I see the Irish rugby team have a home game on the 11th of November, which could pose difficulty: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1011/911573-aviva/
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTÉ
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I see the Irish rugby team have a home game on the 11th of November, which could pose difficulty: https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2017/1011/911573-aviva/
Quote:
Originally Posted by RTÉ
Ah come on Danny. Get with the programme. Not got your tickets? :P
It's always a potential problem with play offs as they invariably clash with the November tests. Back in 1997 we had a potential sitch as well playing Belgium while having NZ to town at the same time. Thankfully the draw saw to it we would play away that weekend and had the pleasure of that Nilis p**** and the all blacks ruining my weekend.
If we are drawn to play on the Saturday they'll just shift it to the Thursday or Friday. I want to be home first anyway.
In an ideal world this soccer match could be in Croker though! Stoopid sponsorship.
I'd prefer if we are away first. We're seemingly better away, so would be great to pick up a positive result and return to Dublin in a winning position, like against B&H last time.
We're so poor at home we could be faced with an awful uphill task in the second leg, like France 2009.
Is it possible they could just let us play Estonia again?
I was at the Leinster - Munster game the day after the Moldova game, so it's not an issue in that regards
The issue is surely that we could be drawn to play at home on the 11th ie. the Saturday we are playing SA.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Any play-off should take precedence over a rugby friendly match.
In an ideal world that is..
Perhaps. But given we have known of these fixtures for nearly 2 years the FAI and FIFA can jump.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
Play the play-off in Croker! :) Stoopid Aviva!
No way. It's too big for soccer. Pitch is miles away from the crowd.Quote:
Originally Posted by BonnieShels
Ya what?
Never felt it was too big at all.
The draw is to decide the playoff pairings and order of fixtures - the dates are not randomly chosen. When the draw is made all the 8 countries reps go off into a room and decide which dates they would prefer.
If we are drawn at home first we will be playing on the 9th or 10th. This is a non-issue.
Let's make it an issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid
Ticket details released by FAI:
http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/ticke...d-cup-play-off
Here is a history of us in Playoff Draws:
In 2016 Euro P/O we were UNSEEDED and drew the 1. Seed in the Seeded Pot - Bosnia. (1-1, 2-0)
In 2012 Euro P/O we were SEEDED and drew the 4. Seed in the Unseeded Pot - Estonia. (4-0, 1-1)
In 2010 WC P/O we were UNSEEDED and drew the 1. Seed in the Seeded Pot - France. (0-1, 1-1)
In 2002 WC P/O we, as top 2nd placed team in Europe were sent on a EUR/ASIA world cup playoff v Iran. (2-0, 0-1)
In 2000 Euro P/O all 8 teams were drawn at random, no seeding - we drew Turkey. (1-1, 0-0)
In 1998 WC P/O we were SEEDED, and drew the 3. Seed Belgium (1-1, 1-2)
In 1966 WC P/O we were involved in a Play-off with Spain after finishing level in Group 9. The playoff was held in Paris and we lost 1-0 by a goal from the hilariously named Ufarte.
1995 we lost a play off to the Netherlands 2-0 played at Anfield .
https://www.11v11.com/matches/nether...r-1995-246182/
Jack Charlton resigned soon after the game .
Walters may not be out of the play-offs just yet, according to the Irish Mirror's interpretation of Sean Dyche's comments on the player's recovery: http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/socc...ffers-11332555
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rory Dollard
Looks like we're the team Danes want to avoid in the play-offs: http://www.punditarena.com/football/...mark-playoffs/
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon O'Keeffe
That old turkey again :), what were the chances that all 4 higher ranked teams would meet the 4 lower ranked team and play the first leg away from home?Quote:
Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid
I think Croatia are still fragile despite them having a bunch of brilliant players and we could bust their balls. Italy have not been playing well either, nowhere near their standard of old but you'd be wary that they'd just do enough to steal the tie, the ability to qualify is in their dna. Denmark and Switzerland, good teams, but as seeds not that daunting.
Lee Carsley handling that ball on the ground was a killer
Not just a place in the Finals was killed, but the beginnings of a beautiful relationship (Connolly Keane) was cruelly dashed by Carsley's hand ball.
Whether in our favour or not, seeding a playoff is a joke/disgrace.Quote:
Originally Posted by Real ale Madrid
Or at worst if seeding it should be done by reference to where you finished on the second place table......would see us get Switzerland!
This period between the end of the group and the playoff is purgatory. Qualified for nothing and only a 50/50 chance of qualifying for anything but the mind can't help wandering forward to the possibility of a World Cup next summer.
Can't wait to get the draw done and at least have a better idea what our chances are.
Seeding it does seem unfair and disproportionate as it has a sort of double-whammy negative effect for the "weaker" sides, who, just like the "stronger" sides, have qualified for the play-offs on merit, having come through the same already-seeded pathway. For example, we already had to overcome being fourth seeds in the group draw to finish second but now we're unseeded again for the play-off draw. Instead of being treated equally with the seven other teams who finished second and made the play-offs (in spite of or with the assistance of their group-draw seeding), never mind being rewarded, we're actually punished along with three other teams. The play-off draw should be an open draw.Quote:
Originally Posted by elroy
There really can only be one reason for seeding it? - To ensure the top nations don't draw each other.
As it has turned out, the four seeded teams were also the four best teams in terms of the runners-up table, sort of coincidentally. Maybe that would be a fairer way of seeding it, ensuring, say, Switzerland were rewarded some little bit for winning 9/10 matches (I know they're seeded anyway as it turned out). In fact, you could do away with the draw, just have 1 v 8, 2 v 7, etc. and give the higher placed team home advantage for the 2nd leg. The pairings would have been as follows:
Rep of Ireland v Switzerland
Greece v Italy
Northern Ireland v Denmark
Sweden v Croatia
I've had these overwhelming feelings/visions/dreams that we are going to play Denmark. Maybe I just like danish, but usually my ESP is pretty accurate. I've already began scouting them and forwarding any relevant information to the FAI. They seem to have a lot of fast young players in their early or mid 20s, mixed with some veteran leadership. Just some examples:
Simon Kjaer is on a yellow. Though we are still not sure of those rules. Kjaer is the kind of guy who can sink our hopes.
Kasper Dolberg is a 20 year old aryan looking lad who could cause us absolute fits with his athleticism.
Lasse Schone, named after the famed Collie Lassie of early TV fame, is a fiery competitor but calming presence who has the ears of his teammates. (But hopefully doesn't lick them.)
Lukas Lerager is a young ace playing for Bordeaux who can't even crack the lineup most days but would easily be a starter for Ireland.
Viktor Fischer is a 23 year old attacking midfielder, Pescatarian, and late substitution threat that could have the Irish Defense in shambles.
I'm very nervous about this. Also if I was wrong (first time for everything I guess) and we got Italy do you think they would ever put the game in Bari? POSH had to clean up after a lot of Irish fans there last time and it might be frustrating to him.
The Danes also have a nominal Irishman in their ranks in the form of Thomas Joseph Delaney.
Only serial killers use all three names.
Billy Ray Cyrus
Dozens of songs brutally murdered.
How do we know he isn't? Would it be that hard to imagine that he is?Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Remember it like it was yesterday. Will never forgive him for that. All the hard work that went into that performance and we would have taken a 1-0 lead to Bursa for the return.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fixer82
However the referee who gave the penalty against Carsley (and correctly so) was also the one who spotted the violent tug on Niall Quinn's shirt (in a crowd of players) when Ireland were trailing to Spain in 2002 World Cup. Robbie Keane stepped up to convert the resultant penalty.
Hillary Rodham Clinton.Quote:
Originally Posted by KrisLetang
Details confirmed for the play off draw: http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=...hp_module_news
I've accepted that I just don't want Italy. I'l rest easy (easier?) once I don't have them.
Denmark, Croatia, Italy, Switzerland are seeded.
NI, Ireland, Sweden, Greece are not.
I'd say we'd want to avoid Italy and Croatia. Who would be an easier opponent, Switzerland or Denmark? I fancy Switzerland.
Me too i think we will qualify if we get the Swiss.
I use three names. I'm not a serial killer, but I guess I would say that.Quote:
Originally Posted by KrisLetang
You're a cereal eater.
What exactly do you mean, Kris Le Tang?Quote:
Originally Posted by KrisLetang