Rankings

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Originally Posted by Cymro

I think my signature says it all, really.

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Wales is not bad at all,if you look at each player you got.I am very nervous about our next duel in Cardif in September that is so much important to us(in fact,I think you should let us win,to screw the English up :o ).On the other hand,your organization(at the back especially),your courage(cant think of better word) and your team spirit are below average.I watched you against Switzerland where you lost 4-1,but I had feeling that you could even win in that game only if you played a bit stronger and had proper fighting spirit.

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Originally Posted by Montenegrin

If we had beat Bulgaria,we would be in pot 1 for the next draw.Imagine that :cool: .

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As they say, remember your friends on your way up, because ....

I wouldn't put it past Montenegro to qualify ala Slovenia back in 2000. I think they were a fairly young team internationally at the time. Jovetic seems to be in the Zahovic mold, I enjoyed his escapades back then.

Montenegro in a play off? yay or nay?

I wouldn't fancy meeting them in a play-off

I think we could do worse or do better. I think they are roughly around our level.

We gave those kids their break when they were first starting out.

I'd have no qualms about getting the upper hand in a play-off, at least no more than normal.

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Originally Posted by geysir

We gave those kids their break when they were first starting out.

I'd have no qualms about getting the upper hand in a play-off, at least no more than normal.

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Qualms or reservations. I reckon we could do them. To be honest I'd rather win the group though. Not even thinking of the play-offs til the Russian game is over.

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Originally Posted by Montenegrin

Wales is not bad at all,if you look at each player you got.I am very nervous about our next duel in Cardif in September that is so much important to us(in fact,I think you should let us win,to screw the English up :o ).On the other hand,your organization(at the back especially),your courage(cant think of better word) and your team spirit are below average.I watched you against Switzerland where you lost 4-1,but I had feeling that you could even win in that game only if you played a bit stronger and had proper fighting spirit.

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Thank you, Montenegrin. I agree, our spirit is rubbish, and our defence is very bad indeed. I wish we were more like Montenegro and played as a team, to our potential, every game. That is what Montenegro have done in this group.

If Montenegro played ROI in a play-off, I would have to bet on Ireland, though. Ireland have the better players overall I think, although Montenegro have some very good individuals too, who are well known to everyone here. Jovetic is quality.

I just think Ireland would have a small advantage. If Given and Keane are fit they are probably worth two goals together. Wish we had them, we'd be a proper team then!

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Originally Posted by BonnieShels

No, the W is there... it's just really really really small.

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Nah, that's a piece of lint. Looks like a W from a distance, though.

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Originally Posted by Cymro

Wish we had them, we'd be a proper team then!

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Ah... the Pan Celtic Union idea strikes again! :)

Do Montenegrin and Cymro have little "alert" devices installed that bleep when a football forum anywhere in the world mentions Montenego or Wales?

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Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

So, theoretically, if utilising friendlies for the purpose of anything other than trying to boost our ranking wasn't priority, we should be organising meaningless friendlies against opposition we're certain to beat approaching draw time?

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you mean like a friendly tournament featuring the football powerhouses of norn iron, wales and scotland?

actually, i presume given this was a 'tournament' it nevertheless has no greater weighting that normal friendlies. does the same sort of thing apply to stuff like the gold cup?

moving away from world cup rankings and onto uefa coefficient, it will be interesting to see if we are seeded should we end up in a playoff spot. i think this battle is a bit tighter, and there's a chance (i estimate maybe 35% chance but i might be WAY off) we could be.

i'm not clear though on which uefa co-efficient will be used; that as of the start of the qualifying campaign:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_co...am_coefficient

or those that will be used for the finals proper:

http://www.football-rankings.info/se...el/euro%202012

i'd imagine the latter, which means we are currently 20th in uefa, with norway catchable? in the current 2nd place standings we'd be fifth i think, but if we caught norway, 4th and seeded.

euro 2012 2nd place teams (with russia speculatively replaced by us)
montenegro (currently auto qualify as best 2nd place team)

seeded:
croatia
czech rep
sweden
norway

unseeded:
ireland
slovenia
belarus
belgium

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Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

Do Montenegrin and Cymro have little "alert" devices installed that bleep when a football forum anywhere in the world mentions Montenego or Wales?

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Indeed I do!Only for this forum though...

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Originally Posted by zero

i'm not clear though on which uefa co-efficient will be used; that as of the start of the qualifying campaign:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_co...am_coefficient

or those that will be used for the finals proper:

http://www.football-rankings.info/se...el/euro%202012

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I think UEFA decide this once they've worked out their favoured teams in the play-offs.

Montenegrin

Just out of interest whats the current situation with Kosovo and a national football team? Didn't they gain independence a few years back. Was just wondering whats the hold up on them establishing a football team?

Also did people notice Bosnia played Romania at the weekend, I thought they were still indefinately suspended from international football, due to the governance of the FA. UEFA must have backed down on that one?

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Originally Posted by French Toasht

UEFA must have backed down on that one?

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Not likely!

Bosnia backed down and appointed a single Federation President last week.

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Originally Posted by French Toasht

Also did people notice Bosnia played Romania at the weekend, I thought they were still indefinately suspended from international football, due to the governance of the FA. UEFA must have backed down on that one?

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They amended their association's constitution and UEFA lifted the ban, so they're fine to play again: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/b...fifa-euro-2012

Edit: Or as pineapple stu says. :)

Really?

Whos heading up their FA now? I thought that really was an intractable dispute considering the history in the region and was a very arbitrary ruling by FIFA.

I think the two choices were stay as they were and be kicked out of FIFA/UEFA and go bankrupt, or do whatever FIFA/UEFA told them. Not great options either way really. Unsurprisingly, having a national federation at all won out over political stability.