League of Ireland in Europe 2016

**swinfordfc** · 26/08/2016, 7:35 AM

Dundalk are the lowest ranked team left in Europe yet I think they can win games in Europa league - unlike Rovers a few years ago! (I hoping so anyhow) - Hope they get Plzen, Genk and Zurich - that's a great draw!

**Pablo Escobar** · 26/08/2016, 7:38 AM

Originally Posted by TonyD

The guy falling over on the ball, oh dear!

Was that Flower Lodge ?

Yeah that was Flower Lodge. Another great loss to the league.

**pineapple stu** · 26/08/2016, 8:55 AM

The changes to the Champions' League have been confirmed so.

Reading it though, it looks like the non-champions route is the one to be affected - the champions route is going to stay the same as at present. (There's no indication it's going to change anyway). It seems like, applied to this year, Gladbach, Roma, Villarreal and Man City wouldn't have been in the qualifying round, and Inter would be bumped up to the group stages from the Europa League. It looks like the clubs to potentially lose out are the non-champions of smaller clubs (e.g. Young Boys, Steaua, Porto and Monaco, who played the above four teams)

The changing of club coefficients may benefit Dundalk, but only if they continue qualifying for Europe of course.

Don't think it's quite as bad for the LoI as was being made out?

**ger121** · 26/08/2016, 9:03 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

The changes to the Champions' League have been confirmed so.

Reading it though, it looks like the non-champions route is the one to be affected - the champions route is going to stay the same as at present. (There's no indication it's going to change anyway). It seems like, applied to this year, Gladbach, Roma, Villarreal and Man City wouldn't have been in the qualifying round, and Inter would be bumped up to the group stages from the Europa League. It looks like the clubs to potentially lose out are the non-champions of smaller clubs (e.g. Young Boys, Steaua, Porto and Monaco, who played the above four teams)

The changing of club coefficients may benefit Dundalk, but only if they continue qualifying for Europe of course.

Don't think it's quite as bad for the LoI as was being made out?

Based on what you've outlined there Stu, then no not too bad. Haven't had a chance to read the changes in great detail but did see that the number of qualifying spots via the Champions Route will be reduced from 5 to 4. Not sure how that would change the current qualifying structure?

**pineapple stu** · 26/08/2016, 9:08 AM

Originally Posted by ger121

but did see that the number of qualifying spots via the Champions Route will be reduced from 5 to 4.

Missed that. That would be a bit of a blow alright. Not sure how they'd manage that - maybe a much expanded first round, possibly sucking the LoI in? Then the LoI less likely to be seeded in the second round I guess.

**seand** · 26/08/2016, 9:57 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Missed that. That would be a bit of a blow alright. Not sure how they'd manage that - maybe a much expanded first round, possibly sucking the LoI in? Then the LoI less likely to be seeded in the second round I guess.

I didn't see that either, are you sure ger121? The UEFA website announcement just says all champions will still have a chance of qualifying and that the full distribution list will be announced later in the year.

As it stands the top 4 countries get 11 automatic places.... that's moving to 16 which means 5 less places for champions of middle ranked countries or qualifiers. Hard to imagine that we in the champions route would lose less than 2 places, and possibly 3. Slight glimmer of hope is that the non-champions route has to be impacted severely too- you'd be taking Man City, Roma etc out of that route.

Current distribution for group phase:
Countries ranked 1-3 [ESP GER ENG] 3 places each [9 places] moving up to 4
Italy ranked 4 get 2 places in the groups- moving up to 4 (!)
Europa League winner: [1]

At present the other 20 places are allocated like this, and 5 of them have to go:
Countries ranked 5, 6: 2 places each [4]
Countries ranked 7-12: 1 place each [6]
Champions qualifying route (League of Ireland etc): [5]
League qualifying route: [5]

At present we have 41 national champions battling for 5 places. You'd have to think that's likely to be down to 2 or 3 places.

**ger121** · 26/08/2016, 10:46 AM

SeanD - read it on Yahoo Sport via a link I saw on Twitter. Could be inaccurate.

**BonnieShels** · 26/08/2016, 10:53 AM

Decent preamble to the Grauniad coverage:

Originally Posted by Guardian

Hello and welcome to the draw for the group stages of a tournament that Jose Mourinho never wanted to adorn but now aims to win. And so he should, for the best way for teams to prove that they are too good for a tournament is to beat everyone else in it rather than pout and strut like donkeys on a cat walk while supposedly lesser creatures sashay merrily past them. That�s got to be the key take-away from English clubs recent misbehaviour in Europe. Wouldn�t you agree, West Ham?

Southampton learned that last season and should be eager to atone. United and Southampton: that is the extent of English involvement in today�s draw because of West Ham�s injuries and chronic incorrigibility. Hats off to Astra Giurgiu, the 11th best team in Romania but, as of last night, two-time conquerors of the most overrated team in London. Sadly Edinburgh didn�t perform a whole lot better, as both Hibs and Hearts flunked out spectacularly in earlier rounds. There are, then, no Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish clubs among the 48 in today�s draw.

The League of Ireland, however, is represented in the group stages for only the second time, Dundalk overcoming widespread neglect at home to earn the right to perform in a tournament that full of quality and intrigue. It will be interesting to see who enjoys more support in Ireland if they are pitted against Manchester United, or even Southampton. The Scottish league may be going through lean times but at least most of its people haven�t abandoned it.

For any of the 48 teams in today�s draw to win the tournament, they will have to navigate their way through 15 matches. At this point United are probably vying with Roma and Internazionale for the title of favourites but that�s before any teams parachute in from the Champions League group stages. There�s still scope, then, for Sevilla to win four in a row. The final will be in Sweden�s new national stadium in Solna, near the scene of the 1958 World Cup final, so the perfect place for any budding new Pele to announce his arrival. Can you spot him already among any of the 48 teams below? They are split into four pots, with one to be taken from each during today�s draw to form a group, and that process to be repeated 12 times.

https://www.theguardian.com/football...tage-draw-live

**Philosophizer** · 26/08/2016, 10:57 AM

Fair balls to Paul Doyle, calling out the many Irish ppl who will be checking that article to see how their beloved Man Utd get drawn

**disgruntled** · 26/08/2016, 11:03 AM

The first thing I will be looking for is to see who Dundalk get.

**pineapple stu** · 26/08/2016, 11:29 AM

So top two seeds drawn so far.

Inter and Sparta looking interesting. Or Plzen and Roma. A nice profile game (non Premiership) plus a vaguely winnable trip to the Czech Republic.