Long way to go for irish teams in europe.

If the group listings released by Uefa for saturdays prelimary draws is anything to go by be a long time before an irish team are seeded in a uefa cup draw.

Rovers 'n Dundalk using the irish ranking of 1.66 points & looks like need over 6 points to be a seed in the draw.

I think if Bohs had got in instead of Dundalk they'd have a higher rank themselves but still well short of being seeded.

Should be no excuses of lack of fitness for this year anyway as clubs be well into their season in august when playing european games.

here are my predictions on how nl clubs will do in europe this season
st pats- it will be very close against rijecka but i think they just might shade it.

shels- should easily beat hibernians but will go out to boavista in the next round
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/...2167/Hibs.html

http://www.boavistafc.pt/

rovers - i think they will lose against djurgarden but might SQUEEZE by if they put in an almighty challange. bohs played swedish opponents last year - not too much of a difference.

http://www.dif.se/index.asp

dundalk - no chance but they wont get slaughtered

http://www.nk-varteks.hr/

if we do ok our co-efficient should continue to rise. in the latest "table" the nl is now rated 35 out of 52 countries. there is scope to improve in this again this season. you should back each nl club because good performances benefit the whole league.
anyway heres our latest "position" http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/crank03.html


:)