[Wide Boy]

The Toon line up as follows:

18 Sep - Dynamo Kiev (a)
24 Sep - Feyenoord (h)
01 Oct - Juventus (a)
23 Oct - Juventus (h)
29 Oct - Dynamo Kiev (h)
13 Nov - Feyenoord (a)

Any reactions? I reckon that Juve must start as favourites, but it will be very close for the second spot.

[Montréal United]

The good thing with this schedule is we won't be freezing in Kiev in November... However, if it comes down to the last (which is likely) then a trip to Feyenoord will not be easy.

To finish second would be great, but then the Juve really got avoid a stumble against Dynamo and Feyenoord to help us. It would have been great to see the Juve come to St. James on the 09/18 as at that time they will only just have started their season.

Too bad the deal for Bosvelt didn't go through (even thought he's tied up for CL play) as it would have weaken our most serious opponent for second.

[Toony]

Juve are def. favorite , but I think Feyenoord - now without Jon Dahl Tommason ( !!!!!!) - are beatable - both home and away. Kiev is tricky & the away leg could be intimidating , but they are not the team that they were with Shrevrenko ( ? ) & Rebrov of a few years ago - I think they didnt even win the Ukrainian league last season.Going to Kiev in September at least means it should be ( relatively ) warm.

Assuming everyone gets fit in time (Everything seems to be going to plan at the minute ) , I think we have a very good chance of getting a place in the next round, if luck is with us.

We should get a load of toon at Rotterdam for the Feyenoord match , 'cos its relatively close. I would expect a couple of hundred to got to Kiev & mabye a couple of thousand to Turin for the Juve match .

Im going to have to go now, as I have 2 urgent tasks to perform

1) get a flight to Italy for the 1st October
2) Sort out a Ukranian Visa ............

Toon !

[CrewToon]

Well, I was expecting a tough draw...

...I have not looked at the other groupings, but I would assume ManUre ended up with three weak teams.

[CrewToon]

Yep...

Leverkeusen, an Israeli club and a Greek club...

...the payola to UEFA must have been big this time.

[greenie]

Let's be honest here, with the money they've spent and the quality of players in the side they shouldn't have that much difficulty advancing out of the group.

Juve will be tough. But there's no reason to think we can't take at least a point from them at home, and if there's one thing that the black and white has always shown is that on a good day at St. James they can take on any club in the world. Juve has shown it can be an inconsistent side, and our matchup against them is not nearly the lopsided comparison that was NUFC v Barca back in '97.

Feyenoord? Don't be fooled by their winning the UEFA Cup, especially not considering that they're no longer the same side. Not a walkover, but a side that we should be able to defeat at St. James and at least earn a point from on the road. Interesting side story now regarding the whole Emerton chase.

Dynamo Kiev is a shade of their former quality, and a club that's had its share of struggles. Short of injury problems, no reason to think we can't earn all 6 points.

To be honest, in terms of away grounds we could have wound up with a much worse draw.

[Toony]

This will probably have no relevance for any non UK members here , but ive just managed to book a one way flight from London to Turin for the princely sum of £20 , including taxes, on the 1st of October....................Juve , here I come !

[greenie]

Actually that's good information for me, as I've been thinking about a spell in England with the CL trip in the middle.

Who did you book on?

[Toony]

youd better be quick - try www.ryanair.com............

you can get from London Stanstead to Milan / Genoa / Pisa for a few pounds ( I paid £20 incl. tax for the London - Milan flight ).

Italian trains are cheap & reliable - the 2.5 hr journey from Milans to Turin is about EUR10. Flights direct to Turin are boked up now , but if you dont mind a bit of travelling ( ...and who deosnt mind travelling around sunny Italy ) , ther are bargains to be had.

Im waiting for tickets to go on sale at St jamses , but I have no worries about getting them in Turin , as Juve have never had a capaicty crowd yet......and as both sides play in Black & white , it should be easy to to mingle.

get back to me if you need any other stuff

Good luck !

[Toony]

whoops - Ldn to Turin is sold out on 1 & 2 of Oct. I have had to book a one way flight BACK from Milan, not going out there....