FAI...New Manager Hunt continues

[AFS]

Just on these qualifiers, have UEFA come out and definitively stated that they're sticking with the usually 5/6 team groups? Wasn't too long ago that Platini was on about some convoluted two stage qualifying format.

[ballinaman]

Just on these qualifiers, have UEFA come out and definitively stated that they're sticking with the usually 5/6 team groups? Wasn't too long ago that Platini was on about some convoluted two stage qualifying format.

Correct. Nothing definite yet.

[muppet]

Just on these qualifiers, have UEFA come out and definitively stated that they're sticking with the usually 5/6 team groups? Wasn't too long ago that Platini was on about some convoluted two stage qualifying format.

Champions League style?

[AFS]

Just on these qualifiers, have UEFA come out and definitively stated that they're sticking with the usually 5/6 team groups? Wasn't too long ago that Platini was on about some convoluted two stage qualifying format.

Champions League style?

Something along the lines of:

Stage One: 53 teams - 12 groups of 4 and 1 group of 5 - 13 group winners qualify.
Stage Two: 40 teams - 10 groups of 4 - 10 group winners qualify.

Don't know what that leaves the group winners from the first stage at while the rest continue with their attempts to qualify. Platini was also rambling on about some weird pre-tournament tournament in the US or Brazil or somewhere to keep these sides occupied.

[ballinaman]

Shane Long 

[rodney trotter]

Second goal wasn't half bad either.

[ranch]

Robbie Keane will be 34 when those Qualifiers come around. Hopefully he does some Yoga...

Aye, Long doesn't inspire me with confidence to get goals in big games.

Personally...
Worst group..
Spain
Ireland
Turkey
Finland
Northern Ireland
Luxembourg 

Best
France
Ireland
Slovakia
Wales
Cyprus
Gibraltar

Dream Away Trip Group
Bosnia
Ireland
Israel
Scotland
Iceland
Liechtenstein

France are the host nation so won't be in any qualifying group.

[rodney trotter]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

[ballinaman]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

[rodney trotter]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

[CD]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

Hate it when we're going around chasing players. Particularly players who aren't very good.

[rodney trotter]

He isn't that bad a player. Would rather him over Whelan.. Having a decent season with West Ham, could do a lot worse. But if the player isn't interested that's a different story.

[Applesisapples]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

Hate it when we're going around chasing players. Particularly players who aren't very good.

or aren't interested smacks of OWCism.

[AFS]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

England's midfield options won't be so impressive when Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick go after the World Cup. That they were reduced to digging out a 31 year old Leon Osman earlier this year for a couple of matches should provide plenty of hope for any half decent English midfielder knocking about the Premier League.

[rodney trotter]

O'Neill was watching Mark Noble last night, Palace - West Ham. Qualifies through Irish grandparents. Good player.

Doubtful he'll want to be involved. Said he wanted to break into the England team only a month ago sure.

Don't know what he waiting for, 26 and still expects a call up. England have lots of competition in midfield as it is.

England's midfield options won't be so impressive when Lampard, Gerrard and Carrick go after the World Cup. That they were reduced to digging out a 31 year old Leon Osman earlier this year for a couple of matches should provide plenty of hope for any half decent English midfielder knocking about the Premier League.

Barkley, Wilshire, Phil Jones as an option, add in Ravel Morrison who has the talent to play international. Hardly going to be in crisis mode.