FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Baile Brigín 2]

If Rovers had played like this in Budapest...

This Ferusaiz kid is special. Definite international player. Rovers producing serious talent. Bazunu at Southampton, Ferijaz at Inter, Furling at Brighton, Sinclair at QPR etc

The heat last week was a huge factor. You also have to realise the tie was over from last week, Ferencvaros were probably going through the motions tonight.

They had another gear, but the reaction at the end was very far from the motions

[From the Bunker]

If Rovers had played like this in Budapest...

This Ferusaiz kid is special. Definite international player. Rovers producing serious talent. Bazunu at Southampton, Ferijaz at Inter, Furling at Brighton, Sinclair at QPR etc

The heat last week was a huge factor. You also have to realise the tie was over from last week, Ferencvaros were probably going through the motions tonight.

They had another gear, but the reaction at the end was very far from the motions

Hopefully Rovers make a couple of quid from the Group stages. Irish Soccer is improving. Coaching in rural areas has improved 10 fold.

[An Watcher]

It's come a long way from the old hoof it up the middle back in the day.  Some of the passing is excellent

[Itchy]

If Rovers had played like this in Budapest...

This Ferusaiz kid is special. Definite international player. Rovers producing serious talent. Bazunu at Southampton, Ferijaz at Inter, Furling at Brighton, Sinclair at QPR etc

The heat last week was a huge factor. You also have to realise the tie was over from last week, Ferencvaros were probably going through the motions tonight.

They had another gear, but the reaction at the end was very far from the motions

I was recently at a tournament in Dublin in which rovers had 2 under 12 teams. They were exceptional and way above even the standard of the uk teams coming across for it. Now they have a massive pick and i understand they go outside even their own hinterland to bring in some players but the coaching must be good too.

[mrdeeds]

See the end of Linfield game??? 4 on 1 messed up then concede an og. Lose on penos.

[JPGJOHNNYG]

See the end of Linfield game??? 4 on 1 messed up then concede an og. Lose on penos.

They should have won about 4-0 but fluffed so many sitters. Can't say I'm too sorry though

[seafoid]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2022/0826/1318903-shamrock-rovers-in-pot-3-for-conference-league-draw/

The winner of each group will advance to the round of 16, with the group runner-up facing one of the third-placed teams in the Europa League at the last-32 stage.

Earlier this week, Tallaght Stadium was confirmed as the venue for Rovers' home games in the competition.

Because of the winter World Cup in Qatar, the Thursday group games will be played over a shorter period, with the opening ties scheduled for 8 September.

The subsequent matchdays are 15 September, 6 October, 13 October, 27 October & 3 November.

Pot 1: Villarreal (Spain), FC Basel (Switzerland), Slavia Prague (Czech Republic), AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands), Gent (Belgium), Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey), Partizan Belgrade (Serbia), West Ham United (England)

Pot 2: CFR Cluj (Romania), Molde (Norway), FCSB (Romania), Fiorentina (Italy), FC Koln (Germany), Hapoel Beer-Sheva (Israel), Apollon Limassol (Cyprus), Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia),

Pot 3: Nice (France), Anderlecht (Belgium), Zalgiris Vilnius (Lithuania), Austria Wien (Austria), Hearts (Scotland), Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland), Sivasspor (Turkey), FC Vaduz (Liechtenstein)

Pot 4: Dnipro (Ukraine), Lech Poznan (Poland), FC Slovacko (Czech Republic), Silkeborg (Denmark), Djurgardens (Sweden), Pyunik Yerevan (Armenia), RFS Riga (Latvia), FC Ballkani (Kosovo).


More

[Baile Brigín 2]

Molde, Gent, Hammarby.

A great draw soccer wise. Not the glamour trips they might have had.

[From the Bunker]

Fair dues to the Women, great to see them reach the play-off for the World Cup!

[weareros]

Great performance by Ireland women to beat Finland and secure a playoff for World Cup. Played some nice footie too.

[Hound]

Great performance by Ireland women to beat Finland and secure a playoff for World Cup. Played some nice footie too.

The playoff system is the most convuluted I've ever seen. Every game knockout, but you might need to win only 1 to qualify or you might need to win 4 (or 2 or 3) !!

Certainly something to look forward to, no matter what.

[Itchy]

Calum Robinson gone to Cardiff but i dont see any move for Jason Knight which is a pity.

[An Watcher]

Massive game for the women v Slovakia coming up.  Win that and into a play off game.  Anyone know if this is one or two legs? After that, even if they are the lowest ranked of the 3 qualifiers they should make it through

[Hound]

All playoffs are one leg. ET and penalties if required. Not clear whether the matches for R1 and R2 will be played at neutral venues or whether some teams will get home advantage.

Playoff teams ranked 4 to 9 (based on 8 matches against the rest of the top 5 in the group) are drawn together in 3 matches in R1. Losers are out.

The winners of R1 then join teams ranked 1 to 3 in R2. The three losers of R2 are out.
Two of the winners of R2 (the two highest ranked based on the 8 matches mentioned above, plus 90 minutes of R2) qualify for the World Cup.
The lowest ranked winner of R2 has to play a 10 team qualifying event in New Zealand (along with similar playoff teams from around the world) with 3 teams qualifying. All games knockout, and likely that the European team will just need to win one game.

Ireland are currently ranked 4th but will move up to 3rd if they beat the Slovaks (draw not enough). So the Slovakia game is very important, as a win would move us straight into R2 and might also result in a better draw in R2.

[seafoid]

GRMA, Hound