FAI...June 2024 Friendlies v Hungary and Portugal

[Esmarelda]

How much football has he played in the last 2 years ? He would be in the side if he was fit, which he isn't

I'm not sure what the last two years has to do with his fitness.

I suggested him in the case of Hoolahan not being available. He's appeared for Everton over the last few weeks which means he has played more recently than Randolph, Coleman and Long.

The point is that MON is very little different than Trap. He's always been like this. He prefers workers to playmakers. What Hoolahan proved on Thursday is that these qualities aren't mutually exclusive.

Randolph ,  Long havenn't been dogged by injuries have they?. Gibson needs to get back playing regular playing club before being the savior in a vital game against Poland

http://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDIQFjADahUKEwib4reX5rzIAhVEHT4KHVlvCDk&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishexaminer.com%2Fsport%2Fsoccer%2Fmartin-oneill-darron-gibson-injury-saga-worrying-351550.html&usg=AFQjCNHt0tdo7N1UVPPqVInsDzRDGbH0Ew&bvm=bv.104819420,d.d24

No but again, I'm not sure how relevant that is. Gibson's injuries over the past six months were a broken toe and a stomach problem. He's come back and played some football. What have his historical injuries got to do with him starting one game for Ireland? He's in the squad and he didn't play a minute against Germany so why include him if you think he can't play?

[Maroon Manc]

In the UEFA coefficient we're not going to be ranked? I thought a few weeks ago on here it looked like we would be, and surely beating Germany and losing in Poland narrowly wouldn't have hurt that much?

There's not too many of the teams below us in the rankings; Bosnia/Israel, Denmark, Ukraine/Slovakia, Turkey/Netherlands, Croatia/Norway, Hungary, Slovenia (need a point away to San Marino to finish 3rd) Sweden/Russia are ranked above us so we'll be ranked the lowest of the 8 teams. I'm really not sure who calculated we would be seeded.

It looks like the Dutch won't qualify and Russia will qualify automatically and hopefully Croatia will too given Norway are playing away to Italy so there's nothing really to worry about.

Not sure when the new rankings are out but I'd like to think beating Germany would move us up.

[AZOffaly]

Can't remember who said it, but to be clear, you're talking about the UEFA Coefficients, not the FIFA rankings, right?

[Maroon Manc]

Can't remember who said it, but to be clear, you're talking about the UEFA Coefficients, not the FIFA rankings, right?

I didn't realise, just googled it.

Here's the link http://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/General/02/25/84/05/2258405_DOWNLOAD.pdf

[Maroon Manc]

Based on that we would be seeded as long as Croatia finish above Norway and Hungary or Slovakia/Ukraine get the best placed 3rd finish?

edit-forget this as those are old rankings and can't find new ones.

[AZOffaly]

I saw this. We look goosed

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/international-soccer/ireland-unlikely-to-be-seeded-for-playoffs-here-are-our-likely-opponents-31601243.html

[Maroon Manc]

http://www.footballseeding.com/national-ranking-uefa/

Sky Sports are using this

Highly unlikely we won't be seeded.

[AZOffaly]

http://www.footballseeding.com/national-ranking-uefa/

Sky Sports are using this

Highly unlikely we won't be seeded.

Is that an intentional double negative? You mean highly likely we won't be seeded?

[ballinaman]

Sweden or Denmark wouldn't be horrendous. We can forget about it if we've to go to the Balkans. All the seeded teams would be better than Poland in my opinion.

[beer baron]

I'd take Ukraine too. Don't want the Croats or the Russians if they're in it so it'll be one of them 

[Milltown Row2]

It's ok, you can get on Michael McNeill's green and white army bandwagon  and be in France after all

[deiseach]

I think we used up all our playoff luck the last time round.

[finbar o tool]

Robbie Brady had a nightmare last night. A bit better delivery from dead balls, or from open play, and that Polish defence would have been all over the gaff. Opportunity missed I think.

agree with this. we also had 2 or 3 decent chances we could have put away but we didnt take the chances. wern't good enough on the night. such a shame, 1 goal. thats all we needed and we couldnt put it together.
back down to earth with a bang! hopefully we get a bit of luck with the draw next sunday...

[seafoid]

I think we used up all our playoff luck the last time round.

Back in 1988 there were 8 places at the Euros. Then the CIS and Yugoslavia split up and the number of countries in Europe
increased significantly as did the parameters of the Euro finals.  Now we are trying to get one of places 16-24 in the diluted system. 
Not a patch on the 80s team.   

I dunno if qualification would be anything to get excited about TBH.

[deiseach]

I dunno if qualification would be anything to get excited about TBH.

You'd rather be there than not there.