World Cup 2014 Group C Qualification Fixtures Meeting - Frankfurt 17/18 November 2011

[Tipp Townie]

Fair enough. And i think expecting 6 points from a double trip to Slovakia and the Czechs is asking alot anyway, no matter who's in charge

[mypost]

Preferred List:

Kazachstan (a), Faroes (h) September 2012
Austria (a) Germany (a) October
Kazachstan (h) Austria (h) March 2013
Faroes (a) June
Sweden (a) September
Germany (h) Sweden (h) October
Play-Off (a) Play-Off (h) November

The Germans are usually very fair and accommodating to other team's requests, so I don't expect the meeting not to reach agreement. One thing is guaranteed though. Germany will be at home in their final game, no matter what. So long as we don't have to go there then I don't mind, we have another play-off to play for...

[Charlie Darwin]

Germany had us at home in the first or second game last time, as far as I remember. I don't think they liked the situation qualifying for the World Cup when they had to beat Russia in the second last game. They'll probably want to get the Irish and Swedish games done early so they can wrap up qualification as quick as possible.

[Hibs4Ever]

The Germans are usually very fair and accommodating to other team's requests

What you basing this on? You been to some of their fixture meetings?

[mypost]

The last time we got them, the list was sorted in a couple of hours, with more teams and games. They also willingly agreed to us going there in the first game, and to have them as their last away game.

Compare that to how difficult the Russians were the last time, in insisting they held the fixture meeting, after it was agreed that Slovakia hold it, and then delaying it for another 4 weeks. Then there was no agreement because of the Armenians, and UEFA had to sort it out. The Germans are pragmatists and will conduct everything flawlessly.

[Hibs4Ever]

The last time we got them, the list was sorted in a couple of hours, with more teams and games. They also willingly agreed to us going there in the first game, and to have them as their last away game..

I'll ask again, how do you know all this? And what other teams requests have they also agreed to?

[brine3]

The last time we got them, the list was sorted in a couple of hours, with more teams and games. They also willingly agreed to us going there in the first game, and to have them as their last away game.

Compare that to how difficult the Russians were the last time, in insisting they held the fixture meeting, after it was agreed that Slovakia hold it, and then delaying it for another 4 weeks. Then there was no agreement because of the Armenians, and UEFA had to sort it out. The Germans are pragmatists and will conduct everything flawlessly.

Probably because it doesn't make a difference to the Germans either way. It's like us caring if we play Andorra at home first or away first.

[French Toasht]

If we got the same fixtures as we did for Euro 2012, then I would be delighted. Matching corresponding seedings of the two groups, a fixture list like this would be just perfect.

Sept 2012: Faroes (A)
Sept 2012: Kazakhstan (H)

Oct 2012: Germany (H)
Oct 2012: Sweden (A)

March 2013: Austria (H)

June 2013: Austria (A)

Sept 2013: Sweden (H)
Sept 2013: Germany (A)

Oct 2013: Kazakhstan (A)
Oct 2013: Faroes (H)

Crucial games in this group has to be ourselves and Sweden. If we can take 4 points from those encounters, we should get a playoff spot. Talking to many Swedes, they are not at all enamoured with the idea of having to play Ireland and they reckon it will be neck and neck between the two countries for a play off spot.

[mypost]

If we got the same fixtures as we did for Euro 2012, then I would be delighted. Matching corresponding seedings of the two groups, a fixture list like this would be just perfect.

That only came about because of UEFA doing the draw. Assuming the meeting this week reaches agreement, it won't be like that. I certainly want to go away to Germany, before they come here.

[French Toasht]

I think playing Germany away last in the group, could be a decent fixture. Playing Germany is never going to be easy but it is certainly a more attractive prospect to play them when they are already qualified.

[mypost]

Germany won every game in their last group, even after they qualified. Belgium went there last and lost the playoff spot. I wouldn't want to be having to go there on the last night needing a result.

If we go there early, then if the result goes wrong, at least it will be out of the way and there'll be "easier" games left to recover the ground.

[French Toasht]

The groups where things have gone wrong from the start ie Euro 2004 (early defeats against Russia and Switzerland) and Euro 2008 (early defeats to Germany and Cyprus), we have been out of contention before the group has even got underway almost. I think Ireland need to have good results under their belt early on, which gives the team great momentum. When we are playing catch up there never seems to be the belief that we will go away and beat a Germany or Sweden if thats whats necessary.

Again regarding Germany winning all their games in the last group, granted they did but again the easiest time to get a result against Germany is a time when they have qualified. For example, if Estonia are ever going to beat us, tomorrow night is their best chance. A team that is already qualified playing against team that is wounded and really have something to proove, would indicate that their best chance of beating us is now when we really don't have anything to play for. Granted we would like to qualify on home soil with a win, but thats merely aspirational, our goal has been achieved. They have a lot more to proove than we do.

[mypost]

The groups where things have gone wrong from the start ie Euro 2004 (early defeats against Russia and Switzerland) and Euro 2008 (early defeats to Germany and Cyprus), we have been out of contention before the group has even got underway almost. I think Ireland need to have good results under their belt early on, which gives the team great momentum. When we are playing catch up there never seems to be the belief that we will go away and beat a Germany or Sweden if thats whats necessary.

In the above cases, we had to go to Switzerland last and win. We know what happened. In the 2008 case, the second last away game was in Prague, and we were eliminated with 3 games remaining.

When we qualified for Euro 88, Italy '90, and Japan 2002, the toughest trips were early in the campaign, meaning we could make up the ground as the group went on. In '88 we got 7 points from the last 4 games, in '90 we got 10 from the last 5, and in 2002, we won 7 of our last 8 group games, before the playoff which we won again.

Again regarding Germany winning all their games in the last group, granted they did but again the easiest time to get a result against Germany is a time when they have qualified. For example, if Estonia are ever going to beat us, tomorrow night is their best chance. A team that is already qualified playing against team that is wounded and really have something to proove, would indicate that their best chance of beating us is now when we really don't have anything to play for. Granted we would like to qualify on home soil with a win, but thats merely aspirational, our goal has been achieved. They have a lot more to proove than we do.

It's important to have the last game at home imo. Having Armenia at home as the last group game was an extra help. Having the second leg at home in the playoff would have been a real advantage if we needed it. I wouldn't say no to playing Germany at home near the end, but having to go to Germany late on or the last night, no thanks.

[jbyrne]

swedens new stadium. 50,000 seater..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sw...ned_layout.png

[Closed Account 2]

The other advantage with playing easy games earlier and harder games last, is it could boost our seeding for Euro 2016 draw (assuming that is made at a similar time to the 2014 draw - i.e. prior to the completion of the next qualifiers). For instance Norway had easy fixtures prior to the draw and slipped into the top seeding pot, they were the 8th best team in Europe and so had a group of (them, Slovenia, Swiss, Albania, Cyprus, Iceland). On the other hand Denmark and Russia have done better since the draw and have now overtaken Norway, moving into the first pot and knocking the Norwegians back into the second seeds. Russia have Portgual and the Danish have Italy in their groups, they could have avioded both if they had been in the first pot like the Norwegians.

Other big movers were Wales, up 21 places and would have moved from the 6th (bottom) group to the 3rd group, Armenia would have also moved up from the 5th group to the 3rd. We ourselves would have moved up from the 3rd pot to the 2nd if the draw was done at the end of October. If we have our toughest games last, we might manage to grab a top seeding for 2016 qualification, or at the worst case consolidate our 2nd seeding. On the other hand if we have Germany twice early on we might be in danger of slipping back down to group 3 when the draw is made.

Euro 2016 has 24 teams, with the top 2 from each group going through, the highest 3rd place team will also go through (like Sweden did in second place for Euro 2012) and the rest of the third place teams will have play-offs, so being 2nd seeds (or higher) could be a big advantage.

[pineapple stu]

The other advantage with playing easy games earlier and harder games last, is it could boost our seeding for Euro 2016 draw (assuming that is made at a similar time to the 2014 draw - i.e. prior to the completion of the next qualifiers).

I think the World Cup draw was done early because other federations start earlier (52 countries have already been eliminated). That's not the case for the Euros, so I think it's likely the draw will revert to the usual November/December time.

[mypost]

The other advantage with playing easy games earlier and harder games last, is it could boost our seeding for Euro 2016 draw (assuming that is made at a similar time to the 2014 draw - i.e. prior to the completion of the next qualifiers).

You can assume different, because the Euro draws are never made until after the WCQ's are completed. Last year, it was February before the draw was made.

[French Toasht]

The other advantage with playing easy games earlier and harder games last, is it could boost our seeding for Euro 2016 draw (assuming that is made at a similar time to the 2014 draw - i.e. prior to the completion of the next qualifiers).

Don't have a link but I know that FIFA have stated explicitly that they will not hold the draw for WC qualification for the UEFA section until the Euro qualification campaign is complete. In short, what happened this year wont happen again.

[Crosby87]

Can we visit Borat when we go to Kazakhstan?

[The Swordsman]

So today is the day (and tomorrow too)

When are we going to know our fate? Will it be as soon as everything is decided or will the fixtures list have to be ratified by some committee in FIFA first.