I think it was changed to the 14th.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
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I think it was changed to the 14th.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
According to FAI website here the fixtures meeting is on 15th January.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulie
Good man. Thanks for clearing that up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Superhoops
Most of the fixtures are probably already agreed ahead of the fixtures meeting, given we will bring the biggest travelling support of any of the countries that gives us a bit of clout with the likes of Cyprus, Montenego and Georgia who probably will be desperate to sell tickets, and will take the dates the fai offer them. Given the ticket prices in Cyprus the last time the cypriot fa probably took more in gate receipts from the irish game then the rest of their home matches combined with the possible exception of the German game. The last fixtures meting was over so quick it was obvious that a load of the dates were pre agreed between the various countries.
My own choice would be
Sept (Sat) Georgia away
Oct Bulgaria and Montenegro home
Nov Cyprus away even though its designated a friendly date and not a wcq date
Mar 09 Italy away and Cyprus Home
Sept Bulgaria and Montenegro away
Oct Sat Italy home and finish up with Georgia at home.
Does anyone know the exact dates set aside for fixtures by UEFA or FIFA ?, I want to do some pre-fixture meeting flight resaerch so I prepared for fast bookingsQuote:
Originally Posted by Greenforever
Check out the fans forum thread international dates.
Sometimes, the meeting is over quickly, others go on all day/night, others are not agreed upon, making UEFA/FIFA step in.
I think with all our conditions attached, it will be very difficult to agree to a list. There are 5 other countries in it, and not all of them will bend their backsides to cater for us, especially Italy and Bulgaria. How many countries want to travel to Dublin in Oct '09? How many will allow us to have 2 away games at the start of the qualifiers? Will someone have to play all their games before the last day?
It may have to go to FIFA, and if it does, as third seeds, we may end up getting the raw deal from it.
ThanksQuote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
I agree Italy and Bulgaria may not be very accomodating but I would imagine the others will. It also depends on when Italy want to play us, remember they finished with an away game in Glasgow in the Euros, they will probably expect to have qualified after Sept 09's games.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
Forecast fixtures:
- Italy (a) Sep. '08
- Cyprus (a) Sep. '08
- Georgia (h) Oct. '08
- Montenegro (h) Oct. '08
- Georgia (a) Nov. '09
- Italy (h) Mar. '09
- Cyprus (h) Mar. '09
- Montenegro (a) Sep. '09
- Bulgaria (a) Sep. '09
- Bulgaria (h) Oct. '09
I think the delegates will once again go for the big gun away early, so that will probably mean Italy away first, look for away games back-to-back then, and look for 7 games to be played by March. Most countries hate playing in June, so I guess we'll look to avoid it as well. The joker in the pack could be the last game back-to-back with the Bulgars. In most cases, the host of the meeting gets to choose their last fixture, but with our conditions this time, and with the FAI probably looking to finish with a big game at home, I think we'll finish at home to Bulgaria in October 2009, similiar to how we finished the Euro'88 campaign. And we know what happened then, don't we?
Wonder how many Mystic Mypost will get right? :)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
THey nwont finish with home and away against Bulgaria thats for sure.
Also we will have 2 at home to finish one being Italy if at all possible as that will help to guarantee ticket sales for the double header.
I dont see them playing a game in Nov away if they play away in Sept. Nov is only a friendly date so problems with early release etc, only see them using this date if one away game in Sept. Given our recent poor form v Cyprus, I doubt if they will make that as part of an away double header with any one but Georgia, supposdly the weakest team in the group.
I think we need to hit the ground running and pick up points straight away - no real 'weak' teams but if forced to choose one I'd opt for Cyprus (please God let's hope lighting doesn't strike for a third time!) first and then look to pick up 6 points at home in October. Montenegro should be avoided early until they play a few games so we have had time to watch them live and on tape. They are an 'unknown'.
Sept - Cyprus (away)
Oct - Georgia (home)
Oct - Bulgaria (home)
There's no way we'll go away to Georgia in November, it's the depth of winter and we would'nt get enough prep time. And I don't see us having a Bulgaria double header either.Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
Predictions:
Montenegro (A) September 08'
Georgia (A) September 08'
Cyprus (H) October 08'
Italy (H) October 08'
Georgia (H) March 09'
Bulgaria (A) March/June 09'
Italy (A) September 09'
Cyprus (A) September 09'
Montenegro (H) October 09'
Bulgaria (H) October 09'
Tradition is that we go for the most eastern place first in an away double header (Cyprus-Andorra, Georgia-Albania, Slovakia-CR), so I can't see them changing that this time with Georgia. Italy and Cyprus may be an exception, because they'll want Italy away early, and Cyprus the same for revenge. I can't see them wanting Bulgaria and Italy away in two games. Bulgaria away in June could be in 30c there, and not ideal. If it was a Northern European team, June away would be a runner, but there isn't, so I'll think they'll want to give that one a miss. Sofia and Podgorica would be handy enough for travelling, so getting them as a double header will probably be a priority.Quote:
Originally Posted by zenokelly
Does anyone know what time this meeting is scheduled for tomorrow?
Its usually an all day thing. I would reckon it will start about 10 or 11 our time and go on until the evening.
Is this def on tomorrow, the bbc website has breaking news with England starting their campaign off against Andorra.
Yeah, just saw that, was wondering myself.
I presume the nov dates in 09 will be set aside for the playoff matches? Which would mean all games over by the 2nd OCtober fixture?
Anyway this is the way I think it could pan out. Wouldn't be too dissatisfied with it either.
Sept 08: Cyprus away
Oct 08: Bulgaria Home , Georgia Home (double header)
Nov 08: Montenegro Home, Italy Away
Mar 09: Montenegro Home Cyprus Home
June 09 Montenegro Away
Sept 09 Georgia Away, Bulgaria Away
Oct 09 Italy Home.
Don't think Italy will want to play away as their last game after having to go to Scotland and win in the Euro qualifiersQuote:
Originally Posted by Kingdom
Eh Scotlands was done in Novembers o not sure what Englands has got to do with it. Not all meetings are done on the same day. They can have them basically whenever they like within reason.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Thats fair enough but if there's a double header in Oct 09 who's to say it will be Italy's last game? I'd imagine they'll wrap things up with Georgia or Cyprus in Italy.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Full England Schedule
http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorT...uresagreed.htm
Alright fair enough, just thought they might have been all done on the same day. Looks like we've to wait a little longer soQuote:
Originally Posted by NeilMcD
I've been doing this for the two Sept dates in the chance we play either Georgia and Bulgaria away and while they aren't easy to get to, they certainly aren't to hard either.Quote:
Originally Posted by p_o_r
I'm completely suspicious over these type of things with regards to certain airlines, but if money is hard up, and it is in my gaff, its cheaper flying to the capital of a Baltic country and flying onto Tbilisi with a Baltic Airline than it is to go with Turkish airlines via Istanbul. By about €400, when I worked it out on Sat.
Sofia is +2hrs ahead of Dublin, so roughly 8am our time. Fixtures should be released around lunchtime our time. If so, flight fares will rocket up within minutes. If not known until the evening, you could get a bargain deal, before they rocket anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Paulie
Irrelevant. The group fixtures are arranged on different days.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
Qualifying games must be completed by 31.10.09, i.e. the Wednesday night game in October. November is reserved for play-offs.Quote:
Originally Posted by kingdom
Italy don't play away in the last match, and didn't in the last qualifiers either. After playing Scotland, they played the Faroes at home. Don't expect a change this time either.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Sofia is +2hrs ahead of Dublin, so roughly 8am our time. Fixtures should be released around lunchtime our time. If so, flight fares will rocket up within minutes. If not known until the evening, you could get a bargain deal, before they rocket anyway.
Minutes aAfter last fixtures were announced aerlingus had increased their fares to GErmany to E250 + taxes to all German cities. Ryanair wont increase prices as such but the cheap seats will sell quickly. Other airlines, BMI, Lufthansa, Aerfrance wont but likewise the small no of cheap seats will sell out by the weekend.
Meeting is scheduled for tomorrow but most of the bartering will be done today / and tonight, so dont be surprised if fixtures are announced before lunch tomorrow. Last fixtures meeting was extremely short as most dates had been agreed the night before.
Most likely to start away to Georgia or Cyprus.
which trip (other than Italy) will be most in demand? I fancy Montenegro and Bulgaria - I imagine the day trippers will keep clear of that one.
Does anyone know what time these fixtures will be availible at, ie what time i can start booking my holidays at. Will the stadium for the away match in italy be names today?
what is meant by daytrippers??
surely all our fans have to fly in to the opposing city for the game and stay for the days/2 days etc?
Apparently Croker won't be available for 4 of the dates so the FAI's hand is largely being forced by this
What has Don Givens done to justify the level of influence he has over the senior team:confused: His record with the U-21s is even worse than Poor Stan's. Anyone know the statistics?
I would say that he has some embarassing photos of John Delaney except every photo of John Delaney is embarassing. Here's another for the collection - http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0115/ireland.html :eek:
Givens is a golfing partner of Delaney
already a thread on the ireland section going on regarding this. the venue of the italy game will not be named today..
So the pot draws:
- Georgia (a)
- Montenegro (a)
- Cyprus (h)
- Georgia (h)
- Bulgaria (h)
- Italy (a)
- Bulgaria (a)
- Cyprus (a)
- Italy (h)
- Montenegro (h)
From a football point of view, a good draw, from a travelling point of view, a disaster. No Sofia-Podgorica twinning, Bulgaria away in June, Cyprus away in September, causing heat issues.
From a football point of view, it's notable for a different tactic used, in NOT going for the big guns away early, but instead in the middle of the series. If we do well in the other games, the run in looks very favourable for qualification. The downside is that Italy and Bulgaria here are certain to be 3pm Saturday ko's :rolleyes:, making match atmosphere non-existent. :mad:
Another thing stands out: Last home qualifier v Cyprus, next home qualifier v Cyprus. Who could have thought it?? :eek:
Germany at home on a saturday was at night, so no reason why those games cannot be moved for television if the Italians want it.
Italian tv wouldn't be that fussed over the ko time. If anything, playing in the afternoon, in a sporting library would suit their players better. They wouldn't have to quieten the crowd, the ko time would take care of that for them.
is it not the home FA who pick the kick off time???Quote:
Originally Posted by mypost
presumably after witnessing the difference between the Wales and Germany games, from an atmosphere view, the FAI will opt to play the games in the night.
I think money will be of more interest to them!
possibly but the time of the kick off doesn't have to be given until 30 days (or less - it could be 14 days - definitely not longer) before the game. our previous game V Cyprus is 35 days before. therefore i would expect that if qualification is still in the melting pot then the management may be consulted as to the most suitable time. anyway wouldn't the evening time be better for TV viewing figures anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Besides lets not get bogged down on what time it is to kick off, we have 8 matches to play in the group, 21 months to wait and also to appoint a manager before it comes around (hopefully not in that order)!!!!!