***Official N.Ireland vs Czech Republic thread***

[drewgardiner88 317]

10 hours ago, bluedylan said:

What a fucking side...there is no team on the planet who punches above their weight like we do...only 2 goals conceded so far and that was away to Germany,simply outstanding.Not beaten at home in 4 years as well

 

8 hours ago, Siam69 said:

I would shocked if he did.

Like the Club jobs in Scotland, he only gets mentioned for them because of where he lives.

He'll go to a decent Club job when the right offer comes, Scotland would be like a sideways move. More money yea, but that's it, he's a smart guy, knows his worth, it'll be an English Club. 

I also think he has more integrity and decency than to leave his Country of birth to go to Scotland, knowing a decent Club job will comin knocking soon. 

He's a class act to be fair, i've yet to hear anyone say a bad word about him. 

He is a mega nice bloke. Met him at ibrox last year more than happy to chat away and get photos!! 

 

Has done an amazing job. Not always pretty but defensively absolutely rock solid!  Only Germany have conceded as few goals...

[Captain Hilts 12,819]

9 hours ago, Terry Hurlock Loyal said:

It will be due to the other teams that finish second, having a look at the possible second placed teams at the moment, then it is likely that NI will be unseeded as it is not an open draw. If Scotland take the Slovakian place, then they will be useeded as well. So they cannot met NI. Of course, the table below will change tmrow night as well - probably looks likely that Denmark will take 2nd over Montenegro in October.

I thought that the best 2nd placed side went through automatically. Maybe that's just for the EUROs. 

[centenarystand 2,227]

Watched the full game last night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Well done the Ulstermen those Czechs are no mugs.

Five straight wins on the trot.

Whether it would happen or not would love to see them do those sweaty socks at Hampden in a play off but Scotland won't make second.

[Siam69 26,824]

7 hours ago, Bears&Reds said:

The October FIFA rankings will be used for seeding in the playoffs.

Need to move higher than Slovakia and/or Sweden to be seeded then, which is entirely possible. Slovakia are one position higher, Sweden are 4.

Though I never heard this mentioned once when they were chatting about who we could get after the game last night.

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,663]

I think O'Neill would need to go to a small but well run club in England to be a success. A Burnley or Huddersfield type. I think if he went to a bigger club he wouldn't do too well mainly because I think he works better coaching as the underdog although saying that I if Caixinha doesn't work out we could do a lot worse (and yes I know a lot of people are against the idea of it).

[Siam69 26,824]

20 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

Sky above the back garden atm. Mental  

Genuine pics from Windsor last night.

[Bears&Reds 460]

6 hours ago, Siam69 said:

Need to move higher than Slovakia and/or Sweden to be seeded then, which is entirely possible. Slovakia are one position higher, Sweden are 4.

Though I never heard this mentioned once when they were chatting about who we could get after the game last night.

The problem is next months games, i am not even sure drawing with Germany and beating Norway would be enough to get us seeded, after this set of games we will move ahead of Sweden but will still be behind Slovakia in the rankings. If September's rankings would've been used and the current teams stayed as they are we would have squeezed in as the last seed.

[Siam69 26,824]

20 minutes ago, Bears&Reds said:

The problem is next months games, i am not even sure drawing with Germany and beating Norway would be enough to get us seeded, after this set of games we will move ahead of Sweden but will still be behind Slovakia in the rankings. If September's rankings would've been used and the current teams stayed as they are we would have squeezed in as the last seed.

Understand.

Italy, then could be Portugal or the Swiss, Holland or Sweden, Slovakia as to the seeded teams. 

Tough enough, the draw will decide it for us. 

 

[Siam69 26,824]

2 hours ago, Bears&Reds said:

The problem is next months games, i am not even sure drawing with Germany and beating Norway would be enough to get us seeded, after this set of games we will move ahead of Sweden but will still be behind Slovakia in the rankings. If September's rankings would've been used and the current teams stayed as they are we would have squeezed in as the last seed.

This explains a bit -

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/what-now-for-northern-ireland-playoff-chances-and-seeding-permutations-for-world-cup-qualification-36102069.html

2. How likely is it that Northern Ireland will be seeded in the play-offs?

Right let's unpack this bit now. The seedings will go on World Ranking places. So Northern Ireland need to, obviously, be above four other play-off teams in the list.

Group A: NI want the Netherlands to surpass Sweden. NI are above the Netherlands but below Sweden currently. Most Likely: 50:50

Group B: Portugal or Switzerland will easily be seeded. No use. Most Likely: SEEDED

Group C: That's Northern Ireland. Most Likely: VERY slightly less than 50:50

Group D: NI would be looking for the Republic of Ireland or Serbia to finish second as Wales are higher ranked. Most Likely: Wales - SEEDED

Group E: Montenegro and Denmark are both ranked lower than NI - so this group should work in their favour. Most Likely: UNSEEDED

Group F: NI want Slovenia or Scotland to finish as runners-up here - although NI could still leapfrog Slovakia in the rankings. Just one behind at the minute. Most Likely: Slovakia - less than 50:50

Group G: Italy or Spain. Most Likely: SEEDED

Group H: Most Likely: MISSED PLAY-OFF PLACE

Group I: This looks like being either Ukraine or Iceland. Iceland are three places ahead of NI at the minute but Ukraine are four behind NI. Most Likely: VERY slightly less than 50:50

Emmm.....so what does that mean??

Seeded will be Group B and Group G for sure - also we'll assume for simplicity that Wales finish second and are also seeded.

So what NI really need are BOTH Ukraine to pip Iceland in Group I, and the Netherlands to beat Sweden to second in Group A.

Even Slovakia are a more unlikely threat if they finish second in Group F and Northern Ireland don't surpass them in the rankings.

Conclusion in short

If I was a betting man, I'd go NI to make the play-offs with at least a point in Norway but will be unseeded.

[johanhentze 14,057]

23 hours ago, bluedylan said:

What a fucking side...there is no team on the planet who punches above their weight like we do...only 2 goals conceded so far and that was away to Germany,simply outstanding.Not beaten at home in 4 years as well

Iceland are arguably punching above their weight the most.. 350.000 people. Currently beating a very good Ukraine side very comfortably. A few good players coupled with incredible fight.. goes a long way. Sitting 2nd in that group just now.

Turkey just scored against Croatia, so Iceland and Croatia are both on 16 points. Amazing!

[Oaktreeloyal 1,422]

23 hours ago, plumbGER said:

He'll bide his time until the offer comes that suits him, no chance he would go to Hearts to have the creepy bastard Levein looking over his shoulder.

That was a Leicester like performance tonight (when they won the league) 28% possession 2 shots on targets, boom 2-0, brilliant.

Fantastic achievements from NI and like you i think there's no way he'll take a job at Hearts when there's sure to be plenty of bigger clubs than them wiling to take him on. There's not a serious manager either that would work under the control freak Levein with his 'gilf' bit on the side Budge in tow. 

[BlearyEyedBear 4,148]

Well in Wales and Serbia.

[bluedylan 11,555]

https://twitter.com/

39 minutes ago, johanhentze said:

Iceland are arguably punching above their weight the most.. 350.000 people. Currently beating a very good Ukraine side very comfortably. A few good players coupled with incredible fight.. goes a long way. Sitting 2nd in that group just now.

Turkey just scored against Croatia, so Iceland and Croatia are both on 16 points. Amazing!

Remarkable what Iceland are achieving at the moment but when you consider we have reached 3 World Cups..one q/f one last 16  given our resources I cannot think of another country that comes close to us..but again brilliant by Iceland and tbf The Faroes

[bluedylan 11,555]

20 minutes ago, BlearyEyedBear said:

Well in Wales and Serbia.

The FAI will probably receive another 5 million from FIFA for not getting that penalty in the last 10 minutes 

[johanhentze 14,057]

1 hour ago, bluedylan said:

https://twitter.com/

Remarkable what Iceland are achieving at the moment but when you consider we have reached 3 World Cups..one q/f one last 16  given our resources I cannot think of another country that comes close to us..but again brilliant by Iceland and tbf The Faroes

Of course! Iceland are now reaping the rewards from changing the whole way  they did things a while ago. Its no accident that they are again close to qualifying.

Faroes.. well.. we are a few years away from that just now, but we have also changed the way we are doing things and we improving all the time. Our u17s qualified for the European finals and a lot of those players have been snapped up by clubs all over Europe which will improve us even further over the next few years. 

[Captain Hilts 12,819]

1 hour ago, johanhentze said:

Of course! Iceland are now reaping the rewards from changing the whole way  they did things a while ago. Its no accident that they are again close to qualifying.

Faroes.. well.. we are a few years away from that just now, but we have also changed the way we are doing things and we improving all the time. Our u17s qualified for the European finals and a lot of those players have been snapped up by clubs all over Europe which will improve us even further over the next few years. 

You can't help but be impressed with what the likes of Iceland and the Faroe Islands are doing. 

Just makes it all the more depressing that Scotland are still picking up England rejects and hailing a no mark like Scott Brown as a world beater. 

[johanhentze 14,057]

42 minutes ago, Captain Hilts said:

You can't help but be impressed with what the likes of Iceland and the Faroe Islands are doing. 

Just makes it all the more depressing that Scotland are still picking up England rejects and hailing a no mark like Scott Brown as a world beater. 

Dont get me wrong.. I believe we are still limited due to being only 50.000 people, but then again... I probably would have said the same about Iceland. I suppose you just have to be smarter.

In Iceland its really simple... the best qualified coaches work with the youngest.

[Jakes Pal 5,568]

Looking like no Republic of Eerie in Russia, which is a damn shame to be sure, bejaysus and begorrah. 

[johanhentze 14,057]

20 hours ago, bluedylan said:

https://twitter.com/

Remarkable what Iceland are achieving at the moment but when you consider we have reached 3 World Cups..one q/f one last 16  given our resources I cannot think of another country that comes close to us..but again brilliant by Iceland and tbf The Faroes

Just came across this online.. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/06/best-footballing-nations-ranked-per-capita-punching-weight/faroe-islands/

[bluedylan 11,555]

6 minutes ago, johanhentze said:

Just came across this online.. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/06/best-footballing-nations-ranked-per-capita-punching-weight/faroe-islands/

Interesting and as I said no denying how far your nation and Iceland have come but Northern Ireland have been doing it for decades. We seem to come and go in 30 year cycles though

[bluedylan 11,555]

Sources suggesting over here that Northern Ireland will be ranked number 20 on FIFA list next week this would make us one of the seeded nations alongside Italy Portugal and Slovakia in playoffs,still think we need to take something from Norway to be 100%though

[Siam69 26,824]

11 minutes ago, bluedylan said:

Sources suggesting over here that Northern Ireland will be ranked number 20 on FIFA list next week this would make us one of the seeded nations alongside Italy Portugal and Slovakia in playoffs,still think we need to take something from Norway to be 100%though

Was reading that, would only work if the Republic pip Wales for 2nd, ironically enough. 

Wales get second, they are ranked above us. 

[bluedylan 11,555]

1 minute ago, Siam69 said:

Was reading that, would only work if the Republic pip Wales for 2nd, ironically enough. 

Wales get second, they are ranked above us. 

[ForeverAndEver 71,305]

2 minutes ago, Siam69 said:

Was reading that, would only work if the Republic pip Wales for 2nd, ironically enough. 

Wales get second, they are ranked above us. 

Would Scotland getting 2nd work in your favour?

[keithgersbear 3,225]

On 9/4/2017 at 10:59 PM, Terry Hurlock Loyal said:

It's not so outlandish, despite the shambles of the SFA - the Scotland job is still considered a big post in European football. He lives in Edinburgh and knows the Scottish game, so he may be tempted. Of course, I'm basing this on pure speculation from pundits from last October. So you are probably correct, there will be bigger jobs for him if NI make it to Russia.

Is it really considered a top job? It's not really. Scotland hasn't qualified for anything since the big bang.