Cracking Draw for the FAI coffers. Germany , Poland and Scotland are all probably sell outs.
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Cracking Draw for the FAI coffers. Germany , Poland and Scotland are all probably sell outs.
You'd fit right in!Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Some discussion on the venue possibilities for the Scotland away game from the locals here:
Tartan Army: Scotland v roi on a Friday night
Had a quick look at Tartan Army boards. They've been debating where the game should be played. Consensus seems to be Ibrox to avoid Celtic/Ireland love in. There was however a link to a bbc site which suggested that Hampden will be ready in late 2014. Whether this will be in time for our game remains to be seen. I'm sure the SFA will try and clarify this sooner rather than later. I'd prefer Hampden if possible to avoid debate that would inevitably occur here if there had to be a choice made between Ibrox/Parkhead.
On the draw itself - I like it! Germany aside, there are lots of very competitive games to be had. Could be close but hope we have enough about ourselves to get through. Poland are inconsistent but potentially a decent side, Scotland seem much improved under Strachan. Tbilisi will prove a tough place to get three points and Gibraltar will be a decent away trip.
The last two games are very tough though. Hope we have plenty of points on the board by then.
Ireland! Have lived in Glasgow for the past 10 years.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
The odds must put Ireland third in this group.
Yes. Courtesy of Paddy Power! -
To win the group:
Germany 1/6
Poland 8/1
Ireland 9/1
Scotland 14/1
Georgia 275/1
Gibraltar 500/1
To qualify:
Yes
Ireland 4/5
Scotland 6/5
No
Ireland 10/11
Scotland 8/13
To win Euro 2016
Ireland 150/1
Scotland 150/1
27 teams progress, another 10-15 (fourth and fifth seeds) will feel they have an outside chance. Granted NI were rubbish in the current and previous tournaments, but if you win more games than lose, as we did in 2008 and 2010 then third place is very gettable. As indeed it is for the current FIFA-ranked 33rd country in Europe.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
It really isn't as others have explained above. They could also have added that England's second seed Switzerland had an even better record in the current tournament.Quote:
It really is amazing that England consistently get such easy groups, regardless of seeding
You do realise that Sweden managed 20 points in current qualifying to Scotland's 11? What else is your opinion based on?Quote:
Poland are probably marginally better than Austria and Sweden are probably marginally better than Scotland. Not much between those 4 teams imo
Some of them do have a rather better understanding of how international football works than you've demonstrated in the last few posts...Quote:
I wouldn't post on OWC and I am not surprised about any of what you said. These people can not be reasoned with
That's one analysis- another is that obvious trolls and wind-ups are tolerated more briefly on some sites than others. For the record, there is a modest annual fee (currently £5) to gain access to some areas of the site, eg archives for previous tournaments and travel arrangements for future away games. I understand something similar has been considered here, albeit set at a higher level.Quote:
Originally Posted by Geysir
It's true that most regular posters- like NI fans generally- are broadly unionist. Fancy that. What did you expect, a Polish-speaking caucus? Parity of esteem for embittered border culchie Nordic exiles?
Now now. I'm confident OWC would not merely tolerate and respect but welcome your own contribution, if it ever progressed from extended and self-important sneers?Quote:
Possibly you can 'arse lick at will and you will be tolerated, like a one or two ROI supporters there, but never really respected. Who respects a goody goody? Go ahead, join and post at will
I expect the Pole will be happy with the draw, probably stocking the bar up already.
Not keen on drawing Scotland not least because they are ranked higher than us.
Under other circumstances I would like Scotland to qualify, but now that means
it is much harder for us to qualify, although as about half the third placed team can qualify
it is possible both Ireland and Scotland qualify.
As for Germany you might as well give them a free pass to the finals, the chances of them not
qualifying are pretty much zero. Well actually they are 100-1 on to qualify, so about a 99%
chance they will qualify.
We are quoted 8/11 and 5/4 to qualify at different bookmakers.
Scotland 7/2 and 2-1
Poland 11/10
Can't delete that crap (the graphic, not my post :p)
So how about them Scots...
Pure WUMs, the lot of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
How so?
Just hope we don't play them at that lower league ground in G51, that will take the edge off the occasion.
Cos they wear skirts, dirty WUMs.Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Ah, don't worry yourself about GR and myself. I'll live. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Tbf, seen Irish in kilts...
Would most Scotland-born Celtic fans primarily support Ireland or Scotland?Quote:
Originally Posted by ArdeeBhoy
Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
Would say 60% Scotland, 40% Ireland.
The former figure has been on the rise in recent years.
But ironically a fair no.of the 'Scotland fans' would also support a united Ireland.
Or even want to keep the union with London FFS.
I would be a strong supporter of Scotland qualifying normally but obviously not
at Ireland's expense.
Depending on how the group pans out it may be the case we could do the Scots a favour
or vice versa for example say we or the Scots are already qualified, or out of it,
The result of an essentially meaningless game for one team could determine whether
the other team finishes second third or forth.
For a similar reason we should be nice to the Germans who probably have it within their power
to determine who finished 2nd and 3rd if they chose to do so!!
Sorry to take this thread back on topic but I just seen the FIFA World rankings. I was surprised to see that Scotland are ranked so far ahead of us in 34th while we are 67th.How is that possible considering that we have qualified for a tournament recently? Although I suppose the rankings should be completely ignored when you see that Panama are ranked 32nd
Poland are 3 below us in 70th. Im still worried about them in games against us, we dont have anyone in the class of Levandowski.
The group is going to be ridiculously tight I think. I would imagine we are going to be going away to Poland in the last game needing a result to qualify
The rankings are bizarre, they'd be funny if their repercussions weren't so damaging. Lewandowski actually has a tame enough record internationally, 18 in 60. Still a threat obviously.
No, you've the wrong end of stick there Charlie. I've repeatedly made clear here my low opinion of IFA's understanding of FIFA rules and the like.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Again, not so. I've no problem- as oft-repeated- about any eligibile player accepting caps for your team. I'm merely disappointed that some of them have amassed numerous games for NI's adult teams first. By the way, my reference to people wanting to take over NI above was to those who think it and its representative teams shouldn't exist. I wasn't suggesting you were one of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by TOWK
Naughty ;) As you remember perfectly well, at the time of your bans I suggested they were unjustified, and even offered that you use your powers of invincibility to re-register. Or change your name to Mervyn.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny Invincible
Your FIFA ranking (33 in Europe) is distorted and downplayed byQuote:
Originally Posted by Razor's Left Peg
a) friendlies- they are 'worth' only 40% of qualifiers against the same teams, and in recent years you've played more of them than most. Which tends to reduce your average ranking points even if the games are won or drawn
b) low ranking of teams you've beaten recently: a win against Faeroes or Kazakhstan in worth only about 30% or 40% of one against say Croatia or Russia
As De Lorean says, the formula is pretty bizarre. Here are some examples:
Win v Spain at Brazil finals: 100% of possible ranking points
Germany in qualifier: about 62%
Serbia in friendly: about 21%
San Marino in qualifier: about 16%
I assume you have a problem with Alex Bruce, Johnny Gorman and Oliver Norwood playing for NI after representing other countries then? I haven't even mentioned the myriad other British born players with completely frivolous links to NI that have declared in the last several years. That's the problem though. Why exercise any rationale when you can just beat a dead horse and portray it as a black and white issue where we are the bad guys, you are the put-upon good guys and there are no grey areas whatsoever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gather round
Indeed, Alex Bruce playing for us is absurd. You'll notice I specified adult teams above: Norwood played for England only up to U-17, Gorman in your U-16. I cut the younger guys a lot more slack whichever team they move to or from.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
Assuming you mean players like Maik Taylor, he qualified under the rules as they were at the time, which given your comments above I'd have assumed you accepted. His previous links to NI were admitted and nil, rather than frivilous and exaggerated. What's the problem?Quote:
I haven't even mentioned the myriad other British born players with completely frivolous links to NI that have declared in the last several years
Do you read what others write? My attitude as regularly repeated here is basically the opposite of what you suggest. I've criticised the NI FA, teams and fans on here on numerous occasions.Quote:
Why exercise any rationale when you can just beat a dead horse and portray it as a black and white issue where we are the bad guys, you are the put-upon good guys and there are no grey areas whatsoever.
Shall we move on to which are the strongest/ weakest groups? Here are the aggregated points that they each gained in current WC qualifying*:
Group A (Netherlands etc.) 89
Group G (Russia) 87
Group F (Greece) 84
Group C (Spain) 83
Group B (Bosnia) 80
Group E (England) 79
Group I (Portugal) 78
Group D (Germany) 77
Group H (Italy) 76
* teams in the five-team group last time have been gifted two notional wins each against Gib
Jesus wept, let's not go down this road again. There is an Eligibility Rules thread for this.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheOneWhoKnocks
We do owe them oneQuote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cA5vwZxVzqw
I've booked Georgia this morning, its not cheap to get there but the real fans do this sorta stuff.
Looking forward to meeting my old friend Edward, or Eddie as crosby calls him when i get there.
I think Georgia away is a tricky fixture, one that I think is best played at the end when nothing for them to play for, however its our first competitive game under O'Neill and keane and the lads will be really fired up, so aside from being the last fixture away I think it's coming at the perfect time. We could have a nice collection of points come summer time next year, which we would need heading into the last 2 games. We need at least a 2 point cushion before those games at the very least, 4 would be better.
How do you reckon we go about it? Gift them a few goals? :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by tricky_colour
Thank God for that; at least we have one real fan on here!Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Isn't he Eduard?Quote:
Looking forward to meeting my old friend Edward, or Eddie as crosby calls him when i get there.
Basically there are 3 back to back fixtures in our group scheduled, and in 2 of them we get Gibraltar.
Just how lucky can O'Neill get?:rolleyes: along with getting the weakest team from pot 3. who really are a pot 4 team
When we get to the stiff back to back finale in Oct 2015, a point should do. Scotland will have risen up just enough to scuttle Poland's feint hopes in the penultimate game and by the time we get to Poland, it will be a dead rubber game for them.
All jokes aside it's a pretty big ask the way the fixtures are set out to make the Georgia one. Fair play to you. A month later we'll be in Germany and a month after that it's Scotland away.Quote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Paul's got loads of money. He lives in London where there's a direct flight to everywhere and he's got no kids.
He doesn't get that much respect from me :)
got no kids?! or got no kids!?
Either way, I didn't know Paul was a shirker.
Sympathies Paul, I hope you can carry that cross with requisite manbag style.
hahaha - i laughed myself silly at this statement which was followed by crying due to the fact that it was madeQuote:
Originally Posted by paul_oshea
Paul - what a hero you are!
Exactly, I'm the only thing that gives credibility to foot.ie on the away trips ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
I was anglocising DI ; ) :P
Stutts you always try and excuse yourself, or shirk as geysir put it better. The responsibility you should be shirking is that of your kids and to your wife ; )Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
It's no excuse, and I definitely don't have as much money as you do! Especially after buying you pints in the past! Kids or no Kids!
On a serious note in case anyone is looking Istanbul has probably the best times as the stop over, but not the cheapest, ukranian airlines-if you fancy that ;-) - are probably slightly better and around the same price. BOTN You obviously didnt realise I was joking....
SvD might explode after seeing the manbag ref. All we need is a reference to Termonbarry, skud_missile and space cadets and we have the full set of memes.Quote:
Originally Posted by geysir
A batsh*t crazy discussion from the Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster earlier today on whether or not Windsor Park should host a Euro 2016 qualifier on a Sunday: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1944961-ni-s...k-home-fixture
Quote:
"NI should quit Euro 2016" - Rev David McIlveen opposes first Windsor Park home fixture
The draw for the 2016 European Football Championships was made yesterday and it will see Northern Ireland play at Windsor Park on a Sunday for the first time in their history. The match against Finland is scheduled to be played in March 2015. With football being played around the world on a Sunday should Northern Ireland be any different? We hear from Rev David McIlveen, Belfast Telegraph's Sports Editor Jim Gracey and we take your calls.
McIlveen is a broadcaster's dream. Nolan's put about at least two extra zeroes on the end of his salary from his ilk alone.
Wowsers!