Friendly Date in March

[NeilMcD]

Does anybody know what the plan is for March. If we have a new manager will it just be a get together like the Scots have done a few times or does anybody know any rumours about a game to be arranged.

[stojkovic]

There's no match in March in case our new manager has to take a coaching course.

[Superhoops]

Does anybody know what the plan is for March. If we have a new manager will it just be a get together like the Scots have done a few times or does anybody know any rumours about a game to be arranged.

We know Croke Park is not available so it would have to be away. If you look at the FIFA fixtures for the 26th March you will see that along with ourselves the only European teams not with a game are;
Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Bosmia-Herzegovina
Finland
FYR Macedonia
Greece
Israel
Kazakhstan
Moldova
Portugal
San Marino
Turkey

Bulgaria, Cyprus and Montenegro do not have games either but we could not play them.

Out of the above list only Finland, Greece, Israel, Portugal or Turkey would be worth playing. The only other option would be a game in the UK, possibly London as England are away to France against someone like Australia or Jamaica, not much of a benefit for us in either of them. None of the African teams are likely to be interested after the African Cup of Nations.

IMHO, if a new manager is in place by then, they will use the time as a get together for the players and the new back-room team.

[GavinZac]

Should start with a tough test to let the manager get their feet wet. San Marino have been getting better and better but I think we'll be too strong for them considering its March and all.

[pineapple stu]

San Marino'd be a tough game.

[NeilMcD]

We know Croke Park is not available so it would have to be away. If you look at the FIFA fixtures for the 26th March you will see that along with ourselves the only European teams not with a game are;
Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Bosmia-Herzegovina
Finland
FYR Macedonia
Greece
Israel
Kazakhstan
Moldova
Portugal
San Marino
Turkey

Bulgaria, Cyprus and Montenegro do not have games either but we could not play them.

Out of the above list only Finland, Greece, Israel, Portugal or Turkey would be worth playing. The only other option would be a game in the UK, possibly London as England are away to France against someone like Australia or Jamaica, not much of a benefit for us in either of them. None of the African teams are likely to be interested after the African Cup of Nations.

IMHO, if a new manager is in place by then, they will use the time as a get together for the players and the new back-room team.

Yea I think the get together is the most likelly and nothing wrong with that. Other than that a trip to the balkans might be a decent idea A dummy run to Sarajevo might be a good idea or maybe even Macedonia. From a trip point of view Portugal would be a good laugh also.

[Kingdom]

Yea I think the get together is the most likelly and nothing wrong with that. Other than that a trip to the balkans might be a decent idea A dummy run to Sarajevo might be a good idea or maybe even Macedonia. From a trip point of view Portugal would be a good laugh also.

Bosnia was the obvious one to me too Neil. Greece away would be a good test. If the purpose is to get the team to gel together a match in england against one of the lesser nations (moldova Belarus) wouldn't be a bad idea.

[supasparx]

I've heard a rumour possibly a match with Croatia in Scotland. But don't know how much truth is in it.

[NeilMcD]

Croatia are playing Scotland on that date so that cant happen in March anyway.

[Dotsy]

I read in one of the Sunday papers (Tribune or the Times) that Croatia were in touch with the FAI about wanting to play us in March. Apparently the FAI declined because they didn't want to organise another friendly without the input of the new manager. The Croations then turned to Scotland.

A missed opportunity if it's true. It would have been a very useful match to play. As Supasparx said the match could have been played in the UK.

[jmurphyc]

Yeah ideally the new manager would have at least three games to warm up for the qualifiers. Hopefully a game can be arranged for March as there are still some interesting sides who haven't got games then. Hopefully it won't be an end of season game as this will just result into a farce with loads of withdrawals plus there'll be the play offs in the lower divisions.