World Cup Qualification Playoffs - March 2026

[Joxerbrowne]

its the guts of the team that had a very decent euro 2016 in france, thats how.

To think Weso was dropped for these 2 games. Absoloute madness. Also dropped for the home game against Austria which we didnt win.

[Eirambler]

its the guts of the team that had a very decent euro 2016 in france, thats how.

The Euros team had John O'Shea, Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Jon Walters, Wes Hoolahan, Shane Long and an admittedly past his best Robbie Keane off the bench. A different level to the Denmark playoff team. We were painful to watch but, in hindsight, O'Neill worked a minor miracle to get that bunch to the playoffs (and at one point a lead in the second leg - we missed a couple of chances to go two up and I maintain that if we had taken one of them we'd have shut the back door from there and qualified).

[MeathDrog]

To think Weso was dropped for these 2 games. Absoloute madness. Also dropped for the home game against Austria which we didnt win.
That Austria game was incredibly frustrating. We made a great start in the group and a win would have put us in control. But we did not even try and win that game from the outset, and in the end fortunate to get a draw.

[rebelmusic]

A lot of that team were playing in the prem at that time so that's an indication of the level. I assume Shane Long was injured or suspended for that game. I hear you though, I was living abroad and the second leg was the only game I missed in the ten years I was away.

But yeah, we've been such underdogs for so long I think that's a huge factor. For years the level of expectation was enormous where as now the general sentiment is fair dues to the lads for even getting us to this place. I don't think anyone will be ashamed of them if we lose. We also know that being a true underdog goes hand in hand with the Irish spirit, hence the cautious optimism.

[tetsujin1979]

To think Weso was dropped for these 2 games. Absoloute madness. Also dropped for the home game against Austria which we didnt win.

Hoolahan didn't play in Copenhagen, but he played in the home leg, came on at half time
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1114/920088-ireland-match-report/

Came on for the last 20 minutes against Austria
https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/0611/881882-ireland-austria/


That Austria game was incredibly frustrating. We made a great start in the group and a win would have put us in control. But we did not even try and win that game from the outset, and in the end fortunate to get a draw.
Coleman's injury against Wales cost us qualification for the World Cup in 2018.

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, Wes coming on against Denmark caused the collapse - though it wasn't his fault as such. The formation change it brought about was mental, even if we had to go for it at that stage

The Euro 2016 team was in decline anyway and 18 months later we were worse. We had our share of fortune in qualifying - the draw in Serbia was about as bad as we've ever played, the winner against Georgia was about as bad a goal as we've scored and of course we drew out there

But equally the wins in Austria and Wales were genuinely decent results. Strange campaign overall

[Exgrad]

Vale could be starting:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/ireland-czech-republic-world-cup-2026-play-off-b2945157.html


The timing at least gave Hallgrimmson ample time to think about solutions, and a clear idea for this match is understood to have come to him a few weeks ago. There will of course be a strong defensive base from which to counter. Harvey Vale, having only two weeks ago switched allegiance from England to Ireland, is under consideration to start. The 22-year-old offers real craft. Vale’s inswinging crosses from the right are seen as almost undefendable, although that is precisely where Ireland could really miss the aerial power of the injured Evan Ferguson.

[Crosby87]

What is everyone predicting?

[Fixer82]

What is everyone predicting?

2-1 to Ireland
1-1 at full time
Szmodicz with the winner in extra time

[Crosby87]

This Krejci fella looks 14

[Eirambler]

Vale could be starting:

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/ireland-czech-republic-world-cup-2026-play-off-b2945157.html

Maybe instead of Ogbene? Two creators - Azaz and Vale - behind Parrott?

[SkStu]

Maybe instead of Ogbene? Two creators - Azaz and Vale - behind Parrott?

Possibly... with Azaz dropping a little deeper when we are out of possession in a 3-4-2-1?

Might lack some pace on transition / sending into channels - our wing backs not the fastest either.

[SkStu]

Based on exgrads little excerpt above too, depending on the game script, you could easily see Vale being withheld as a starter but coming on with Idah and get balls in often to someone with some aerial presence.

[Philly]

Vale to start, with Ogbene coming on for the last 20-25 mins if we need a goal is my prediction. Ogbene cannot be match fit, and starting him and Coleman seems risky given both have played so little. However, he would have enough in the tank to give it socks for 30 mins you would imagine.

[Crosby87]

Looks like 75% of the public money here is on Czech

That's a good sign.

[geysir]

I see Italy's Gattuso is a profile playoff casualty, a mutually terminated contract. if Ireland had hired an equivalent coach would he be Stephen Hunt (Ireland's Gattuso)?

[irishfan86]

I see Italy's Gattuso is a profile playoff casualty, a mutually terminated contract. if Ireland had hired an equivalent coach would he be Stephen Hunt (Ireland's Gattuso)?

We don’t have an equivalent in the more recent generations. A World Cup, two Serie A titles and two champions leagues as a player.

Many non-Irish football fans would say Roy Keane because he’s largely viewed as a destroyer by casual non-Irish fans and not much more (we all know that’s BS but you know what I’m getting at). His legacy doesn't translate to highlights.

My pitch for an Irish equivalent in terms of significance would be John O’Shea. Like Gattuso, played an unsexy role for a highly successful team. Gattuso obviously a platform up from O’Shea in terms of importance to his club but that’s at least in the same conversation— as much as I appreciated Stephen Hunt’s endeavour in the Irish shirt, he was a borderline premier league player and as much as I dislike Gattuso, shouldn’t be considered as a comparable.