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SLG · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:58 am Post subject: Euro2008 draw

Group B
France
Italy
Ukraine
SCOTLAND
Lithuania
Georgia
Faroe Islands

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

let's face it, we're fecked.

Sad

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azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

Here are France, Italy and Ukraine's recent qualifying record for the last 4 major tournaments (2006WC, 2004EC, 2002WC, 2000EC) with regard to their position in the qualifying group:

France 1st, 1st, NA (qualified as winners), 1st

Italy 1st, 1st, 1st, 1st

Ukraine 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd

How UEFA's ranking system can allow three 2006 World Cup qualifying group winners in the same group I don't know.

France and Italy have won every group they have been in since 1998. It will be a major surprise if one of them comes 3rd! I'm afraid it leaves Scotland with a massive task. We should go out with one mission and that is get as many points as possible so that we don't end up in a similar group again.

Its not good guys so we will just have to go out and enjoy it.
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SLG · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 12:57 pm Post subject:

Is is not in the nature of the Scotland fan to be eternally optimistic? I think we can do it! I'll give France 1st place, but we've shown we can match Italy recently. If we can win our home games against Italy and Ukraine and not slip up aginst the 'wee' teams...

We shouldn't just be concentrating on the other teams - look at Scotland, we've got some great players coming through and what looks like a good management team. We might cause a few surprises.

Who am I kidding - we're fecked!

Blackleaf · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:05 pm Post subject:

Well, it looks like ANOTHER tournament that the Scots are gonna fail to qualify for. The last tournament Scotland played in was the 1998 World Cup.

Here's England's group -

Group E
ENGLAND
Croatia
Russia
Israel
Estonia
Macedonia
Andorra

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

oh well - it looks like England are going to qualify for ANOTHER tournament and go out on penalties!

Guess we'll just need to settle with dominating politics and most public services! Wink

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Blackleaf · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:20 pm Post subject:

England are already favourites to win Euro2008, and the qualifiers haven't even started yet.

Times Online January 27, 2006

Euro 2008 draw
By Times Online and Agencies

After a week of intense speculation as to who will succeed Sven-Göran Eriksson as England's head coach, that man, whoever he is, this morning learned the nature of his first assignment.

The draw for the 2008 European Championships, held on the banks of Lake Geneva in Montreaux, Switzerland, may be only a momentary distraction from preparations for the World Cup, but England will be encouraged nonetheless to have been drawn in a relatively easy group.

Classified by Uefa in the top tier of European nations, with the likes of Holland, France and Portugal, England will look to justify that billing by getting past Croatia, Russia, Estonia, Israel, Macedonia and Andorra in Group E — a line-up that, if England are indeed one of Europe's elite, should not cause too much trouble. Bookmakers immediately installed England as 9-2 favourites to win the tournament.

Eriksson, who attended the draw, said: "I think England should be happy, there are groups much more difficult than England's. The man after me will be happy with this draw. It's very interesting and very good."

Scotland, on the other hand, face a difficult task in Group B, in which they will face heavyweights Italy and France, who beat them 5-0 in their last meeting in March 2002. Charlie Nicholas, the former Scotland international, gave Walter Smith's side little chance. "I think Walter will be on the phone to the Samaritans tonight," Nicholas said. "It is such a difficult group."

Wales and the Republic of Ireland face a difficult draw in Group D, in which the Czech Republic and Germany will be heavily favoured.

Northern Ireland were drawn in Group F, with Denmark, Sweden and Spain.

Greece, the defending champions, were drawn in perhaps the easiest group, Group C, with Turkey, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Malta, Hungary, Moldova and Norway. The surprise winners of Euro 2004 failed to maintain their momentum and qualify for the World Cup finals, but will hope to be on hand to defend their title in 2008.

Fifty countries are competing for 14 places in the finals along with co-hosts Switzerland and Austria, who qualify automatically.

THE DRAW IN FULL:

Group A
1 Portugal
2 Poland
3 Serbia and Montenegro
4 Belgium
5 Finland
6 Armenia
7 Azerbaijan
8 Kazakhstan

Group B
1 France
2 Italy
3 Ukraine
4 SCOTLAND
5 Lithuania
6 Georgia
7 Faroe Islands

Group C
1 Greece
2 Turkey
3 Norway
4 Bosnia-Herzegovina
5 Hungary
6 Moldova
7 Malta

Group D
1 Czech Republic
2 Germany
3 Slovakia
4 REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
5 WALES
6 Cyprus
7 San Marino

Group E
1 ENGLAND
2 Croatia
3 Russia
4 Israel
5 Estonia
6 Macedonia
7 Andorra

Group F
1 Sweden
2 Spain
3 Denmark
4 Latvia
5 Iceland
6 NORTHERN IRELAND
7 Liechtenstein

Group G
1 Netherlands
2 Romania
3 Bulgaria
4 Slovenia
5 Albania
6 Belarus
7 Luxembourg

- Austria and Switzerland qualify automatically as joint hosts

The Scots should remember that Scotland beat France 2-0 in the Euro 92 qualifiers - although France beat Scotland 3-0 in the second game they played against each other.

SLG · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 2:30 pm Post subject:

My predictions to qualify:

Group A: Portugal, Poland
Group B: France, Scotland;)
Group C: Turkey, Norway
Group D: Germany, Czech Republic
Group E: England, Croatia
Group F: Sweden, Spain
Group G: Netherlands, Bulgaria

SLG · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:08 pm Post subject:

Does anyone know roughly how long they will take to sort out the fixtures?

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

I think they have 90 days, but usually take only 60 or so until all of the associations work it out.
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SLG · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject:

Cheers rs

azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

Saw this on another forum and found it funny:

Rinty · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 5:31 pm Post subject: k

It's a nightmare. Getting some good results to work our up to third pot seeds is all we can hope for.

My Predictions

Group A: Portugal, Poland
Group B: France, Ukraine
Group C: Greece, Turkey
Group D: Germany, Czech Republic
Group E: England, Russia
Group F: Spain, Sweden
Group G: Netherlands, Romania

Blackleaf · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:38 pm Post subject:

Ukraine to qualify but not Italy?

Rinty · Posted: Fri Jan 27, 2006 6:48 pm Post subject: yes

Yes. Unless Italy improve they were not much to shout about when we played them recently. They struggled in almost every game and although they qualified comfortably it could have easily gone wrong for them. Ukraine qualified for the world cup impressively, they only lost one game and that was after they qualified.

parkhead_rfb · Getting on a bit! Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 1974

henrik larsson in the six county stadium should be interesting Very Happy

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Morph · Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2006 11:25 pm Post subject:

ITs alright folks Walter said we have nothing to fear from two of the biggest teams in Europe. It'll be fine! Shocked

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Abieuan · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 12:11 am Post subject:

Well, ye never ken, strange things happen in football.

Morph · Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 1:22 am Post subject:

Strange aye, but the mans no jesus Laughing

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azzuri · 'Our Scotland' Fossil Joined: 12 Sep 2005 Posts: 3771

thank goodness, we're no wantin' another foreign manager!
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"Every single person on this planet is unique. Just like everyone else..." - Random Guy in Edinburgh Pub

Possibly the funniest site in the world, 'The Daily Mash' - http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/