Draw for Play-Offs

[harps1954]

I know I am jumping ahead here, but just hoping for the best.

Does anyone know when the draw for the play-offs will be? I remember for the last World Cup, we knew before the Holland match in September that we would play an Asian team in the play-offs, if we finished second.

Secondly, when will the FAI make up their mind (or announce) where the home leg of the play-offs will take place?. It's looking more and more likely that the home leg of the play-offs will not be in Dublin, but instead will be in Glasgow/Liverpool/Manchester/etc. Imagine around 40,000 people leaving these shores looking for flights/accommodation, etc. with maybe only three weeks to plan it not to mention looking for tickets.

Just a query, maybe someone can help???

[Schumi]

Does anyone know when the draw for the play-offs will be? I remember for the last World Cup, we knew before the Holland match in September that we would play an Asian team in the play-offs, if we finished second.
I don't think that'll be possible this time because the best 2nd placed team qualifies automatically and that probably won't be known 'til after the last games. I assume the draw will take place fairly quickly after Wednesday.

[CollegeTillIDie]

I know I am jumping ahead here, but just hoping for the best.

Does anyone know when the draw for the play-offs will be? I remember for the last World Cup, we knew before the Holland match in September that we would play an Asian team in the play-offs, if we finished second.

Secondly, when will the FAI make up their mind (or announce) where the home leg of the play-offs will take place?. It's looking more and more likely that the home leg of the play-offs will not be in Dublin, but instead will be in Glasgow/Liverpool/Manchester/etc. Imagine around 40,000 people leaving these shores looking for flights/accommodation, etc. with maybe only three weeks to plan it not to mention looking for tickets.

Just a query, maybe someone can help???

Expect there to be lots of daytrippers in that case.........

[shiv_ire]

"The draw for the three play-off matches involving the remaining six European runners-up (to be played 12 and 16 November) will take place in Zurich on 14 October – two days after the final group stage matches are completed. "

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/050915/1/4npf.html

[holidaysong]

"The draw for the three play-off matches involving the remaining six European runners-up (to be played 12 and 16 November) will take place in Zurich on 14 October – two days after the final group stage matches are completed. "

http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/050915/1/4npf.html

I hope to god we are in that draw!

[Mayo Red]

I hope to god we are in that draw!

You, me and everyone else here second that!:(

[Stuttgart88]

Except for those pill-popping optimistics among us who think we'll win the group! :)

[Lionel Ritchie]

Except for those pill-popping optimistics among us who think we'll win the group! :)

Well -when optimism is the only show in town why not?
If we beat Switzerland by a goal more than they beat France -we top the group. It's not an altogether outrageously unlikely scenario.

:)

[concanta]

it is casue there is no chance in this world of the swiss beating france
not a hope

[Lionel Ritchie]

it is casue there is no chance in this world of the swiss beating france
not a hope

Yeah? You could get 25/1 on Northern Ireland (nowhere near as good as Swiss) beating England (better than France) a few weeks back.

[elroy]

it is casue there is no chance in this world of the swiss beating france
not a hope


No Henry or Trezeguet and maybe not ZZ its more likely that the Swiss could beat France than we get a two goal win over the Swiss in my opinion. In fairness despite scoring early, the Swiss were the better team in our game against them in Basle.

I think the Swiss/France game will be very similar to ours against the French, it will be too very cautious teams and probably a mistake or bit of genius the difference.

[harps1954]

Just to make matters a wee bit worse, I read today that the 3 play-off fixtures will be drawn with seeded teams based on current FIFA rankings. We are unlikely to be one of the three seeded teams and could face Spain, Czech Republic or (dare I say it) England in the play-offs if we get there. It would also mean that we would be at home first in the play-offs so definitely no chance of the game in Dublin with the All-blacks there that weekend.

The best run of results this weekend for us would be a victory in Cyprus and a 1-0 for Switzerland against France. A 2-0 victory over Switzerland next Wednesday would then qualify us for Germany, regardless of how France do in their final game.

Another interesting thought - Israel could very well be the only team in this group that hasn't lost a game and could still finish in 4th position (and will do so if the above run of results happen over the next week).

[padzer]

A reliable source has informed me that the home leg of the playoff if we get there will be in Cardiff.

Cue Irish Ferries biggest ever payday.

[joeSoap]

No Henry or Trezeguet and maybe not ZZ its more likely that the Swiss could beat France than we get a two goal win over the Swiss in my opinion. .And they do have Boumsong...:eek:

Be just our luck that the Swiss do beat France, and we foul it up still..:mad:

[harps1954]

A reliable source has informed me that the home leg of the playoff if we get there will be in Cardiff.

Cue Irish Ferries biggest ever payday.

Not doubting you, but Wales are playing Fiji in a rugby international on Friday 11th November, not so sure if everything could be ready for a soccer play-off within 48 hours (assuming we are at 'home' in the first-leg). Also, preparations wouldn't be ideal as the team wouldn't be able to train on the pitch prior to the game as it would be hosting a rugby international.

I still think if it comes to it, we should try to stay in this country. If not, I would prefer either Anfield or Parkhead. It would be a lot easier for the FAI to fill either of those stadiums with the Irish populations in Liverpool and Glasgow than it would be filling the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Just a thought!

[Eirenua]

whats the odds if it is played in Glasgow the amosphere will be 100 times more electric than LR.

It certainly was for match against scotland with 2nd gen irish in the stand

[geysir]

Just to make matters a wee bit worse, I read today that the 3 play-off fixtures will be drawn with seeded teams based on current FIFA rankings. We are unlikely to be one of the three seeded teams and could face Spain, Czech Republic or (dare I say it) England in the play-offs if we get there. It would also mean that we would be at home first in the play-offs so definitely no chance of the game in Dublin with the All-blacks there that weekend.
Where did you read that about the decision to seed teams for the draw?

[harps1954]

I think it was Paul Lennon who wrote it in the Star - can't remember exactly, but know that I read it in one of the papers yesterday.

[Risteard]

Windsor Park, Windsor Park

[finlma]

Even if Poland win the group it looks like England will get through as the 2nd best team.

[Dotsy]

I read yesterday (in the IT i think) that result of Holland v Czech Republic will have a big bearing on whether second place in England's group qualify automatically. I think England need Holland to win.

[dynamo kerry]

I second the;) call for windsor park.

[footballplease]

Windsor Park???? Are you mad????

Give me Tolka any day - you can get 12,000 in there - Windsor only holds 14,000. Not that much a difference and it keeps the game in Dublin.

Or wait a mo - what about RDS?? I seem to remember Bohs playing Rovers in front of 23,000 in mid nineties!!!!

[thejollyrodger]

Windsor park it is so :P

Can someone please list the possible teams who we will be facing (if we make 2nd spot) in the play offs ?

England
Poland
Spain
Czech Republic

who else are POSSIBLES

[dynamo kerry]

mad? possibly. tolka isn't a bad ideanot enough cash in it though

[finlma]

Windsor park it is so :P

Can someone please list the possible teams who we will be facing (if we make 2nd spot) in the play offs ?


who else are POSSIBLES

Most likely playoff teams:

Czech Republic
Turkey / Greece
Slovakia / Russia
Norway / Slovenia / Scotland (unlikely though)
England - team most likely to get through as 2nd best but could be Czechs too
Spain / Serbia - Serbia have the easier of the last fixtures so looks like Spain for the playoff
Croatia / Sweden


I'd fancy our chance against most teams but not Czechs, Turkey, England or Spain

[Dublin12]

Most likely playoff teams:

Czech Republic
Turkey / Greece
Slovakia / Russia
Norway / Slovenia / Scotland (unlikely though)
England - team most likely to get through as 2nd best but could be Czechs too
Spain / Serbia - Serbia have the easier of the last fixtures so looks like Spain for the playoff
Croatia / Sweden


I'd fancy our chance against most teams but not Czechs, Turkey, England or Spain

I wouldn't be confident against any of them bar Slovakia or Norway at home,wherever that mayl be,and I wouldn't fancy us against any of them away.Imagine a trip to Moscow in November,nightmare.

[concanta]

There would be no easy game but I would take spain now just to be in the play off.....alot of the top teams like spain and england are struggling so you never know...I know we do not inspire confidence....... I did'nt realise france have so many injuries for the saturday game - all there players were there for our game......

[eirebhoy]

I'd fancy our chance against most teams but not Czechs, Turkey, England or Spain
England would be up fairly high up the top of the list of teams I'd most want to face. As long as they stick with not playing a holding midfielder. If they put Carrick/Parker in the team I'd fear them.

The Czech's are an excellent team but like us they have maybe 1 or 2 real star players.

[Stuttgart88]

The Czech's are an excellent team but like us they have maybe 1 or 2 real star players.
We've discussed this before I think. The Czechs are a classic example of how you don't need class in every position to be a class team. Obviously it helps to have quality payers, but balance throughout the team is crucial too.

I think Jan Koller is actually out for 6 months which would be a help I reckon.

The injury came about 4 years too late for Paul Butler though!

[wallis]

" the draw for the playoffs will take place on October 14th at 12.00CET " (thats 11am for us)


I wonder who the Swiss will get ?

[concanta]

f8ck off and give the team a chance

[eirebhoy]

" the draw for the playoffs will take place on October 14th at 12.00CET " (thats 11am for us)


I wonder who the Swiss will get ?
afaik they're arranging a tournament with the likes of Wales and Romania while the WC is on.

[tetsujin1979]

I think Jan Koller is actually out for 6 months which would be a help I reckon.
Yep, tore his cruciates playing in Germany recently. Bad luck for the Czechs with the Holland game coming up.

[wallis]

f8ck off and give the team a chance

We wont need the play-offs when we win the group !

Loosen that collar and let some off....

[geysir]

England would be up fairly high up the top of the list of teams I'd most want to face. As long as they stick with not playing a holding midfielder. If they put Carrick/Parker in the team I'd fear them.

The Czech's are an excellent team but like us they have maybe 1 or 2 real star players.
The Czech's are playing Holland. According to reports the first team is weakened by injuries to the 2 strikers. The call went out for Nedved to return but after some crossed signals he reversed an apparent decision to return. I think we know what the next move will be - new manager, Nedved returns.
Is it an advantage to play the away game first in a play off situation?
One example, Celtic in their Uefa run, turning the tables in the away leg in 4 games, retrieving the situation after home draws.
I quite like the scenario where the home team in the second leg turn to jelly with the fear of an equalizer sending them out.

[geysir]

I think it was Paul Lennon who wrote it in the Star - can't remember exactly, but know that I read it in one of the papers yesterday.
Then it could well be speculation. I did not read anything about it on the Fifa site. At the last draw WCQ play offs Fifa made a point about no seedings.

[onenilgameover]

How is the home and away leg decided? Surely it would be better to get the away leg over first?

We were lucky enough to get the second goal against Iran and would have crumbled out there I reckon if we didnt get it.

[shakermaker1982]

http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/051007/2/e5jr.html

this is the article to answer all the Q concerning the draw

[thejollyrodger]

Thanks for that post Dublin12. Some of the teams there sound awesome and Im not sure if we can beat them. But at the end of the day they are coming second so something must be going wrong for them (and you take into consideration that the 2 strongest 2nd place teams automatically are gone through).

So the play offs are a fighting chance if we do fight. I dont want to face England, Spain or Czech Republic so I guess we will draw one of those three if we can beat the Cyprus and the choclate makers.

[CollegeTillIDie]

We've discussed this before I think. The Czechs are a classic example of how you don't need class in every position to be a class team. Obviously it helps to have quality payers, but balance throughout the team is crucial too.

I think Jan Koller is actually out for 6 months which would be a help I reckon.

Koller's done his cruciate ligament he's a goner for at least that long.