Portugal, Greece, France or Russia

**geysir** · 15/10/2009, 10:08 AM

I am a believer in the rigged draw conspiracy around previous play off draws. That is a respectable conspiracy belief

Probably the experience of those rigged draws do not inspire confidence in the impartiality of FIFA and that there are no limits to their interference.

Mind you, we did get a strange guy from Brazil when we played Iran at home, probably that was because we were playing a team from another federation.

**endabob1** · 15/10/2009, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by gspain

Referees are not bribed nor will FIFA try to influence them.

BUT

FIFA have made it very very clear who they want in the finals. Danny Jordan came out again yesterday on that. Thew referees will know this. A tight call either way will see the referee favouring the team FIFA want.

That is the real reason for wanting Greece. FIFA won't care who wins.

100% correct

Portugal & France are the money teams, get either of those and we may as well not turn up. Russia is a maybe but Moscow in November on a plastic pitch......

**kennedmc** · 15/10/2009, 10:18 AM

Russia is the one team I want to avoid. I can see there midfield tearing us apart with the kind of football they play.

France next simply because of the calibre of player they have.

Portugal are not as big a threat as the above two and if you can keep (a big if granted) Ronaldo and Simao quiet we may have a decent chance.

Greece is by far and away the most realistic chance of going through.

**geysir** · 15/10/2009, 10:22 AM

The top refs are not that gullible.

In modern times I can think of 2 important games that we were involved in against the well favoured teams where the ref was ruthlessly objective,
Holland at home and Spain at WC 2002

**endabob1** · 15/10/2009, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

The top refs are not that gullible.

In modern times I can think of 2 important games that we were involved in against the well favoured teams where the ref was ruthlessly objective,
Holland at home and Spain at WC 2002

Who's to say we'll get a "top" ref?

**Razors left peg** · 15/10/2009, 10:46 AM

Im just waiting for the announcement that all 4 seeded teams will have their home games in the 2nd leg as a reward for them being higher placed in the world rankings

**blobbyblob** · 15/10/2009, 10:57 AM

I was under the impression that that was the original intention but it changed.

Id prefer if that was the way to be honest. I think if we nick on at home we can hang on away with Trap having a few days to fine tune his defensive masterplan.

**Polster** · 15/10/2009, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by geysir

Don�t you think FIFA�s interfering stops at the seeding.

FIFA bribing a referee, as is alluded here, to influence a result, is at the whacky end of conspiracy theories.

It wouldn't surprise me a bit, they are just more clever at it these days. In all fairness, the Chelsea Barce semi final last year was a joke, number of decisions against Chelsea to keep Barce in it, that looked a Fifa picked ref all the way.

I was delighted Barce won through, but Fifa made it clear all along they did not want an all English final for a number of reasons.

I'm not saying they bribe refs to deliberatley influenece the outcome of a game, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have some refs they can rely on in certain situations, without having to really do much.

**geysir** · 15/10/2009, 11:40 AM

We will have to see what quality of refs get appointed.

The play off draw to decide who plays away/home will surely demonstrate some FIFA impartiality

Would anyone (be so foolhardy to) bet against the 4 seeded teams from pot 1 not getting the away fixture first?

**Morbo** · 15/10/2009, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Look, the draw is the draw. It's a game of luck.

I wish I could believe that.

Originally Posted by mypost

There are positives and negatives to all our opponents, and none of them fill me with excitement or trepidation. At least we know we can only get 1 of 4, rather than 1 of 7.

How the hell is that a positve?

Our odds of getting a favourable draw have more than halved and even if we are lucky enough to get Greece then thats still going be a tougher game than some of the teams we could of got in an open draw.

**wexfordman** · 15/10/2009, 1:07 PM

are most people who are planning on attending the away leg going to fly out the day before the game, two nights accomadation and fly home the day after the game.

would it be fair to say if the game is in france or portugal the above should be attained for est €250-€300

Grecce €350

Russia €600

then the price of match tickets and alcohol and food added. Iam definatley going if we draw anyone except russia just try to convince a few of more lads to come on board and if someone could post estimated price for the above. thanks

**gspain** · 15/10/2009, 1:59 PM

Originally Posted by Polster

It wouldn't surprise me a bit, they are just more clever at it these days. In all fairness, the Chelsea Barce semi final last year was a joke, number of decisions against Chelsea to keep Barce in it, that looked a Fifa picked ref all the way.

I was delighted Barce won through, but Fifa made it clear all along they did not want an all English final for a number of reasons.

I'm not saying they bribe refs to deliberatley influenece the outcome of a game, but I wouldn't be surprised if they have some refs they can rely on in certain situations, without having to really do much.

It was UEFA but your point is valid.

**paul_oshea** · 15/10/2009, 2:26 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

We will have to see what quality of refs get appointed.

The play off draw to decide who plays away/home will surely demonstrate some FIFA impartiality

Would anyone (be so foolhardy to) bet against the 4 seeded teams from pot 1 not getting the away fixture first?

ya, greece, to make it loook impartial. they dont care about greece or russia to a lesser extent.

**Arnold Layne** · 15/10/2009, 2:28 PM

Originally Posted by wexfordman

are most people who are planning on attending the away leg going to fly out the day before the game, two nights accomadation and fly home the day after the game.

would it be fair to say if the game is in france or portugal the above should be attained for est �250-�300

Grecce �350

Russia �600

You'll be very lucky if you get flight and accom for France and Portugal for anything near �250-�300.

By the time Monday comes around the airlines will have flights to Lisbon and Paris at approx �200 each way (�500 when you add in tax etc). When the draw's made whoever we don't get, the flights will return to normal.

I reckon the flights to Russia will be the cheapest from the 4, at the moment their about �250 including tax, but the Visa hassle etc will put a lot off so the demand won't be as great.

There's plenty of options for flights to Moscow so I would expect the prices not to increase.

**tetsujin1979** · 15/10/2009, 2:43 PM

I follow Sky Sports' Andy Burton on twitter, and he was on the same filght as Liam Brady back to the UK:
From http://twitter.com/footballandy/statuses/4889035412

Brady chat went well. He wants Greece in PO. Interesting views on negativity shown by Irish media to the team too.

**gspain** · 15/10/2009, 2:52 PM

FIFA won't fix the draw to have the 4 seeds at home 2nd.

They could easily have mandated that and made it part of the draw but they haven't bothered.

**mypost** · 15/10/2009, 2:53 PM

Originally Posted by Morbo

I wish I could believe that.

Well you should.

I have seen many EC and WC ones over 20 years. Barring seeding sections and rules of public knowledge, every draw has been conducted in public, and is 100% fair. You get who you're given, and even if you don't like it, you make the best of it. Anything different is cynicism and a conspiracy.

As for the reffing debate, it has as much validity as "the ridden rock solid" theory. A stonewall decision will be given by any ref in any game around the world. That has always and will continue to be the case.

**endabob1** · 15/10/2009, 2:56 PM

My Post; did you see the draw for the 2000 european play-offs? The one that UEFA wanted to seed, had to back down because of complaints and then proceeded to keep the 4 would be seeds apart with home ties second.... Sorry that was a fix if I ever saw one.

**geysir** · 15/10/2009, 3:07 PM

WC 2002 po draw (official policy or not) also came up with 4 fancied teams playing away first against the lower teams but WC2006 po draw was officially seeded.

But i agree with Mypost re the ref, they will officiate as they normally do, under the normal occasional influence of a home crowd.