Euro Qualifiers October 7-11

[who are ya?]

Mongdivs the lot of them.

[leww_rfc]

Turkey v Croatia
Estonia v ROI
Montenegro v Czech
Bosnia v Portugal.

Croatia
ROI
Czech
Bosnia

for me.

[Barry the bird boggler]

I say it'll be

Portugal
Eire
Montenegro
Croatia

So with those already qualified the list is

Germany
Russia
Italy
France
Netherlands
Sweden
Greece
England
Denmark
Spain
Poland
Ukraine

For the record the current world rankings put England 8th, which probably means pot 2 at the draw or do UEFA make up their own rankings based on some other meaningless drivel?

1 Spain
2 Netherlands
3 Germany
4 Uruguay
5 Portugal
6 Italy
7 Brazil
8 England
9 Croatia
10 Argentina
11 Greece
12 France
13 Russia
14 Chile
15 Japan
16 Côte d'Ivoire
17 Denmark
18 Switzerland
19 Australia
20 Mexico
21 Serbia
22 Bosnia-Herzegovina
23 Norway
24 Paraguay
25 Sweden
26 Montenegro
27 Hungary
27 Turkey
29 Korea Republic
29 Republic of Ireland
31 USA
32 Colombia
33 Slovenia
34 Belgium
35 Peru
36 Egypt
37 Ghana
38 Israel
39 Slovakia
40 Czech Republic
41 Burkina Faso
42 Senegal
43 Nigeria
44 Armenia
45 Jamaica
46 Algeria
47 Venezuela
48 Cameroon
49 Romania
50 Iran
51 South Africa
52 Scotland
53 Honduras
53 Panama
55 Bulgaria
56 Belarus
57 Costa Rica
58 Estonia
59 Morocco
60 Ukraine
61 Tunisia
62 Libya
62 Mali
64 Georgia
65 Poland

So if we're in pot 2 that means if we're lucky we might get a draw against Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy (presumably all will be pot 1)

Of course if its those idiot association coefficients that UEFA use then England are the no. 1 team!

[Starfish]

About pots and rankings, I thought that the host nation(s) automatically go into Pot 1. There was a report in the paper here last week that Germany, despite winning their 10 qualification games, being runners-up in the last EC and etc, are expecting to be in Pot 2.

[RoyalX]

About pots and rankings, I thought that the host nation(s) automatically go into Pot 1. There was a report in the paper here last week that Germany, despite winning their 10 qualification games, being runners-up in the last EC and etc, are expecting to be in Pot 2.

This. Poland, Ukraine, Spain and the Netherlands in Pot 1 (I think).

[TBM]

About pots and rankings, I thought that the host nation(s) automatically go into Pot 1. There was a report in the paper here last week that Germany, despite winning their 10 qualification games, being runners-up in the last EC and etc, are expecting to be in Pot 2.

Yes they are

Pot 1:
Spain
Poland
Ukraine
Holland

Pot 2:
England
Germany
Italy
Russia(6)

Pot 3:
Greece(8)
Sweden(9)

Pot 4:
Denmark(10)
France(12)


If Croatia beat Turkey they could well go in to pot 2 and Russia drop to pot 3

Playoff teams: Croatia (7), Portugal (11), Ireland (13), Czech Republic (15), Turkey (18), Bosnia and Herzegovina (19), Montenegro (35), Estonia (37)

[Silver Fox]

Spain
England
Portugal
France

for the lulz

[RobRoyal]

They've got to stop this business of hosts going into pot 1, especially when there are co-hosts. Of course we're supposed to want them to go far in the tournament, but can't you just put them in pot 2?

Under the current system we could have SF's group of death, above, but also:

Poland
Turkey
Czech Rep
Estonia

[RobRoyal]

Poland
Turkey
Czech Rep
Estonia

That sounds pretty much like a group of death! The teams are very evenly matched, Czech republic probably better than the rest, but very even.

I think the idea of a group of death is that at least one decent team has to go out. Not two mediocre teams, which is what even Czech Republic are these days.

[cmonurz]

Agreed with RR re seeding the hosts – it’s enough of a benefit getting a place in the Championships (something I agree with), arguably neither side might have qualified had they had to, to then make them top seeds is generous to say the least.

[soggy biscuit]

Spain
England
Portugal
France

for the lulz

Even if we go out (which we would) in the above group I would much prefer that to the usual scrape past 3 average teams and go out to the first good team you come up against.

[Starfish]

Agreed with RR re seeding the hosts – it’s enough of a benefit getting a place in the Championships (something I agree with), arguably neither side might have qualified had they had to, to then make them top seeds is generous to say the least.

There is also the argument that the finals could be an open draw, without seedings. Teams are seeded in the qualifying stages and then again in play-offs - I am not really sure how I feel about it, but it does seem a little bit unfair on 'upcoming teams' that they will be seeded (possibly for the third time) negatively in the finals themselves. As I said, I am not sure if it is the right thing, but a completely level playing field in the finals themselves does have something exciting about it.

[cmonurz]

Agree to an extent, I certainly don’t feel that the play-offs should be seeded. If a ‘good team’ is in the play-offs, it is perhaps because they didn’t get the results they should have in qualifying. To then get the benefit of a seeding in a way makes up for their poor performances; when you then consider Estonia have done brilliantly to earn a play-off place, to then be seeded against a bigger team who you could argue they have outperformed in qualifying, seems a little unfair.

[TBM]

I would go with that ^^ (starfish's comment)

Everyone deserves their place in the final - so put them in one big pot

[Silver Fox]

If you're going to seed the playoffs base it on qualifying

[Bandini]

Another 'greed with Starfish. Nothing gets the World Cup/Euro fever going more than a proper group of death, and/or the prospect of a plucky underdog getting to the knockout rounds.

[Ian Royal]

Like Starfish's idea, or at least Silver Fox's

[leww_rfc]

Not important but the rankings have changed significantly for the Home Nations (& ROI) since..

England up to 7th (I thought they already were)
ROI up to 25th
Wales up to 45th
Scotland up to 51st
N.Ireland down to 84th

[cmonurz]

Not important but the rankings have changed significantly for the Home Nations (& ROI) since..

England up to 7th (I thought they already were)
ROI up to 25th
Wales up to 45th
Scotland up to 51st
N.Ireland down to 84th

Shows how volatile the rankings are, weren’t they below the Faroes recently?

[papereyes]

Yes.

As I pointed out elsewhere, the numbers that make up the rankings can be quite revealing.