Uefa 2004 Playoffs

wynters

After yesterdays results, it looks quite possible that Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales could all finish in the play-off position of their group.

Other teams looking most likely to be in the play-offs are;

Group 1 - Slovenia
Group 2 - Norway, Denmark or Romania - tight group
Group 3 - Czech Republic
Group 4 - Hungary or Poland
Group 5 - Scotland
Group 6 - Spain!!!
Group 7 - England or Turkey
Group 8 - Croatia or Belgium
Group 9 - Wales
Group 10 - Ireland, Russia or Switzerland.

Which of those teams do you think we could beat over 2 legs if it happens?

Would you fancy us to beat England or Wales?

The Muppet

lets hope for scotland if we get that far.

knobbles

if there's a winner in the swis-russia game we'll
be looking for a play-off spot

if it's a draw then we beat switz and win the group
or we'll be finishing 3rd with russia likey to beat georgia at home

StickyMcGinty

when is the draw for these playoffs anyway?

Big Ears

group 3 is czech republic/ netherlands as their both on 16 points with 6 games played so holland is definetly not through that group. Both teams meet each other in the next qualifier.

Big Chief

Originally posted by The Muppet
lets hope for scotland if we get that far.

:rolleyes:

would certainly be entertaining putting ireland out

Dont be at yourself

Ooh, I'd love an Ireland - England or Ireland - Spain playoff.

Realistically, we could take any of the second-placed teams from other groups, with only Spain, England and perhaps and Czech Republic and Holland (though isn't there huge turmoil in the squad?) causing us problems.

Pepe LeFrits

Originally posted by Big Chief
:rolleyes:

would certainly be entertaining putting ireland out

:rolleyes:

Scotland, Slovenia or Hungary - all brutal, brutal teams. Though still not easy prospects for any of the teams in our group of champions.

Guy:Incognito

has anyone actually realised that we've struggled thru every game so far, so we are in no way guarenteed getting by anyone

Tellox

well to be honest,I think that the Russia match will be a RIGHT kick in the stones for us, just the one that we need to wake ourselves up... they sure as hell wont be leaving it for another dramatic late finisher anyway, relaxing for the first 80mins ect... well if they've any sense,they wont.

This might just be the lift we need to qualify...
"every cloud has a silver lining"

jongore

Originally posted by NekkidBibleMan
Ooh, I'd love an Ireland - England or Ireland - Spain playoff.

Realistically, we could take any of the second-placed teams from other groups, with only Spain, England and perhaps and Czech Republic and Holland (though isn't there huge turmoil in the squad?) causing us problems.

Realistically we'd struggle against any of these sides. These sides are as good if not better than the Ruskies or the Swiss.

If we make the playoffs (and that's a big IF) I doubt that we'll beat anyone in a playoff. Irelands record in these type of matches is poor(The only time we won was the last one when we scrapped by Iran).

Ireland have been poor through out the qualifying group and we have yet to beat either of the 'big' teams in our group, the worst Russian team in history and a Swiss side that have no more then two good players.

The good times are over for the moment, the side we currently have seriously lacks quality, leadership and depth. A long period of rebuilding lies ahead.

talla

Originally posted by jongore
Realistically we'd struggle against any of these sides. These sides are as good if not better than the Ruskies or the Swiss.

If we make the playoffs (and that's a big IF) I doubt that we'll beat anyone in a playoff. Irelands record in these type of matches is poor(The only time we won was the last one when we scrapped by Iran).

Ireland have been poor through out the qualifying group and we have yet to beat either of the 'big' teams in our group, the worst Russian team in history and a Swiss side that have no more then two good players.

The good times are over for the moment, the side we currently have seriously lacks quality, leadership and depth. A long period of rebuilding lies ahead.

I agree totally, I havent seen an Irish midfields with as little skill and imagination in years. Everyone is looking at the current team with rose tinted glasses. I thought when Kerr came in it was about building for the future, trying new faces etc, he had nothing to lose, but instead its been the same workman like donkey players that been used. The best thing that can happen to the team is if we dont qualify for Euro 2004, try out new players and drop a lot of others. I know i'll get flamed for this view but ask yourself if as a neutral watching that match and the lack of any invention on saturday, you would be asking for your money back or if it watching on TV, u'd switch it off. As a football supporter in general watching the current Irish team hold as much facination as watching a Northern Ireland game on BBC listening to Jackie Fullerton and we all know what thats like!

knobbles

Originally posted by wynters
Which of those teams do you think we could beat over 2 legs if it happens?

Holland and Slovenia are defo in play-offs and Spain and Wales will most likely be there too.
We'd probably be facing one of these if we're there...

SLOVENIA
NORWAY
HOLLAND
SCOTLAND
SPAIN
WALES
TURKEY / ENGLAND
CROATIA / BELGIUM
LATVIA / HUNGARY / POLAND

just 3 big guns in there - Holland, Spain and Trk/Eng.
We'd have a good chance against anyone else

KdjaCL

Ireland are 15th in the FIFA rankings ,remove the non Euro teams and we in the top 8 remove the already qualified teams and we in the top 4.

We will be seeded IF we get to the play offs and will get one of the bottom 4 ie Scots ,Slovenia ,Wales A N other.

But we wont beat Swiss away so it dont matter really.
Kerr did well to be still in with a shout going into the last game but no world class central midfielders has let us down and the 1st 2 results were impossible to recover from.

kdjac

Hairy Homer

OK Professor Anorak here with his spreadsheet loaded up with the results from last night.

Countries that have definitely qualified for next year's finals (apart from hosts Portugal) are:
France, Czech Republic, Sweden, Bulgaria

Countries that will definitely play in the play offs are:
Slovenia, Netherlands

Countries that will almost certainly play in the play offs are:
Spain (Greece will automatically top that group if they beat N Ireland at home—you've got to fancy them to do that)

Wales (Finland can't catch them but Italy only have to beat Azerbaijan at home to win the group)

Elsewhere it all gets a little complicated as many groups have yet to be sorted out with regards to winners and runners up. Ours (Group 10) is the only one in which nobody has yet guaranteed themselves a play-off place at least.

Other things you can say for definite are:
Either England or Turkey will definitely finish in the play offs
Either Croatia or Belgium will definitely finish in the play offs

If we beat Switzerland, we are guaranteed a play off place at least and might, if bottom-placed Georgia get a point in Moscow, even win the group. Realistically though, play off place is the best we can manage.

Even then I would echo the points made by the poster who said that our midfield is ****e. It is. It's the most uninventive, least skilled Irish midfield I can remember since the days when Eamon Dunphy was our playmaker.

Holland and Kinsella are great players to play along with great players. When they have to take the initiative themselves they're lost. So far we have taken 1 point from a possible 9 against our main contenders in the group. Russia have taken 8 from 12; Switzerland 4 from 9. If we can't beat the Swiss, we really don't deserve to be in the play offs.

So no tears if we don't make it but for God's sake, get some new blood in fast.

The Muppet

I hope i,m wrong but i can't see us making the aplg the Playoffs. I think the swiss ard russia are both better tha us and we are depending on unlikely results to get us there. If we a lucky and go through i would not relish facin wales they are like we were under charlton full of confidence and playying pretty well and i think Giggs and bellamy would cause serios difficulties for our present defence.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by KdjaC
Ireland are 15th in the FIFA rankings ,remove the non Euro teams and we in the top 8 remove the already qualified teams and we in the top 4.

We are 13th in the world now. take away the non-European and we are 9th, remove the already qualified and we are 4th. But I don't think the seedings work like that. I know that the Champions League Seedings goes by how well the team has done in recent CL's and I am nearly sure that was the same with the last world cup. So if that is the case with Euro 2004 I think I can safely say we will be playing a seeded team!

knobbles

from uefa.com

The format of the draw for the UEFA EURO 2004™ qualification play-offs will be decided at next week's UEFA executive committee meeting in Bratislava.

The play-off draw will take place on 13 October

Play-off ties will be played over two legs on 15/16 and 18/19 November,
but UEFA have yet to decide if teams will be seeded in the draw.

knobbles

...mind you, with holland defo in the play-offs, i'm sure uefa will decide to seed the teams in the play-off draw to give holland and spain a better chance of getting there.....better teams, bigger names, more interest, more money

eirebhoy

Playoffs:
Group 1:Slovenia

Group 2: Bosnia beat Denmark 2-0 away, if they beat them at home they win the group and Denmark come second. If They draw or Denmark win, Norway will more than likey be in the playoffs.

Group 3: Holland

Group 4: Hungary, Latvia and Poland all fight for a playoff with Hungary the most likely to get it.

Group 5: Scotland need to beat Lithuania to have a chance of a Playoff. If Scotland draw, Iceland get the Playoff. If Iceland beat Germany, germany get the playoff. Scotland are the most likely.

Group 6: Greece and Spain are fighting for the group with Spain looking the most likely to have to settle for a playoff.

Group 7: The loser of the Turkey -v- England match is in the Playoffs. If its a draw Turkey are in the Playoffs.

Group 8: Croatia and Belgium are fighting for the playoff spot with Croatia looking favourites.

Group 9: Wales have the playoff spot there unless Italy let Azerbaijan win.

So, I think the following teams will be in the playoffs:
Slovenia, Denmark, Holland, Hungary, Scotland, Spain, England, Croatia, Wales and Ireland. From them all I'd prefer Hungary, Denmark or Slovenia. I wouldn't like to play Wales and I'd be absolutely delighted to get the chance to knock England out!;)

knobbles

...i'd say denmark will turn that bosnia result around but good luck to bosnia - incredible if they won and qualified

we'll defo be in the top 5 seeds if its based on fifa rankings,
and should still be there if its based on last 2 qualifying campaigns. So, based on rankings, we can narrow our possible opponents down to

NORWAY or CROATIA(if they top belgium)
SLOVENIA
POLAND/ HUNGARY / LATVIA
WALES
SCOTLAND

eirebhoy

Originally posted by knobbles
we'll defo be in the top 5 seeds if its based on fifa rankings,
and should still be there if its based on last 2 qualifying campaigns.

If there is going to be seedings for the playoffs it is either going to be based on the Rankings or how well they did in recent European Championships. If it is based on the rankings we will be seeded. If it is based on recent championships I don't think we will be seeded. We only qualified for one championships in 1988 and we only won one match (1-0 against England;) ) so it is highly unlikely we would be seeded if that was the case.