Group will look alot different in April!

darkman2

Im just looking through Irelands upcoming fixtures and we have San Marino at home and away next, then Wales at home and Cyprus at home (payback time) so it is probable, given those fixtures, that Ireland could have 13 pts by then. And I believe we can qualify should those games go our way. Of course there are difficult games after that but hopefully we will be in a vastly improved posistion with something to play for. With a potentially full squad back and a credible back four im, actually, feeling quite confident.:D

Any thoughts on our chances now in the group?

Paul Tergat

It's funny what one game can do for ya...Ireland have always had the problem of scoring and against Wales and Cyprus i can see this happening again.

Honestly can't see Ireland winning all those 4 games and i don't believe there is a chance of qualification!

Carcharodon

Think qualification is probably impossible in my opinion
But, winning those four games can be very easily done without a doubt
San Marino - easy easy
Cyprus - Definitely, they are a bad team for gods sake.
Wales - At home to a team that are a bit worse than us, dont see why we cant beat them on the night

MisterAnarchy

We are not playing Cyprus at home until Oct 07

bizmark

Imho it’s mostly about building moral again for the team management and fan's So 4 wins in our next 4 game's against san Marino Wales and Slovakia (both at Croke park surely 80,000 fans will have an effect) 1 draw 1 loss in the next two away games against Slovakia and the Czechs then 2 draws and a win vr's Germany Cyprus and whales

That would be quite nice

/massive edit

sofireland

If we spank San Marino, score a few goals in each game it'll do wonders for the confidence going into the next matches.

Plus the English season is in full flow when we play San Marino, hopefully we won't have a similar injury crisis, but there is one thing to come from last night, Stan is more than willing to blood the young fellas, i'd definitely have McShane in there with Dunne... that seems to be a very solid pairing for central defense, both with good vocal skills in and around the box.

Realisticly i think we could win the four, if we just don't get complacent

Andrew 83

I think the Czechs and Germans are likely to win all their games except for those against each other if you exclude us. Therefore to be in with a shout, having lost against Cyprus, I think we needed to beat the Czechs last night unless we beat them away and then get a result against Germany at Croker while beating everyone else. The Cyprus result in addition with last night makes it seem a bridge too far.

FatherTed

darkman2 wrote:

Im just looking through Irelands upcoming fixtures and we have San Marino at home and away next, then Wales at home and Cyprus at home (payback time) so it is probable, given those fixtures, that Ireland could have 13 pts by then. And I believe we can qualify should those games go our way. Of course there are difficult games after that but hopefully we will be in a vastly improved posistion with something to play for. With a potentially full squad back and a credible back four im, actually, feeling quite confident.:D

Any thoughts on our chances now in the group?

Actually we play San Marino home and away next, then Wales and Slovakia at home. We don't play Cyprus at home until 1 year from tomorrow (Oct 13 07).

http://www.uefa.com/Competitions/EURO/Standings/Round=2241/Group=2633.html

Rockee

Well when Czech Republic and Slovakia play each other they'll be knocking points off each other I'd imagine. I think this because it'll be somewhat of a local derby and anything is possible! Having said that, Ireland still have a mountain to climb. We'll be looking toward the matches where the Germans, the Czechs and the Slovaks to play each other hoping therell be a lot of draws maybe in those fixtures. Obviously that means we'll have to win games on a continuous basis....will that happen?

Laguna

I don't think so.

ninebeanrows

It would seem the Czechs and German are going to have an easy ride and the Czechs were more than happy with a point last night.

Ireland need to win ALL of their remaining matches and can afford one draw along the away which cannot be against Czechs away unless we beat Germany at home.

And at the moment were a long way away from pulling of something such as above.

The next 4 games are all winnable but if Ireland are to hope to put in a challenge they must all be victories.

The home game against Slovakia will be very tough and the home game against Wales will be tough because of
the Derby style of the game.

*If we were to win all of these games then perhaps there would be some hope.

//best expect us to loose and then maybe we'll nick something....
Remember over the last while we have been expecting and not achieving, now with our
expectations lowered again we might just be happy.

I would be very happy if we finished 3rd in the group and looking at the up and down form of the Slovaks and poor
Welch team i think that is certainly achievable. Hopefully get our Ranking back up to the 30's come next Summer.

Thats if we continue to recover and don't relapse like against the Cypriots...

At the moment of course we are second bottom of the group on 1 point, 9 points of the leaders Czech Rep and 8 points off the
German who have playes the same number of games as us. And only San Marino prevent us from being bottom.

Jonny Arson

1 point from 3 games, way way way behind Germany and the Czechs already, thumped 5-2 by a piss poor Cyprus team, playing mundane football, players who don't bother, a clueless manager in charge and an even more clueless executives running the association?

Reality and logic tell me that a 4th place finish would be some achivement in our current climate.

Pighead

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

1 point from 3 games, way way way behind Germany and the Czechs already, thumped 5-2 by a piss poor Cyprus team, playing mundane football, players who don't bother, a clueless manager in charge and an even more clueless executives running the association?

Reality and logic tell me that a 4th place finish would be some achivement in our current climate.

Reality and logic would have suggested the Czechs should have hammered us last night too. And do you really think the players didn't bother last night? Oh and lucky the FAI weren't reading your sig, otherwise last nights goalscorer wouldn't have even been on the pitch.

Jonny Arson

Pighead wrote:

Reality and logic would have suggested the Czechs should have hammered us last night too. And do you really think the players didn't bother last night? Oh and lucky the FAI weren't reading your sig, otherwise last nights goalscorer wouldn't have even been on the pitch.

Well in that case lets just forget about Holland, Chile, Cyprus. They only turned up the level because of the heat they recieved from the fans and the media, that simply doesn't cut it with me. I'm realisitic enough to see that there's major problems in the team, to go and erradicate the problems on the back of one performance when they had a gun up to their heads is foolish.

The sig is staying

Pighead

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

Well in that case lets just forget about Holland, Chile, Cyprus. They only turned up the level because of the heat they recieved from the fans and the media, that simply doesn't cut it with me. I'm realisitic enough to see that there's major problems in the team, to go and erradicate the problems on the back of one performance when they had a gun up to their heads is foolish.

The sig is staying

Well to be honest I have forgotten about the Holland and Chile matches. They were only friendlies and the results won't be remembered in the greater scheme of things. Just like the 3-0 victory over Sweden which nobody is talking about now.

The Cyprus game however will stay with me for a long long time. It was too bad to be true and questions were quite rightly asked regarding Stauntons future. However watching them play last night has convinced me that he does deserve to see out the campaign at least. To be demanding him to go on the basis of 1 disastrous game smacks of itch trigger finger syndrome to me.

By the way how did you think Staunton O Shea and Kilbane did last night?

Roddy23

I think the Czechs and Germans are likely to win all their games except for those against each other if you exclude us. Therefore to be in with a shout, having lost against Cyprus, I think we needed to beat the Czechs last night unless we beat them away and then get a result against Germany at Croker while beating everyone else. The Cyprus result in addition with last night makes it seem a bridge too far.

Have to agree with this. Think had we won last night, we could have been back on track. Dont get me wrong, it was a good performance, just dont think we have a snowballs chance of qualifying now.

YeatsCounty

We have absolutely no hope of qualifying, despite how well some of the young lads played last night. If we finish in third, we will be doing very well indeed. I don't know how we'll do against the Welsh in Cardiff or the Slovaks in Dublin but if their home form to date is any indiction, we could be able to get a win in Bratislava.

If we finish third, the fans will ost likely be satisfied considering how we've started this campaign. If we finish fourth, it will be a bit disappointing but right now, that seems to be the most likely option IMO. If we finsih fifth, then God help us in our next qualifying campaign. :-/

Rockee wrote:

Well when Czech Republic and Slovakia play each other they'll be knocking points off each other I'd imagine.

Well, the Czechs have already beaten the Slovaks 3-0 in Slovakia, so that's three points for them straight away. I'd imagine that the Czechs would get at least a point in Prague. Considering our less than lofty ambitions at this point, we should hope that the Czechs beat the Slovaks. That will help us to finish as high as third for more than a Slovak win would.

Jonny Arson

Pighead wrote:

Well to be honest I have forgotten about the Holland and Chile matches. They were only friendlies and the results won't be remembered in the greater scheme of things. Just like the 3-0 victory over Sweden which nobody is talking about now.

The Cyprus game however will stay with me for a long long time. It was too bad to be true and questions were quite rightly asked regarding Stauntons future. However watching them play last night has convinced me that he does deserve to see out the campaign at least. To be demanding him to go on the basis of 1 disastrous game smacks of itch trigger finger syndrome to me.

By the way how did you think Staunton O Shea and Kilbane did last night?

When it comes more do or die matches come next March (San Marino HAS to be an easy 6 points) we'll know for certain where the team is. I was happy they bothered last night as they couldn't have got any worse but I'm still completely unconvinced that we will have the ability or tactical apporach/know how to take points of Germany/Czechs and wins against Wales, Cyprus and Slovakia. Obviously there was nothing to shout about against Cyprus and against Germany (Holland too) there was nothing there to suggest to me we are going anywhere football wise so I'm not basing things on one horrific 5-2 disaster.

Sure, it was good to see most of the team up it against the Czechs but it's one thing doing it for one game with a gun to your head and another to do it consistently. Effort and commitment aside and based on his tenure so far, I don't believe Staunton will take this team anywhere, I dont believe he has the tactical ability and I don't believe he has much of a clue on how to approach games, his lack of experience isn't even questionable here. I have nothing against him personally as he simply shouldn't have been put in the hotseat in the first place, that's Delaney's problem and he should be first one gone.

Regards O'Shea and Kilbane, they did ok last night but I guarantee you they will be the first players straight back into the comfort zone come San Marino. I have never ever rated them going back years, same with O'Brien and the fabulous Clinton, IMO all 4 are complete deadwood, always have been and who will only hinder the team for the rest of the campaign. If Staunton can be brave enough to stick with the likes of McShane, give some younger hungrier players with a chance and look more closely at eL players we could go places but I doubt Staunton will do that and choose the easy option to stick with the hacks

ninebeanrows

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

When it comes more do or die matches come next March (San Marino HAS to be an easy 6 points) we'll know for certain where the team is. I was happy they bothered last night as they couldn't have got any worse but I'm still completely unconvinced that we will have the ability or tactical apporach/know how to take points of Germany/Czechs and wins against Wales, Cyprus and Slovakia. Obviously there was nothing to shout about against Cyprus and against Germany (Holland too) there was nothing there to suggest to me we are going anywhere football wise so I'm not basing things on one horrific 5-2 disaster.

Sure, it was good to see most of the team up it against the Czechs but it's one thing doing it for one game with a gun to your head and another to do it consistently. Effort and commitment aside and based on his tenure so far, I don't believe Staunton will take this team anywhere, I dont believe he has the tactical ability and I don't believe he has much of a clue on how to approach games, his lack of experience isn't even questionable here. I have nothing against him personally as he simply shouldn't have been put in the hotseat in the first place, that's Delaney's problem and he should be first one gone.

Regards O'Shea and Kilbane, they did ok last night but I guarantee you they will be the first players straight back into the comfort zone come San Marino. I have never ever rated them going back years, same with O'Brien and the fabulous Clinton, IMO all 4 are complete deadwood, always have been and who will only hinder the team for the rest of the campaign. If Staunton can be brave enough to stick with the likes of McShane, give some younger hungrier players with a chance and look more closely at eL players we could go places but I doubt Staunton will do that and choose the easy option to stick with the hacks

Kevin Kilbane does not go back into "his" comfort zone, if there is one thing Kevin Kilbane can do is give it his all for 90 minutes, unfortunately a poke in the eye last night meant he could only give 80! Bit Kilbane can never be accused of not trying or not having his heart in the game. I think he is a great player, he may not be very skillful but he's fit, fast and an excellant example for young aspirational soccer players.

loyatemu

I agree about Kilbane - he may be past his best (and was never exactly world-class) but he's an honest player, works hard and also talks a lot of sense when interviewed (a lot moreso that Staunton anyway).

O'Shea is a waster though and deserves to be dropped (and i'm a ManU fan...)

Collie D

Weathercheck wrote:

Kevin Kilbane does not go back into "his" comfort zone, if there is one thing Kevin Kilbane can do is give it his all for 90 minutes, unfortunately a poke in the eye last night meant he could only give 80! Bit Kilbane can never be accused of not trying or not having his heart in the game. I think he is a great player, he may not be very skillful but he's fit, fast and an excellant example for young aspirational soccer players.

Agreed, the lad gets a lot of stick and to be fair he's never going to set the world alight but he works his arse off, even more so than some of the home grown "real" Irish players. Lay off our Kev

Pigman II

Greece lost their first 2 qualifiers in just an 8 game qualifying group and went on to win the European Championships itself! As such I won't discount anything. I do think realistically tho we are probably looking at 4th place in the group.