Euro 2016 Qualifying

[Gather round]

We do, however, feel that he is fundamentally misguided in his belief that the IFA understands FIFA's own laws and regulations better than FIFA istelf

No, you've the wrong end of stick there Charlie. I've repeatedly made clear here my low opinion of IFA's understanding of FIFA rules and the like.

I just don't see the fundamental point of someone registering on a forum and spending over 75% of his time complaining about players democratic and legal right to choose what country they want to play for

Again, not so. I've no problem- as oft-repeated- about any eligibile player accepting caps for your team. I'm merely disappointed that some of them have amassed numerous games for NI's adult teams first. By the way, my reference to people wanting to take over NI above was to those who think it and its representative teams shouldn't exist. I wasn't suggesting you were one of them.

Well, bar that bit about Fly and myself being obvious trolls!

Naughty As you remember perfectly well, at the time of your bans I suggested they were unjustified, and even offered that you use your powers of invincibility to re-register. Or change your name to Mervyn.

Sorry to take this thread back on topic but I just seen the FIFA World rankings. I was surprised to see that Scotland are ranked so far ahead of us in 34th while we are 67th

Your FIFA ranking (33 in Europe) is distorted and downplayed by

a) friendlies- they are 'worth' only 40% of qualifiers against the same teams, and in recent years you've played more of them than most. Which tends to reduce your average ranking points even if the games are won or drawn

b) low ranking of teams you've beaten recently: a win against Faeroes or Kazakhstan in worth only about 30% or 40% of one against say Croatia or Russia

As De Lorean says, the formula is pretty bizarre. Here are some examples:

Win v Spain at Brazil finals: 100% of possible ranking points

Germany in qualifier: about 62%

Serbia in friendly: about 21%

San Marino in qualifier: about 16%

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

No, you've the wrong end of stick there Charlie. I've repeatedly made clear here my low opinion of IFA's understanding of FIFA rules and the like.



Again, not so. I've no problem- as oft-repeated- about any eligibile player accepting caps for your team. I'm merely disappointed that some of them have amassed numerous games for NI's adult teams first. By the way, my reference to people wanting to take over NI above was to those who think it and its representative teams shouldn't exist. I wasn't suggesting you were one of them.



Naughty As you remember perfectly well, at the time of your bans I suggested they were unjustified, and even offered that you use your powers of invincibility to re-register. Or change your name to Mervyn.



Your FIFA ranking (33 in Europe) is distorted and downplayed by

a) friendlies- they are 'worth' only 40% of qualifiers against the same teams, and in recent years you've played more of them than most. Which tends to reduce your average ranking points even if the games are won or drawn

b) low ranking of teams you've beaten recently: a win against Faeroes or Kazakhstan in worth only about 25% or 40% of one against say Croatia or Russia

I assume you have a problem with Alex Bruce, Johnny Gorman and Oliver Norwood playing for NI after representing other countries then? I haven't even mentioned the myriad other British born players with completely frivolous links to NI that have declared in the last several years. That's the problem though. Why exercise any rationale when you can just beat a dead horse and portray it as a black and white issue where we are the bad guys, you are the put-upon good guys and there are no grey areas whatsoever.

[Gather round]

I assume you have a problem with Alex Bruce, Johnny Gorman and Oliver Norwood playing for NI after representing other countries then?

Indeed, Alex Bruce playing for us is absurd. You'll notice I specified adult teams above: Norwood played for England only up to U-17, Gorman in your U-16. I cut the younger guys a lot more slack whichever team they move to or from.

I haven't even mentioned the myriad other British born players with completely frivolous links to NI that have declared in the last several years

Assuming you mean players like Maik Taylor, he qualified under the rules as they were at the time, which given your comments above I'd have assumed you accepted. His previous links to NI were admitted and nil, rather than frivilous and exaggerated. What's the problem?

Why exercise any rationale when you can just beat a dead horse and portray it as a black and white issue where we are the bad guys, you are the put-upon good guys and there are no grey areas whatsoever.

Do you read what others write? My attitude as regularly repeated here is basically the opposite of what you suggest. I've criticised the NI FA, teams and fans on here on numerous occasions.

Shall we move on to which are the strongest/ weakest groups? Here are the aggregated points that they each gained in current WC qualifying*:



Group A (Netherlands etc.) 89

Group G (Russia) 87

Group F (Greece) 84



Group C (Spain) 83

Group B (Bosnia) 80

Group E (England) 79



Group I (Portugal) 78

Group D (Germany) 77

Group H (Italy) 76



* teams in the five-team group last time have been gifted two notional wins each against Gib

[osarusan]

I assume you have a problem with Alex Bruce, Johnny Gorman and Oliver Norwood playing for NI after representing other countries then? I haven't even mentioned the myriad other British born players with completely frivolous links to NI that have declared in the last several years. That's the problem though. Why exercise any rationale when you can just beat a dead horse and portray it as a black and white issue where we are the bad guys, you are the put-upon good guys and there are no grey areas whatsoever.

Jesus wept, let's not go down this road again. There is an Eligibility Rules thread for this.

[DeLorean]

Depending on how the group pans out it may be the case we could do the Scots a favour

We do owe them one

[paul_oshea]

I've booked Georgia this morning, its not cheap to get there but the real fans do this sorta stuff.

Looking forward to meeting my old friend Edward, or Eddie as crosby calls him when i get there.

I think Georgia away is a tricky fixture, one that I think is best played at the end when nothing for them to play for, however its our first competitive game under O'Neill and keane and the lads will be really fired up, so aside from being the last fixture away I think it's coming at the perfect time. We could have a nice collection of points come summer time next year, which we would need heading into the last 2 games. We need at least a 2 point cushion before those games at the very least, 4 would be better.

[DannyInvincible]

For a similar reason we should be nice to the Germans who probably have it within their power
to determine who finished 2nd and 3rd if they chose to do so!!

How do you reckon we go about it? Gift them a few goals?

[DannyInvincible]

I've booked Georgia this morning, its not cheap to get there but the real fans do this sorta stuff.

Thank God for that; at least we have one real fan on here!

Looking forward to meeting my old friend Edward, or Eddie as crosby calls him when i get there.

Isn't he Eduard?

[geysir]

Basically there are 3 back to back fixtures in our group scheduled, and in 2 of them we get Gibraltar.
Just how lucky can O'Neill get? along with getting the weakest team from pot 3. who really are a pot 4 team
When we get to the stiff back to back finale in Oct 2015, a point should do. Scotland will have risen up just enough to scuttle Poland's feint hopes in the penultimate game and by the time we get to Poland, it will be a dead rubber game for them.

[DeLorean]

I've booked Georgia this morning, its not cheap to get there but the real fans do this sorta stuff.

All jokes aside it's a pretty big ask the way the fixtures are set out to make the Georgia one. Fair play to you. A month later we'll be in Germany and a month after that it's Scotland away.

[Stuttgart88]

Paul's got loads of money. He lives in London where there's a direct flight to everywhere and he's got no kids.

He doesn't get that much respect from me

[geysir]

got no kids?! or got no kids!?

Either way, I didn't know Paul was a shirker.
Sympathies Paul, I hope you can carry that cross with requisite manbag style.

[back of the net]

I've booked Georgia this morning, its not cheap to get there but the REAL FANS DO THIS SORTA STUFF.

.

hahaha - i laughed myself silly at this statement which was followed by crying due to the fact that it was made


Paul - what a hero you are!

[paul_oshea]

Thank God for that; at least we have one real fan on here!



Isn't he Eduard?

Exactly, I'm the only thing that gives credibility to foot.ie on the away trips

I was anglocising DI ; ) :P

[DeLorean]

Celtic Warriors Face Battle to Reach France

[paul_oshea]

Paul's got loads of money. He lives in London where there's a direct flight to everywhere and he's got no kids.

He doesn't get that much respect from me

Stutts you always try and excuse yourself, or shirk as geysir put it better. The responsibility you should be shirking is that of your kids and to your wife ; )

It's no excuse, and I definitely don't have as much money as you do! Especially after buying you pints in the past! Kids or no Kids!

On a serious note in case anyone is looking Istanbul has probably the best times as the stop over, but not the cheapest, ukranian airlines-if you fancy that ;-) - are probably slightly better and around the same price. BOTN You obviously didnt realise I was joking....

[BonnieShels]

got no kids?! or got no kids!?

Either way, I didn't know Paul was a shirker.
Sympathies Paul, I hope you can carry that cross with requisite manbag style.

SvD might explode after seeing the manbag ref. All we need is a reference to Termonbarry, skud_missile and space cadets and we have the full set of memes.

[DannyInvincible]

A batsh*t crazy discussion from the Nolan Show on BBC Radio Ulster earlier today on whether or not Windsor Park should host a Euro 2016 qualifier on a Sunday: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1944961-ni-s...k-home-fixture

"NI should quit Euro 2016" - Rev David McIlveen opposes first Windsor Park home fixture

The draw for the 2016 European Football Championships was made yesterday and it will see Northern Ireland play at Windsor Park on a Sunday for the first time in their history. The match against Finland is scheduled to be played in March 2015. With football being played around the world on a Sunday should Northern Ireland be any different? We hear from Rev David McIlveen, Belfast Telegraph's Sports Editor Jim Gracey and we take your calls.

[SwanVsDalton]

McIlveen is a broadcaster's dream. Nolan's put about at least two extra zeroes on the end of his salary from his ilk alone.

[BonnieShels]

Wowsers!