[article]Ireland face seeding battle for Euro 2008

thejollyrodger

Ireland face seeding battle for Euro 2008
http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1312471&issue_id=11878

THE Republic of Ireland could face a tough task to reach the Euro 2008 finals as they are currently on course to be third seeds when the draws for the qualifying groups take place next year.

That would open the possibility of Ireland being drawn in the same group as France and Spain and facing a tough battle to even finish in second place.

UEFA decide the seedings for each qualifying tournament by taking each team's results over the previous two qualifying tournaments, dividing the number of points won by the amount of games played, and calculating the co-efficient.

Ireland were second seeds for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers after producing a co-efficient of 1.9444. This was arrived at by adding the 24 points from the 2002 World Cup qualifiers and the 11 points from their Euro 2004 qualifying group together and dividing the total of 35 by the 18 games that were played over those two campaigns.

Because the Euro 2004 campaign only produced 11 points from eight games, Ireland is currently facing an uphill task to retain their position as second seeds for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

At present, after four games in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, Ireland have gained eight points from four games. When added to the Euro 2004 figures this gives a total of 19 points from 12 games and a co-efficient of 1.5833.

That leaves Ireland in 24th place on the co-efficient table and with each of the top five seeding pots likely to contain nine teams, it means that the Republic of Ireland will be in the third seed pot.

However, a lot could change over the next ten months and the Irish could yet retain that second seed spot.

To remain a second seed, the Irish would need to finish with a co-efficient of around 1.8888 which would mean gaining 34 points from the 18 qualifying games. With 19 points from 12 matches already on the board it means that Brian Kerr‘s side must win five of their final six qualifiers to have any chance of retaining their second seed.

If teams maintain the form they have shown in the first few months of the World Cup qualifiers then there could be a fair change when the dust settles.

At the moment, Spain are only a second seed while Latvia have jumped from being a fourth seed into the second pot and Liechtenstein and Andorra have both moved from the sixth pot to become potential fifth seeds.

With ten months of qualifying left, there is still plenty to play for, but the alarm bells are already ringing for the Irish.

Gerry McDermott

I hope we dont get placed as third seeds in Euro 2008 ! I dont know if we could qualify or not

thejollyrodger

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=94&si=1312491&issue_id=11878

CURRENT SEEDINGS

1st Seeds: France, Portugal, Czech Republic, England, Holland, Germany, Bulgaria, Sweden, Italy.

2nd Seeds: Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Poland, Serbia & Montenegro, Latvia, Russia.

3rd Seeds: Norway, Slovenia, Denmark, Slovakia, Ukraine, IRELAND , Belgium, Bosnia, Lithuania.

4th Seeds: Finland, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, Wales, Albania, Iceland, Estonia, Georgia.

5th Seeds: Macedonia, Cyprus, Belarus, Armenia, Moldova, Northern Ireland, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein, Andorra.

6th Seeds: Faroe Islands, Malta, San Marino, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan.

Jivin Turkey

Interesting read, but as it indicates, a lot WILL happen between now and then.

As it stands we could be in a group with Bulgaria and Latvia/Poland, which would not be too hard. Also over the years we have tended to do better in groups with better opposition.

Draupnir

the only time weve qualified for a major championship since USA 94 we were third seeds, World Cup 2002, Holland and Portugal were 1st and 2nd, not sure in what order! it wouldnt really bother me too much lads.

im not sure if seeding was around for USA 94, but we had denmark(then euro champs) and spain in our group for that qualifying and we made it through.

i dont remember the qualifying group too well for Italia 90, but Spain were in it then for definite, anybody know if there was a second good team in it? I remember Malta were in there alright!

Maybe being third seeds is a blessing in disguise.

Drag00n79

Bulgaria currently listed as first seeds shows up the insanity of this.

Drag00n79

Draupnir wrote:

i dont remember the qualifying group too well for Italia 90, but Spain were in it then for definite, anybody know if there was a second good team in it? I remember Malta were in there alright!

Hungary and the North were in it as far as I remember.

knobbles

Shamrok wrote:

Hungary and the North were in it as far as I remember.

yeah, quite possible that we were 3rd or 4th seeds in that group as spain, hungary and the north had all qualified for the previous world cup in mexico,
unless it was based on euro 88 qualifiers only, but some sort of seeding system has always been there for group qualifiers.

that said i still wouldn't fancy being a 3rd seed, results in 2005 should squeeze us into the 2nd pot.

puntosporting

I would not get to worried either lads,even if we remain 3rd seeds we still have everychance of doing well,quality opposition suits the irish team in my opinion!
We always seem to get bogged down against poorer sides.

PHB

2nd Seeds: Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Romania, Poland, Serbia & Montenegro, Latvia, Russia.

There are 3 teams in that group that I don't feel Ireland(opps edit force of habit ) could beat without a tough fight, Croatia Spain Greece.

Why of why aren't Greece, the last winners, a top seed? That imo is incredibly stupid

Mossy Monk

PHB wrote:

I don't feel United could beat without a tough fight

?

Raskolnikov

1. France
2. Spain
3. Ireland
4. Scotland
5. Macedonia
6. Faroe Islands

Group of death if there ever was one :eek:

Big Ears

Raskolnikov wrote:

1. France
2. Spain
3. Ireland
4. Scotland
5. Macedonia
6. Faroe Islands

Group of death if there ever was one :eek:

Replace Scotland with Israel and the group would be even tougher .
Scotland would finnish last in the above group .

KevIRL

Raskolnikov wrote:

1. France
2. Spain
3. Ireland
4. Scotland
5. Macedonia
6. Faroe Islands

Group of death if there ever was one :eek:

I would think Italy would be the toughest first seeds to draw

Draupnir

id prefer italy to England, for some reason I wouldnt be very confident of us beating them.

KevIRL

Dream group?

Bulgaria
Serbia
Ireland
Estonia
Andorra
San Marino

thejollyrodger

But does this take into account how teams fair at the World Cup ? Ireland may get to quarter finals or shock even semi's. Being seeded as third then would look completely stupid.

Jivin Turkey

thejollyrodger wrote:

But does this take into account how teams fair at the World Cup ? Ireland may get to quarter finals or shock even semi's. Being seeded as third then would look completely stupid.

Well I dont think so, on the basis that Greece won the last European championships and are currently seeded in the second pot.

Big Ears

Jivin Turkey wrote:

Well I dont think so, on the basis that Greece won the last European championships and are currently seeded in the second pot.

Yes but they won their qualifying group ahead of Spain , so maybe that has a lot to do with it .