Preliminary Draw of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

**ArdeeBhoy** · 27/07/2011, 1:41 PM

If we're worried about Kerr or the Faroes,

then we might as well withdraw, FFS.

Even I'm not that pessimistic.

**Yard of Pace** · 27/07/2011, 1:46 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Are you serious? I struggle to think of a single article he wrote since leaving the job that wasn't laced with poison

His match previews/reviews in the Irish Times often did betray some bitterness, that's true. But he always came across as a fan of the Irish team and wanted us to do well. I'd say his success with the Faroes has erased that bitterness a fair amount. He got a raw deal from the FAI and from the fans and he was entitled to feel peeved. I think he's restored his reputation now somewhat and I don't for a second think that he'd really really hope to take points off us, if we ended up in their group. (Of course, if we're dropping points to the Faroes we'd probably not be good enough to qualify anyway)

**culloty82** · 27/07/2011, 1:48 PM

Don't forget the mammoth 16-game South American round robin will take two years to complete also. Interesting that Montenegro have climbed all the way from the last to the second pot, I'd happily take Norway, Slovenia, Albania, Faroes and San Marino.

**Hibs4Ever** · 27/07/2011, 2:07 PM

Would like:

Norway
Slovakia
N.Ireland
Estonia
San Marino

**CraftyToePoke** · 27/07/2011, 3:05 PM

Originally Posted by Yard of Pace

I don't for a second think that he'd really really hope to take points off us

I would disagree there, Id say he would relish the chance, and it would boost his standing further, which will be his priority these days, not our campaign. And if he managed it, good luck to him, as sore as I'd be about it.

**Sullivinho** · 27/07/2011, 3:12 PM

Originally Posted by Hibs4Ever

Would like:

Norway
Slovakia
N.Ireland
Estonia
San Marino

I'd take that, even though Estonia seem to have improved of late. Two competitive games against the North of Ireland would be tasty. Wouldn't fear Greece from the top pot either. Ditto for Kerr's Faroes. I'd worry more about a Staunton-fueled Liechtenstein.

**mypost** · 28/07/2011, 1:47 AM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

We qualified for 1990, 1994 and 2002 coming out of possibly the toughest of groups each time. I would love us to get Spain as our first seed (as in 90 and 94).

We got out of the 1990 group by 4 points and 12 goals. It wasn't the hardest group.

In saying that, I don't want Spain this time.

**Closed Account 2** · 28/07/2011, 10:54 AM

I've an excel sheet that does a random draw, if anyone wants it I can send via email / pm.

Here are the three last random draws I did:

Croatia
Sweden
REP IRELAND
Albania
Macedonia
Kazakhstan

Italy
Turkey
REP IRELAND
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Malta

Netherlands
Serbia
REP IRELAND
Poland
Cyprus
Wales

First seeds I'd like Norway, Greece or Croatia, even Italy at a push. I really wouldnt want Germany and to a lesser extent Holland.

2nd pot I'd take Slovenija and Denmark, I wouldnt want Russia or France (except for revenge on the latter), possibly not Serbia but the rest I would be happy enough with.

As were in the 3rd block I'm glad we avoid Switzerland and Israel as we dont have a great history against them. Bosnia and Belgium are two teams I'm happy to avoid as well. In pot 4 I'd take Lithuania or Scotland, of the rest I'd want to avoid Romania but wouldnt be devastated if we got them.

In pot 5 I wouldnt want Armenia or Finland and in Pot 6 Wales or Iceland, but you would hope to be able to beat all of the pot 5/6 teams anyway.

**Crosby87** · 28/07/2011, 11:11 AM

Is Borat the manager of Kazakhstan? My sister. She is prostitute.

**Deckydee** · 28/07/2011, 11:21 AM

To be honest I would love to get England. I have nothing against them personally, I visit there on a regular basis and could never ever say anything bad about them.

We've had some cracking matches over the years and there is always that something (as the french say, a certain "je ne sais quoi") when we play them.

My group:

England
Sweden
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Lithuania
Azerbaijan
Luxembourg

**Closed Account 2** · 28/07/2011, 11:47 AM

I don't want England or the North, not because I am worried about the technical ability of either team (in terms of ability they are pretty much in the middle of pots 1 and 4). I don't want a scenario where either of them could lose against another contender in the last set of fixtures.

For instance, if we were in the following group (England, Sweden, Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta) and, with the final round of games to go, say England were 6 points clear (already won the group), and we were one point behind Sweden, and the last set of fixtures were Sweden v England and Ireland v Latvia, England could put out a weak team in Stockholm meaning irrespective of our result we couldnt catch the Swedes. England did something similar in Dnepetropetrovsk in 2009 - they lost to Ukraine meaning Croatia couldnt catch Ukraine.

Or another example, if the group was (Greece, Slovakia, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Latvia) and we were neck-and-neck with Greece and Slovakia going into the last set of games (like we were with the Swiss and Israel a few years ago) and the last fixtures were Northern Ireland v Slovakia, Ireland v Greece, the North might lose heavily to Slovakia and we wouldnt be able to catch them irrespective of our result with Greece).

I think it's better to avoid playing teams with whom we have sensitive relationships in the group stage.

**Noelys Guitar** · 28/07/2011, 1:17 PM

[QUOTE=mypost;1512985]We got out of the 1990 group by 4 points and 12 goals. It wasn't the hardest group.

In saying that, I don't want Spain this time.[/QUOTE

1990 3 teams that had qualified for the 86 world cup (Hungary, NI, Spain)and Malta made it a very tough group. Qualified

1994 we had Spain, Denmark, NI, Lithuania and Latvia. Qualified

1998 Easiest group possible of Romania, Iceland, Macedonia, Lithuania, Lichenstein. Did not qualify.

2002 Holland, Portugal, Estonia, Cyprus, Andorra. Qualified.

We always do better in a tough group. I would be quite happy with Spain and a very good second/third/fourth seeds as they tend to take points off one another. We are a very hard team to beat and are quite capable of going through a group unbeaten.

**AlaskaFox** · 28/07/2011, 1:21 PM

My random draw:
Croatia
Slovakia
IRELAND
Bulgaria
Azerbaijan
Malta

Would take that. Actually I'd probably be happy with 90% of the draws, but I am an eternal optimistic.

**SkStu** · 28/07/2011, 6:14 PM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Is Borat the manager of Kazakhstan? My sister. She is prostitute.

2006 called - it wants its joke back...

**Kingdom** · 28/07/2011, 7:29 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

I've an excel sheet that does a random draw, if anyone wants it I can send via email / pm.

Here are the three last random draws I did......

dear chris....please, please stop doing random draws, they're horrid and if they come through, I'll cry a little. Send me the link!

**Cymro** · 28/07/2011, 7:42 PM

Probably for the first time ever, people will not want to get us in the draw, if only because we're in pot 6. Although Liechtenstein are known for springing the odd shock so maybe they'll be more feared than us.

I hope we get a top team like Spain so I can watch some high-quality football in this next campaign. Northern Ireland and Estonia from the 4th and 5th pots would be nice and should see us finish top 4 in the group. Montenegro would also be good as I reckon we could beat them despite the good run of form they're having now.

**Bungle** · 28/07/2011, 8:58 PM

Pot 1: Spain, Netherlands, Germany, England, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Greece

Pot 2: France, Montenegro, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia, Slovakia

Pot 3: Switzerland, Israel, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary

Pot 4: Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Lithuania, Albania, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Poland

Pot 5: Armenia, Finland, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Moldova, FYR Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands

Pot 6: Wales, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, San Marino[/QUOTE]

I think we're going to get Greece (happy days), Serbia (very tough 2nd seed), Poland (very tough 4th seed), Armenia (tough 5th seed) and San Marino. Pure random guesswork but every time I do predictions of our groups for qualifying I get about 2 teams right!!

All in all if we got a group like that I'd be fairly happy, though I would worry that it might be like our group for 2006 where there is alot of draws and we end up with a low points total and a nightmare scenario that we come 2nd and with the lowest points total of all 2nd place teams we don't even make the playoffs.

**Crosby87** · 28/07/2011, 11:26 PM

Just asking why would anyone need a excel sheet to do this? Can't you just eye up the pots and get a general idea for the possibilities in like 2 seconds?

**DannyInvincible** · 28/07/2011, 11:49 PM

Originally Posted by Crosby87

Just asking why would anyone need a excel sheet to do this? Can't you just eye up the pots and get a general idea for the possibilities in like 2 seconds?

Hehe, indeed. Isn't it all terribly pointless as the draw is done at random anyway? A bit like a BBC headline about the draw yesterday, I kid you not: "England could face France in 2014 World Cup qualifying".

Yes, England could face France, as well as a possible selection of 43 other teams.

**gastric** · 29/07/2011, 8:08 AM

This article while possibly a bit sensational in content says a lot about where Irish soccer is at. I have put in here as I wasn't sure where else to put it.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...y-2834709.html