Fixture forecast

Here is what I believe will be our fixture list in the upcoming Euro 2008 campaign. Everyone assumes that we'll play the Czechs and Germany in Europe's best-known 3-sided stadium (Croker), but with the fixtures meeting being held elsewhere this time, it will be harder to get most of what we want.

My prediction:

1. Czech Republic (H)
2. Germany (A)
3. San Marino (H)
4. Wales (A)
5. Cyprus (H)
6. Wales (H)
7. Czech Republic (A)
8. Slovakia (H)
9. San Marino (A)
10. Cyprus (A)
11. Germany (H)
12. Slovakia (A)

It's a decent group, the prospect of going to the Allianz Arena again (The German Stade de France) is fantastic. :) Thrilled to face the Germans as we rarely get the chance to play them, we have a good record against them, and they'll be two close, classic matches. If our players can't get motivated for those, they shouldn't even be in the squad.

On the other hand, not happy to get Wales, as the derby nature of the match means that all formbook will fly out the window both times. Dreading the trip to Cardiff tbh. :( Not happy to play Cyprus either, getting sick and tired of facing them, but nice to get San Marino for a change. Not particularly fussed over the Czechs and Slovaks, but while Slovakia will be difficult, the trip to Fortress Prague is imo, the toughest in the group.

All in all, a decent group, that presents new, and exciting challenges. It should go all the way to the last series in November 2007 before the top 2 spots are decided. :)

I disagree.. I reckon we'll manage to get the 3 games we want at Croke park(Wales, Czechs and Germany), so in the opening 4 games, i reckon it could be Slovakia at home to start, then follow that by going to Germany. Then san marino &cyprus at home all this year. We can play the czechs and Slovaks in a double header then, maybe next June/September/March. and then fit in the rest accordingly.

Hopefully we will get some of the tough away games this year,hate to say it but i knew we would be going to germany this year one way or the other!
Roll on fortress croker next year and the famous croke park ROAR!!!!

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Originally Posted by jimbob117

I disagree.. I reckon we'll manage to get the 3 games we want at Croke park(Wales, Czechs and Germany).

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If we get those 3 games at Croker, Delaney and Staunton will have done well. We are not hosting the fixtures meeting this time, and that will make it harder to get what we want. Germany as hosts, will probably want San Marino at home last. I think they'll get the Czechs myself, but we know that they'll get the last one at home as ever. :rolleyes:

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We can play the czechs and Slovaks in a double header then, maybe next June/September/March. and then fit in the rest accordingly.

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I wouldn't be certain that we'll get the Czechs/Slovaks on a week back-to-back, particularly if Staunton doesn't like the idea of having double home/away games in the same week, like Kerr didn't.

I reckon it's also advsable to avoid playing the top teams in June. Last year's performance in the Faroes showed a jaded team after a hard season. Like with Yugoslavia in 1999, when the match was reschuded from the end of one season the strat of the next. It's better to face those sort of teams in Septmeber or October. Last year apart, we generally get our best results in autumn

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Originally Posted by Donegalcelt

I reckon it's also advsable to avoid playing the top teams in June. Last year's performance in the Faroes showed a jaded team after a hard season. Like with Yugoslavia in 1999, when the match was reschuded from the end of one season the strat of the next. It's better to face those sort of teams in Septmeber or October. Last year apart, we generally get our best results in autumn

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Like gonzo, I agree 100% with this post.
I think the only game we should play in June 2007 is San Marino away from home (Croker will be unavailable). Also, it would be better to avoid difficult double-headers. It would be better to play Cyprus at home followed by the Czech Republic away, as opposed to Slovakia and Czech Republic away in the same week.

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Originally Posted by Donegalcelt

with Yugoslavia in 1999, the match was reschuded from the end of one season the strat of the next. It's better to face those sort of teams in September or October.

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Both games v Yugoslavia at home and away, were postponed for political reasons. The away game against Macedonia was also postponed for political reasons, and put back to the last game in the group. The home game v Macedonia was brought forward to June, as it was originally scheduled to be the last match in the group, (amazing that nobody had foreseen at the fixture meeting that Lansdowne would be unavailable at the time due to Rugby WC commitments. :confused: :rolleyes: ) If we were at home, instead of away that night, we probably would have qualified for the finals.
Instead we watched on tv, Yugoslavia go out of Euro 2000 in style, losing 6-1 to Holland in the quarter-finals. :)

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Originally Posted by mypost

Both games v Yugoslavia at home and away, were postponed for political reasons. The away game against Macedonia was also postponed for political reasons, and put back to the last game in the group. The home game v Macedonia was brought forward to June, as it was originally scheduled to be the last match in the group, (amazing that nobody had foreseen at the fixture meeting that Lansdowne would be unavailable at the time due to Rugby WC commitments. :confused: :rolleyes: ) If we were at home, instead of away that night, we probably would have qualified for the finals.
Instead we watched on tv, Yugoslavia go out of Euro 2000 in style, losing 6-1 to Holland in the quarter-finals. :)

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Yeah I know what you're saying but my reference was to the Yugolavian home game only. I was glad at the time we got it changed and who knows, had we not, we not even been in with a chance come Skopje that October. It's all ifs and buts really.
But my original point was the fact that in September and October games in recent years we have done a lot better. Results have been excellent because as well as our decent performances, some, I feel, are also attributed to teams being "on the rebound" immediately after World Cups or Euros that we never qualified for, therefore having more focus on the job in hand - Holland (a), Portugal (a), France (a), Croatia (h), Switzerland (a) 04. - were some opponents are still suffering from the very short break before returning to their clubs
On the flipside, we were probably sufferers in exactly the same situation after the 2002 world cup. Russia and Switzerland.

A lot of our June matches have been very scrappy affairs, ever since Liechenstein and Austria in 1995. Before even. Games like faroes and israel last year, that macedonina home game in 99 etc.
for the purpose of the scheduling, kerr was insistent on doing this and the meeting took 12 hours as a result and he refused to wilt. I'm not pro or anti kerr but i feel he scheduled the games right - at the start of 05, he had a difficult but winnable game in march against Isreal and then them at home again. Fatigue or otherwise, he probably felt (when he made the fixtures in early 2004) that it was another winnable game (it was). follow that up in the faroes before the summer break then take on the two main group rivals at home in what should have been our strongest part of the season, when our players are fitter, sharper and even maybe more eager.

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Originally Posted by Donegalcelt

But my original point was the fact that in September and October games in recent years we have done a lot better. A lot of our June matches have been very scrappy affairs, ever since Liechenstein and Austria in 1995. Before even. Games like faroes and israel last year, that macedonina home game in 99 etc.

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Record in 1994: Autumn: Played 3 Points 9
1995: June: Played 2 Points 1; Autumn: Played 4, Won 1, Lost 3
1996: Autumn: Played 3 Points 7
1997: Autumn: Played 4 Points 8
1998: Autumn: Played 3 Points 6
1999: June: Played 1 Points 3; Autumn; Played 4 Points 7
2000: Autumn: Played 3 Points 5
2001: June: Played 2 Points 4; Autumn: Played 4 Won 3, Lost 1
2002: June: Played 4 Won 1 Drew 2, Lost 1; Autumn: Played 3, Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 2
2003: June: Played 2 Points 6; Autumn: Played 3 Won 1, Lost 2
2004: June: Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1; Autumn: Played 4, Points 8
2005: June: Played 2, Points 4; Autumn: Played 3, Points 4


You can see that over the years, the record in Summer and Autumn is pretty evenly matched. We've had lots of good results in June, and our fair share of Autumnal nightmares. As Staunton doesn't want to play in June, I take it he couldn't face going to Portugal for the European Championships, where it was going to be over 15c. :rolleyes: He doesn't want to play in June, but he's going to have to play then if he wants us to play in tournaments. Personally, I like the June matches, as you can strike an important blow against your non-playing rivals, if you win your games.

The real fixture list turned out to be:

1. Germany (A)
2. Cyprus (A)
3. Czech Republic (H)
4. San Marino (H)
5. San Marino (A)
6. Wales (H)
7. Slovakia (H)
8. Slovakia (A)
9. Czech Republic (A)
10. Germany (H)
11. Cyprus (H)
12. Wales (A)

Not a good fixture list on paper, except for the German games. The games against the Italian state are over early, a home game v the Czechs in Lansdowne will probably mean a defeat, a rough-looking trip to Wales completes the group, where they will kick and hack anything that moves, even if they are long since out of contention. :(

Elsewhere, Wales start and finish the group away to the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, Germany have their first home and last away game against Ireland, and the last 3 at home.

It's going to be a long, difficult road to Austria and Switzerland, where the tournament (Staunton, take note) is played in JUNE. :D

Every one knows the finals are played in June, that doesnt change from the fact that its not an ideal time for qualifiers and as croker wasnt available any games would have had to have been away, I fully agree with playing the san marino game in feb and giving the playerts a bit longer summer holiday. Its also better for travelling fans, reckon youll get a much bigger support for the game in Feb than in June.