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I would complatly avoid the big two for the first couple of games. It only ever worked once for us. Get points on the board and work from there. We have played catch up recently in groups. Lets get some points on the board against the wipping boys first i say
Agree with nearly all of the posts so far. We should be aiming to get the bankable (!) games out early doors, for confidence, momentum, points on the board.
To even think about qualifying we have to take maximum points from the countries ranked 4,5, and 6.
Not sure how the wrangling goes over the fixture list but do the higher seeds not have more sway over who and when they play.
One thing to remember about the fixtures for the next group. Its unlikely we'll have a home game in Aug 08, Sept 08, May 09, June 09, July 09, Aug 09 or Sept 09. Due to the Championship being on. So its likely we'll have a few home double headers squashed into next October, and the following October with a randomer in Feb 09 perhaps.
It worked for us in the last WC campaign, and we had 8 points from 4 games. We just screwed it all up by not taking advantage at home. :( :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by carloz
At the start of the negotiating, everyone gets to state if there's any dates they can't play. When we negotiated the last fixtures, we told the other countries reps, that we couldn't play the heavies at home early, due to Lansdowne renovations. :confused: Which only began this year. :rolleyes: Israel said that they couldn't play on the last day, October 12th. Apart from that, everyone thrashes out the games between themselves, with a fair bit of give and take going on.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
However, if the meeting breaks up without agreement, the list is handed over to FIFA to draw up, and they do it according to the seedings in the group. Therefore as third seeds, we would have to play the heavies away very late in the group, possibly even the last two games. :(
Alright lads, all fixture predictions in here. :)
Italy,
Bulgaria,
Cyprus,
Georgia
Montenegro
The ideal list would be imo:
With no chance of a home game to start the group, let's try and get the far east (Cyprus/Georgia) away games out of the way in September next year. If we do that, it's going to be hard to see where we fit in the Italy away game, as we will probably have a home double header in March. Hopefully, visits to Montenegro and Bulgaria will be in the one trip, as they're close enough in September '09. Hoping for a home game with Bulgaria last, as in '87. ;)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
I think with croke unavailable it would be best to have only the one game in september, my thinking either away to georgia or cyprus. I agree with the above that having montenegro and bulgaria in the same week away from home would make sense but i feel that is too much (see prague and slovakia this year). Play the smaller teams first and get points on the board, avoid our usual playing of the big teams first, they just dent confidence.
Its gonna be hard but if we cant beat the likes of bulgaria at least once we dont deserve to be at a world cup!
Lets go!!:D
Italy, Bulgaria, and the knife-wielding Georgians will be 3 very, very hostile trips. :(
I'd say (judging from the dates available for the last few yrs) the fixtures will go something like this:
Sept 08: Cyprus away
Oct 08: Bulgaria Home , Georgia Home (double header)
Nov 08: Cyprus Home, Italy Away
Mar 09: Montenegro Home
June 09 Montenegro Away
Sept 09 Georgia Away, Bulgaria Away
Oct 09 Italy Home.
need to avoid montenegro for their first ever competitive match. will make it twice as hard especially if away. the faroe islands beat austria 1 nil in their first ever competitive match and have hardly won since
Montenegro in June away fabulous destination for a holiday. Getting a Hotel then will be difficult cause it is a tourist destination and Serbs go on their holidays there and there are almost 8 million of them :D
I'd be surprised if we only played one game early in 2009 and 5 games late in 2008. I think they will be spread out more evenly. Not sure I'd want to be going into the last game against Italy wanting a point or a win. Your fixtures gives us a very hard finish.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
I'm not saying thats the way I'd have the fixtures, I just think with the dates we'd traditionally have home games, Sept 08&09, and the start and end of the summer 09, we have no scope for home matches. Plus I'd imagine we'll have to factor in either one or two home matches in 2009 for the Celtic cup, which will reduce or options further.Quote:
Originally Posted by Superhoops
Given that we were pretty much out of contention after 3 games in the last campaign I can't see them going after either of the top seeds in the first game (which has to be away because of Croker).
Scotland arranged their fixtures. Whoever represented them at the meeting got a great list, with 3 of their last 4 at home. But they finish their campaign in September, which could count against them, as I'm assuming there will be WCQ's in October, and the other countries in their group, will know what they have to do to beat them to qualification.
Our meeting in Sofia is still a month away.
2 weeks to go to the meeting now, and it looks as though Don Givens will have to negotiate the games again for us, like he did for the '06 WC group.
Tbh, I find it hard to fit in where we can play a 5th away game, given that 4 of them in both Septembers are already allocated. I'm sure an extra trip in June won't go down well with anyone here, given player fatigue and heat reasons. Unlike previous years, we'll go in with conditions attached, with non-negotiable home dates as well, and I don't know how we'll be able to fit all the games around them.
I hope the list won't go to FIFA to draw lots, as then it's simply (un)lucky dip. :o
are u sure givens did it for the 06 group. As far as I know Fran Rooney and a few others went in and Kerr sat outside on purpose but all decisions had to go through Kerr
As I said before our 5 away dates have basically the 2 Septembers and the June which is six dates and possibly one other date. So that is 5 out of a possible 7Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
Givens negotiated for us, as apparantly he is popular in Switzerland. Kerr was briefed on what he was offered.
March and October are "set" home dates, while June and September are "set" away dates. That would allocate 9 fixtures. But certain countries won't play ball, so it won't turn out like that. There is an option of playing in November, but very few countries are willing to play then. This list could see lots drawn.
whats the exact date for this fixture arrangement?
16th January.
From http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...le-183085.html:Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
Quote:
Instead, he [Kerr] waited in another room in the hotel while FAI Chief Executive Fran Rooney, Honorary Treasurer John Delaney and U-21 manager, Don Givens, formed the Irish delegation. The meeting was chaired by FAI President, Milo Corcoran.