LOI in Europe 2011

**ger121** · 22/07/2011, 7:49 AM

Originally Posted by KianD

What strikes me there is that one of the Scottish teams needs to pull off something spectacular this year or they're going to crash down the rankings and ending up with much the same entry position as we have...

Which would be delightful when dealing with SPL barstoolers

Well it won't be Dundee Utd! The list for 2013 has them provisionally at 29, which is 4 places ahead of us. I'm sure that's not where they will end up but still shows the decline in Scottish football

**legendz** · 22/07/2011, 7:49 AM

SPL generally have a club or two in group stages and pick up the points to compensate a team losing out early. It's the way they've built their coefficient. Some players 42 week contracts mightn't be enough if their clubs happen to pull off a group stage berth.

**DannyInvincible** · 22/07/2011, 8:06 AM

Originally Posted by KianD

What strikes me there is that one of the Scottish teams needs to pull off something spectacular this year or they're going to crash down the rankings and ending up with much the same entry position as we have...

Yeah, if SPL clubs continue their current vein of form in Europe, the league's ranking could well slip down to 25th or lower in Europe by 2013: http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/...crank2013.html

St. Pat's are actually ranked ahead of Hibs at present: http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/...trank2012.html

Elsewhere, TV3 have confirmed they'll be broadcasting the Copenhagen-Rovers game live.

Not the Irish TV3, of course. I mean the Danish TV3.

**DannyInvincible** · 22/07/2011, 8:36 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

SPL generally have a club or two in group stages and pick up the points to compensate a team losing out early. It's the way they've built their coefficient. Some players 42 week contracts mightn't be enough if their clubs happen to pull off a group stage berth.

The SPL's current position (16th in Europe) is more or less reliant on Rangers' having made their way to the UEFA Cup final in 2007-08. It was a rather exceptional performance, in the strictest meaning of the term, compared to performances of Scottish clubs since. Scottish clubs, including Rangers and Celtic, have done relatively very little for the SPL's co-efficient since that. If you were to take an average of Scottish clubs' performances in Europe for the last three years (1.875, 2.666 and 3.600) and included that value (2.714) as a predicted total for this year's tally (0.250 so far with three out of four teams still left in competition), as well as replacing the 2007-08 tally (10.250) with that average for the sake of gauging where current form would leave the SPL, it would leave it with a total co-efficient of 13.568 for five seasons. If we were to place that in last season's table covering five complete seasons of performances in European competition for every league in Europe, the SPL would be ranked in 29th position. If we were to slot it into this season's as-of-yet-incomplete table it would slot in at 28th with two Serbian teams (the Serbian league has a current co-efficient of 13.500 and is ranked 29th) still to play further fixtures. The League of Ireland is ranked 33rd with three out of four teams still to play further games. Admittedly, I've manipulated the figures a bit, but it provides an interesting perspective.

**paul_oshea** · 22/07/2011, 9:01 AM

That bohs goal reminds me of many similar mistakes made under fenlons teams in Europe(only talking about europe in this paragraph..

) in years gone by. Makes me wonder if its how he sets out his stall and what he instills in his players for the games....perhaps they are somewhat uptight and uneasy and unsure, therefore these simple mistakes are being made through panic and fear. One wonders also, given that they seemed to be the better team at home should they have done more away....again something that fenlon always seems to do, gives too much respect to the opposition away from home. I can understand this to an extent when you cant afford to go over and see them play before or dont get enough games on DVD or whatever, but surely over a half an astute manager can figure this stuff out.

Pats surely would feel confident with an away game first, if they got a score draw or even a score loss, getting them back to Dublin and doing what was required, assuming not a 3-1 or 4-1 loss...

**legendz** · 22/07/2011, 9:28 AM

The league has achieved the minimum I hoped for. 2 or 3 clubs in round 3 of one or both competitions and at least 1 club in the play-offs. Anything else from here will be a bonus. I'm hopeful one of Pat's or Sligo will make the play-offs. If both can, it'll be fantastic.

**Straightstory** · 22/07/2011, 9:44 AM

Great game at Richmond Park. Hard luck Bohs.

**punkrocket** · 22/07/2011, 10:03 AM

Pity we can't play the next round in Richmond

So where's it likely to be The RDS?
Can Sligo play the next game at the Showgorunds?

**passinginterest** · 22/07/2011, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by punkrocket

So where's it likely to be The RDS?
Can Sligo play the next game at the Showgorunds?

Great result for Pat's and good to see a decent performance from Bohs too. Hopefully the positivity will continue in the next round.

Pat's are using Tallaght going by Pete Mahon's interview on the radio this morning.

**Kingdom** · 22/07/2011, 10:14 AM

Delighted for Pats, hard luck to Bohs, pity they didn't get the win they deserved by all accounts given they won't be in Europe for a while, would've been a nice way to sign out. Still at least they got something for the co-efficient.

As for the rest of the clubs, Pats and Sligo are more than capable of getting positive results at home, Pats have shown this time and again in Europe, whereas Sligo by the sounds of it are suited to playing in Europe with the type of game they've developed. I wouldn't be as pessimistic as others, I think they both have a great chance more so now they are away first.
Rovers are up against it, Copenhagen are as serious a Non-star team as they could have got. They'll need to work hard over there first. Here's hoping!

Where will Pats play L'vov? Will be looking to bring the young fella to his first match.
Edit just saw PI's post - Tallaght, nice one.
Out of interest what is the failing in Richmond that is preventing it from hosting 3rd round games and on? Is there that much of a difference between it and the Showgrounds?

**Hibs4Ever** · 22/07/2011, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Where will Pats play L'vov? Will be looking to bring the young fella to his first match.

SDCC have offered St Pats the use of their stadium so that's being negotiated at moment

**paul_oshea** · 22/07/2011, 10:17 AM

I think there is an uncertainty there from both sides to be fair. I don't think anyone is really versed on Ukranian football bar what they see from the bigger teams in the CL/latter stages Europa league. IT could be another Scotland or it might not be. Either way a 5-0 win against Glentoran is still very comfortable, pre-season or not.

**paul_oshea** · 22/07/2011, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

SDCC have offered St Pats the use of their stadium so that's being negotiated at moment

Are Rovers allow to sub-lease, how exactly does this work? I mean if they charge a one-off fee do the council say we want some of that.

**Dodge** · 22/07/2011, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Are Rovers allow to sub-lease, how exactly does this work? I mean if they charge a one-off fee do the council say we want some of that.

Council get all of it. As they do from Setanta Cup final and underage games.

Rovers themselves pay a fortune for rent there

**paul_oshea** · 22/07/2011, 10:26 AM

Really? Thats sh1te, but i suppose they envisaged that, the council i mean on providing the lease, smart bit of business for once from a council.

I gather though any maintenance work etc(i dont mean grass cutting or lining the pitch) is carried out and paid for by the Council?

**Dodge** · 22/07/2011, 10:35 AM

Yeah. I think the stadium website says something like "owned for and operated by SDCC"

They have a fair bit of stuff there (they even turfed Rovers out a couple of years ago to get ready for the Real madrid friendly)

**DannyInvincible** · 22/07/2011, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by passinginterest

Great result for Pat's and good to see a decent performance from Bohs too. Hopefully the positivity will continue in the next round.

Pat's are using Tallaght going by Pete Mahon's interview on the radio this morning.

Interview with Mahon here: http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/art...game-tallaght/

Tallaght, Thomond Park and Lansdowne were aired as possible ideas for an acceptable venue. According to Mahon, the RDS wasn't suitable, although he wasn't sure why exactly. I think they're going with Tallaght. Probably for the best.

Originally Posted by Kingdom

Out of interest what is the failing in Richmond that is preventing it from hosting 3rd round games and on? Is there that much of a difference between it and the Showgrounds?

Capacity is certainly one factor, although why the Showgrounds could be granted an exception but Richmond Park not, I'm not sure. And surely the RDS would have the requisite capacity as well. There are other factors such as medical and media facilities to be taken into account also, if memory serves me right.

**Dodge** · 22/07/2011, 10:42 AM

I think the RDS was out due to the Horseshow

**pineapple stu** · 22/07/2011, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by DannyInvincible

There are other factors such as medical and media facilities to be taken into account also, if memory serves me right.

Wasn't floodlights a major problem? Weren't strong enough.

**legendz** · 22/07/2011, 10:49 AM

Karpaty 18:30 St Patrick's (7.30 pm Irish time)
Referee: Martin Str�mbergsson (SWE) – Stadium: Ukrayina Stadion, Lviv (UKR)

Vorskla 19:00 Sligo (8pm Irish time)
Referee: Gediminas Mažeika (LTU) – Stadium: Vorskla, Poltava (UKR)

Irish clubs are having a good bit of luck having the first leg away.