Originally Posted by Scram
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Montenegro are the dark horses. First campaign.
Having a look at their eligibility criteriasince the split with Serbia, they could easily bolster their squad. They will take some points from most teams.
Result against them wont count as to who will be the top 8 second placed teams.
It's a tough enough group for Italy and Bulgaria as well.
Could have the makings of a good scrap
I'd aim for a home game against Italy first off.
Objectively:
Montenegro - bottom seeds coz of their new found independent status, likely to be a pot or two higher in future.
Georgia - we should get maximum points in both games, never know, a likely "banana skin"
Cyprus - we luckily managed to get 1 point off them in last campaign, no reason at present to suggest we will get all 6 this time around.
Bulgaria - have some decent players, always likely to score, any wins from us will have to be tight affairs, can we keep them scoreless.
Italy - could pick up points in an early encounter or late encounter if they are already qualified. If they need the points from us then they are odds on to take them
This is not the best signature in the world, this is just a tribute
Yes I would probably agree with that. Not the easiest group but then again it's no "group of death" either. At least we are not in group 9.
Was there last summer. Fantastic place and is quite cheap for the drink and grub.
Thought it was a terrible draw at first but become (slightly) more positive as I look at it. Montenegro is a nightmare given our away form and Georgia is tricky but Cyprus are poor as far as 4th seeds go and if we can't get players motivated to play them there's realy not much point in going on.
Italy will top the group you'd assume but we are capable of finishing ahead of Bulgaria. We'll probably need to get at least 13 points at home and improve our away form vastly.
As pointed out above, I'd have a real worry about the team in 2nd in this group being eliminated.
incorrect. it's results against the bottom team in the group, not the bottom seeds.Montenegro are the dark horses. First campaign.
Having a look at their eligibility criteria
Result against them wont count as to who will be the top 8 second placed teams.
It's a tough enough group for Italy and Bulgaria as well.
Could have the makings of a good scrap
I'd aim for a home game against Italy first off.
anyway, we need loadsa points against the bottom three and hope bulgaria italy game is in about september 09 time, so italy go there knowing a win will qualify them.
personally, i'd like italy away first, bulgaria away in the spring, then italy at home on second last day (when they've hopefully qualified, and we're their last game) and bulgaria at home on the last day, in a winner takes all ****-out. (sorry, shoot out)
Yeah, despite my political leanings, the Israel trip in the WC campaign was brilliant, locals we unbelievably hospitable and the weather was class.
This is not the best signature in the world, this is just a tribute
I think we need a home double header against 2 of the bottom 3 seeds to start off. Hopefully we can build a bit of momentum early unlike the last group and it'll be important for the manager to instill a bit of confidence in the players.personally, i'd like italy away first, bulgaria away in the spring, then italy at home on second last day (when they've hopefully qualified, and we're their last game) and bulgaria at home on the last day, in a winner takes all ****-out. (sorry, shoot out)
I think that Cyprus deserve some more respect than they are currently getting, they came to Croke Park and nearly beat us when our players had every reason to want to win the game. Under Kerr away, we were lucky to come away with a win. In the past they would have been a 6 point banker, not any more.
This is not the best signature in the world, this is just a tribute
I think this group is definitely doable but points will be "won and lost" and definitely Bulgaria are probably, the 2nd seed we would've hoped for. A bit like the Euro 04 group where all the teams are a threat.
As for the trips:
Bulgaria and Montenegro will probably be the best.
Italy will see the big turn-out of the new scum bag, trouble making fans - not good.
And Georgia are awkward(long way) and Cyprus is been there done that sort of thing.
But hopefully will make them all.
San Marino are going to be a handful as the group goes on." - Steve Staunton reacts to performance against San Marino.
I heard Tony O Donoghue this morning saying that we will have to go away in September because of the All Irelands so that is out of the question.
San Marino are going to be a handful as the group goes on." - Steve Staunton reacts to performance against San Marino.
Donadoni has just said that none of the teams in the group have much of a footballing tradition, according to him Bulgaria are the major threat
This is not the best signature in the world, this is just a tribute
I'd guess flying there via Germany...it's not as if there's a dozen flights a day from Dublin to Belgrade.
Dont think its that bad a draw, coulda been worse.
The only decent first seeds to get were Greece.
Someone said about us winning away games, we only won THREE of our six HOME games FFS.
Wanted Bulgaria or Sweden of the 2nd seeds so we can be happy there.
4, 5 and 6 seeds is a lottery anyway because their form is inconsistent. We could have got Austria.
So happy enough with the draw.
Bulgaria accomodation sorted - Sunny Beach and Sofia.
With a half decent manager and all the players playing like they gave a ballix we should get runners up. Pot luck after that.
What an ignorant thing to say. Not particularly just about us but just because the likes of Cyprus, Georgia and Montenegro haven't been to World Cups doesn't mean that they don't have a long footballing tradition in their countries.
Indeed, does he forget playing us in Italia 90, I know they won but it was a quarter final. Does he forget that 4 years later we beat them in a group game, we might not be great but we do have a tradition.
This is not the best signature in the world, this is just a tribute
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