Shouldn't it go without actually typing it out (twice), that Ireland is our 4th pot choice?Originally Posted by DeLorean
By the time the draw is done, we'll be 31st in the World, or thereabouts. 20th of the 24 teams.
The best draw we could get based on lowest World Rankings is France (25th), Ukraine(29th), Sweden(35th), Ireland(31st). Wouldn't fancy that much.
And the worst based on rankings is Belgium(1st), Austria(10th), Romania(16th), Ireland(31st). Which I prefer the look of. Strange.
Yeah, as much as a competitive game against France would be en enticing prospect, for obvious reasons, I don't think you ever want to come up against the hosts.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
It's all going to come down to our overall health. We have at least 3 key injuries between now and the Summer that will put who knows fitness in peril. At least 3.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
Do you remember the first game we played in Euro 2012? Vs Croatia? I remember we tied it at one but then things went downhill and we could all tell it was going to be a short trip. Lalas was laughing at Tommy Smith in the ESPN studios for saying Ireland were even mediocre. I said to myself; "Barbara, this team is not so good." Here was the starting lineup.
Given
Ward
Josh
Ssl
Dunne
McGeady
Duff
Whelan
K Andrews
Keane
Doyle
Subs used: Long, Cox, Walters.
Duff and Dunne were on last legs, Robbie was getting close, my point is we could be much stronger this time. Or am i wrong?
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
This is a better team than '12, no doubt about it.
You've got no fans.
Marginally better I'd say. Genuinely not all that much in the difference player for player, but big difference in confidence/coaching over last few games.
Author of Never Felt Better (History, Film Reviews).
the added youth of coleman, McCarthy, mclean and brady is also a big difference between then and now
McClean was there in 2012 as well. Not sure why Coleman missed out - maybe wasn't established enough. Ditto James McCarthy.
Have to say the age of the squad worries me. There's three who are 23 - Christie, Brady and Hendrick. Arter and McCarthy are 25. The average age of the squad v Bosnia was 28˝ - three months older than the Euro 2012 squad. And there's not one player in the under-21 set-up who has a senior cap - or even have been called up to the senior squad in the past 12 months. We've practically no young forwards coming through - Long (age 28) is as good as it gets really. By contrast, Albania have a 18-year-old forward in their senior squad who scored on his debut and recently signed for Internazionale. The most recent Iceland squad had seven players under 23, five of whom have caps. There's other examples at other smaller countries too.
I think we'll do ok at this Euros - better than last time - but I'd be worried about the next four years as players retire and we're not replacing them quickly enough.
But will save that worry for after the summer!
Last edited by pineapple stu; 19/11/2015 at 10:19 AM.
This became one of the sticks to beat Trapattoni after Euro 2012, why wasn't Coleman there. The simple truth was he had a pretty poor season in 2011/2012. He only started 17 of Everton's 47 games, but the majority of those were before Christmas. Coleman only started four games betweem January and May 2012, two in the league and two in the cup. John O'Shea was the established right full and Kevin Foley was initially selected as cover, but lost out to Paul McShane because he could cover both right full and centre half. In any case, I don't remember too many people being bothered about Coleman missing out when the squad was announced, as I said it was only in the following 12 months, when he had an excellent season in 2012/13, that people started to question the decision of not bringing him to Poland.
the point being that they were not in the team in 2012. I think mcclean got about 20mins in total at then euros and they other two were not in the squad based on form and family reasons in the case of mccarthy. colemans club form in the build-up to 2012 euros was dreadful from memory
20 minutes is about all I'd give McClean next year too.
Coleman's 27 btw - not exactly "added youth"
We're better equipped for next year - but I think it is more down to coaching/confidence rather than the players. And let's obviously touch wood that we don't get the injuries we did in 2012 (Given/Dunne in particular)
I wouldn't mind Given being completely crocked again the summer.
DID YOU NOTICE A SIGN OUTSIDE MY HOUSE...?
Four of the six third placed teams advance? Music to my ears heh.
Before hearing that my goal was to still be in contention come the third group game, but now my mind is wandering!
Would I be correct in assuming we'll be either A4, B4, C4, etc? I know France are automatically A1 but does this mean the rest of the Pot 1's will be B1, C1, etc. If this is the case then these are the possible venues for our group games:
Game No. A B C D E F 1 Lens Bordeaux Nice Paris Saint Denis Bordeaux 2 Paris Lille Lyon Saint-Étienne Toulouse Marseille 3 Lille Saint-Étienne Paris Bordeaux Nice Lyon
I always wanted to go to Marseille. Have any of you been? Ill get a beret and a pack of smokes. Cough. maybe some of you can cycle from Nice to Marseille.
No Somos muchos pero estamos locos.
was in Bordeaux for RWC 2007 and is a great city. great transport system, super weather, lots of great pubs and decent amount of accommodation.
I have been in Nice. My brother has a house on the outskirts. He should be afraid, be very afraid.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
Was in Nice and the surrounding area years ago myself. My friend's family have a house near Montpellier-Nîmes-Marseille. They should be afraid, be very afraid.
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