LoI in Europe 2024

[Acornvilla]

There's definitely an outside chance of a horror draw, where at best they'll get 1 result, but equally they could get a few of the likes of Larne, TNS, Helsinki, Petroclub, Djurgarden and LASK, and have a fighting shot at making the next phase

[pineapple stu]

Quick coefficient update as well actually - no real change this week as we lost both games, but it's obviously now confirmed which countries have sides in the groups. So from 31st down, we have -

31	Moldova	        14.000	Petrocub (Conference)
32	Kosovo	        12.041	
33	Ireland	        12.000	Rovers (Conference)
34	Armenia	        11.500	Noah (Conference)
35	Iceland	        11.333	Viking (Conference)
36	Latvia	        11.250	RFS (Europa)
37	Finland	        11.000	HJK (Conference)
38	Faroe Islands	10.750	
39	Bosnia	        10.250	Borac (Conference)
40	Kazakhstan	10.125	Astana (Conference)
41	Malta	         8.500	
42	Lithuania	 8.250	
43	Liechtenstein	 8.000	
44	Estonia	         7.957	
45	Albania	         7.875	
46	Northern Irl	 7.833	Larne (Conference)
47	Montenegro	 7.208	
48	Luxembourg	 6.875	
49	Georgia	         6.625	
50	Wales	         6.291	TNS (Conference)
51	North Macedonia	 6.166	
52	Belarus	         5.500	Dinamo Minsk (Conference)
53	Andorra	         5.498	
54	Gibraltar	 5.457	
55	San Marino	 2.498

We're not going to catch Moldova (who have Petrocub as fifth seeds in the Conference League). We would be very annoyed to not catch Kosovo - one point in the groups will do it. But Noah just need one win more than Rovers to pass us out; Viking, RFS and HJK would pass us out with two more wins than Rovers. (RFS are slightly screwed over here as they're in the Europa League, which is stronger. They do have two extra games though. But solely for coefficient reasons you'd have to want the Conference League groups. RFS should probably get a 3 point bonus for reaching the Europa League, like the CL qualifiers get a 6 point bonus). The Cup winners of the 33rd place team - Kosovo - started in the Europa League this year. (If we hold 33rd, it'd be next year's Cup winners I think, and not UCD as this year's Cup winners )

We're currently 29th for the year, though Scotland and Ukraine will almost certainly pass us out. Probably a couple of others too - Azerbaijan, Israel, maybe even Serbia.

Interestingly, Larne are in the groups having won just two games in Europe this season, and lost all the rest. Includes a bye in the Conference League.

Also worth noting the Youth League draw (with UCD) is on Tuesday. I presume there'll be regionalised pots, but for the moment all we know is the teams in the first round draw are -

Kazakhstan: Kairat
Slovenia: Maribor
Moldova: Academia Rebeja
Kosovo: Football Club 2 Korriku
Latvia: BFC Daugavpils
Republic of Ireland: UCD
Finland: Honka Espoo
Lithuania: Žalgiris
Armenia: Pyunik
Belarus: Dinamo Minsk
Bosnia and Herzegovina: FK Sarajevo
Luxembourg: Progrès Niederkorn
Faroe Islands: HB
Northern Ireland: Cliftonville
Malta: Valletta
Georgia: Dinamo Tbilisi
Estonia: Tallina Kalev
Iceland: Stjarnan
Albania: Futboll Klub Bylis
Wales: The New Saints
Gibraltar: Lincoln Red Imps
North Macedonia: AP Brera Strumica ?
Andorra: FC Santa Coloma
Montenegro: Budu?nost Podgorica

If we get to the second round, we could play the likes of Manchester United, Real Betis, Basel, Hoffenheim or 2023 champions Alkmaar

[pineapple stu]

That jumped out at me at first, but a little research shows that they've made 2 Europa group stages in the last 8 years, where they lost most of their matches, and haven't been in the CL for 13 years. Re Celje, as far as I know, yeah they can get them, which woiuld be huge, knowing they've beaten them already.

I would have thought just being in Europe every year would have been enough to see them ahead of Rovers, but they were actually banned from Europe for three years in the 5-year seeding timeline, and that's what really screws them.

Avoid avoid avoid!

[ger121]

I would have thought just being in Europe every year would have been enough to see them ahead of Rovers, but they were actually banned from Europe for three years in the 5-year seeding timeline, and that's what really screws them.

Avoid avoid avoid!

It would be a Greek tragedy. I’ll get my coat…

[yurt]

Given SR seeding is now at least 10.500 for next season it means they've a decent chance of being seeded all the way through to the conference league playoffs next season if they are in Europe.

9.760 was the cut off for seeding this season in the playoffs.

Am I right in saying that now that it's the competition proper it means the country co-efficient point double> So it's 0.500 for a win and 0.250 for a draw added the the country co-efficient for the season?

Excited to see this draw now, rovers due a little bit of luck draw wise at this stage. Few results for rovers will be massive for trying to secure EL football for cup winners over the next few years instead of just sneaking it for the one season in 26/27 (as is now fairly likely)

[pineapple stu]

Am I right in saying that now that it's the competition proper it means the country co-efficient point double> So it's 0.500 for a win and 0.250 for a draw added the the country co-efficient for the season?

Yep. Technically speaking, I guess it's the preliminary rounds that score half, but for the plebs like the LoI it looks the other way around!

[sbgawa]

For Rovers to improve their club coefficient we would have to score 3 points in the League stages (3 wins).
You get 2.5 points for making it to Groups but it is reset (you are guaranteed the 2.5 pts though) . I guess the thinking is that the clubs that are straight into Group stages dont earn Prelim points

[holidaysong]

For Rovers to improve their club coefficient we would have to score 3 points in the League stages (3 wins).
You get 2.5 points for making it to Groups but it is reset (you are guaranteed the 2.5 pts though) . I guess the thinking is that the clubs that are straight into Group stages dont earn Prelim points

It's 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw in the league phase, so just a win and draw required to get 3 points and improve on your 2.5 minimum.

[joey B]

Chelsea v Shamrock Rovers !!

[redobit]

Chelsea v Shamrock Rovers !!

Hi Shamrock. This is RTE here ... ...

[pateen]

Oh my god, the scum of the Earth.

Worst fans in London by a country mile. Only down the road from me, I'll be looking forward to that one.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Oh my god, the scum of the Earth.

Worst fans in London by a country mile. Only down the road from me, I'll be looking forward to that one.

Thought you were on about Shams initially

[2 Year Contract]

Oh my god, the scum of the Earth.

Worst fans in London by a country mile. Only down the road from me, I'll be looking forward to that one.

They certainly are. I’d advise locking your door until they return back to Tallaght after that game

[pateen]

Thought you were on about Shams initially

Ha ha ... I could have been

[nigel-harps1954]

APOEL of Cyprus in Tallaght from Pot 2 wasn't the worst draw in that group. Maybe a point to prove for Jack Byrne there.

Rapid Vienna wasn't the one they'd have wanted from Pot 3 but a nice away trip for fans.

[pineapple stu]

So Chelsea (A), APOEL (H), Rapid (A), TNS (H), Borac Banja Luka (H) and Larne (A).

TNS and Larne the obvious targets there.

This draw is even more drawn out than even before...

[joey B]

TNS at home and Larne away for Rovers ,great draw tbf …

[nigel-harps1954]

The New Saints in Tallaght and Larne away!

What a draw.

[2 Year Contract]

Jesus, they couldnt have asked for much more from that draw

[El-Pietro]

No difficult away trips, home to TNS and away to Larne. They have to feel good about their chances of picking up a couple of wins.
Only disappointing thing is not getting any really exciting exotic trip but Chelsea probably makes up for that.

Assume the only game where they will have issues getting tickets would be Larne