Northern Ireland Qualifiers

[ArdeeBhoy]

NI out to 1/41 'not to qualify' but strangely at a mean 12/1 'to qualify'.

And all that just to achieve second in the group and then meet Italy in the play off (or some team like that).

Fair enough if they do get into the play-offs, but does anyone really care anyway.

Their measure of being less mediocre than us is a strange one, given they were higher-ranked anyway at one time.........

[brianw82]

Suffice to say, they should beat San Marino on Wednesday. Are Healy and Lafferty good to play? Anyone have a record of previous games against SM?

[ArdeeBhoy]

Suffice to say, they should beat San Marino on Wednesday. Are Healy and Lafferty good to play? Anyone have a record of previous games against SM?

Well, they'll surely do better than us v.them, not that's much of a measure of anything?

[geysir]

So far in this group, at least a San Marino player has scored a goal which is more than a NI player has managed.

RTE are having a web-only live broadcast of Slovakia V Poland

[Hammy_GAWA]

So far in this group, at least a San Marino player has scored a goal which is more than a NI player has managed.

Bad times indeed when you put it like that!

Not convinced it will be the big scoreline most people are predicting. Nothing to gain from this game (even if we win), and everything to lose.

[geysir]

Two goals is all you need.
The minnows are getting better at what they do.

[ifk101]

The minnows are getting better at what they do.

Results under Worthington suggest that NI are getting worse.

[Lionel Ritchie]

Bad times indeed when you put it like that!

Not convinced it will be the big scoreline most people are predicting. Nothing to gain from this game (even if we win), and everything to lose.

Welcome aboard Hammy. Ye'll do fine against them. Force a couple of corners and get the likes of Davis in amongst them and they'll collapse faster than non-collapsing argos furniture.

I don't agree that there's nothing to gain. A good thumping win would be a big morale booster. By San Marinos standards and form they're due a friggin' hiding and I'm guessing it's coming tonight ...but heh I'm an optimist (I've also called us for a 3-0 win over Cyprus so my soothsaying may be close to top of the gluesniffers league but we shall see). five nil to NI.

[ruben_sosa]

Sorry.

Odds of 12/1 indicate roughly an 8% chance of NI qualifying (1 divided by 13) and odds of 1/41 indicate about a 97% chance of NI not qualifying, adding up to 105%. There's a 100% chance of one of those happening (obviously!) so the 5% difference is where the bookies make their profit.

you forgot to factor in the chance that Roy Carroll, if playing, may throw the game for a betting syndicate in the Far East....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-gambling.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...t-honesty.html

[geysir]

Referencing the Daily Muck as source automatically strips any credibility away from the gymnastic attempts to associate Carroll with match fixing.

[Noelys Guitar]

you forgot to factor in the chance that Roy Carroll, if playing, may throw the game for a betting syndicate in the Far East....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...-gambling.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...t-honesty.html

Des Kelly the journo. I wonder if this guy is in some way related to the chap who owned the carpet store near Dalymount park? The one that had an unusal number of blazes/fires/torchings etc etc.