Euro 2008 - Qualifying change

[davey]

With our past play-off record, this is good news I think. From BBC Sport



Uefa makes Euro qualifying change

Greece were the surprise winners of Euro 2004 in Portugal
Uefa has altered the qualifying format for the 2008 European Championship.
The winners and runners-up from seven groups will automatically qualify for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.

The move means there will no longer be play-offs between teams finishing in second place in the groups.

Six of the qualifying groups will contain seven teams, and the other eight, with the hosts filling the other two spots in the 16-team tournament.

The qualifying-round format was decided by Uefa's executive committee at its meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, on Tuesday.

The qualifying competition will begin in the autumn of 2006, after the World Cup in Germany in the summer.

The format for Uefa Euro 2004 in Portugal involved 10 group winners qualifying, along with the host country and the winners of five qualifying play-offs staged over two legs on a home-and-away basis.

[paul_oshea]

ya it will, we will have 6 away draws, two home draws and 4 home wins leaving us with 20 points!!!! :D

no i think that will make for a very interesting group, especially that we will be third seeded in the pot, it gives us an extra incentive in a way i.e. we know we dont have to win the group and we can still qualify, though maybe taht would bring out an extra defensive strategy by kerr i.e. just try and secure second place???

[Superhoops]

The winners and runners-up from seven groups will automatically qualify for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.

Six of the qualifying groups will contain seven teams, and the other eight, with the hosts filling the other two spots in the 16-team tournament.
Some travelling if home games are not played in CP!

[pineapple stu]

Liek the sounds of it alright. Only downside is more games (40% more in some cases) which might cause a problem with the club managers...

[OwlsFan]

Yes, but if you out friendlies might be the same number of games.

[Lionel Ritchie]

I like it. Indeedee I do. :cool:

[eirebhoy]

Here's the seedings atm. If we qualify for the World Cup we should be Pot C. If we win our remaining 5 matches we'll most likely make Pot B. We're only half way through the current qualifiers so these seedings will obviously change after every international qualifier.

European Champs|World Cup 2006
Team Played Points Played Points Avg Points
1 A Czech 8 22 6 15 2.642857143
2 A Englan 8 20 6 16 2.571428571
3 A Hollan 8 19 6 16 2.5
4 A France 8 24 6 10 2.428571429
5 A Portug. 6 14 2.333333333
6 A Germany 8 18 2.25
7 A Italy 8 17 5 12 2.230769231
8 B Sweden 8 17 5 12 2.230769231
9 B Croatia 8 16 5 13 2.230769231
10 B Greece 8 18 7 14 2.133333333
11 B Turkey 8 19 7 12 2.066666667
12 B Spain 8 17 5 9 2
13 B Poland 8 13 6 15 2
14 B Bulgar. 8 17 5 8 1.923076923
15 C Latvia 8 16 6 10 1.857142857
16 Swizz 8 15 5 9 1.846153846
17 C Romania 8 14 7 13 1.8
18 C Ukraine 8 10 7 17 1.8
19 C Russia 8 14 6 11 1.785714286
20 C Serbia. 8 12 5 11 1.769230769
21 C Belgium 8 16 5 7 1.769230769
22 C Slovaki 8 10 6 14 1.714285714
23 D Norway 8 14 5 8 1.692307692
24 D Sloveni 8 14 5 8 1.692307692
25 D Denmark 8 15 7 9 1.6
26 D Ireland 8 11 5 9 1.538461538
27 D Lithuan 8 10 5 9 1.461538462
28 Austria 8 9 6 11 1.428571429
29 D Hungary 8 11 5 7 1.384615385
30 D Israel 8 9 6 10 1.357142857
31 E Finland 8 10 6 9 1.357142857
32 E Bosnia 8 13 4 3 1.333333333
33 E Scotlan 8 14 4 2 1.333333333
34 E Iceland 8 13 5 1 1.076923077
35 E Wales 8 13 6 2 1.071428571
36 E Estonia 8 8 7 8 1.066666667
37 E Albania 8 8 7 6 0.933333333
38 F Georgia 8 7 6 5 0.857142857
39 F Macedo. 8 6 7 5 0.733333333
40 F Armenia 8 7 7 4 0.733333333
41 F Belarus 8 3 4 5 0.666666667
42 F Cyprus 8 8 6 1 0.642857143
43 F Moldova 8 6 5 2 0.615384615
44 F Azerbai 8 4 6 2 0.428571429
45 N.Irela 8 3 6 3 0.428571429
46 Liechte 8 1 6 4 0.357142857
47 Andorra 8 0 7 4 0.266666667
49 Faroes 8 1 4 1 0.166666667
48 Malta 8 1 5 1 0.153846154
50 Kazahk 5 0 0
51 Luxemb 8 0 7 0 0
52 San M. 8 0 6 0 0

[holidaysong]

How come Kazakstan (No. 50) didn't do qualifying for Euro 2004? :confused:

[eirebhoy]

How come Kazakstan (No. 50) didn't do qualifying for Euro 2004? :confused:
They're not a European country. This is their first year in the UEFA section.

[Baker]

Kazakstan were only admitted to UEFA recently, after the Euro 2004 draws were made.

[NeilMcD]

I think its good news, more meaningful matches , more trips away , less friendlies and no play offs, which is good for us I think

[Stuttgart88]

Looking at that list above it'd be pretty tough for us to qualify if we don't at least make Pot C. At any one time some Pot B teams are over-rated, while Pot C teams are under-rated, so I'm not too hung up on which of these we're in.

Our current standing illustrates a couple of home truths: (1) that while we march up the world rankings on the back of facile home friendly victories, we're slipping back where it really counts. We were in Pot A less than 3 years ago. And (2) draws away to teams like Israel may be well & good if we limp over the finishing line for qualification, but failing to win these games is costing us. The teams in Pots B & C presumably have some meaningful away form.

[paul_oshea]

Our current standing illustrates a couple of home truths: (1) that while we march up the world rankings on the back of facile home friendly victories, we're slipping back where it really counts. We were in Pot A less than 3 years ago, and (2) draws away to teams like Israel may be well & good if we limp over the finishing line for qualification, but failing to win these games is costing us. The teams in Pots B & C presumably have some meaningful away form.

agreed, i think those fifa rankings are a load of wolly. These are a true reflection on a teams true standing in world football.

again, in more ways than one all these "momentus" draws away from home are affecting us.

[pete]

I think thats a fair enough means of calculation teams rankings. I thinkwe will make pot C easily enough. very little difference between pots B & C anyway.

[onenilgameover]

Quite happy with that. We have a good chance now of making two major tournaments in a row!

[pineapple stu]

Makes those dropped points in Israel even more important - we'd be up level with Norway and Slovenia with the win (still Pot D, but 0.15 points nearer Pot C...)

[Green Tribe]

At least with the Swiss as one of the co-hosts we won't end up in yet another qualifying group with them, jinxing gits!!!!! :mad: :D