QuoteWhat 3rd qualifying round?Originally Posted by Article
I hope this body goes ahead... its something we really needRichardson's roadmap for European success
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independ...&issue_id=12895
TURNER'S CROSS will be rocking on Thursday (7.30) when Cork City meet Djurgarden (Sweden) for a place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Cup, and Leeside boss Damien Richardson is confident his players will be up for the challenge.
"We've done a great job in Sweden," he said, "now we've got to complete the second stage. The players won't have any fear whatsoever - they don't want any 'if onlys' afterwards.
"We know what we have to do, and so do Djurgarden - it's a typical European game. They really pushed us in the second half out there, but it pleased me that we had the diligence and concentration to stay with them. They extended us mentally and physically, and if we are to progress we have to go up that notch.
"We daren't sit back and try to slow the game down. We have to force our personality on the game."
That's what Cork did in the first half in Sweden, catching the opposition by surprise with Neale Fenn's early goal, but that element of surprise is now gone. "They will come with more respect for us than they had in the home game," said Richardson. "They were misled by the game against Shamrock Rovers a few years ago. They know now they got out of jail and that they face a serious challenge."
The game has attracted huge interest in Sweden as Djurgarden could be their country's only team in the UEFA Cup if they beat Cork. As a result, the game is being televised live (RTE2) and will be beamed direct to Sweden.
With only two players not senior internationals, Djurgarden are a very experienced outfit, but Richardson believes his team have the ability to get through to Friday's draw.
"In Lithuania in the first round they gave the best performance I have ever been associated with in Europe," he said. "They were magnificent, and Liverpool's subsequent difficulties with a team which was so far behind Ekranas in the Lithuanian league put that into perspective."
To achieve a place in the third qualifying round would be a significant feather in Richardson's cap, as this is his first season in charge of a full-time squad.
"Previously when I was in charge for European games," he said, "we were at a disadvantage, playing with so few games under our belt against teams who were in the middle of their season. I always wanted to play teams who were out of season, but what happens? The first teams I come up against are both mid-way through their seasons.
"Being in charge of part-timers was very frustrating in many ways, it's so much easier to get your message across to full-time players. I can see immense improvement with the move to full-time football and more so the move to summer football.
"In winter you couldn't spend too much time on set-pieces, for instance, or the players would catch cold. The performances of our teams in Europe show the difference the switch to summer makes.
"I thought it would take four to five years to crack the European scene, but if we can do it in a shorter space of time, what can we do in another four to five years if we apply the lessons we are learning?
"I've learned valuable lessons this season and I'd like to find out what lessons Shelbourne, Longford and the Irish team have learned. Our experience could be enriched by other people's experiences.
"It's time for the FAI and the League club chairmen to get together and see what we can do to get to the next stage. There is great promise being shown in the League and nowhere more than in Europe, so now is the time to pool our experiences.
"Brian Kerr has more experience than anyone else and Packie Bonner, and then myself and Pat Fenlon - and we should put the lessons we have learned in a central pool and thus eradicate the mistakes that are being made. If we're going to succeed we will only do so by learning each other's lessons. And the initiative for this has to come from the top.
"We have years of poor results to make up for from the days when European games were looked on as a reward for the previous season's work. Now we don't just travel to make up the numbers, we expect to make progress."
Richardson is hopeful that the FAI will answer his call on this issue, pointing to the €10,000 grant given to Cork to help with their preparations as evidence of their goodwill.
"Shelbourne, as Champions League representatives, got a little more, but the grant covered our expenses for the draw and allowed Dave Hill to have a look at our opposition."
In typical Richardson fashion, he threw in one of his famous footballing maxims: "The better you become, the smaller the steps to success are, but they are also the most important."
In that regard, he is hoping that Cork will take a small step to the third qualifying round on Thursday, and that the FAI will organise an end of season meeting where the lessons learned in Europe this season can be pooled for future advantage
What 3rd qualifying round?
He ment to say the first proper round, its basically the 3rd round anyway!What 3rd qualifying round?The group stages are after that round aren't they?
I agree with most of richardsons points above about forcing theyre own personality on the game and not sitting back like shelbourne did at home to steua bucharest. I firmly believe lessons can be learnt if some kind of a body is setup... Nice gesture by the FAI to pay expenses for european games.
I think the journo got confused about the third qualifying round. The next round is the First round propper, which is followed by a group stage. So I suppose you could view the first round as the third qualifying round for the group stage (except that you earn more coefficient points!)
I know what he meant lads, I just think it's a bit crap that the journalist doesn't have the knowledge to get it right. It's no slip as he made the mistake twice. I'm glad Rico is stating they won't sit back, I just hope he means it. Yes by the way, the group stage is round 2. Groups of 5 with 4 games, 2 at home, 2 away. Top 3 go through I think.
i think the journo used the term 3rd qualifying round to describe where they are in the competition. The first round proper is a bit confusing to people who only watch the Champions League.
yeah, it's a bit strange having two qualifying rounds, then a first round, then group stages, makes more sense to just call it 3 qualifiers and then the group stages.
Good interview though, sounds like he has a decent grasp of what he needs to do to get through. Not adverse to looking for help from others either.
Foot.ie's entire existence is predicated on the average idiot's inability to ignore other idiots
I dont think any team no matter what country they are from automatically qualifies for the group stage of the uefa cup so it is the first round proper as opposed to a qualifier
Fair point. But should a broadsheet pander to idiots?
Rico's idea is very worthwhile. In fact if they had it in a large enough arena and opened it to anyone with a coaching qualification and charged a small attendance fee... it could be self financing. Failing that. It could be recorded and televised at a later date... preferably on TG4.
That's true but in the sense of all teams attempting to qualify for the group stages it's the third round of those.
Foot.ie's entire existence is predicated on the average idiot's inability to ignore other idiots
The newspaper made a mistake. There's really no need for a big debate.
Did Rico's roadplan amount to anything more than saying the managers should meet up to discuss how things went?
Its not a big debate its a discussion
well your right, it should be called in the newspaper what it is called in football -1st round proper.
However If you were counting from 1 to 3 you wouldnt go , 1, 2, and then 1 again. UEFA should figure that one out sometime.
Anyway, 1-2-1 or 1-2-3 it doesnt matter. What matters is how Cork and other EL clubs fair in Europe and Im glad to hear that Richardson is taking Europe serious and not out for a day trip.
There was a discussion on RTE there one night after Shels played Steaua and Eoin hand brought up the idea about a central database that every club could access playing games in Europe (well i think it was him). Hopefully that will get the go ahead.
Clubs have to sit down and formulate how they deal with other teams coming over here for qualifers for the Champions League or UEFA Cup. The way it is at the moment is that Irish clubs bend over backwards to accomadate other clubs. This isnt the norm in other countries.
I was talking to my Spanish friend and I think he said the way it works is , if the club is a big enough club then you co-operate any way you can.. like Deportivo or someone that size.. anything smaller and you just do the bare minimum.
Does it really matter for feck sake.......good article!!
Where you start is not as important as where you finish!!!!
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