League of Ireland in Europe 2014

[pineapple stu]

Should be pointed Soligorsk were 0-0 until the 89th minute. Must have been caught on the break trying to get an equaliser. They also hammered a Belgian side in the last round (and another Belgian side put out Hull)

[GypsyBlackCat]

For some reason this one from the same game seems to not be getting the same amount of press:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwJchdXCcAAgpGY.jpg

How could anyone hate Jimi Hendrix?

It's a misundertanding. They hope to unveil Malky Mackay as their new Head Coach.

[A N Mouse]

Aberystwyth? Banga? Jeunesse as a seed? Easiest qualifying draw ever for the LoI this season.

Anyway, if the draws have been rejigged and you drop by getting a bye into round 1, that'll go for all countries. We've still dropped from 29th to 40th when compared to the other countries playing in the exact same tournament.

Worth noting that two Cypriot teams have put out two Russian teams in the Europa league today. Apollon Limassol won 4-1 away to Lokomotiv Moscow. (To put that in context, the other Russian team just knocked out Real Sociedad) That's three Cypriot teams in the groups (including the CL), with the fourth just 2-1 down against Spurs. We need some of what they're having.

Edit - shut my mouth. Dinamo Moscow score deep, deep into extratime (livescore showing into the 11th minute now?) to put Omonia out. Still, what are they doing that we can do?

So we've dropped from our highest ever position which no matter how you want to butter it was simply unsustainable , to exactly where we where ten years ago, before any improvement started.

We almost had three clubs competive, when suddenly we had four clubs in the competitions.

To have all four clubs contribute positively, is progress. It remains to be seen if it's repeatable.

Look at this chart from bert's site.

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/plots.html

There's a magic barrier about 29th, only Belarus seem to have passed through it. The only other Country that has not stood still (or gone backward) in those standings is Cyprus, - they're in a decent position now, but unless they get some results in the groups, they could drop back to the mid twenties when they lose their good year.

[ArdeeBhoy]

I think he means UEFA went by the book in awarding Celtic a 3-0 victory. It's with their own club those Legia fans should be livid. It's a visually-impressive display and all that - there's even truth in the suggestion that UEFA have a liking for money - but it's just idiotic victim-playing really. Celtic weren't awarded a 3-0 victory by UEFA because it was more profitable for UEFA to do so; it was because Legia broke a regulation for which the only punishment stipulated was the match being declared forfeit. Legia gave UEFA no choice in the matter.

Well they're morons for their consistent whining. Them and their fascist fans...
I liked this quote from elsewhere.

"I assume if Legia fans feel so strongly about the sentiment behind the banner, they will lobby their club to refuse the invitation to the Champions League next season should they qualify. And should the club ignore the lobbying, the fans will refuse to attend the fixtures. After all, it’s not football that matters in UEFA’s world, it’s the money and that's an agenda that Legia has a long, proud and justly famous history in combating."

[DannyInvincible]

For some reason this one from the same game seems to not be getting the same amount of press:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BwJchdXCcAAgpGY.jpg

How could anyone hate Jimi Hendrix?

Isn't that a youthful Michael Jackson? I understand they were big fans of older Michael Jackson.

[pineapple stu]

So we've dropped from our highest ever position which no matter how you want to butter it was simply unsustainable

So we agree we've gone backwards in the past few years. In the main because where we were was unsustainable. I think bennocelt's comment was fair enough.

[bennocelt]

I suppose to be fair, LOI teams are definitely more competitive in games these days. Long gone are the awful 10-0 agg trashings of yesteryear.

[gufcfan]

Was a bit disheartening when a club from a country I couldn't point to on a map could beat Pats 10-0 on aggregate. Things have improved, but we're kidding ourselves if we thing they are still going that way.

[DannyInvincible]

I suppose to be fair, LOI teams are definitely more competitive in games these days. Long gone are the awful 10-0 agg trashings of yesteryear.

In spite of the first-leg heroics, Pat's were beaten by Legia by the not-so-respectable aggregate score of 6-1. Soligursk also beat Derry by the same aggregate score. 6-1 isn't as bad as a 10-0 thrashing, granted, but it's the type of seemingly-uncompetitive scoreline we'd also rather have left in yesteryear.

[bennocelt]

In spite of the first-leg heroics, Pat's were beaten by Legia by the not-so-respectable aggregate score of 6-1. Soligursk also beat Derry by the same aggregate score. 6-1 isn't as bad as a 10-0 thrashing, granted, but it's the type of seemingly-uncompetitive scoreline we'd also rather have left in yesteryear.

Yeah thats true but in both games the LOI teams were competitive and it only became a goalfest when it looked likely neither would go through. If Derry had a defence they could easily have dispatched of that team, and the St Pats heads totally dropped after the first goal in Tallaght.

[TheBoss]

It looks like that Shamrock Rovers title of the 'Worst Europa League Group Stage Team in a single season' is perhaps coming to an end. Rovers achieved 0-0-6, GD 4-19 (-15). At the moment, Slovan Bratislava have a record 0-0-5, GD 1-17 (-16). Slovan only have to travel to Italy to face Napoli, who have to win to top their group, so maybe some hope for Rovers fans.

[ger121]

It looks like that Shamrock Rovers title of the 'Worst Europa League Group Stage Team in a single season' is perhaps coming to an end. Rovers achieved 0-0-6, GD 4-19 (-15). At the moment, Slovan Bratislava have a record 0-0-5, GD 1-17 (-16). Slovan only have to travel to Italy to face Napoli, who have to win to top their group, so maybe some hope for Rovers fans.

I posted this earlier too in the World Football forum. Can't seen them getting anything. They've only scored once in 5 games and conceded an average of over 3.

[BonnieShels]

Just had a look at the UEFA coefficient tables. Liechtenstein, a country WITHOUT a national league, are ranked higher than us.

http://www.uefa.com/memberassociatio...kings/country/

Gah.

[Louth4sam]

Just had a look at the UEFA coefficient tables. Liechtenstein, a country WITHOUT a national league, are ranked higher than us.

http://www.uefa.com/memberassociatio...kings/country/

Gah.

They only have one team that qualifies each year so all points are based on their performance.

[bennocelt]

And a team that I would be fairly confident would beat most, if not all, the LOI teams at the mom (perhaps Dundalk would give them a game)

[BonnieShels]

They only have one team that qualifies each year so all points are based on their performance.

Aye they do. The point being though, they are still ahead of us. Whatever technical reason exists for them being there they are still ahead of us. If they had a league they would also get CL places which they are not getting now and feasibly could be ahead of us as well in that scenario.

Do you think it is acceptable?

And a team that I would be fairly confident would beat most, if not all, the LOI teams at the mom (perhaps Dundalk would give them a game)

And there you have it. How is that acceptable? Granted they play in the Swiss league, but I just think it is ghastly that this exists.

[Acornvilla]

Longford couldn't beat them

[Louth4sam]

Do you think it is acceptable?

Definitely not. They are getting the benefit of extra prize money, gate receipts etc from playing in the Swiss league. They should get their European spots from that league. The Welsh League was formed for the exact same reason. Their clubs used to qualify for Europe through the Welsh cup but play in England.

[Dodge]

FFS lads, don't be worrying about a team from Liechtenstein and any fair/unfair advantage they have.

[Mr A]

It's a disgrace.

I blame Delaney's salary.