World Cup 2010

[BoyBrumby]

From the BBC.

Group 1 Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta

Group 2 Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg

Group 3 Czech Republic, Poland, NORTHERN IRELAND, Slovakia, Slovenia, San Marino

Group 4 Germany, Russia, Finland, WALES, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein

Group 5 Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia

Group 6 Croatia, ENGLAND, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Andorra

Group 7 France, Romania, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Faroe Islands

Group 8 Italy, Bulgaria, Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia, Montenegro

Group 9 Holland, SCOTLAND, Norway, FYR Macedonia, Iceland

Bloody Croatia again! Could've been worse, I suppose, but could've been lot better too.

[Neil Pickup]

So, the qualifying draw has been made for the next International football tournament that anyone actually cares about...

European Groups
Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta
Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg
Czech Republic, Poland, NORTHERN IRELAND, Slovakia, Slovenia, San Marino
Germany, Russia, Finland, WALES, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia
Croatia, ENGLAND, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Andorra
France, ROMANIA, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Faroe Islands
Italy, Bulgaria, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, Cyprus, Georgia, Montenegro
Holland, SCOTLAND, NORWAY, FYR Macedonia, Iceland

Not a good draw for England, with our record of going anywhere east of the Berlin Wall. If we don't get the right man, another DNQ could quite happily be heading our way...

Asian Groups
AUSTRALIA, Iraq, Qatar, China
Oman, Thailand, Bahrain, Japan
North Korea, Jordan, Turkmenistan, South Korea
Lebanon, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia
Syria, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran

I can't decide whether I'm looking forward to the resumption of hosilities between the two Koreas, or Australia crashing out without a stream of excuses about referees and anti-Oceanian bias. The only thing that would make it better would be New Zealand winning the OFC/AFC playoff, but that's probably pushing it.

Someone can post CONCACAF/CONMEBOL/CAF here if there's anyone who cares.

[headhunter]

Not too bad a group for us either. Obviously we have the World Chaps but there very beatable imo. Cyprus again too!
Wouldn't mind being in Group 2 or 7 mind you.
Hopeful our new management will bring in the young guy and make an attempt at qualifying for this. Last too campaigns were cat.

[headhunter]

European Groups
Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta
Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg
Czech Republic, Poland, NORTHERN IRELAND, Slovakia, Slovenia, San Marino
Germany, Russia, Finland, WALES, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein
Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia
Croatia, ENGLAND, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Andorra
France, ROMANIA, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Faroe Islands
Italy, Bulgaria, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, Cyprus, Georgia, Montenegro
Holland, SCOTLAND, NORWAY, FYR Macedonia, Iceland

That's better.
As I said in the English Soccer thread not the worst of group's for us

[Samuel_Vimes]

Group 9 Holland, SCOTLAND, Norway, FYR Macedonia, Iceland

Fair chance of top two here.

Group two is just ridiculous. Latvia have a fair chance of making it through to the play-offs.

[Neil Pickup]

That's better.
As I said in the English Soccer thread not the worst of group's for us

I think it's an utterly foul draw for you, to be honest. Every last one of those away trips is going to be immensely difficult - Italy and Bulgaria for obvious reasons, you don't need any more news about Cyprus, Georgia were good enough to account for Scotland, and Montenegro are by far and away the best of the Pot 6 teams, having only become a FIFA member this year.

Don't give you any more than a 10% chance of getting through that.

[The Baconator]

Group two is just ridiculous. Latvia have a fair chance of making it through to the play-offs.

That was always going to happen with Greece as one of the top seeds really.

[The Baconator]

Group 1: Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Tanzania, Mauritius.
Group 2: Guinea, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya.
Group 3: Angola, Benin, Uganda, Niger.
Group 4: Nigeria, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone.
Group 5: Ghana, Libya, Gabon, Lesotho.
Group 6: Liberia, Algeria, Senegal, Gambia.
Group 7: Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Botswana, Madagascar.
Group 8: Morocco, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mauritania.
Group 9: Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Seychelles.
Group 10: Mali, Congo, Sudan, Chad.
Group 11: Togo, Eritrea, Zambia, Swaziland.
Group 12: Egypt, Congo DR, Malawi, Djibouti.

African groups. Presuming there's some sort of play-offs after that.

[Neil Pickup]

That was always going to happen with Greece as one of the top seeds really.

The issue is how bad the other sides are:

Israel and Switzerland are ranked 9 and 8 respectively in their pots - net result is a complete lack of strong sides!

[Neil Pickup]

Group 1: Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Tanzania, Mauritius.
Group 2: Guinea, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya.
Group 3: Angola, Benin, Uganda, Niger.
Group 4: Nigeria, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone.
Group 5: Ghana, Libya, Gabon, Lesotho.
Group 6: Liberia, Algeria, Senegal, Gambia.
Group 7: Ivory Coast, Mozambique, Botswana, Madagascar.
Group 8: Morocco, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mauritania.
Group 9: Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Seychelles.
Group 10: Mali, Congo, Sudan, Chad.
Group 11: Togo, Eritrea, Zambia, Swaziland.
Group 12: Egypt, Congo DR, Malawi, Djibouti.

African groups. Presuming there's some sort of play-offs after that.

12 winners through, plus 8 best runners up.

Then five groups of four with the winners qualifying for 2010 (unless South Africa reach that stage in which case their matches don't count for WC Qualifying, but only towards qualifying for the African Cup of Nations...)

[Jamee999]

Decent group for Romania, acceptable group for Scotland.

[BoyBrumby]

Decent group for Romania

Dunno so much, myself. Serbia are possibly the strongest team from pot 3 & obviously the French are no mugs.

[Chubb]

Decent group for Romania, acceptable group for Scotland.

Romania will never get past the Foroyar...

Good group for the Faroes, can see an upset against Austria or Lithuania at home- visiting sides never come to terms with the fog, the wind and the driving rain. Problem is away from home they tend to degenerate into 6-0 punchbags.

[shortpitched713]

From the BBC.

Group 1 Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania, Malta

Group 2 Greece, Israel, Switzerland, Moldova, Latvia, Luxembourg

Group 3 Czech Republic, Poland, NORTHERN IRELAND, Slovakia, Slovenia, San Marino

Group 4 Germany, Russia, Finland, WALES, Azerbaijan, Liechtenstein

Group 5 Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Estonia

Group 6 Croatia, ENGLAND, Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Andorra

Group 7 France, Romania, Serbia, Lithuania, Austria, Faroe Islands

Group 8 Italy, Bulgaria, Republic of Ireland, Cyprus, Georgia, Montenegro

Group 9 Holland, SCOTLAND, Norway, FYR Macedonia, Iceland

Bloody Croatia again! Could've been worse, I suppose, but could've been lot better too.

Does one team qualify from each group?

[luckyeddie]

That's better.
As I said in the English Soccer thread not the worst of group's for us

Indeed.

Have you been to see the RoI play footy at Croker yet or do you just restrict yourself to an annual GAA pilgrimage?