European Football 2012

**ger121** · 21/07/2012, 4:41 PM

I think a good year,would probably be Pats into R3 and Rovers into EL Play-off round via the CL backdoor. Anything else beyond that would be a bonus

**swinfordfc** · 21/07/2012, 7:16 PM

Originally Posted by ger121

I think a good year,would probably be Pats into R3 and Rovers into EL Play-off round via the CL backdoor. Anything else beyond that would be a bonus

It vital for the Airtricity League that Rovers gets through on Tuesday night. If the do , they have at least 4 more games in Europe. St Pats better get through to the next round especially after dominating the game in Bosnia and still only drawing 1-1

**oriel** · 23/07/2012, 10:54 AM

Of course it would be good if all sides get through, Pats prob have the best chance, followed by Rovers, then Sligo really up against it to win 2-0 (or better)

I think one point missed by a lot is the difficulty that most Irish clubs have in competing in Europe. Regardless of the opposition, I still think its a great achievement to win even one game. We can grind out draws and generally run teams close, but it does seem to be getting harder. When I think back to the match away to Grevenmacher we played in Lux in 2010, sweltering heat of 30+ C at kick off, and the negative reviews we got for 'only drawing 3-3 away', ok we beat them at home, but it was very difficult, and its the same for most clubs these days I feel.

Good luck to all of them this month.

**CuanaD** · 23/07/2012, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by ger121

I think a good year,would probably be Pats into R3 and Rovers into EL Play-off round via the CL backdoor. Anything else beyond that would be a bonus

I think a good result would be 1 full coefficient point (we are on 0.625 at the moment),
so one more win & 1 more draw,
anything more than that would be a bonus

**Bawnville Hoop** · 23/07/2012, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by CuanaD

I think a good result would be 1 full coefficient point (we are on 0.625 at the moment),
so one more win & 1 more draw,
anything more than that would be a bonus

We should really be aiming for 1.500. Not impossible.

**swinfordfc** · 23/07/2012, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Bawnville Hoop

We should really be aiming for 1.500. Not impossible.

I agree ..... should be over 1 now by right .....

**nigel-harps1954** · 23/07/2012, 12:52 PM

Would I be right in saying, this year really needs to be 2.500 or more to stay where we are in the rankings? Do we lose 08-09 co-efficient after this season?

Currently, we're 8th worst ranked country this season so far.

**swinfordfc** · 23/07/2012, 2:00 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Would I be right in saying, this year really needs to be 2.500 or more to stay where we are in the rankings? Do we lose 08-09 co-efficient after this season?

Currently, we're 8th worst ranked country this season so far.

Lose 2.500 start of next season

**Dodge** · 23/07/2012, 2:25 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Would I be right in saying, this year really needs to be 2.500 or more to stay where we are in the rankings? Do we lose 08-09 co-efficient after this season?

Currently, we're 8th worst ranked country this season so far.

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/...crank2013.html

This shows next year's rankings (with updated results from this season). The 2.5 is with us for another year

The 2.5 include 1 point that Pats earned for drawing with Hertha in the 2nd lef of the UEFA CUp 1st round (proper) in 08/09. Derry earned the same in 06/07 (PSG). AFter that the seedings were revamped and only group stage results gave whole points to nations and clubs

If you're chasing co-efficients, then the round of entry shouldn't be that important. Now club ranking points mean more

Rovers will win tomorrow

**paul_oshea** · 23/07/2012, 3:29 PM

Ya, thats if its the same clubs getting back to Europe every year, like Pats for example, given their good results over the years, i still find it hard to see they aren't ranked higher on club points for the 2nd round.

Thats a bold statement, what makes you so confident oh wise one?

**PartySaint** · 23/07/2012, 3:35 PM

Looking at that table it would be good if pats and Rovers could win this week. Lithuania right behind us and Bosnia 3 places ahead of us.

**abcd** · 23/07/2012, 5:40 PM

Really is it a terrible thing if our coefficient slips? All things being equal having two teams in the first round gives teams a chance to build up co-efficient points. You'd hope we'd have better representatives than Bohs next year but say next year if Shamrock Rovers were to start at the first qualifying round of the Europa League, if things are back in some sort of shape there you'd fancy them to progress through a few rounds and pick up a lot of co-efficient points. Hopefully Pats get through on Thursday and they have built up a good ranking in Europe and should be seeded in the Europa next year again be it round 1 or 2. Sligo is the problem as they'll be unseeded if they are in the CL next season but it depends on the luck of the draw, there are always a few seeded sides who are beatable.

Our other representatives are unlikely to beat great but they couldn't do any worse than Bohs.

**SkStu** · 23/07/2012, 5:48 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Ya, thats if its the same clubs getting back to Europe every year, like Pats for example, given their good results over the years, i still find it hard to see they aren't ranked higher on club points for the 2nd round.

Thats a bold statement, what makes you so confident oh wise one?

I think Rovers will get a score draw which would see them through. Wouldn't be so definitive on Rovers winning any game in their current state.

**Charlie Darwin** · 23/07/2012, 5:52 PM

I wouldn't be so definite on Rovers scoring a goal in their current state.

**SkStu** · 23/07/2012, 5:52 PM

Our other representatives are unlikely to beat great but they couldn't do any worse than Bohs.

We have been particularly sh!te in Europe lately though its a bit unfair to forget that we did do a fair chunk of the groundwork in getting the Leagues coefficient raised in the first place which subsequently made things a tad easier for our compatriots.

**bennocelt** · 23/07/2012, 9:00 PM

Originally Posted by abcd

Really is it a terrible thing if our coefficient slips? All things being equal having two teams in the first round gives teams a chance to build up co-efficient points. You'd hope we'd have better representatives than Bohs next year but say next year if Shamrock Rovers were to start at the first qualifying round of the Europa League, if things are back in some sort of shape there you'd fancy them to progress through a few rounds and pick up a lot of co-efficient points.

.

Yeah because we might just beat teams from leagues that are lower than us like Lithuania and Iceland......oh wait!

**abcd** · 23/07/2012, 9:19 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

Yeah because we might just beat teams from leagues that are lower than us like Lithuania and Iceland......oh wait!

Maybe not all of the time but Pats have beaten opposition from Iceland x 2, Kazahstan, Malta, Latvia etc. in the early rounds has all helped raise their club co-efficient.

Ok Bohs lost to the Icelandic team but if Pats had got the same team I'd imagine they'd have progressed comfortably enough.

Shamrock Rovers are going poorly and still created more than enough chances to beat the (seeded) Lithuanians at home and if they play with the required composure tomorrow they still have a decent chance of progression.

There are likely to be times when you get opposition from San Marino or Andorra or somewhere like that also.

Sligo got straight into round 3 last year which was good in one way but they came up against a good side and could only pick up a small percentage of co-efficient points but if they'd started in round 1 or round 2 they might have got some results that would have boosted their co-efficient and possibly have had them seeded for future European campaigns.

All I'm saying is that its not the end of the world if the coefficient slips a little. Ok we'd all like us to be back in the top 30 but that position was slightly false. I think the league needs to take stock and stabilise and we should find our level around 35 or so for a few years and hopefully then push on in the future.

**abcd** · 23/07/2012, 9:23 PM

Originally Posted by SkStu

We have been particularly sh!te in Europe lately though its a bit unfair to forget that we did do a fair chunk of the groundwork in getting the Leagues coefficient raised in the first place which subsequently made things a tad easier for our compatriots.

Fair enough Bohs had some good European results in the early 00's better than Galway United anyway

but they weren't really in a position to be a good representative of the league this season due to their squad constraints.

**PartySaint** · 24/07/2012, 1:10 AM

So we want to lower our co-efficient so we can improve our co-efficient?

**dfx-** · 24/07/2012, 3:41 AM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I wouldn't be so definite on Rovers scoring a goal in their current state.

I'd be reasonably confident of scoring a goal, but concede a few others at the other end. 1-0 turning quickly to 3-0 is not out of the question. Last year 1-0 stayed 1-0 in Copenhagen and Belgrade and kept it competitive.