Is it harder not to qualify for 2020 Euros ?
I was just doing out the permutations there
This is based on the following:
i) Nations League rankings 1-24
ii) Eire finishing outside the top two in their qualifying group
iii) Current positions in each of the other qualifying groups - Q denoting teams currently in qualifying positions
1 Portugal
2 Holland
3 England Q
4 Switzerland Q
5 Belgium Q
6 France Q
7 Spain Q
8 Italy Q
9 Croatia
10 Poland Q
11 Germany Q
12 Iceland
13 Bosnia
14 Ukraine Q
15 Denmark Q
16 Sweden Q
17 Russia Q
18 Austria
19 Wales
20 Czech Republic Q
21 Slovakia Q
22 Turkey Q
23 Eire
24 Ireland Q
As it stands, Play-Off Pathway A would consist of Portugal, Holland, Croatia and Iceland
Play-Off pathway B would consist of Bosnia, Austria, Wales and Eire (Eire getting the last available slot)
However I feel it’s likely that Portugal, Holland and Croatia will force their way into the qualification slots by the end of the groups
That would mean that Iceland would be the only Nations League A team in a play-off - I presume that the other slots for that pathway would then move down the Nations League divisions, meaning Eire could end playing Iceland in a play-off
I also think there’s a distinct possibility that Eire and Ireland end up in the same play-off pathway
Do the group winners of each nation league not go through to the playoffs if they don’t qualify through their qualifying group? Meaning the likes of Georgia, Macedonia, Kosovo and Belarus are guaranteed a go in the playoffs irrespective of how poorly they get on in their qualifying group.
That’s the way I read it though I could be completely wrong.
It would basically mean Ireland simply must finish top 2.
I didn’t realise that there were 16 teams fighting for the 4 positions. Thought it was only 8.
I’d say Ireland should have no bother making the playoffs.
From the A league, only Croatia and Iceland look like they may not make the automatic qualifying so you’re looking at the two highest ranking sides needing to move up so presumably that would be. I fancy Croatia to make the automatic spots which would free up 3 positions and plenty of the B league sides look good for an automatic spot so there are essentially 7 spots remaining for those of the B league sides who don’t make the automatic positions.
There are 55 teams in the draw, 20 get automatic qualification and a further 16 sides go to the playoffs so you’re essentially looking for a horrible set of circumstances and shocks for a B league side not to make it to March of next year still in the hunt.
Are the ROI fucked regardless?
Who?
Yeah that’s pretty much it.
It’s a bit more doubtful about whether we will get a B league playoff spot or an A league playoff spot. Obviously B would be better for us. And as you said it’s 4 teams going for 1 spot so wouldn’t be too hopeful of actually coming through that.
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That’s the problem you’ll more than likely be in the A playoff.
You’d be better off starting in C. While you’d probably need to actually qualify for the playoffs you’d have a better chance of winning them.
It’s a bizarre system, it’s like something the GAA would come up with
Bosnia look like the only group winners of the Nations League that won’t make it automatically from League B.
Apparently they then stay put in the B playoffs so I think there is a fairly strong chance Ireland will be in the A side.
How do they determine the host country? Will it be one of the sides involved who get to host it. I do like the premise of it over 2 leg affairs.
I think we’re actually more likely to get a B playoff because they’ll give out the A slots first and they will be taken by A and B teams who finished ahead of us but haven’t qualified yet. And then they distribute the B slots and because we finished low in the B rankings we’ll get one of those.
They’re not 2 leg affairs. Semi final is hosted by the higher ranked team in Nations League standings. Final is played at home venue of one of the teams, determined by a draw.
So you are better off finishing low in B?
Lads this shit is mental. Presumably we qualify if we finish s3cond in our group? We’ll just do that so.
A cluster fuck… It’s only purpose is to make more money
Yeah. The likes of Wales are more likely to get an A group (or at least a higher B group).
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Nations League Group winners stick in the lower group I think so Bosnia are more likely to get a softer draw.
People will laugh but I think we are going to finish in top 2. Be written off v Swiss which suits will suit us perfect.
Yeah you have to win to get that. So we’d likely have Bosnia as an opponent given they will be top seeds for the Bs. Not the worst opponent in fairness. And the likes of Serbia and the Scotch can’t be opponents either because they’ll stick to C.
It’s virtually impossible to get the big picture until maybe the final round of games. So much can change between now and then.