LoI in Europe 2024

**placid casual** · 13/12/2024, 9:51 AM

Irish society has a tendency to only do things once they're informed by someone from outside Ireland that they're good enough to do it.
Separately RTE looks like a bit of a binfire of an organization at present, and Virgin media are up in arms that they're not getting the same preferential treatment from the Irish government, but let's be honest Virgin media are just an annex of an english TV company.

**Straightstory** · 13/12/2024, 10:11 AM

Was at five of Rovers home European games and thoroughly enjoyed them. They've really come on since the Apoel game, where they were very lucky to escape with a draw. But they were magnificent last night - and played some very nice football along the way. Fair play to Bradley - he's delivered the goods. Hope Rovers fans have fun in London next week.

**pateen** · 13/12/2024, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by rebelmusic

Kenny's stock is going up by the hundreds of thousands by the hour. 3rd goal was impeccable

I say he'll be there next season, albeit on a higher price. Not quite the finished product for Celtic yet.

**Kingswood Rover** · 13/12/2024, 12:20 PM

hopefully but my Celtic pals sources saying he is getting 2 weeks off after Chelsea and has to report back to Lennoxtown for Training on Jan 10th.

**pateen** · 13/12/2024, 5:26 PM

Interesting, he's done well on fairness and with the u21s as well.

People knocking him like mad earlier in the season

**Nah Nah Nah Nah** · 13/12/2024, 5:59 PM

He said himself after the game last night he was going back. Not to say they won’t like the look of him after a month and loan him back out again.

**oriel** · 13/12/2024, 7:33 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Brilliant from Shamrock Rovers and Johnny Kenny been superb again tonight.

Yep, can't argue with any of that, they were on fire ! Some result.

**yurt** · 16/12/2024, 6:24 PM

Ireland are up to 31st in the overall table now after Rovers earned bonus points by qualifying.

Given the huge amount of points were going to have from this season for the next 5 years you'd hope we can build on it and cement our place in he Europa league qualifying.

**Nesta99** · 16/12/2024, 8:28 PM

FAI targets 20th place for LoI, annual crowds to surpass 1m, wider progress and improvement on infrastructure, clubs qualifying for groups stages semi regularly - genius of a job they are doing!

Really we all know that the stars have just aligned somehow but we do need them to milk it for everything they can. There needs to be a broader spread of clubs picking up coefficient points when they qualify for Europe. While Rovers run this year is exceptional, there have been indicidual decent runs in the past. It was always a but deressing to see LoI close on leagues above only to see that they still have 3 or 4 teams in Europe and we have a solo effort so we only close the game of climb the rankings for a matter of weeks, The next stage of LoI development will be more than 1 side in group stages and other sides progressing minimum 1 round every year and prferably more obviously. So where can we get to in another 5 years cosidering we are probably ahead of FAI targets?

**legendz** · 16/12/2024, 9:07 PM

Kosovo were 33rd in the 24/25 UEFA access list. Ballkani did the league and cup double. League runners up Llapi entered the Europa League. They lost 4-1 (agg.) to Wis?a Kraków in Q1.
When they dropped into the Conference league, they were unseeded alongside Pat's in Group 7. Llapi lost 8-2 (agg.) to Brøndby while Pat's beat Vaduz 5-3 (agg.).
The Conference League safety net is no guarantee of an easy route. Pat's did very well to get to the playoffs during the summer. Difficult to do without any safety nets.

**placid casual** · 17/12/2024, 8:13 AM

Yeah completely agree.
Even at this stage I wouldn't necessarily fancy Rovers chances of getting into the conference league group stages next year,even though they'd be seeded all the way ( I think).
The beauty of winning the league is the 3 bites at the cherry routine that makes it far easier than negotiating multiple trips around far flung regions of "Europe" just to get back into the league stages

**yurt** · 17/12/2024, 8:32 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

Kosovo were 33rd in the 24/25 UEFA access list. Ballkani did the league and cup double. League runners up Llapi entered the Europa League. They lost 4-1 (agg.) to Wis?a Kraków in Q1.
When they dropped into the Conference league, they were unseeded alongside Pat's in Group 7. Llapi lost 8-2 (agg.) to Brøndby while Pat's beat Vaduz 5-3 (agg.).
The Conference League safety net is no guarantee of an easy route. Pat's did very well to get to the playoffs during the summer. Difficult to do without any safety nets.

Certainly wouldn't make the route to group stage football any easier but it would improve the actual fixtures Irish teams get to play in.

Instead of a winnable tie against sides from Gibraltar, Finland, Georgia, etc they'd play a tough tie against a side from a Poland, Sweden or Hungary. As we've seen with Derry this year there are no guarantees that things will go your way anyway so having the safety net will definitely benefit whoever goes that route in 2026.

**sbgawa** · 17/12/2024, 12:16 PM

The latest sims on the Conference league have us finishing 12th and in a playoff with our old friends Vikingur for a place in the last 16..
12th place would give is a bonus point and a half coefficient wise which would have us at 17.5 before the two games against Vikingur (appreciate its a sim only so anythng is possible).
the Run to here that has us seeded for the playoff gives us a great chance of picking up another couple of co efficient points but even 17.5 should have us seeded all the way in the Conference league next year.
Still a massive ask to win 4 rounds in a row and avoid potential landmines.

Edit: i was wrong here, beating Vikingur (or whomever) in the playoff round doesnt get you 2 points for a win in either match, you get 1.5 points for getting to the last 16.

**2 Year Contract** · 17/12/2024, 1:08 PM

Does anyone have the euro qualification dates for 2025-26 handy? Pretty sure they’re usually available at this time of year but I can’t seem to find next seasons stuff on Bert’s website

**pineapple stu** · 17/12/2024, 1:15 PM

It's on Bert Kassies' site here.

**pateen** · 17/12/2024, 6:55 PM

Hey folks, back here looking for a way to search for a link for Thursdays game.
What key words should I use?

Back in the day it was cric free but Google seems to ve clever where the sites are now much harder to find.

Any tips at all will be much appreciated.

**dundalkfc10** · 17/12/2024, 8:47 PM

Originally Posted by pateen

Hey folks, back here looking for a way to search for a link for Thursdays game.
What key words should I use?

Back in the day it was cric free but Google seems to ve clever where the sites are now much harder to find.

Any tips at all will be much appreciated.

I would have thought them sites were done away with now, especially with IPTV available everywhere for as little as €50 for a years pass

If you have an Android device or a firestick, throw in IPTV to Twitter/X the day of the game. Most of the sellers will offer you a 12 or 24 hour free trial

**pateen** · 17/12/2024, 9:46 PM

Thanks DD
If anyone else has any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

**placid casual** · 17/12/2024, 9:49 PM

Buffstreams can be hit or miss but give that a go

**Straightstory** · 18/12/2024, 11:04 AM

Does anyone know if Drogheda are in the first or second qualifying round of the Conference League? I thought I'd heard they'd been given a bye to the second round, but the club seems to have re-arranged League games here to make room for the first round dates.