The draw for Euro 2012 qualifying is Sunday morning. Who do you fancy? Who would you like to avoid? Pot 1: Spain, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia Pot 2: Greece, Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Serbia, Turkey, Denmark, Slovakia, Romania Pot 3: Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Norway, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina Pot 4: Slovenia, Latvia, Hungary, Lithuania, Belarus, Belgium, Wales, FYR Macedonia, Cyprus Pot 5: Montenegro, Albania, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Iceland, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein Pot 6: Azerbaijan, Luxembourg, Malta, Faroe Islands, Andorra, San Marino Personally, I would love to draw the French again. Spain, Holland, Italy, Germany and England are the teams I would like to avoid. Wouldn't mind another crack at the Swiss out of Pot 2. Would be keen to avoid the Czechs, Swedes and Serbs. None of the teams seeded below us frighten me, though Slovenia, Belgium, Montenegro and Hungary I would all rather avoid, as they are the strongest teams in their respective pots IMO. Thoughts?
Croatia from Pot 1 would be a better one for us. All the rest are that bit ahead of the Croatians at the moment. From the 2nd pot I think anyone from Slovakia, Romania or Greece would suit us better than the Czechs or Swedes. The 4th pot I would definetly take anyone out of Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus or Wales. The 5th pot I am hoping for Kazakhstan. The Kazakhs would be interesting all those miles away. Montenegro I do not want because we dropped four (in the end crucial) points against them in the WC 2010 but apart from them anyone in pot 5 I will take. Pot 6 is an easy one really. I don't mind anyone in this pot. But the Faroe Islands would be a nice coming together. Brian Kerr anyone? 1. Croatia 2. Romania 3. Rep of Ireland 4. Latvia 5. Kazkahstan 6. Faroe Islands That would be a good group for us. Fantastic. But as we all know it ain't going to happen. We will get one of the big nations but anything like this group and I see us in Ukraine/Poland in 2012.
Brian Kerr would love to see that group. I'd even travel to the Faroe's for the away game. Imagine the craic if they tied or beat us. Jesus, I'd laugh for a week at the gob-shites in the FAI who fired him.
If UEFA want to make some money, we'll be drawn in with France. Try not to think of me as a cynical man if I happen to think that it's a more than likely chance that we are.
Group B: Russia; Slovakia; Ireland; Macedonia; Armenia; Andorra Some brutal away trips.... but could have been much, much worse. Overall I'm quite pleased.
We'll have bugger all support at all those aways, not very attractive places to go to! We were lucky in the draw now need to deliver.
Brutal and not very attractive?? Armenia is a fine spot for instance. We can win this group. But UEFA's decision to have some of the finals in Ukraine is still worrying. KOH
Exiting games. For me, here it is.. 1. Croatia 2. Slovakia 3. Serbia & Bosnia 4. Slovenia 5. Kazakhstan 6. San Marino & Faroe Islands
Here's the fixtures http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0325/ireland.html Draw unkind to FAI as no double header away matches. And Andorra is the glamour tie to open new stadium
To be honest I'm happy enough with those fixtures. I read somewhere that the original agreement saw us playing our first four fixtures at home, which could have been disastrous over the course of the campaign. Macedonia in June could be brutal.
apparently the FAI and Trap was more than happy with the original schedule as were the other federations. Armenia was the one who wouldn't agree.
Well we will see if Traps tactics can pull us through this one. A new season always brings new faces to light while others fade, will Trap stick with the Andrews/Whelan central pairing for this campaign? Or, will he look for a little more flair and attacking panache, now that he knows what we are capable of when we are disciplined and focused. I personally want to see some more of the attacking tactics we saw in Paris and think we have some young exciting players out there that can aid our cause. I just hope Trap see's it too.
I've got an inkling that Gibson will be a little more prominent for Man United over the next year or two, and his game seems to have developed a good deal over the last two (slowly but steadily, kind of like with Darren Fletcher) - Carrick may well be sold in the summer, Hargreaves will likely be eased in very slowly over the start of next season, Scholes is playing less and less with age and Gibson has probably played his way above Anderson (who will also be getting over knee ligament damage) in the pecking order. That's always a bonus, given that he offers a goal threat from the midfield and Trap likes him. There's a good chance him (22) & Whelan (25) could be our CM pairing for a good few years to come, given that they are both quite young. A run of games at the start of next season might put Gibson above Andrews in Trap's plans, but if Steven Reid is fit he & Whelan have to be the #1 pairing for us.
Who cares about man yoo? For flair Trap could bring in Wes Hoolahan and the left back berth could be filled by Stephen Ward now that the legend Kilbane is running out of legs. Lansdowne ready in a month. KOH
Erm... I would imagine a fair few Irish fans, given that one of our brightest young prospects (Gibson) and one of our starting defenders (O'Shea) play there. I also doubt that Trapp will be giving out games based on League One performances (though Hoolahan might get a chance if he continues doing so well in the Championship), and hopefully Ward does get a look in, as well.
Yep, Hoolahan would make on the squad of a perennial CL contender. That's a safe bet, if anything. Breen in goals, too.
Missing the point as usual. Actually Keith Fahey is another option. Anyone here seen all 3 play live? Enjoyed our trip to "Drogland" last night. KOH
