LOI In Europe 2021

[Nesta99]

:Dabort - abort - DUNDALK FANS - we've been made!

Peter Collins on RTÉ on Thursday night straight out of the blocks mentioned it funny enough.So it's just Dundalk fans thinking that ehh??

Your weird about Dundalk fans,very foxing weird!!

In fairness to PC he has said that he sees Dundalk as Rovers main rivals, so fans of Dundalk are fair game whether comments made are agreed with or not. I'd prefer to be seen as a rival and cop the occasional slagging than be irrelevant, ignored, languishing in a relegation battle and completely irrelevant in a title race....just look how Cork no are longer in the crosshairs and forgotten!!

[oriel]

The concept of games in hand is really lost on dundalk fans it seems.
Same as in 2019 when you were 11 points behind Rovers with 3 games in hand, and saw it as some miracle in overcoming Rovers thst year, in this particular context Flora are 12 points behind Levadia with 3 games in hand.
Flora won the league last year and are the best team in Estonia, in the exact way Rovers are the best team in Ireland.

I take that point PC with games in hand, still doesn't change the outcome, Rovers were beaten home and away, Dundalk beat Levadia away, this was a game you should have had confident ambitions to get through over the two legs, again with the big investment in players that were taken in with one eye on europe.

Not sure you will get a better chance next year to make it, coefficient won't help either re seeding.

[sbgawa]

We will be seeded in first round next year, makes a huge difference

[CSAD]

We will be seeded in first round next year, makes a huge difference

It will need to be the most winnable game though, Bradley isn’t good enough to take rovers to the level required to beat a decent side.

[sullanefc]

But nobody ever called the tie a slam dunk.

Ok. So you said this...


But yeah, I certainly don't see any reason Rovers shouldn't be looking for, say, a draw there and a win at home. This season has been the easiest set of ties in Europe the LoI has ever had.


So I think there's a lot there to say that this year is the easiest set of European fixtures ever. I can understand Rovers fans not wanting to jinx things, but really you have to be going into a tie like this expecting a win.

You were teeing this up as an easy draw, and your only logic was that they were Estonian. So it should be easy I guess. Lol.




And the manner of the goals has been called out as a factor in the "embarrassing" definition since, well, since they were scored.

Nope. Not what you said. You never mentioned anything about the manner of the goals in this post. Just because they were Estonian.

No, losing home and away to an Estonian side is also pretty embarrassing.

#NotAngry just #EmbarrassedForYou 😄😄

[Nesta99]

You should just adjust you name to sullenfc kid! :o:):rolleyes:

[sullanefc]

You should just adjust you name to sullenfc kid! :o:):rolleyes:
Good one. *ThumbsUp

[Nesta99]

Yeah knew youd like it!

[oriel]

We will be seeded in first round next year, makes a huge difference

I knew that, point was if you had qualified for group stages, you prob would have been seeded 3 rounds, two at least.

[ger121]

We will be seeded in first round next year, makes a huge difference

Early days yet. You have to win the league first and also then see who wins other leagues. The cut-off fluctuates on a yearly basis.

[sbgawa]

Fair point I did mean IF we win the league but it would be very unlikely if we do that we wouldn't be seeded.
Win the first round next year and you have 3 rounds in a row where if you win you are guteed group stages.
Winning the league this year is crucial to keep momentum going
I

[Acornvilla]

I deeply regret reading the past 3/4 pages only to find the information I was looking for in the last couple posts.

Just vague notions about seedings next year, of the clubs that could qualify for Europe in some capacity. I assume it's still only Dundalk with a guarantee of seeding in a round or two, Rovers are Borderline, Sligo, Bohs and Pats no chance?

Ps. I am aware Waterford now exists long enough to qualify for Europe :)

Pps. I feel like a 5-2 loss is an embarrassing scoreline, and some of the goals conceded were very bad. I fully expected SR to get some form of narrow win at home, so to lose both legs is very disappointing. A couple of very important players are hitting the point of their career where they will need to be replaced soon, so it will be interesting to see how much stability can be maintained as that progresses.

Having said that, Flora were a fine team for the resources they have and size of a nation they come from, I was very impressed tbh and it will be interesting to see how they do in the groups, their manager seems to have a big future.

[Dalymountrower]

I deeply regret reading the past 3/4 pages only to find the information I was looking for in the last couple posts.

Just vague notions about seedings next year, of the clubs that could qualify for Europe in some capacity. I assume it's still only Dundalk with a guarantee of seeding in a round or two, Rovers are Borderline, Sligo, Bohs and Pats no chance?

Ps. I am aware Waterford now exists long enough to qualify for Europe :)

Pps. I feel like a 5-2 loss is an embarrassing scoreline, and some of the goals conceded were very bad. I fully expected SR to get some form of narrow win at home, so to lose both legs is very disappointing. A couple of very important players are hitting the point of their career where they will need to be replaced soon, so it will be interesting to see how much stability can be maintained as that progresses.

Having said that, Flora were a fine team for the resources they have and size of a nation they come from, I was very impressed tbh and it will be interesting to see how they do in the groups, their manager seems to have a big future.
Agree with all of the above.

[ger121]

Fair point I did mean IF we win the league but it would be very unlikely if we do that we wouldn't be seeded.
Win the first round next year and you have 3 rounds in a row where if you win you are guteed group stages.
Winning the league this year is crucial to keep momentum going
I

Bohs are on 3.000. 10 sides on that or lower were seeded this year in ECL but again who knows what the cut will be this season and we’ve a long way to go yet to even qualify.

7.000 might do it for Rovers but there are a few sides with this co-efficient and some who were lower this year now higher due to results. It will be close but might be enough.

[John83]

You were teeing this up as an easy draw, and your only logic was that they were Estonian. So it should be easy I guess. Lol.
Estonian teams are ****. This is born out by their results over time, as measured by their league coefficient. Do you have a counter-argument, or is it just that this is inconvenient for your argument and therefore doesn't count? So far as I can see, your argument amounts to, "Football is random. There is no such thing as favourites. Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala, I can't hear you." It's getting tiresome.

Scratch that, it was getting tiresome several pages ago. Could the two of you just take it to the PMs and leave the thread for some actual discussion?

[sbgawa]

7 would have had Rovers 10th out of the 16 seeds this year. Hard to see how that won't be top 16 next year but anythings possible I suppose.

[ontheotherhand]

Agree with all of the above.

Jesus we actually agree there DR.

[ontheotherhand]

Can't wait for the ECL groups. If Flora don't get a few surprise results I'll buy a pint (via revolut) for the first 6 posters to say "I told you so".

[sbgawa]

I told you so :)

[Nesta99]

Can't wait for the ECL groups. If Flora don't get a few surprise results I'll buy a pint (via revolut) for the first 6 posters to say "I told you so".

Youve left hat very broad and open to personal interpretation so I told ye so ;) If they dont pick up points ye can buy me 2!

[pineapple stu]

Estonian teams are ****. This is born out by their results over time, as measured by their league coefficient. Do you have a counter-argument, or is it just that this is inconvenient for your argument and therefore doesn't count? So far as I can see, your argument amounts to, "Football is random. There is no such thing as favourites. Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala, I can't hear you." It's getting tiresome.
It's kind of like mypost has flown his spaceship south and become a Cork fan.

On the basis that sullane is still misrepresenting my posts (I said an Estonian side in the playoff round is one of the easiest ties you can get at that stage, which is absolutely matter-of-factly true - but now I'm being told I said it was an easy tie, which I didn't say...or the only basis for my analysis was that they were Estonian, which isn't true either - I was taking into account the fact their European results and their domestic form, where they were behind a side that a basketcase Dundalk side had knocked out just 2/3 weeks earlier), and seems to have no intention on actually debating points (such as my point that our sides doing well in Europe should feed into a better national team to support...quietly ignored of course), I'm happy to bow out with a slightly enlarged ignore list.

[sullanefc]

Revisionism is great isn't it 😄

[CorribsideSteve]

Accepting ho-hum mediocritiy less so.

Another season over and done with. Some real high points with Bohs and in particular Dundalk. Even though PAOK could have won 8-0 in the away leg, so wasteful were they, Bohs were in it till the last kick, and in both legs played some lovely passing football at times. Their previous effort against Stjarnan at home was a joy to watch, and some lovely stuff on show. If I recall how they played against the Hungarians last year, they had improved nicely this year. When Dundalk believed against Vitesse, and pressed high, they were on top in the away game. Belief is massive. It surged through them and Vitesse were completely rattled. Vitesse should be sending them gift-baskets, or some offcast player, for waking them up just in time. Yes, they needed last minute drama to get past Levadia, but went about it well,playing to the last whistle and scoring a great team move winner in Estonia. Sligo looked like they didn't even try in their games, and there's little to say about them, disappointingly.

Rovers home performance against the Albanians gave me little hope that there was any attacking incision about them. Fair enough, they got the job done away, but the Teuta looked poor enough despite threatening at times in their own ground. Some people think Rovers were unlucky in some way against Flora, others think "ho-hum, c'est la vie, if another similar result happens next year, that's just our lot in life". Others like myself, think that the national standard bearers capitulating to a a team from 53rd ranked Estonia is beyond pitiful. Maybe we'll never get to the bottom of who is right.

Passing, fitness, and technique have all made big strides forward across all our clubs in recent years when playing in Europe. If only we could improve finishing and composure training, as well as reducing the "ahhhh, panic, what do i do" brainfarts (Naettestad,Mannus etc) in defence and goalkeepers that lead to giftwrapped merry christmas goals for our opponents, we'd be flying up the coefficient rankings.

IMHO though, while the possibility for clubs to make a giant-kill is there, as long as they believe, if any of our teams next year play like Rovers did against Flora, don't be surprised if there's a 6-1 agg defeat to someone like Connah's Quay Nomads on the cards.

[D24Saint]

https://www.the42.ie/when-the-great-gerd-muller-denied-shamrock-rovers-a-monumental-european-victory-5532149-Aug2021/?amp=1

Enjoyable article.

[ontheotherhand]

I think your take is fair enough CorribSteve but I'm not sure you're casting the other side of the Rovers piece (which would include me I suppose) in the right light there. Who thinks Rovers were unlucky or that it's fine to lose a big European game? That wasn't the gist of my posts anyway.

We were ****e and if it happened every week it would be a problem. Coughed up 7/8 good chances and Flora buried 5 of them. Fair play to them.

It reminds me a bit of the "GK crisis" we had that was so often discussed and debated and covered in the media. Bradley was out of his depth at the time we were told. Had to go etc.....Then it turned out he had Mannus lined up and we went on to win the cup in 2019, walk the league with a GD of +37 after 18 games in 2020 while also breaking the league's 100 year old unbeaten record. He has another fix to make now with our central midfield if we want to push on in Europe. I know that sounds odd given we have about 14 midfielders but if you've watched us this season you know what I mean. I was dreading Europe after the first round of games. I thought Towell was the answer and that seemed to be the case when we went on to comfortably beat Pats, Dundalk and put 4 past Derry in the Brandywell after he slotted in but it's not quite right now so we will see what the mgmt team do.

Anyway, I think the rest of your post is fair. I suppose the other side is that we had 3 teams in Europe playing important games and getting through rounds even if it was a new, lower level comp. I'm not saying things are improving because I really don't want to get in a 14 page debate with PineappleStu but it was enjoyable enough....even if my main enjoyment came from seeing Bohs and Dundalk go out after getting their hopes up so much.....

Looking forward to next year.

[2 Year Contract]

Pats 19s have drawn Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade) at home first in the UEFA Youth League

[EatYerGreens]

It's kind of like mypost has flown his spaceship south and become a Cork fan.

On the basis that sullane is still misrepresenting my posts (I said an Estonian side in the playoff round is one of the easiest ties you can get at that stage, which is absolutely matter-of-factly true - but now I'm being told I said it was an easy tie, which I didn't say...or the only basis for my analysis was that they were Estonian, which isn't true either - I was taking into account the fact their European results and their domestic form, where they were behind a side that a basketcase Dundalk side had knocked out just 2/3 weeks earlier), and seems to have no intention on actually debating points (such as my point that our sides doing well in Europe should feed into a better national team to support...quietly ignored of course), I'm happy to bow out with a slightly enlarged ignore list.

As the old adage goes - when you're explaining, you're losing :p

[Nesta99]

https://www.the42.ie/when-the-great-gerd-muller-denied-shamrock-rovers-a-monumental-european-victory-5532149-Aug2021/?amp=1

Enjoyable article.

You can almost feel the nerves and the hope from that article- buuttt even then, LoI clubs were undone in the hardest ways like the late Bayern Goal. Stopping the game when Rovers were on top due to home supporters...can you imagine Foot.ie today after something similar, the early concessions of goals in the away leg, fight back to to go ahead in the tie only to go out to what was an illegal goal where the ref and rub of the green went awol. Typical and all too familiar.

There are occasions when both the International team and the domestic league if they hadnt been cheated out of results, had some luck, how different things could be today. Maybe with a valued FT league for many years, contributing to RoI qualifications and there never being the dodgy Delaney legacy. We could have been more like a Croatia or Sweden,

[Philosophizer]

Sheriff, whom Dundalk dispatched last year on their European run have beaten Shaktar 2-0 in their Champions League debut tonight. What a difference a year makes...

[Mr A]

Sheriff, whom Dundalk dispatched last year on their European run have beaten Shaktar 2-0 in their Champions League debut tonight. What a difference a year makes...

Interesting thread on them here: https://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud/status/1430939451069509639

Absolutely mental stuff.

[Longfordian]

They mustn't have been too happy to lose to the American owned Dundalk. Maybe it's all part of a new cold war.

[Dalymountrower]

I see that PAOK and Slovan Bratislava, who despite beating Rovers in first round, tumbled down into Conference group stage, are in the same group. Will be interesting to see how they match up.

[pineapple stu]

Interestingly Slovan are in the same group as the Gibraltar side they beat in qualifying. Can't imagine that's happened too often before? The new format will mean it'll become a slightly more regular thing though

[paul_oshea]

Interesting thread on them here: https://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud/status/1430939451069509639

Absolutely mental stuff.

I've just spent the last hour going through that guys tweets!! Some interesting character! One of the days when you think the whole thing, the internet, was worth it

[Dalymountrower]

I've just spent the last hour going through that guys tweets!! Some interesting character! One of the days when you think the whole thing, the internet, was worth it
Brilliant thread, I could see Delaney fitting right in with Sheriffs "football family"
Bender FC is now on the away trip bucket list!

[Longfordian]

The tale of the "Prime Minister" and his "cabinet" was funny.

[sbgawa]

I'm thinking about setting up my own Republic, the working conditions look attractive.
If i can get some Russian KGB types to give me a crash course in gun running and money laundering i'm sure i could have Rovers playing in an 80,000 all seater stadium in no time at all.
When you come to think of the relevant skill sets around the Louth area its a bit surprising Oriel hasnt been sorted :D :p

[Nesta99]

I'm thinking about setting up my own Republic, the working conditions look attractive.
If i can get some Russian KGB types to give me a crash course in gun running and money laundering i'm sure i could have Rovers playing in an 80,000 all seater stadium in no time at all.
When you come to think of the relevant skill sets around the Louth area its a bit surprising Oriel hasnt been sorted :D :p

No need for the KGB, a visit to South Armagh would sort ye out for sure!

[SkStu]

This thread reminds me of Dan Lamberts trip to Transnistria in a 1979 Honda :D

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[Tomas]

Interestingly Slovan are in the same group as the Gibraltar side they beat in qualifying. Can't imagine that's happened too often before? The new format will mean it'll become a slightly more regular thing though

lucky *******s, Slovan are. thats 6 easy points in the group.

[Dalymountrower]

The GAA`s point man in RTE , Declan Mc Bennet, Head of Sport, apparently was interviewed on some pod cast or other , reported in the indo today. He seemingly was asked questions about the non -coverage of European games during the summer by RTE and he responded with the stock politicians non answer of how he can take the criticism ( he clearly can`t) , but some RTE staff , the craythurs, have been poorly treated in LOI grounds in recent months. News to me , I have to say. Anyone know what he is talking about ?

[placid casual]

At the Rovers - Flora home game, the personality free-zone that identifies as Peter Collins had to do half time discussions to the sounds of "Fu## RTE" ringing in his ears from the nearby South Stand - perhaps that's what's being referred to?

[Dalymountrower]

At the Rovers - Flora home game, the personality free-zone that identifies as Peter Collins had to do half time discussions to the sounds of "Fu## RTE" ringing in his ears from the nearby South Stand - perhaps that's what's being referred to?
Peter Collins dreamingly musing on great Grand Prix coverage of his career, doubt he noticed
Mc Bennett said he didn`t mind the negative chanting ( he clearly does), but implied something more personally experienced by RTE staff. Theres a good few recognisable RTE staff go to LOI games as fans , would be very very surprised if they experienced anything negative.

[Longfordian]

Someone told Stuey Byrne they didn't like his music.

[nigel-harps1954]

Total nonsense excuses.

[sbgawa]

I listened to that Pod when it came out last night (LOI Central) and the guy is full of it.
I was at the Rovers match and yes the fans were chanting F RTE but no one threw anything or attacked them (obviously i could only see what happened on the pitch in fairness) but to me it is complete deflection. He was very aggressive in his defence of RTE while saying he could take criticism (completely displaying he couldn't with his aggressiveness). It was probably embarrassing for him within RTE to have it happen
Justified sending some one to cover the lions rugby tour when it was already being broadcast on Newstalk (nice Jolly for a few RTE hacks)

[kksaints]

Fascinating listen at times. He got aggressive with Johnny Ward at times which didn't reflect particularly well. I don't buy his excuses on the highlights packages nor do I buy his comparison on the Gaa club figures (Indo article from August last year suggests an Average of 60,000 as a success). I also don't buy his comments on the European away matches and why they couldn't be shown on the RTE player, he didn't answer that satisfactory. But he's correct on one point, the viewing figures for the televised league matches aren't good enough.

[placid casual]

The old chicken and egg situation, between improving grounds infrastructure leading to better product Vs improving product leading to more interest, therefore more money to go into ground infrastructure, wasn't covered.
Also that Ward gob€hite is the epitome of unprofessionalism, and thereby got your man's back up with his inane questions.

[Martinho II]

The old chicken and egg situation, between improving grounds infrastructure leading to better product Vs improving product leading to more interest, therefore more money to go into ground infrastructure, wasn't covered.
Also that Ward gob€hite is the epitome of unprofessionalism, and thereby got your man's back up with his inane questions.

I dont mind JW at all as he editor of Galway Utds programme and I have wrote for him before. But McBennett took issue when JW said about 362 days a year coverage and McBennett sneered at the question considerin loi is only 9 mths a yr . Him and JW were at logger heads. In fairness to McBennett he volunteered to go on LOI central but hes a pure GAA head and it comes across in his answers. He is full of bull**** imo.

[ger121]

His use of the words ‘Domestic Soccer’ over and over again in that tone as though he meant domestic servant really irritated me. You never hear domestic rugby or domestic football for Gah used. If you use language to describe something in a condescending manner, then how can you be expected to be believed that you care about Irish Football. JW was spot on when he said you never feel the love from RTÉ for football. Imagine the middle of the GAA Championships or the Pro 14 going off air totally. It would be an outrage and rightly so. However, that would never happen, yet it is standard policy in RTÉ to do so with the LOI. It is a real shame that EIR is going as I did ‘feel the love’ from them for our League.