. Wild horses couldn't drag me in front of the tv to view the draw. If I was given an either/or ultimatum, I'd probably rather risk snuffing it while watching a 2 hour Daniel O'Donnell special, rather than sit through a Euro trash draw.

Can't imagine too many being engrossed in the shenanigans that go with it but I'll definitely be watching when they start pulling the teams out.

[BonnieShels]

Draw begins at 523 apparently. Seems odd.

[BonnieShels]

Pot 1 to drawn first.

Pot 4 to be drawn afterwards.

[tricky_colour]

Euro 2016 draw Pot 1 Spain, Germany, England, Portugal, France and Belgium
Pot 2 Italy, Russia, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia and Ukraine
Pot 3 Czech Republic, Sweden, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary
Pot 4 Turkey, Republic of Ireland, Iceland, Wales, Albania and Northern Ireland

[tricky_colour]

Pot 1 to drawn first.

Pot 4 to be drawn afterwards.

Odd way to do it, I guess we will know who the big team is straight away.

[tetsujin1979]

Pot four to be drawn now

[tricky_colour]

Belgium.

[BonnieShels]

Belgium for us

Paris, Bordeaux then Lille