eircom League in Europe - 2008

[elroy]

When it comes to the EL teams in the CL, im nearly more optimistic against big teams than smaller teams. If Drogs can beat Tallinn, then i think they will put it up to Kiev, not saying they'll beat them but certainly could give them a game. Tallinn will be no walkover though.

[ifk101]

Who did cliftonville get?

Copenhagen.

[saintmaniac]

Has it got the dates right?

Yeah, 17 and 31 July. Think that's about right. Can't get onto the Pats forum to check, as it's crashed - looks like the combined force of me and a load of curious Latvians has killed it for a bit. I knew the first game wasn't very long after the draw itself. Makes travel a little difficult, but I think it was the best draw we could have gotten in that respect - some of the Scandinavian teams look very difficult to get to, and as for flights...

I can't remember if the dates were as close together last year - guess we have to blame those pesky Spaniards and their beautiful brand of football for distracting UEFA from the really important stuff

[Steve Bruce]

2 out of 3 Irish League clubs out already then. Glentoran wont do much either, but at least have a chance

[Stevo Da Gull]

Copenhagen...that's rough!
Zagreb..... dido!

[dubman]

I don't think most Pats fans are cavalier about that draw - we've had enough disasters in the last few years to ensure that. I'll never forget the Moldovans as long as I live. But put it this way, they're a step below Odense's level... so hopefully won't lose by 5 this time

I will never forget that 0-5 , shocking day.

[Steve Bruce]

Copenhagen...that's rough!
Zagreb..... dido!

Before I make a point, I want to say that I know the LOI is a higher standard league.

But this draw highlights the flaws of co-efficient ratings. Linfield and Cliftonville have been handed 2 of the hardest draws possible, we are likely to get no points at all.hopefully Linfield can force a draw at home. But it is unlikely.

I do however wish every team bar Glentoran on this island to do well and hopefully we’ll have some interest in the 2nd round.

[sligored]

Cork City vs. Haka (Finland)

haka beat sligo rovers 4-0 on aggregate in 1983 cup winners cup.
however considering the plane was nearly diverted on the way to finland with the drunkenness of some of the sligo rovers team members at the time, i suppose a 3 0 loss was to be expected

[Stevo Da Gull]

Before I make a point, I want to say that I know the LOI is a higher standard league.

But this draw highlights the flaws of co-efficient ratings. Linfield and Cliftonville have been handed 2 of the hardest draws possible, we are likely to get no points at all.hopefully Linfield can force a draw at home. But it is unlikely.

I do however wish every team bar Glentoran on this island to do well and hopefully we’ll have some interest in the 2nd round.

Yeah I'd like to see all the clubs from the island do well, the only thing that I'd hold against the clubs from the north is the players unavailable through holidays, that kind of annoys me. You can correct me here obviously, but didn't Linfield come very close to beating Elfsborg a few years ago with 1 or 2 players missing on holiday - what if those missing players are the difference? (again I could well be wrong in this instance).

[pineapple stu]

Lisburn had about four players on holidays for the InterToto game last week (they lost 3-1 in Finland, having been 3-2 down from the first leg). Ditto Glentoran when they played Shels, I think. IL teams don't really seem to take Europe seriously at all.

[superfrank]

IL teams don't really seem to take Europe seriously at all.

Or maybe they're just happier sticking to the FIFA-season?

[Duggie]

lads these were pretty much as good as we could have got. if all three teams dont get thru to the next round id be disappointed.

[DmanDmythDledge]

Talinn have played Bohs twice in Europe before. In 2001, Bohs won 3-0 agg and in 2004 lost 3-1 agg. They've got decent performances in Europe the past few years, have beaten FC Twente and ran Newcastle and Red Star Belgrade close.

Great draws...
4 wins in the UEFA Cup and Drogheda should get at least a win and draw in the CL.
Don't know how anybody could complain about these.

Wouldn't be so confident about Drogs.

Would four wins in the UEFA be enough to secure seeding next season?

[Steve Bruce]

Yeah I'd like to see all the clubs from the island do well, the only thing that I'd hold against the clubs from the north is the players unavailable through holidays, that kind of annoys me. You can correct me here obviously, but didn't Linfield come very close to beating Elfsborg a few years ago with 1 or 2 players missing on holiday - what if those missing players are the difference? (again I could well be wrong in this instance).

That was last year. We should have go got through, but that's the way it goes.

[Steve Bruce]

Lisburn had about four players on holidays for the InterToto game last week (they lost 3-1 in Finland, having been 3-2 down from the first leg). Ditto Glentoran when they played Shels, I think. IL teams don't really seem to take Europe seriously at all.

IL teams are in a rut at the moment and have lost confidence on progressing in Europe.

Ferguson is the only one on holiday this year.

[David]

Superb draw for the Eircom teams but complete opposite for Irish League with only the Glens having a chance (and I hope they get beat ). Every chance that all three Eircom teams progress, I hope they do.

[pineapple stu]

Would four wins in the UEFA be enough to secure seeding next season?

The UEFA is changing from next season (as the InterToto will be gone), and the top Irish team will be getting straight into the second qualifying round. So it'll be very different with more teams in it, and harder to say if we're going up in the world. Best thing to do is try and win the games and not worry about it.

Edit - Levadia Tallinn's record in Europe (excludes games played as Levadia Maardu, like the previous tie against Bohs). Pretty impressive.

Edit edit - the search function dies with the link. Here's their record -

Search string: levadia tallinn
year cup rnd
2009 CL Q1 Drogheda United Irl Levadia Tallinn Est
2008 CL Q2 Red Star Belgrade Srb Levadia Tallinn Est 1-0 1-2
2008 CL Q1 Pobeda Prilep Mac Levadia Tallinn Est 0-1 0-0
2007 UC R1 Levadia Tallinn Est Newcastle United Eng 0-1 1-2
2007 UC Q2 FC Twente Enschede Ned Levadia Tallinn Est 1-1 0-1
2007 UC Q1 Levadia Tallinn Est Haka Valkeakoski Fin 2-0 0-1
2006 CL Q1 Levadia Tallinn Est Dinamo Tbilisi Geo 1-0 0-2
2005 UC Q2 Bodø/Glimt Nor Levadia Tallinn Est 2-1 1-2 8-7
2005 UC Q1 Levadia Tallinn Est Bohemians Dublin Irl 0-0 3-1
2003 UC Q1 Levadia Tallinn Est Maccabi Tel-Aviv Isr 0-2 0-2

[TheBoss]

There's two Levadia Tallinns I think - one sold its licence to the other or something wierd like that a few years back. This may be a different team (though I haven't checked that out). If you read your ATW, you'd know that.

You are somewhat right, They were formed in 1998 as FC Levadia Maardu, for the start of the 2004 season, they were renamed FC Levadia Tallinn, which is not be to confused with the other FC Levadia Tallinn, that was in the league between 2001-2003

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, got half confused myself reading it, so I left it out in the end.

Interesting that they beat Haka recently.

[TheBoss]

Levadia Tallinn's Main Threats:
Nikita Andreev - FW
Tarmo Kink - WG/FW
Konstantin Nahk - CM
Indrek Zelinski - FW

I do not see any threats for Haka really.