FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[seafoid]

Expectations going in should be reasonable. They can also use the Nations League to qualify.
3rd place gets a playoff. The main thing is to minimise mistakes.
Euros are very generous and around half of teams qualify... 24/54....

[Gael80]

It's a great draw for the FAI, I'd imagine tickets will be sold on a 'season ticket' basis and with Holland and France heading to Dublin they'll make a lot of money. Third spot is possible but Greece are not a bad side and with our Nations League performance you'd need a lot of luck to finish in one of the play off spots even if we finish third. Qualifying from any group was going to be a challenge so at least there is some great games for the teams development.

[shark]

It's a great draw for the FAI, I'd imagine tickets will be sold on a 'season ticket' basis and with Holland and France heading to Dublin they'll make a lot of money. Third spot is possible but Greece are not a bad side and with our Nations League performance you'd need a lot of luck to finish in one of the play off spots even if we finish third. Qualifying from any group was going to be a challenge so at least there is some great games for the teams development.

You'd need a lot of bad luck to not make the playoffs. Will only fail to make playoffs if more than 2 teams ranked lower in Nations League qualify automatically. Most likely to do that are Sweden , Romania , or Turkey. Chances of all 3 doing it? Slim I would say.

[weareros]

It's a great draw for the FAI, I'd imagine tickets will be sold on a 'season ticket' basis and with Holland and France heading to Dublin they'll make a lot of money. Third spot is possible but Greece are not a bad side and with our Nations League performance you'd need a lot of luck to finish in one of the play off spots even if we finish third. Qualifying from any group was going to be a challenge so at least there is some great games for the teams development.

You'd need a lot of bad luck to not make the playoffs. Will only fail to make playoffs if more than 2 teams ranked lower in Nations League qualify automatically. Most likely to do that are Sweden , Romania , or Turkey. Chances of all 3 doing it? Slim I would say.

You'd need bad luck alright, but was it Johnny Giles who talked of lucky managers and unlucky managers. Himself and Eoin Hand were unlucky managers. Jack came along and was blessed with luck after Gary McKay scored the goal against Bulgaria to send Ireland though to Euro 88. You get the feeling that Kenny is a really unlucky manager - in particular to draw France as a second seed, and Greece as a 4th seed, on top of the Dutch. It's a group that reminds of Hand's 1982 group when Dutch were WC runners-up, Belgium Euro 80 runners -up and France an emerging power under Platini who would go on to the semis and win Euro 84. Hand was unlucky with a good team. Kenny has  a weaker hand, but some very promising young players. Let's hope he gets a bit of luck.

[seafoid]

Wales 1 up against Switzerland.

https://twitter.com/BBCSportWales/status/1579885034852466689

[An Watcher]

Think that's good for us if we win?

[seafoid]

Think that's good for us if we win?

If either of Switzerland and Iceland lose and we win, we go straight through

[seafoid]

1-1 now

[seafoid]

Still 1-1
Portugal 2 Iceland 1 after 97 minutes. Iceland down to 10
Portugal the women
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gli4f8f9quc

[seafoid]

Portugal 3 Iceland 1

[weareros]

Scots look a bit technically better, but you never know. Saving the peno was huge.

But those throw-ins - not often you see one go all the way into the net without touching anyone.

[seafoid]

FT Portugal 4 Iceland 1

[pbat]

Is a draw any addition to Ireland?

[weareros]

Finished half the stronger team. How we didn't score from that last throw-in - cleared off the line 3 times.

[pbat]

Thats some weapon of a throw in