LoI in Europe 2024

[ger121]

On another site ger?! I'm shocked! :D

Ok, ok. It was actually a LOI Facebook group. I’d never cheat on my beloved foot.ie

[pineapple stu]

That's almost worse!

The bench is a real problem for Rovers now. Greene is on, but that's it. Molde have made three subs and presumably have three more players with some experience to bring on. That might be worth the man disadvantage. Still very evenly poised I think

Edit - as I type that, Molde use their fourth sub, bringing on a guy with 60+ European games for them

[sbgawa]

An 800000 penelty shoot out

[Philosophizer]

Greene that was just so poor.

[nigel-harps1954]

The better side lost, but no excusing that really dreadful effort from Greene. Really really awful penalty from such an experienced player.

[passinginterest]

Only consolation for Rovers is that it wasn’t one of the young lads who missed the penalty. Sad for Greene but at least he’s at the end of his career so it shouldn’t weigh as heavily as it would on one of the kids.

Probably should have won it but didn’t manage to create a really clear cut chance with Molde down to 10. Maybe could have gambled with throwing on the fresh legs a bit sooner but it was a lot of pressure on young lads either way.

Might be a long time before such a good chance to make the last 16 of a European competition comes along again.

[CorribsideSteve]

Never been convinced of Aaron Greene. He's obviously a great lad to have in the camp, good team player etc, or else he wouldn't still be there after 15 years or so. But his finishing has always been suspect IMO. Rovers really should have won this match. On the positives: A full house in a LOI stadium in an important Euro match. Rovers have made huge strides in Europe for our league and that has to be recognised and applauded. This is where other LOI clubs have to get to, particularly in the Conference. Over to you Shels/Pats/Derry...

[osarusan]

My illegal stream abruptly switched to some action film about 4 minutes into injury time so never saw the rest of it, but Rovers were in no way outclassed by Molde from what I did see.

[ger121]

The issue is not Greene missing a penalty, it’s the fact you go into a last 32 PO 2nd leg and you only have Greene as a goal scorer on the bench. Did not replace players who left and reliant on some very injury prone players. Excellent run but Molde were beatable in that tie.

[RealJohn91]

The issue is not Greene missing a penalty, it’s the fact you go into a last 32 PO 2nd leg and you only have Greene as a goal scorer on the bench. Did not replace players who left and reliant on some very injury prone players. Excellent run but Molde were beatable in that tie.
Fully agree with this. The squad building or lack thereof, from Bradley over the winter has been crazy. Few injuries and suspension sure but that squad is still short in areas without them. I still can't get my head round them being stuck with a 16 and 35 year old as their striking options. Seems like they're going to "reinforce" that by signing Gaffney who's hardly kick a football for a long time and is also pushing on. Feels like they're terrified in taking a chance on players who haven't been at least brought up in this league.

[sbgawa]

Shels and pats both looking better prepared then us for the season.
Hard to understand.
Unlucky tonight, need bodies back

[dcfc_legend9]

Never been convinced of Aaron Greene. He's obviously a great lad to have in the camp, good team player etc, or else he wouldn't still be there after 15 years or so. But his finishing has always been suspect IMO. Rovers really should have won this match. On the positives: A full house in a LOI stadium in an important Euro match. Rovers have made huge strides in Europe for our league and that has to be recognised and applauded. This is where other LOI clubs have to get to, particularly in the Conference. Over to you Shels/Pats/Derry...

It wont be us making huge strides in Europe this coming year. :embarrassed:

[Acornvilla]

It's hard to even say a lack of depth s what cost them, because of who and how many players were out injuried/suspended/not fit yet, many more extra players in a squad and you start having a group with too much competition which would be tough to manage and costs a fortune, so that we'd never see these excellent kids actually play, but it is a very disappointing for it all to end, things just didn't line up. Had more then enough chances to get it done regardless.

Healy already looks like he's well able to play at higher levels.

[CorribsideSteve]

It wont be us making huge strides in Europe this coming year. :embarrassed:
I felt like it was a courtesy to include ye, for formality's sake

Edit: (Remembering the final table) Oh dear

[Philosophizer]

It's hard to even say a lack of depth s what cost them, because of who and how many players were out injuried/suspended/not fit yet, many more extra players in a squad and you start having a group with too much competition which would be tough to manage and costs a fortune, so that we'd never see these excellent kids actually play, but it is a very disappointing for it all to end, things just didn't line up. Had more then enough chances to get it done regardless.

Healy already looks like he's well able to play at higher levels.

Have to agree with this. They’re in an unfortunate crisis with injury and suspensions, but the guys who played, even the teenagers, all performed v admirably.

A squad of anything above 25/26 just starts to become wasteful.

Sometimes you just lose a tie because of a mix up at the back, and a guy hits a poor peno. Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

[Straightstory]

Rovers players, management and supporters will have had a sleepless night after that. No Irish club will ever have a better opportunity to get to the last 16 of a European competition: away win in the bag; Molde playing with ten men for over an hour of the two-legged tie. With a different referee we may have had another outcome. I've been to six of Rovers European games - and Molde were very far from being one of the better teams they've played.
Very, very hard one to take.

[sbgawa]

Rovers players, management and supporters will have had a sleepless night after that. No Irish club will ever have a better opportunity to get to the last 16 of a European competition: away win in the bag; Molde playing with ten men for over an hour of the two-legged tie. With a different referee we may have had another outcome. I've been to six of Rovers European games - and Molde were very far from being one of the better teams they've played.
Very, very hard one to take.

Thjis so true, id put them way behind Celje and not much better than Viking, not on same planet as Rapid or Chelsea, real one that got away

[Nesta99]

Rovers players, management and supporters will have had a sleepless night after that. No Irish club will ever have a better opportunity to get to the last 16 of a European competition: away win in the bag; Molde playing with ten men for over an hour of the two-legged tie. With a different referee we may have had another outcome. I've been to six of Rovers European games - and Molde were very far from being one of the better teams they've played.
Very, very hard one to take.

Except for one thats already been there!!

[ger121]

Thjis so true, id put them way behind Celje and not much better than Viking, not on same planet as Rapid or Chelsea, real one that got away

Vikingur, Borac and Celje are way ahead of Molde. Rovers of the league phase would have won both legs.

[Buckett]

Except for one thats already been there!!

Yes! It's completely disrespectful the way some records are kept, or discarded and started again because of a re-brand

[A N Mouse]

Except for one thats already been there!!

I know uefa are toying with inviting cubs that may not have otherwise qualified in a given year to take part in their competitions, but I'm not sure that extends to parachuting teams, that managed to win through a round of two near half a century or more ago, into the last 16.

[Buckett]

I know uefa are toying with inviting cubs that may not have otherwise qualified in a given year to take part in their competitions, but I'm not sure that extends to parachuting teams, that managed to win through a round of two near half a century or more ago, into the last 16.

That's a bit dismissive. At that time it was only champions that played in Europe, so winning a couple of rounds was a decent achievement for LOI clubs

[pineapple stu]

The draw was also unseeded, so you could get - I don't know - the champions of the North and then the champions of Malta to reach the last 16.

That said, Rovers did get comprehensively knocked out twice en route to their last 16, and also had about an easy a draw as it's possible to imagine - so maybe it is fair to compare the two.

[culloty82]

Linfield managed to make the European Cup quarter-finals in '67 for that very reason - beat the Luxembourg champions in round one, followed by the Norwegian champions in round two, at a time when those two leagues were on a par in terms of quality. Mind you, they only narrowly lost to CSKA Sofia in the last eight.

[Nesta99]

I know uefa are toying with inviting cubs that may not have otherwise qualified in a given year to take part in their competitions, but I'm not sure that extends to parachuting teams, that managed to win through a round of two near half a century or more ago, into the last 16.

Its not a discussion on whether it is comparable, it is simply a fact that is in the record books. Do you think Real Madrid or Liverpool et al should stop including European Cup wins after the Champions league format started?

Do we exclude Derrys past achievements prior to being a new entity - I would say that it is a stronger argument to dismiss Derrys roll of hoour.

[legendz]

If Rovers are seeded for all qualifying rounds this summer, gives them a good chance of navigating through all qualifying rounds that as always are fraught with danger.
I think Shels will be at a seeding disadvantage. Getting through one CL qualifying round can make a big difference with the safety nets.
SK knows about setting teams up for Europe.
Strong chance this summer of at least two LoI clubs qualifying for the group stage.

[Straightstory]

Yes! It's completely disrespectful the way some records are kept, or discarded and started again because of a re-brand
I was referring to the present/future, not the past. (Possible misuse of the word ‘ever’)

[yurt]

Since they've gotten rid of the preliminary round it has actually diluted the quality in the first round draw more than you'd think given it's only 4 teams. It means there's some really average sides who get bumped up to the seeded side of the draw by virtue of wining their league most season.

Shels fans would obviously prefer to be seeded but looking at the pots in last years competition they were relatively even except for the top and bottom few on each side.

Rovers will be seeded but I think they will still be up against it. They will likely need to win 2 ties against sides on Molde's general level. Doable but unlikely.

As always already looking forward to these first round draws and rounds of European fixtures.

[placid casual]

Strong chance this summer of at least two LoI clubs qualifying for the group stage.

I wouldn't share your optimism about LOI teams getting into group stages. Shels, obviously, have the best chance,but that depends on getting past the 1st game.
Hard to know with pats and drogs chance s,but speaking as a Rovers fan I wouldn't be confident of Rovers negotiating the multiple rounds.
It certainly improves the profile of the league when there is a team in groups stages and I'd love to see all 4 in the groups - drogs in the groups would be great to see!

[A N Mouse]

Its not a discussion on whether it is comparable, it is simply a fact that is in the record books. Do you think Real Madrid or Liverpool et al should stop including European Cup wins after the Champions league format started?

Do we exclude Derrys past achievements prior to being a new entity - I would say that it is a stronger argument to dismiss Derrys roll of hoour.

I'm not comparing anything. Whether deliberately or not you have misunderstood the original post, as SH has clarified.

If I were to ask - will you ever cop on?

Would you answer - 'I did once manage to cop on, but that was a long time ago' ?

[Nesta99]

I'm not comparing anything. Whether deliberately or not you have misunderstood the original post, as SH has clarified.

If I were to ask - will you ever cop on?

Would you answer - 'I did once manage to cop on, but that was a long time ago' ?

I may well do! Maybe you need to be clearer as I was not the only one to percieve, delibrately or not a dismissiveness. Derrys roll of honour is still mostly ancient history and defunct bar 2 FAI Cups. Just another newco factual stat.

[oriel]

Except for one thats already been there!!

Correct, in 1979 Dundalk (in the European Cup - top competition obv as next was Uefa Cup, then ECWC), got to the last 16. Maybe 'only' Linfield in the Pre Lim, then Hibs of Malta, but Celtic (2-3 on agg) was def a last 16 game, as Celtic played Real Madrid after xmas in 1980 in the QF.

Read since that Linfield made latter rounds in Europe, but I still think the 1979/80 Dundalk side is the furthest a LOI has gone, last 16 and played in 3 rounds.

Rovers really unlucky last Thurs, esp winning the hardest leg, pens can go any way, so its tough pill to swallow, but they done brilliant to be fair in this extended campaign.

[A N Mouse]

Correct, in 1979 Dundalk (in the European Cup - top competition obv as next was Uefa Cup, then ECWC), got to the last 16. Maybe 'only' Linfield in the Pre Lim, then Hibs of Malta, but Celtic (2-3 on agg) was def a last 16 game, as Celtic played Real Madrid after xmas in 1980 in the QF.

Read since that Linfield made latter rounds in Europe, but I still think the 1979/80 Dundalk side is the furthest a LOI has gone, last 16 and played in 3 rounds.

Rovers really unlucky last Thurs, esp winning the hardest leg, pens can go any way, so its tough pill to swallow, but they done brilliant to be fair in this extended campaign.

Are you really claiming Dundalk and Linfield as the only Irish teams to have played in the last sixteen of European competition?

And all because of the suggestion that this season's draw could possibly have been the kindest path to the preantepenultimate round for an Irish team for a while.

We know Irish teams played in the last sixteen before. We know it was 'easier' to get there, in the majority of cases they only had to progress one round to do so.

[pineapple stu]

Are you really claiming Dundalk and Linfield as the only Irish teams to have played in the last sixteen of European competition?
They are, aren't they?

[A N Mouse]

They are, aren't they?

Given there were only thirty something associations providing mostly one team to main competitions you only had to win through one round to be in last sixteen.

Fairly sure shams, bohs, drums, Waterford and Derry all progressed a round possibly before Dundalk managed it. Chances are they played in the last sixteen unless they were in the preliminary round.

[pineapple stu]

I don't think they did tbh.

But they either did or they didn't. It should be easy enough to show another example if you have it. Otherwise you've no basis for saying "Are you really claiming Dundalk and Linfield as the only Irish teams to have played in the last sixteen of European competition?"

Edit - looking into it, Rovers reached the last 16 of the 66/67 Cup Winners' Cup after beating Spora Luxembourg. They then lost 4-3 to eventual winners Bayern in the lats 16. Waterford reached the last 16 of the 70/71 European Cup, beating Glentoran before losing 10-2 to Celtic. Cork Hibs reached the last 16 of the 72/73 Cup Winners' Cup beating Pezoporikos Larnaca before losing 3-0 to Schalke. Cork Celtic reached the last 16 of the 74/75 European Cup with a walkover against Omonia Nicosia before losing 7-1 to Ararat Yerevan. Bohs reached the last 16 of the 76/77 Cup Winners' Cup beating Esbjerg before losing 4-0 to Slask Wroclaw. Bohs reached the last 16 of the 78/79 European Cup, beating Omonia Nicosia before losing 6-0 to Dynamo Dresden - and the same year Rovers reached the last 16 of the Cup Winners' Cup beating APOEL before losing 6-1 to Banik Ostrava.

Dundalk were the first to reach the last 16 of a European competition by winning two ties (Linfield and Hibs of Malta) before losing to Celtic - technically the point oriel was making. Then Waterford reached the last 16 of the 80/81 Cup Winners' Cup, beating Omonia (again!) before losing 5-0 to eventual winners Dinamo Tbilisi. Dundalk reached the last 16 of the 81/82 Cup Winners' Cup, beating Fram Reykjavik before losing 2-1 to Spurs.

And that's it as far as I can see.


Though I think it's worth adding I don't think anyone claimed Dundalk/Linfield were the only teams to manage it? Just that Rovers' achievement this year wouldn't have been unique as Dundalk/Linfield had already managed it, which is true.

[A N Mouse]

Thanks for the edit. You're missing, at least, drumcondra in 62/63? fairs cup. And Derry in 65/66 European cup, beat fk lynn, then lost (9-0) away to Anderlecht before withdrawing because, in a bit of foreshadowing, the ifa refused to allow them to play the home leg at the brandywell.


I don't think they did tbh.
....

Though I think it's worth adding I don't think anyone claimed Dundalk/Linfield were the only teams to manage it? Just that Rovers' achievement this year wouldn't have been unique as Dundalk/Linfield had already managed it, which is true.

I mean the original statement from straighthistory was about the future and the likelyhood of getting to the last sixteen, with the again remaining unsaid. Someone chose to take exception to that, because in the past a team had made the last sixteen.

I'm paraphrasing here but apparently it was dismissive of that achievement or some such. And here in lies the problem. How do you compare eras?

If Dundalk getting through two rounds to get to the last sixteen is a pinnacle. And merely suggesting that a team might, in the modern era, once again get to the last sixteen is somehow dismissive. Then that's fecking hypocritical. The format changed before 1980 and the format has changed massively since.

[pineapple stu]

I did miss Drums alright. And I was only looking at LoI sides.

But your original post was "I'm not sure that extends to parachuting teams, that managed to win through a round of two near half a century or more ago, into the last 16." I think they did get to the last 16.

You also said "Are you really claiming Dundalk and Linfield as the only Irish teams to have played in the last sixteen of European competition?" - but that was never claimed. And I don't know what you mean by "And merely suggesting that a team might, in the modern era, once again get to the last sixteen is somehow dismissive"?

I'm not sure why you're quite so aggressive about this. Rovers certainly played more European games this season than any other LoI side, and beat more teams. But they did have the distinct advantage of being able to be knocked out twice and still keep going. I don't think anyone is downplaying Rovers' achievement this season by noting that Lineifled reached the last 8 of the European Cup, or that others have reached the last 16 of Europe.

[Nesta99]

AN Mouse is talking out pf both sides of his mouth. I think most can see how 'conversation' panned out. Facts are established so done and dusted.

[ger121]

Jesus does every thread have to descend into this endless back and forth.

Well done to all our clubs in Europe, in a year when many new records were set. On to LOI in Europe 2025.

The End.

[placid casual]

It's a sad indictment on this forum when a bohs fan has to provide some real clarity and finality on the achievements of Rovers,and others, in Europe this/last (?) season. :):):)
Good man Ger

[Acornvilla]

Off the top of my head, there are definitely old Bohs, Shels, Derry, Dundalk, Pat's, even Drogheda sides who could potentially have done what Rovers have done this season had draws/rules been the same. It's a pity for those players that they weren't and we'll never know. Having said that, it's still a huge achievement, and it's a real pity they let this opportunity to go further slip. Their squad pre Christmas would have won more than likely.

I think over the next few seasons, we will more than likely begin to consistently have 1 club be in the group stages of some flavour, and maybe occasionally randomly get a second, Especially if someone like rovers with their co eff didn't win the league but did win the cup, they'd still have a solid chance. We're definitely not at a stage where it could be taken for granted yet.

The work Duff has done with Shels would definitely lead me to seeing them be very capable of an upset somewhere along the way, but everyone else will need a huge helping of luck for 2025 even thou I have a feeling by then at least 3 of the 4 clubs in Europe will have some of the stronger squads we'll have had.

[Nesta99]

Id argue that Rovers, if they had progressed, again with the pre Christmas form, were more than capable of giving Legia a good scare, they wouldnt have been overawed by them!

[sbgawa]

Legia arent any better than Rapid or even Celje , we wouldnt have been favourites but we would have had a shout for sure.
Agan we were unfortunate with injuries if the definition of unfortunate is keep signing injury prone players and be surprised when they are injured.
We need to widen our circle of signings, not a good sign when you see Gaffney signing back again, as much as i love him its a safe bet he will join the rest of the "unfortunate" injured crew before long.

[2 Year Contract]

Molde 3-0 up on Legia after 43 mins. What could’ve been for rovers

[pineapple stu]

May have spoken too soon - ended 3-2 to Molde, with the second leg in Warsaw to come now. Puts a much different spin on things.