The 2nd place qualifying table

[Crosby87]

I dont want any part of the Czechs. I guess either way it will be tough although people on here actually seem to be pretty upbeat about the chances to win a playoff.....Cant say I understand.

[elroy]

Would it be worthwhile getting onto the fai about this to urge them to get some clarification from uefa? We have nothing to lose.

[elroy]

I see Slovakia are almost guaranteed automatic qualification in Group 3. This is more or less the same team that we shouldve between twice under Stan!!

[stiffler]

You will beat us,dont worry.If we score one,you will score at least two,if we score 2,you will score at least 3...if we score 10,you will score at least 11.

No point in turning up if thats the case!!


Football can be a funny game at times!

[mypost]

alternatively, as happened in Euro 2000, they can say its an open draw, yet pick the balls out in a ridiculously suspicious order that suits the bigger countries.

Pure luck that it came out that way. Some people don't understand what the phrase "open draw" means.

Liverpool and Chelsea have met in the last 5 CL seasons. That's the luck of the draw.

[backstothewall]

I dont want any part of the Czechs. I guess either way it will be tough although people on here actually seem to be pretty upbeat about the chances to win a playoff.....Cant say I understand.

Your in luck. It looks like the Slovenians will be going into the playoffs from that group. It won't be the north anyway : ) (Couldn't resist it)

[geysir]

Just out of interest: were Italy any good tonight?

Best news for us was Cannavaro getting a 2nd yellow.

Italy were top class when they needed to be, scored 2, sat on that. Cannavaro razor sharp at the back. Bulgaria had a lackadaisical approach with a bunch of individually gifted players not functioning as a team.
Strange game in the second half, anything could have happened at any time Bulgaria did not care enough, missing that outlaw gunslinger grit that you had with players like Stoichkov and Balakov, to nail Italy.

Though I watched the game recorded and speeded up through much of the play.
I went to see Iceland play, of all teams, Georgia.
Weird world sometimes.

[geysir]

Beanhacker gone.

Lucky we didn't get him

[backstothewall]

Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD AG Pts
4 Russia 7 6 0 1 16 4 +12 4 18
7 France 7 3 3 1 9 8 +1 5 12
3 Slovenia 7 3 2 2 8 4 +4 1 11
6 Croatia 7 3 2 2 11 12 −1 4 11
5 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6 3 1 2 15 7 +8 5 10
2 Greece 6 3 1 2 9 6 +3 6 10
9 Norway 8 2 4 2 9 7 +2 1 10
8 Republic of Ireland 6 2 4 0 6 4 +2 4 10
1 Sweden 6 2 3 1 4 3 +1 2 9

Looks good doesn't it. If we avoid France and Russia I think we have a great chance of going through. Even Croatia don't worry me that much without Modric

[geysir]

France are in rag order it appears.
Not to be feared.

[SwanVsDalton]

Fingers crossed for Greece, Norway or Slovenia. I wouldn't much fancy anybody else. Croatia and Sweden are nowhere near the teams they were, but they'd still have too much for us imo.

[geysir]

Norway would be the dream team.

[richieos]

according to wikipedia, the draw for the 2006 world cup playoffs were seeded due to world rankings, which is stupid IMO. has nothing to do with performances in the qualification process

[eekers]

according to wikipedia, the draw for the 2006 world cup playoffs were seeded due to world rankings, which is stupid IMO. has nothing to do with performances in the qualification process

Fifa are gonna keep the big teams apart in a draw. Its in their commercial interests. Same way its in their interest to have 32 teams from around the world in the competition and not just having the best 32 teams.

[Eirambler]

Pure luck that it came out that way. Some people don't understand what the phrase "open draw" means.
Liverpool and Chelsea have met in the last 5 CL seasons. That's the luck of the draw.

Ya. FIFA.

[jbyrne]

In other news, the footballing heavyweights that are Bahrain will be playing off against the other footballing heavyweights of New Zealand for a place at the World Cup. Man are we on the wrong continent.

think the bahrain v saudi match had an unbelievable end last night. 1-1 going into injury time with bahrain going through as it stood, then saudi score and they are going through only for bahrain to equalise with seconds to go and now they face nez zealand. was on eurosport

[endabob1]

Norway would be the dream team.

Yes but it'll never happen because.....

Fifa are gonna keep the big teams apart in a draw. Its in their commercial interests. Same way its in their interest to have 32 teams from around the world in the competition and not just having the best 32 teams.

Just like UEFA did for Euro 2000 when we ended up with the Turks

[bennocelt]

Beanhacker gone.

Lucky we didn't get him

he did as much as he could............the players never stepped up to the plate......anyway he did get them into a Euro champs

[Bungle]

Personally, I think that FIFA will have to have an open draw. Anyhow, a number of groups are still up for grabs. Croatia could be pipped by Ukraine and there is a real possibility that Portugal will finish ahead of Sweden. Latvia could pip Greece too.

Anyhow here comes the predictions of all teams we are likely to meet:

Ireland 1 Sweden 0
Sweden 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 0 Portugal 1
Portugal 2 Ireland 1

Ireland 1 Greece 0
Greece 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 2 Latvia 1
Latvia 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 1 Czech Republic 2
Czech Rep 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 1 Slovenia 0
Slovenia 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 1 Russia 1
Russia 2 Ireland 1

Ireland 2 Bosnia 1
Bosnia 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 2 Croatia 0
Croatia 1 Ireland 0

Ireland 0 Ukraine 0
Ukraine 1 Ireland 1

Ireland 0 France 0
France 2 Ireland 0

Ireland 2 Norway 0
Norway 0 Ireland 0

[shakermaker1982]

I wouldn't fancy our chances against Russia/Germany, France and Portugal.

I think we'd give Sweden and Croatia a game but they would still be massive favourites.

Greece, Slovenia, Norn Iron and Bosnia are our best bets but I don't think FIFA will allow us to be paired up with them. The dreaded away goals rule as well......