Printable View
I'm hoping NI end up based there. The feckers booked all the flights from Dublin to Paris when they qualified. I measured it on Google maps there the other day. If they end up based in Nice when they are picking up their bags at Paris CDG airport they will still have more than half their journey ahead of them.
For what's it's worth, The Telegraph's early prediction has us in the second round:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...?frame=3503826Quote:
Martin O’Neill’s energy and organisation will make Ireland an awkward opponent for whoever they face, but the lack of quality in the side will be difficult to complete compensate for.
Robbie Keane, Jon Walters and Shane Long will never stop working, but you’d expect the continent’s best defences to be able to cope with them without too much difficulty.
Wes Hoolahan and Seamus Coleman will provide some class in midfield and defence, but a gritty second-round exit is the most likely outcome for the Irish.
Hate slideshows? Use this link: http://deslide.clusterfake.net/?o=ht...rame%3D3503826
Also, if you need a reminder of how seriously to take predictions:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...e-at-euro-2016Quote:
With the qualification campaign for the 2016 UEFA European Championship to be held in France having begun in earnest earlier this week, we predict which 23 teams* will be joining the host nation in the tournament proper in two years’ time.
De-slided here: http://deslide.clusterfake.net/?o=ht...e-at-euro-2016
That deslide site is amazing.
We could be the dark horse of the tournament, either that or Delaney's Donkey.
Can't be any worse than last time (one would hope ;)).
https://nightcounter.files.wordpress...10/donkey1.jpg
It all depends on the draw really. There are a couple of "easy" draws there that could see us get out of the group but theres quite a few stinkers too! If it is anything like last time, I don't see us getting out but I also don't see us being as humiliated as we were under Trap. Some of the potential draws that are in between easy and tough will see us needing to be playing at 100% for three games to have a chance to progress. But, we are a better TEAM than we were 4 years ago, less individual talent, sure, but we are a far better sum of our parts than 2012 - this makes it possible.
Integrating Arter, Judge, Byrne, Mason, Duffy and a few of the outsiders is crucial over the coming months. We need to take a look at what we have. There's some talent out there. I really hope MON uses the next few friendlies as a way to evaluate what we have that will a) provide value in France and b) be ready to go for the WC qualifiers.
Isn't it just f*ckin brilliant to be going though?
I did all that the other night, and then someone on here burst my bubble. I think we're drawn into a group and then a draw to assign each country to a number in that group. So we could be anything from A2 to F4Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
Knock, Knock:Quote:
Originally Posted by OwlsFan
Nice please. My in-laws have a holiday home nearby!
Ha! I was afraid of that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Just thinking about it there, we're not in too bad of a position. We know what our first XI/15 are (more-or-less). They've introduced/forced a more condensed style of play (narrow midfield/no trad. wingers) not usually associated with O'Neill or Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
However with McGeady's plight [thus removing him from the starting equation], the potential emergence of Arter, Judge, mcClean the <remote> possibility of Bamford, we potentially have better options to change the course of a game if we're at a stalemate, or chasing a game, than we have before. That is a nice thought. dare I say it, springing Long from the bench might not be a bad plan B.
Well there's next to no chance of us getting a draw that tough again, so unlikely.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
Spain, Italy, Sweden is equivalent.Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
The draw procedure is outlined here: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/finals/draws/Quote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
If I'm interpreting that correctly, the top seeds will all occupy slots B1 to F1 (France already occupy A1), but the positions (A2-A4, for example) within each group of the remaining teams will be determined by a second draw.Quote:
Originally Posted by UEFA
Don't think so, Spain and Italy aren't as good as they were four years ago. Spain and Italy were the best teams in the competition and Croatia weren't far off.Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
The bare default basics are that one team from each pot with occupy a place in each group. The position in that group must mean something and being seeded 2 or 3 doesn't mark your spot in the group. Probably means we'll end up in Corsica.Quote:
Originally Posted by DannyInvincible
You just did out the thing I was gonna do.Quote:
Originally Posted by DeLorean
I think it matters not really. Get a camper van. Plan to be there for the first 2 weeks. sorted. :)
Sorry, just seeing this now. What?? Italy are easily as good as they were 4 years ago. Unbeaten in qualifying. Underestimate Italy at your peril (as people probably did when we drew them 4 years ago). They'll be at the business end. Again. As always. Spain are Spain. Sweden are always strong in tournaments, similar to Croatia. So I presume you'd, what, fancy our chances of winning a point in that group?Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin
Germany, Italy, Poland - equivalent.
You never really know with Italy, write them off at your peril for sure, but talk them up at your peril also! Either side of their good run in 2012 they got knocked out in the group stages of the World Cups, a bit unheard of by their standards. The same question marks would have applied in 2012 though so I'd agree there's nothing to suggest they couldn't put a run together.
Yeah, I decided not to reference Brazil WC...forgot about SA!
Just to be clear though, I'm not talking about whether these teams will go far - I'm talking about getting a horrible draw and what combinations are out there. CD said it was impossible to get such a difficult draw again and while I agree that the quality of the 3rd seeds has diluted, it is still possible to get a few complete stinkers - similar to 2012.
To revise as CD has done and say well yeah but they were the two (possibly three) best teams in the tournament is a bit daft - at the time of the draw up til the game against Croatia there were many, many people here talking about 4 points being a target. On paper it was a stinker, on the pitch it was a stinker. I think the same applies to the two draws I've thrown out there. Any group with Italy second seed and Sweden/Poland/Ukraine in third is a stinker and equivalent to 2012.
Apparently I like the word stinker.
http://i.imgur.com/YgKgnYy.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
http://www.footballseeding.com/inter...nts/euro-2016/Quote:
Originally Posted by SkStu
just noticed in this that Italy are only a second seed by virtue of the fact that France, as hosts, have to be a first seed. Italy have a higher point ranking than France (sure it has much to do with the lack of accumulated poinst for competitive games) Otherwise it would be France as the top second seed.
Just been looking at the schedule.
Since we're in Pot 4 does that mean we're going to be position 4 in whichever group we're drawn into?
Eg. If we're drawn in Group A our opening game will be against a team from Pot 3 in Lens on June 11.
No, We can be any of A2-A4, B2-B4 etc. Preferably we'd be in Group A as it has the easiest route to the final. Groups B,C, and D are next. Groups E and F have the hardest draw with Group E being the absolute worst:Quote:
Originally Posted by IsMiseSean
http://www.scribd.com/doc/290626039/...Group-E-effect
The draw procedure is outlined here: http://foot.ie/threads/206692-Europe...30#post1849630Quote:
Originally Posted by IsMiseSean
Conduct your own draw:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/...wn-group-stage
I drew us with France,Slovakia and Austria.
I got France, Hungary and Austria.Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
I'd take either of those
Spain, Ukraine, Slovakia. Wouldn't mind it.
Is there going to be a ticketing procedure like the last euros
Guaranteed 9 points!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
And also, the draw explained:
http://www.theguardian.com/football/...euro-2016-draw
Quote:
Let’s keep this all in proportion: no team has ever lost a match because of their ranking, but they have lost a match because of a lasagne.
More draw talk, this time from the Irish Times. We don't want Pot E!
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/andy...2016-1.2459018
Quote:
The winners of groups A, B, C and D are all guaranteed to face third-placed sides in the second round while the top teams in E and F will play runners-up (and not even the lowest-ranked runners-up). Move through the scenarios and the inequality compounds itself.
One result is that Group E is a bum draw: no third-placed opponent for the winner while the runner-up plays the winner of Group F (a group notable in perhaps having no real incentive to finish top as both the first- and second-placed side will face a runner-up).
Germany, Croatia, Poland. I do apologise.Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland, Republic of Ireland - Group F. Would be a tough one to call.
Group B
1.Portugal
2.Switzerland
3.Poland
4.Republic of Ireland
Sorry.
Group B Difficulty 3/10
- Belgium
- Republic of Ireland
- Russia
- Slovakia
I'd take that!
Germany, Russia and Poland.Quote:
Originally Posted by thischarmingman
No need for a scouting report anyway.
Portugal
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Ukraine
I'd definitely take that!
The Guardian app generated the exact same group. That is a very nice group all things considered.Quote:
Originally Posted by backtowalsall
What time is the draw on at gents?
5-7pm Saturday evening.Quote:
Originally Posted by MeathDrog