Euro 2012 - Fixtures Meeting

[finbarrk]

All the speculating here is similar to the thread that lads were speculating on who we would get in the actual draw.

[mypost]

True, but at least with only 5 teams to discuss, we can be more accurate than when discussing 44 opponents.

[Newryrep]

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.

And perhaps most importantly it creates revenue.

From a football point of view i would of thought it would be more benfefical to play continental opposition. From a financial point of view I appreciate the need for revenue and the fact that we the fans will ultimately end up paying for it I would just rather the opposition was exotic for want of a better word. Also there is the possibility of things getting out of hand. Eg our northern bretheren and the Scots arent to enamoured with Macarthys decision to lay for us

[Gather round]

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

I expect the Euro qualifiers will be the priority, but the Celtic Cup might generate more interest than people are assuming. Even a mini-tournament is worth winning for teams who rarely qualify for bigger events, and I'm not convinced the 24 team finals will ever happen. Let's see how well South Africa and Ukraine/ Poland work out.

From a football point of view i would of thought it would be more benfefical to play continental opposition

If you assume competitive games are the priority (and the best means to assess your own and other teams' strengths), then aren't semi-competitive ties next, with (usually half-paced friendlies) bringing up the rear? Bosnia or Azerbaijan's fringe players aren't necessarily much of a guide to how Macedonia or Armenia will approach a qualifier.

I would just rather the opposition was exotic for want of a better word

Doesn't 'exotic' in international football nowadays just mean teams you haven't played for a while, rather than trips behind the impenetrable Iron Curtain? For example, we haven't played Scotland in competition since the Home Internationals ended in 1984. Whereas potentially we could be playing in Italy/ SMR three times in 18 months.

Also there is the possibility of things getting out of hand. Eg our northern bretheren and the Scots arent to enamoured with Macarthys decision to lay for us

We'll all have to play each other sometime, you could think of this as a dry run (similarly if an English team reaches the Europa final when it's at Lansdowne next year).

[backstothewall]

Are we mature enough for this yet? When North plays south at Windsor there will be a lot of people getting tickets for the NI part of Windsor to support the south. Possibly me. I would obviously prefer to be in the proper end of the ground, but I'd sooner see it as not. If Robbie Keane belts one in from 30 yards and I jump up, will certain knuckle draggers be able to restrain themselves is my worry*

Suppose thats the big test

* BTW, not suggesting NI fans are knuckle draggers, just that there are more ROI fans in the north than Ni fans in the south, so likely to be more of a problem at Windsor

[mypost]

You don't jump up, end of story. If you go to the game, you either go to the right end or keep quiet if you're not. It's not a rugby/GAA sit where you like environment.

And before anyone asks if I have been in the wrong end at a game, yes I have, at a Rovers-Shels game in Tolka. And yes when we equalised in the last minute, I had to keep quiet or face a lynch mob. I chose the easiest option.

[Nedser]

You don't jump up, end of story. If you go to the game, you either go to the right end or keep quiet if you're not. It's not a rugby/GAA sit where you like environment.

Fully agree.

And before anyone asks if I have been in the wrong end at a game, yes I have, at a Rovers-Shels game in Tolka. And yes when we equalised in the last minute, I had to keep quiet or face a lynch mob. I chose the easiest option.

What? Why would you not have just gone to the Rovers section? It's not like Tolka would have been anywhere near full. And a lynch mob of Shels fans???

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.

Hardly fair to equate Armenia with Poland/Ukraine in terms of climate. Ave max temps in June (from Wikipedia):
Warsaw - 21
Kiev - 23
Moscow - 27
Skopje - 28
Yerevan - 31

And Macedonia have a track record of playing in the afternoon in hot weather (as they did v Scotland in the last campaign, and won).

You're right that we'll (probably) cope if we have to, but if we have the option of avoiding that scenario, we should take it. Also remember that June is early-mid season in Russia, and quite possibly in Armenia/Macedonia too, compared to end of season in Britain, where our entire squad play. For that reason too, June is not a good time to play those countries, especially away.

[backstothewall]

You don't jump up, end of story. If you go to the game, you either go to the right end or keep quiet if you're not. It's not a rugby/GAA sit where you like environment.

And before anyone asks if I have been in the wrong end at a game, yes I have, at a Rovers-Shels game in Tolka. And yes when we equalised in the last minute, I had to keep quiet or face a lynch mob. I chose the easiest option.

I've been 3 rows from the back of the Stretford End, but I honestly never felt in much danger. I know what you mean, you don't start singing songs, but what worries me is you always get one or two who are pished.

[mypost]

What? Why would you not have just gone to the Rovers section? It's not like Tolka would have been anywhere near full.

The Shels fans moved to the far goal for the second half, I didn't want to move from where I was. All the goals were scored in the second half. We came back from 2 goals down in the last 5 minutes.

Hardly fair to equate Armenia with Poland/Ukraine in terms of climate. Ave max temps in June (from Wikipedia):
Warsaw - 21
Kiev - 23
Moscow - 27
Skopje - 28
Yerevan - 31

Games will be at night anyway. Day or night, Central and Eastern Europe has the same climate from May to September. Hot, sticky, sunny, so there is not much difference between the cities and countries.

Macedonia have a track record of playing in the afternoon in hot weather (as they did v Scotland in the last campaign, and won).

You're right that we'll (probably) cope if we have to, but if we have the option of avoiding that scenario, we should take it. Also remember that June is early-mid season in Russia, and quite possibly in Armenia/Macedonia too, compared to end of season in Britain, where our entire squad play. For that reason too, June is not a good time to play those countries, especially away.

As said before, their game with Scotland was a fluke, could have been even for tv reasons. They play in winter. We should be able to beat Armenia any season of the year, while it will be warm in Russia whenever the game is on. Just something we'll have to cope with.

[Nedser]

Games will be at night anyway. Day or night, Central and Eastern Europe has the same climate from May to September. Hot, sticky, sunny, so there is not much difference between the cities and countries.

So you're claiming that climate is uniform over the whole of Central and Eastern Europe over a 5 month period? Utterly bizarre. I'm guessing you didn't do geography for the leaving.

it will be warm in Russia whenever the game is on

No it won't, unless you're saying we can only play them in the summer? Outside of June-August, Moscow is colder on average than Dublin. In March, the average maximum is 2 degrees! In October it's 8. So it's more likely to be freezing than "warm".

[Greenforever]

Newpost


Your posts are bizzare but this takes the biscuit - warm in Moscow

Sept - cold

Oct - freezing

Nov - Mar prob have to play on artificial pitch to play in Moscow

Sure isnt Siberia part of eastern europe?????????

[Gather round]

Siberia's usually considered to be part of Asia.

[geysir]

I would swap Armenia for Estonia in a jiff.

[Newryrep]

I expect the Euro qualifiers will be the priority, but the Celtic Cup might generate more interest than people are assuming. Even a mini-tournament is worth winning for teams who rarely qualify for bigger events, and I'm not convinced the 24 team finals will ever happen. Let's see how well South Africa and Ukraine/ Poland work out.

Why is it worth winning its worthless , bragging rights your welcome to them ? seriously

If you assume competitive games are the priority (and the best means to assess your own and other teams' strengths), then aren't semi-competitive ties next, with (usually half-paced friendlies) bringing up the rear? Bosnia or Azerbaijan's fringe players aren't necessarily much of a guide to how Macedonia or Armenia will approach a qualifier.

I would imagine they would play similar styles even if they werent top notch players -we arent used to playing different styles when 99% of our player play in the same type of league against the same type of opposition week in week out and when we have a chance to play soemthing different we play a smae type of team internationally

Doesn't 'exotic' in international football nowadays just mean teams you haven't played for a while, rather than trips behind the impenetrable Iron Curtain? For example, we haven't played Scotland in competition since the Home Internationals ended in 1984. Whereas potentially we could be playing in Italy/ SMR three times in 18 months.

Not really the Poland match at Croke park was a good work out I thought, if I am being forced ( when the FAI grasp the nettle on lack of Vantage seat sales and go back to the waiting list so we will have to buy tickets) to pay out good money to see a football match I would prefer it wasnt Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

We'll all have to play each other sometime, you could think of this as a dry run (similarly if an English team reaches the Europa final when it's at Lansdowne next year).

I still think there will be the possibility of trouble, 4 sets of fans, the odd ****ed up village idiot alcohol etc, JAmes Maccarthy/Shane duffy playing for us - I dont want to play England unless we have to for the same reason

[Greenforever]

Siberia's usually considered to be part of Asia.

And so posssibly would Armenia, mind you some would say Asia is hot

[Gather round]

Why is it worth winning its worthless , bragging rights your welcome to them ? seriously

Clearly we disagree, I think a competition involving four teams has more worth than playing friendlies.

I would imagine they would play similar styles even if they werent top notch players -we arent used to playing different styles when 99% of our player play in the same type of league against the same type of opposition week in week out and when we have a chance to play soemthing different we play a smae type of team internationally

Most of your players (like ours, Scotland's and Wales's) play in an English system that has players, coaches and owners from all over the World. International players should thus be able to adapt to whatever tactics the opposition uses.

Not really the Poland match at Croke park was a good work out I thought, if I am being forced ( when the FAI grasp the nettle on lack of Vantage seat sales and go back to the waiting list so we will have to buy tickets) to pay out good money to see a football match I would prefer it wasnt Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

OK, but apart from the above, Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland don't tend to play you (or each other in competition since the Home Internationals ended) that often. So they're just three other third or fourth rate teams, not much different from Bosnia or Azerbaijan.

I still think there will be the possibility of trouble, 4 sets of fans, the odd ****ed up village idiot alcohol etc, JAmes Maccarthy/Shane duffy playing for us - I dont want to play England unless we have to for the same reason

I agree, some trouble is likely and regrettable. But we shouldn't rule out international fixtures on that basis, or else Euro 2012 wouldn't take place (I remember being less than 50m than a Balaclava-wearing crush-barrier-wielding Ruch Chorzow hoolie at our game there in September. Luckily, the robocops waded in and threw him and his Celtic-shirt wearing mate into a meat wagon).

PS I recognise I'm in a minority on this one, NI fans seem to be rubbishing the competition as much as you are. If for different reasons...

[DeLorean]

I'm not convinced the 24 team finals will ever happen

I thought this was confirmed

[mypost]

Your posts are bizzare but this takes the biscuit - warm in Moscow

Sept - cold

Oct - freezing

Nov - Mar prob have to play on artificial pitch to play in Moscow

I was there when we played them last, at the beginning of September, it was 30c. I don't know what you consider cold, but it was shirt sleeve weather for me.

Mid-October is standard autumn temperatures. It's not roasting hot, but it's not Antarctica. November is the start of the Russian winter, and the Russians avoid playing at home then*. In all likelihood, we probably won't be playing qualifiers then anyway. We're likely to be playing on the Luzhniki plastic whenever it's on.

Haggling over average temperatures is irrelevant really. Anything above 30c is hot, above 20 is warm, above 10 is tolerable, as at home. As long as it's not -20c, we can deal with it if necessary. We're going to Moscow remember, not Siberia.

*= play-off specific dates last year, so unavoidable.

[Nedser]

I was there when we played them last, at the beginning of September, it was 30c. I don't know what you consider cold, but it was shirt sleeve weather for me.

You really just can't admit you were wrong, can you? You claimed it would be "warm" no matter when we played Russia. Do you still stand by that?!

I was also in Moscow last time. It wasn't anywhere near 30 degrees at any time on that trip, and that game was played at night, so I'd be surprised if it was over 20 during the game. To put 30 degrees in context, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Dublin was 28 degrees. It certainly wasn't hotter during that game than the hottest day ever recorded in Dublin. Yes it was shirt sleeve weather, but that means anything from about 17 degrees up to the average Irishman!

Anyway, I'm done with this, I think everyone knows extreme heat would not be an advantage to us, end of.

[mypost]

Yes I do still stand by it, and the 30c quote too, as it was stated as the temp there at the time. I'm not going to argue with you on that issue.

I also recognise that "extreme heat" wouldn't be an advantage to us, but it's nothing to be frightened of, with some people you'd swear we were heading off to some tropical island near the Equator rather than Moscow. The biggest danger in Skopje and Yerevan would be the possibility of earthquakes, not extreme heat.