Uefa draws

**S�C** · 27/06/2007, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

It is only useful if the teams you are playing in Europe are in the middle of their leagues as well.

Or in the ILs and Welsh Leagues case, if we played teams who are not in season.

With the greatest of respect its a lot more useful than that.

The experience gained is vital IMO, not just for Europe but also for high profile matches at home. You learn new things every time you play in Europe. Our intertoto run in 2004 got our players so much experience which really stood to us the following years in the League, UEFA and CL.

One one very small example of things you pick up on various trips;
You mentioned the trouble Linfield had in the heat in Cyprus earlier in the thread. We played in the Lithuania in extreme heat. We won 2-0 but our players suffered badly. We learned our lesson. The following year in Cyprus we have fans with us in the dressing rooms, salt tablets, change of jersey for every player which were kept in ice boxes etc etc.

**dcfcsteve** · 27/06/2007, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

It is only useful if the teams you are playing in Europe are in the middle of their leagues as well.

Or in the ILs and Welsh Leagues case, if we played teams who are not in season.

In a perfect world - yes.......

**Shelsman** · 27/06/2007, 12:43 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

I don't see the point of it myself especially for Welsh Premier sides when it comes so long before the start of the season. Still well over a month to go before the first league game of the season here.

I don't see the point either, sure ye'll be beaten no matter what time of year ye play. Cannon fodder for the eL I think ( except Longford -who thought they just had to turn up to win ).

**Shelsman** · 27/06/2007, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by S�C

We learned our lesson. The following year in Cyprus we had fans with us in the dressing rooms, salt tablets, change of jersey for every player which were kept in ice boxes etc etc.

What were the fans doing there -getting autographs?

**Dr.Nightdub** · 27/06/2007, 12:50 PM

Think he meant fans that blow not fans that chant

**Dodge** · 27/06/2007, 1:11 PM

Can't belive you let an oppurtunity to compare hot and cold air go nightdub.

**Cymro** · 27/06/2007, 1:50 PM

Originally Posted by Shelsman

I don't see the point either, sure ye'll be beaten no matter what time of year ye play. Cannon fodder for the eL I think ( except Longford -who thought they just had to turn up to win ).

Way to twist what I said to use it as a derogatory comment. We'd be a lot more competitive if this competition came a month later-you only have to look at our UEFA and Champions' League performances, which while not great are a heck of a lot more competitive than our intertoto performances.

I'm really not going to rise to this blatantly obvious attempt at baiting, so suffice to say you completely missed the point of my post. Congrats.

**Steve Bruce** · 27/06/2007, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

Way to twist what I said to use it as a derogatory comment. We'd be a lot more competitive if this competition came a month later-you only have to look at our UEFA and Champions' League performances, which while not great are a heck of a lot more competitive than our intertoto performances.

I'm really not going to rise to this blatantly obvious attempt at baiting, so suffice to say you completely missed the point of my post. Congrats.

Incidently what Welsh team do you support chum? Will you be over to watch Linfield vs TNS Saturday week?

**Cymro** · 27/06/2007, 2:47 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Incidently what Welsh team do you support chum? Will you be over to watch Linfield vs TNS Saturday week?

Swansea. (watch Port Talbot on some weekends, if Swansea have a long away trip to Stockport or the like)

I'll probably watch Llanelli at Carmarthen this weekend. Not really planning on watching TNS v Linfield, I only usually watch Welsh Premier sides in the South West Wales area.

**Steve Bruce** · 27/06/2007, 2:49 PM

Here's a thing on wikipedia. It's a League of Leagues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_co...ue_coefficient

**pete** · 27/06/2007, 2:52 PM

What do everyone feel the expectations are this season? (This is also open to IL & LOW fans)

I think it will be very difficult for the eL to match the highs of last season with 2.833 coefficient points. I would delighted to match the previous seasons 1.833 as this would hopefully see a possible another 2 or 3 place increase in the Uefa rankings.

On a team basis I think getting all eL teams past the 1st qualifying round is a requirement & see what happens from there.

**Cymro** · 27/06/2007, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Here's a thing on wikipedia. It's a League of Leagues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_co...ue_coefficient

That's the national coefficients isn't it? Wales isn't ranked 32nd in the club rankings.

**Steve Bruce** · 27/06/2007, 2:56 PM

Originally Posted by Cymro

That's the national coefficients isn't it? Wales isn't ranked 32nd in the club rankings.

No, Wales are ranked 45th. It is league co-efficients. Look further down the article.

Republic are 40th and Irish League is joint with wales.

**pete** · 27/06/2007, 2:59 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Here's a thing on wikipedia. It's a League of Leagues.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_co...ue_coefficient

The league rankings that Wiki claims are for 2007-08 are one-two years out of date.

This is the best & most reliable source of Uefa rankings. I don't see why anyone would bother with any other source.

**Steve Bruce** · 27/06/2007, 3:00 PM

Originally Posted by pete

What do everyone feel the expectations are this season? (This is also open to IL & LOW fans)

I think it will be very difficult for the eL to match the highs of last season with 2.833 coefficient points. I would delighted to match the previous seasons 1.833 as this would hopefully see a possible another 2 or 3 place increase in the Uefa rankings.

On a team basis I think getting all eL teams past the 1st qualifying round is a requirement & see what happens from there.

My expectations are.

Cliftonville to qualify to the next round in Intertoto. Then get knocked out.

Linfield to qualify to the 2nd round if we get any team bar the top 2 seeded teams. If we get knocked out, I hope we are able to win one of the two ties.

Glentoran to hopefully win one of their ties. Even if they get knocked out, it will be an increase in co-efficients

Dungannon to try and get something out of the two games. Again even if they get knocked out, if they are able to draw or win one of the ties it helps the co-efficient.

**Steve Bruce** · 27/06/2007, 3:01 PM

Originally Posted by pete

The league rankings that Wiki claims are for 2007-08 are one-two years out of date.

If anyone knows an updated one, I would be interested to see it.

**Cymro** · 27/06/2007, 3:11 PM

Originally Posted by pete

What do everyone feel the expectations are this season? (This is also open to IL & LOW fans)

I think it will be very difficult for the eL to match the highs of last season with 2.833 coefficient points. I would delighted to match the previous seasons 1.833 as this would hopefully see a possible another 2 or 3 place increase in the Uefa rankings.

On a team basis I think getting all eL teams past the 1st qualifying round is a requirement & see what happens from there.

In terms of Welsh sides I think if they all won their home legs and maybe 1 or 2 got through the first round it would have been a very good season.

Even if no-one gets through, if they all win their home leg our coefficient goes up to nearly 1.000, so that would get us towards the top non-seeded sides, with a long term goal of getting in the seeded half.

Linfield and TNS must fancy their chances in the Champions' League qualifiers if they get a good draw, as there are definitely some beateable sides in the seeded half eg Pobeda who have a coefficient of under 2.000 and are, importantly, out of season as well.

If Derry avoid the easternmost nations like Kazakhstan etc they should be through, there are some tricky potential opponents for them though. Ideally they'd want to avoid Montenegro (new association but tough teams) and probably won't want Linfield either.

As far as the UEFA goes I think Rhyl have a decent chance but Carmarthen will struggle to do anything given the fact that they've got a new manager and a lot of players. Not holding out much hope of them winning but hopefully Rhyl can challenge with a decent draw.

Both the EL and IL teams beign unseeded would do well to get one team through the first round in the UEFA in my opinion. I think the second round teams should have too much but with summer football the EL's reps could get through again to the first round proper.

As for the Intertoto Cork look home and dry already so should get through. I said they'd probably make it to the third round but still think the Dutch reps will have too much for them over two legs.

Llanelli have a glimmer of hope but having lost their two best players in recent days to injury/transfer will probably not get through. Cliftonville look like a decent shout of making the second round, that away goal for the Latvians makes things tricky though.

**bigmac** · 27/06/2007, 3:12 PM

One interesting point about the UEFA Cup draw is the high coefficient of the top two teams in it. These teams are both challenging but a result is possible and if they were to be knocked out, their opponents would carry their high coefficients into the next round - thus ensuring seeding and a favourable draw there.