World Cup draw

[Finlay Harp]

What are the chances of the North playing the South in the 2nd placed play offs!!! Unlikely but would be some craic!

[Superhoops]

....Who would want the Ireland job now?......
Who indeed?

[Fergie's Son]

Not sure Bulgaria will be beating those teams away either.

[Superhoops]

What are the chances of the North playing the South in the 2nd placed play offs!!! Unlikely but would be some craic!
Will never happen, Cork or Limerick don't have a team in the qualifying groups! :mad:

[Schlooooomp]

Lots of ifs and buts there Tuff Paddy.

[Maroon 7]

All in all, thoroughly worrying. Who would want the Ireland job now?

Who would want any manager that soils his trousers over a qualifying draw?

[MojoPin]

CYPRUS smur****intakular

[Finlay Harp]

Will never happen, Cork or Limerick don't have a team in the qualifying groups! :mad:


How about Northern Ireland v The Republic of Ireland then?;)

[Sonic]

Initially looking at it I was disappointed but the more i look at it it aint too bad:

Italy will top the group no doubt and I cant see why we cant be fighting along with Bulgaria for 2nd place. Apart from us and Bulgaria you really wouldnt give the other teams a hope of qualifying. Georgia proved to be the nemisis for Scotland but we beat them home and away with Brian Kerr a few years ago. A chance to put the Cyprus results behind us by beating them twice like we are capable of and of all the bottom pool teams Montenegro was the team to avoid so will be tough there can see a slip up or two:rolleyes:

But definetly qualifiable!!!!!:cool:

[Maroon 7]

I guess the thing now is will we go and try to get Italy either home or away for our first game and hope we catch them with a bit of a hangover after the European championships?

[shaneker]

Who would want any manager that soils his trousers over a qualifying draw?

Very insightful. Managers look for what they will be able to achieve in a new job, and an 'easy' group would have made us a more appealing prospect. We will have to improve an unbelievable amount in a short space of time to get out of this group - which makes the job less attractive. Just the way it is.

[Schlooooomp]

I know! I'm looking forward to seeing some new countries though. Couldn't even find Montenegro on a map, but it'll be some craic.

Yeah, a few new places to check out. I'm probably ready to go back to Cyprus as well, hopefully to hand out a bit of retribution. Playing Italy at home in a competitive game is an enticing prospect. As for the rest, I have never benn to any of those countries so it should be interesting.

[Superhoops]

Not sure Bulgaria will be beating those teams away either.
In the Euro 2008 qualifiers. Bulgaria's only away loss was to Holland. Won three and drew 2 of the other five. Solid enough.

[Maroon 7]

Italy are a very laid back team. They just want to qualify and they don't care how.

I don't see them going gung ho at us unless they have to.

Italy are often slow starters in qualifying. Often start with a loss or a few draws before getting into top gear half way through and winning all their games down the stretch.

[Schlooooomp]

Very insightful. Managers look for what they will be able to achieve in a new job, and an 'easy' group would have made us a more appealing prospect. We will have to improve an unbelievable amount in a short space of time to get out of this group - which makes the job less attractive. Just the way it is.

I don't think that venables will even bother looking at the draw, more likely to be the pay check and then demand more...yes, I hate him.:mad:

[Superhoops]

Italy are often slow starters in qualifying. Often start with a loss or a few draws before getting into top gear half way through and winning all their games down the stretch.

Would like to see first game being at home to Italy. We have generally done well against teams that have just come from WCF or Euros when we play them early.

[Maroon 7]

Very insightful. Managers look for what they will be able to achieve in a new job, and an 'easy' group would have made us a more appealing prospect. We will have to improve an unbelievable amount in a short space of time to get out of this group - which makes the job less attractive. Just the way it is.

Yes but would you want a manager that wouldn't take a job just because he didn't fancy a couple of difficult games? I know I wouldn't.

I doubt anyone who's genuinely interested in the job will pull out on account of that draw anyway.

[cheifo]

With any kind of manager who knows what he is doing we should get enough points at home to finish in the top two.That would leave it between ourselves and Bulgaria(presuming Italy qualify) to gather the most points from
games in Georgia,Cyprus and Montenegro.

[OwlsFan]

Reasonabale chance of 2nd place in the group. Bulgaria no world beaters.

[Scram]

Would like to see first game being at home to Italy. We have generally done well against teams that have just come from WCF or Euros when we play them early.

The next sentence is "and bamboozle them when they come to Croke Park"

[Schlooooomp]

The next sentence is "and bamboozle them when they come to Croke Park"

:D:D:D

[geysir]

Montenegro are the dark horses. First campaign.
Having a look at their eligibility criteria :) since the split with Serbia, they could easily bolster their squad. They will take some points from most teams.
Result against them wont count as to who will be the top 8 second placed teams.
It's a tough enough group for Italy and Bulgaria as well.
Could have the makings of a good scrap

I'd aim for a home game against Italy first off.

[Schlooooomp]

Objectively:

Montenegro - bottom seeds coz of their new found independent status, likely to be a pot or two higher in future.
Georgia - we should get maximum points in both games, never know, a likely "banana skin"
Cyprus - we luckily managed to get 1 point off them in last campaign, no reason at present to suggest we will get all 6 this time around.
Bulgaria - have some decent players, always likely to score, any wins from us will have to be tight affairs, can we keep them scoreless.
Italy - could pick up points in an early encounter or late encounter if they are already qualified. If they need the points from us then they are odds on to take them

[Scratchy]

Reasonabale chance of 2nd place in the group. Bulgaria no world beaters.

Yes I would probably agree with that. Not the easiest group but then again it's no "group of death" either. At least we are not in group 9.

[Dun Laoire]

I know! I'm looking forward to seeing some new countries though. Couldn't even find Montenegro on a map, but it'll be some craic.

Was there last summer. Fantastic place and is quite cheap for the drink and grub.

[HolylandsMan]

Thought it was a terrible draw at first but become (slightly) more positive as I look at it. Montenegro is a nightmare given our away form and Georgia is tricky but Cyprus are poor as far as 4th seeds go and if we can't get players motivated to play them there's realy not much point in going on.

Italy will top the group you'd assume but we are capable of finishing ahead of Bulgaria. We'll probably need to get at least 13 points at home and improve our away form vastly.

As pointed out above, I'd have a real worry about the team in 2nd in this group being eliminated.

[SuperDave]

Montenegro are the dark horses. First campaign.
Having a look at their eligibility criteria :) since the split with Serbia, they could easily bolster their squad. They will take some points from most teams.
Result against them wont count as to who will be the top 8 second placed teams.
It's a tough enough group for Italy and Bulgaria as well.
Could have the makings of a good scrap

I'd aim for a home game against Italy first off.

incorrect. it's results against the bottom team in the group, not the bottom seeds.

anyway, we need loadsa points against the bottom three and hope bulgaria italy game is in about september 09 time, so italy go there knowing a win will qualify them.

personally, i'd like italy away first, bulgaria away in the spring, then italy at home on second last day (when they've hopefully qualified, and we're their last game) and bulgaria at home on the last day, in a winner takes all ****-out. (sorry, shoot out)

[Schlooooomp]

I would have loved Israel, the thought of seeing Dudu Awat in front of 80,000 at Croke Park, plus a trip to Tel Aviv. We can certainly achieve 2nd place, but the problem then is a play-off.

Yeah, despite my political leanings, the Israel trip in the WC campaign was brilliant, locals we unbelievably hospitable and the weather was class.

[SuperDave]

Thought it was a terrible draw at first but become (slightly) more positive as I look at it. Montenegro is a nightmare given our away form and Georgia is tricky but Cyprus are poor as far as 4th seeds go and if we can't get players motivated to play them there's realy not much point in going on.

Italy will top the group you'd assume but we are capable of finishing ahead of Bulgaria. We'll probably need to get at least 13 points at home and improve our away form vastly.

As pointed out above, I'd have a real worry about the team in 2nd in this group being eliminated.

we were by quite a distance the worst third placed team in the euro qualifiers.

[SuperDave]

Was there last summer. Fantastic place and is quite cheap for the drink and grub.

what's the best way there? belgrade then train?

[HolylandsMan]

personally, i'd like italy away first, bulgaria away in the spring, then italy at home on second last day (when they've hopefully qualified, and we're their last game) and bulgaria at home on the last day, in a winner takes all ****-out. (sorry, shoot out)

I think we need a home double header against 2 of the bottom 3 seeds to start off. Hopefully we can build a bit of momentum early unlike the last group and it'll be important for the manager to instill a bit of confidence in the players.

[Schlooooomp]

I think that Cyprus deserve some more respect than they are currently getting, they came to Croke Park and nearly beat us when our players had every reason to want to win the game. Under Kerr away, we were lucky to come away with a win. In the past they would have been a 6 point banker, not any more.

[eekers]

Getting excited now. New manager, get Stephen Ireland back in the camp, a few wins under the belt and off we go.

and roy hodgson knows the italians inside out having managed there 3 times.
and hopefully hodgson would fancy getting one over them

[zenokelly]

I think this group is definitely doable but points will be "won and lost" and definitely Bulgaria are probably, the 2nd seed we would've hoped for. A bit like the Euro 04 group where all the teams are a threat.

As for the trips:
Bulgaria and Montenegro will probably be the best.

Italy will see the big turn-out of the new scum bag, trouble making fans - not good.

And Georgia are awkward(long way) and Cyprus is been there done that sort of thing.

But hopefully will make them all.

[zenokelly]

I think we need a home double header against 2 of the bottom 3 seeds to start off. Hopefully we can build a bit of momentum early unlike the last group and it'll be important for the manager to instill a bit of confidence in the players.

I heard Tony O Donoghue this morning saying that we will have to go away in September because of the All Irelands so that is out of the question.

[Schlooooomp]

Donadoni has just said that none of the teams in the group have much of a footballing tradition, according to him Bulgaria are the major threat

[DaveyCakes]

what's the best way there? belgrade then train?

I'd guess flying there via Germany...it's not as if there's a dozen flights a day from Dublin to Belgrade.

[stojkovic]

Dont think its that bad a draw, coulda been worse.

The only decent first seeds to get were Greece.

Someone said about us winning away games, we only won THREE of our six HOME games FFS.

Wanted Bulgaria or Sweden of the 2nd seeds so we can be happy there.

4, 5 and 6 seeds is a lottery anyway because their form is inconsistent. We could have got Austria.

So happy enough with the draw.

Bulgaria accomodation sorted - Sunny Beach and Sofia.

With a half decent manager and all the players playing like they gave a ballix we should get runners up. Pot luck after that.

[Maroon 7]

Donadoni has just said that none of the teams in the group have much of a footballing tradition, according to him Bulgaria are the major threat

What an ignorant thing to say. Not particularly just about us but just because the likes of Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro haven't been to World Cups doesn't mean that they don't have a long footballing tradition in their countries.

[Schlooooomp]

What an ignorant thing to say. Not particularly just about us but just because the likes of Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro haven't been to World Cups doesn't mean that they don't have a long footballing tradition in their countries.

Indeed, does he forget playing us in Italia 90, I know they won but it was a quarter final. Does he forget that 4 years later we beat them in a group game, we might not be great but we do have a tradition.

[SuperDave]

What an ignorant thing to say. Not particularly just about us but just because the likes of Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro haven't been to World Cups doesn't mean that they don't have a long footballing tradition in their countries.

well hopefully italy go there and get raped first day out without realising how good cyprus can be.

germany drew there, lest we forget.

[teckno]

Any ideas when fixtures, dates and times will be announced!!!

[Superhoops]

incorrect. it's results against the bottom team in the group, not the bottom seeds.......
Are you sure? I am sure I read before it was the results against the teams in the sixth seeds pot.

Edit: No, you are right, it is in the official draw document here (http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/tournament/preldraw/fifa%5fprel%5fdraw%5fresults%5f29101.pdf)

[Lionel Ritchie]

Any ideas when fixtures, dates and times will be announced!!!

that could be january or february couldn't it?

[SuperDave]

that could be january or february couldn't it?

the teams have a deadline to organise it among themselves and if they don't meet it, fifa step in and randomise it. which could be difficult, cos i don't know if they'd respect the gaa situation regarding home games at croker in september.

[tricky_colour]

now, who flies to Bulgaria, Montenegro and Georgia?

The Luftwaffe used to :D

[Colbert Report]

Personally I don't see what the big deal is. If you can't beat Cyprus home and away then you don't really deserve to go to the World Cup, and yeah I know the Germans only managed a draw away. This is not that tough a group - sure we drew the top ranked team but there's nobody else in the group we should be losing to in Dublin. We'll be the bookies's favourite in all of our home matches bar Italy and in most of our away matches.

At least we didn't draw England as a second seed!

[Qwerty]

The group is fine, we had an 'easy' group and everyone was jumping up and down when we got Russia & Switzerland a few years ago and we did poorly, we're either good enough or we're not. We haven't been winning our home games never mind our most recent away form.

The problem is we will have to begin all over again with a new manager with new ideas etc wheras Italy & Bulgaria will be more settled. Hopefully a lot of the Italians will retire and there will be a change of manager there, not that they don't have lots of new talent coming through.

[TheBoss]

I expect Ireland to win all the Home games, we always do well at Home and should cause problems for the teams there. But I think we will struggle to get a few wins away from Home, hopefully, the young lads gained some experience in the previous away games.

[Qwerty]

I expect Ireland to win all the Home games, we always do well at Home and should cause problems for the teams there. But I think we will struggle to get a few wins away from Home, hopefully, the young lads gained some experience in the previous away games.

have you just woken up from a 5 year snooze? :confused: