Euro 2012 - Fixtures Meeting

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 4:31 PM

Originally Posted by Greenforever

A great result but not a result good enough to win the group, Bulgaria were a very poor team.

Would you not agree with playing Andora on the dates suggested to free up dates and do awway with the need for double headers.

Would you prefer to start off with 4 away games Russia and Armenia in Sep followed by Macedonia and Slovakia in Oct, get them over and done with and praye that we are noit out of it before a home game??

Can't play Andorra on your dates suggested, as they are unavailable for qualifiers. There's 12 dates available for 10 games, so there's little room for preference dates.

We went to Bulgaria looking for a point, and got it. We went to Cyprus in extreme weather and won. There's nothing to be afraid of. As I've said before, if we want to play in the finals, we're going to have to play in heat, so we'll have to cope with it and get results, which we've shown we can get if needs be.

**Greenforever** · 19/02/2010, 4:39 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Can't play Andorra on your dates suggested, as they are unavailable for qualifiers.

We went to Bulgaria looking for a point, and got it. We went to Cyprus in extreme weather and won. There's nothing to be afraid of. As I've said before, if we want to play in the finals, we're going to have to play in heat, so we'll have to cope with it and get results, which we've shown we can get if needs be.

You are wrong re not being able to play on those dates, as I previously posted clubs only have to release players 3 days before these match dates rather than the usual 5.

I dont remember the heat being that extreme in Cyprus last year.

You dont answer any of my questions, and saying we went for a point is not correct, we went looking for a win but had to settle for a point.

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 4:48 PM

We went to Cyprus in 38c. Wasn't that hot at ko time, but it wasn't much cooler.

We did go for a point in Bulgaria, as you could see when we barely got out of our half for the second half. We were happy to keep the point and preserve second spot, and everyone went home happy with our first point ever from Sofia. Italy didn't even win there in the group.

**Greenforever** · 19/02/2010, 4:53 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

We went to Cyprus in 38c. Wasn't that hot at ko time, but it wasn't much cooler.

We did go for a point in Bulgaria, as you could see when we barely got out of our half for the second half. We were happy to keep the point and preserve second spot, and everyone went home happy with our first point ever from Sofia. Italy didn't even win there in the group.

So you accept we can play on those dates in Nov and Feb

We didnt play well enough to beat Bulgaria, and I would say we accepted a point rather than went home happy, personally most people i was with at the game felt we lost a great chance to make up 2 points on Italy.

It was a hell of a lot cooler than 38c at kick off time against Cyprus and we played them in Sep not June!!

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 5:06 PM

Originally Posted by Greenforever

So you accept we can play on those dates in Nov and Feb

We didnt play well enough to beat Bulgaria, and I would say we accepted a point rather than went home happy, personally most people i was with at the game felt we lost a great chance to make up 2 points on Italy.

It was a hell of a lot cooler than 38c at kick off time against Cyprus and we played them in Sep not June!!

We played in Cyprus at the beginning of September, which is still the height of summer over there. We asked for a 9.30 ko to cope.

We finished well behind Italy as expected, but in Sofia we bought back the 2 points lost to Bulgaria here, and kept us well out of danger.

I'll accept your dates if you can link them, so far I haven't seen any evidence that they are available for qualifiers.

**Greenforever** · 19/02/2010, 5:19 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

We played in Cyprus at the beginning of September, which is still the height of summer over there. We asked for a 9.30 ko to cope.

We finished well behind Italy as expected, but in Sofia we bought back the 2 points lost to Bulgaria here, and kept us well out of danger.

I'll accept your dates if you can link them, so far I haven't seen any evidence that they are available for qualifiers.

http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/worl...mber2009-e.pdf

Friendly dates can be used for qualifiers, you just cant insist on players being released 5 days in advance, 3 is the max.

Don't undersand we brought abck the 2 points lost????, had we won in Sofia we would have been going into the Italy match at Croker needing 2 wins to win the group.

We have no control over KO time for away games, so it is best to avoid the possibility of having to play in such conditions.

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 5:36 PM

Our aim at the start of the group was to finish second, that's what we did. As we lost 2 points from the home game, we had to go to Sofia and get a result. The fans were delighted and the players were ecstatic with it. Most teams will play at night at any time of the year, so if we have to go to play in June, we'll cope if we have to. We'll have to do it in the finals as well if we get there.

There'll be a warm-up friendly just before it to help with the preparation. It's not a major concern.

**Greenforever** · 19/02/2010, 5:45 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

Our aim at the start of the group was to finish second, that's what we did. As we lost 2 points from the home game, we had to go to Sofia and get a result. The fans were delighted and the players were ecstatic with it. Most teams will play at night at any time of the year, so if we have to go to play in June, we'll cope if we have to. We'll have to do it in the finals as well if we get there.

There'll be a warm-up friendly just before it to help with the preparation. It's not a major concern.

You contradict yourself, IF we have to play in June we'll cope if we have to....but we dont have to so why take a risk

MOst countries play at night....they dont have to, Macedonia V Scotland and our last trip to Malta are 2 that spring to mind for afternoon kick offs.

I can assure you the players were not overly happy to only draw in Sofia, the fans stayed behind to celebrate as we were locked into the ground...not quite the same....of course if we are to only play for 2nd thats a different story

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 6:26 PM

Originally Posted by Greenforever

You contradict yourself, IF we have to play in June we'll cope if we have to....but we dont have to so why take a risk

MOst countries play at night....they dont have to, Macedonia V Scotland and our last trip to Malta are 2 that spring to mind for afternoon kick offs.

I can assure you the players were not overly happy to only draw in Sofia, the fans stayed behind to celebrate as we were locked into the ground...not quite the same....of course if we are to only play for 2nd thats a different story

The players were ecstatic, they were congratulating each other as if they had qualified at the whistle, rather than got a point to keep the Bulgars away from second spot.

Macedonia - Scotland was an exception to the rule. Scotland lost that game not because of the heat, but because they were crap. They lost to a goalkeeping error iirc.

Last time in Malta was a 6.30 ko local time in 1999, under lights. 10 years before, they had to play us in the afternoon, as their stadium had no lights. No choice.

**zenokelly** · 19/02/2010, 6:42 PM

Imo the most important thing is to avoid Macedonia away in June/Sept. The Scots were forced to play there at 3pm in september,and they're likely to go for that approach again. Realistically we would need to beat them to be in the shake up for top spot.

**mypost** · 19/02/2010, 7:04 PM

And if we have to play in Poland/Ukraine at 3pm in June, will you prefer we withdraw from the tournament, and hand a more acclimatised team to compete instead?

To get there, we have to clear different hurdles. Time differences, plastic pitches, hostile crowds, etc, etc. We are unlikely to play any afternoon games, but if we have to, we'll be well prepared for it.

**carloz** · 19/02/2010, 8:34 PM

We have a tendancy to be very hard to deal with when it comes to fixtures. I remember once the fixtures meeting nearly collapsed due to our demands. I hope we are the same here and the important thing is not to be bullied by Russia. Personally I hope we don't go for the usual Irish trick of playing the first seeds away first. Yes it worked once for Mick McCarthy but it has also failed for us. We might be able to get Slovakia on the hop in this meeting as I am quite sure they are focussing everything on the world cup and have not put much thought into this fixture meeting. Id actually like to get Macedonia and Armenia away games out of the way early enough. Very trickey venues and I feel it would be best to get them early in the group if at all possible. Under no circumstances should we accept Skopje as our last match after 1999

**elroy** · 19/02/2010, 10:15 PM

Yes, playing the bigger teams was something Mick McC favoured, worked for him when we played Croatia first in the 2000 campaign and obviously the 2002 campaign, not so much in 2004.

Id tend to agree with Johnny Giles when he says its important to amass a decent amount of points from your first few games. Better to have points on the board, even just from a psychological point of few, rather than playing catch up. Id like us to play Andorra, Armenia and either Slovakia or Russia in the first three games. Its a decent mix and we should be looking to take at least 7 points from the games. 9 if the Russia/Slovakia games was at home.

**elroy** · 19/02/2010, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by carloz

Under no circumstances should we accept Skopje as our last match after 1999

Looking back wasnt that the biggest fcuk up of a qualifying we have made in recent times. Going into the last min against Croatia in the second last game, we were more or less qualified and blew it. Then despite that set back and because Yug and Croatia drew in their final game, a win in Macedonia wouldve meant we topped the group. Again we had it all in place until the dying the mins........painful.

**eaststand85** · 19/02/2010, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Yes, playing the bigger teams was something Mick McC favoured, worked for him when we played Croatia first in the 2000 campaign and obviously the 2002 campaign, not so much in 2004.

Id tend to agree with Johnny Giles when he says its important to amass a decent amount of points from your first few games. Better to have points on the board, even just from a psychological point of few, rather than playing catch up. Id like us to play Andorra, Armenia and either Slovakia or Russia in the first three games. Its a decent mix and we should be looking to take at least 7 points from the games. 9 if the Russia/Slovakia games was at home.

Reckon the FAI will try and get Andorra at home out of the way as the first home game, could be the only way to sell it out/ensure take up of tickets as first competitive fixture in Aviva.

**mypost** · 20/02/2010, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by carloz

We have a tendancy to be very hard to deal with when it comes to fixtures. I remember once the fixtures meeting nearly collapsed due to our demands.

That was in the meeting here for Germany '06. Mainly down to Kerr's insistence on the home-away-home formula, and another anti-June fanatic. He eventually backed down on the June issue, and we got most of what we wanted.

**Newryrep** · 20/02/2010, 2:14 PM

I would hope that the waste of space that is the Celtic cup will have no bearings on our date selection/available dates

**Greenforever** · 20/02/2010, 3:24 PM

Originally Posted by Newryrep

I would hope that the waste of space that is the Celtic cup will have no bearings on our date selection/available dates

When i posted my ideal dates, I forgot about this tournament.

If I remember right there is 1 match in Feb (friendly date in FIFA calender) and 2 in May. I still beil=eve we should use the Nov friendly date for one of the games against Andora, and possible the Aug 2011 friendly date for the return. I know there is no guarantee that Andora would play ball but that is what I would be hoping for if I was JD or Trap.

Dont know about the Celtic cup being a waste of space, the idea of 3 reasonable competitive games for introducing new players quite apeals to me, providing the standard substitution rules apply and the games dont end in farce with 6 or even more changes on either side. The one thing I dont overly like is spliting the dates between Feb and May, why not play all the matches in May over a week.

**Crosby87** · 20/02/2010, 4:13 PM

[QUOTE=Greenforever;1323069

Dont know about the Celtic cup being a waste of space, the idea of 3 reasonable competitive games [/QUOTE]

And perhaps most importantly it creates revenue.

**backstothewall** · 20/02/2010, 7:30 PM

I would like to get Russia away first up, followed by one of the Andorra games, then Macedonia away in the october round of games. I would also like to get the other Macedonia game out of the way long before the end of qualifying. After that i don't see that it makes a lot of difference.