UEFA Euro Qualifiers 2020

[Sinbad]

Arsenal could do with Ramsay ,these days.Great player.

Man Utd could do with Lukaku, these days. Great player.

[kevin04]

Well, that's the qualifiers completed.

Well done to Wales. They do have a good wee squad there ; you've got the now experienced Ramsey, Bale, Davies and one thing they do brilliantly is having Wilson ; Ampadu ; James ; Matondo all playing and capped.

They had a difficult group in the sense that everyone beat everyone. So rather than NI having two superb teams plus two duds ; having one very good team and 4 decent/hard away matches you need to go to places like Azerbaijan and win which they did! Not a huge fan of Giggs, and wasn't sure how it would work out - but fair dues to him, and it'll be interesting to see them at the Euros.

If Ireland is a ''here's what you could have won, Scotland' as a nation then Wales are certainly the sports nation we should be looking at our feet and making a sharp exit when up against. Blagging it ; but a terrific sports nation Wales who punch well above.

So the full twenty so far (and the groups are near enough drawn thanks to the ranking system) and there are two big draws coming up. On Friday at 11am for the playoffs. Groups B and D are confirmed for the Playoffs ; but A and C need teams (Bulgaria, Israel, Romania, Hungary - one of these will go to Hampden to play Scotland and the other 3 in to the A Playoff route with Iceland)

And then next Saturday (30th) the draw for the groups at the Euros. A bit early, but with 12 'host' nations they can work out the groups even without the four playoff winners. If, that's a HUGE IF, Scotland can somehow come a crop in two cup finals ; we could potentially have a group of England, France, Portugal, Scotland - almost worth that inevitable penalty shoot out lose to Serbia now isn't it!

As for Scotland last night. I was quietly impressed. Yes, it was Kazakhstan but if we had any form of prowess up front, it could well have been a couple more. Ryan Jack has been a find over these two games and again Cyprus and Kazakhstan were the opponents but he breaks up the play nicely ; finds a dark blue shirt ; and can create too. John McGinn is such a huge player for Scotland and a goal threat, I hope Clarke continues to play him behind the front two. McGregor had an excellent game ; Taylor - for his lack of game time at Celtic he didn't do much wrong at all, a shame we have two left backs albeit not in this squad. Christie was quiet, but he's a bit like that one excellent game backed up by a quieter game.

Clarke now has a 50% win rate. After a pretty disastrous back-to-back schedule against Belgium and Russia ; we've won our final three games and whilst NI had the opposite and won their first four games, we have a wee bit of momentum for the playoffs. Three wins albeit San Marino, Cyprus and Kazakhstan. Still, Cyprus was a test/away and they are nowhere near the minnows they are perceived these days. Things slowly starting to turn. Qualification will be a task - but we'll see. A bit of luck both on/off the park and a second half as good as last night, then we might get close.

[kevin04]

100% true too, the old dog!

[kevin04]

Out of a possible Bulgaria, Hungary, Israel or Romania ; we drew Israel - probably the kindest draw yet if we get through that it's going to be difficult to qualify as it's Belgrade or Oslo next - I would have happily took Romania or Hungary at Hampden followed by the Serbs or Norwegians coming to Glasgow for the final.

Still, if you cannae beat Israel at a sold-out Hampden and not get the better of Norway or Serbia during 90 mins then we are saving ourselves the embarrassment of the Euros - we will get a hummer of a group due to the seedings. Could end up - England, France, Portugal, Scotland! That is a worst case scenario ; but it'll be a tough tournament for us no matter.

It will be very Scottish to hammer Israel 3-0 and put in a great performance ; everyone hyper and high as they can be following the national team and top it up by going to Belgrade and going 1-0 before losing 2 late goals and crashing out 2-1. Another wee sickner will be that team who gets the spot in C : Israel, Norway, Scotland, Serbia will play their 'home' games at Hampden in the group ; so we could well be papped out by Norway/Serbia in the final and they'll take our place in our own home city at the Euros.

Still, that's the cards ; let's see if we can give it a go. Away to Serbia and Norway will be mega tough. Hoping lots of knocks, red cards and players out for any potential final ; but for there to be a final we need to beat Israel. Clarke now has 3 months to come up with a plan to hopefully get us to the Euros. I'm not confident, but Mon Scotland, change the fécking script for once and do this!

Playoffs in full

Bulgaria - Hungary
Iceland - Romania

Two winners meet in Sofia or Budapest. So much for UEFA eh, for all the racist language from Bulgaria and fines etc ; they now potentially have two home ties to get to the Euros!

Slovakia - Ireland
Bosnia - NI

If both the Irelands' get through ; it will be some match in the final as Belfast will host the final!

Georgia - Belarus
North Macedonia - Kosovo

Played in Georgia or Belarus. As great as Kosovo have been I fear North Macedonia will be too much ; Gerogia - North Macedonia should be a belting final. I'd expect Georgia to get there!

[Basualdo]

Out of a possible Bulgaria, Hungary, Israel or Romania ; we drew Israel - probably the kindest draw yet if we get through that it's going to be difficult to qualify as it's Belgrade or Oslo next - I would have happily took Romania or Hungary at Hampden followed by the Serbs or Norwegians coming to Glasgow for the final.

Still, if you cannae beat Israel at a sold-out Hampden and not get the better of Norway or Serbia during 90 mins then we are saving ourselves the embarrassment of the Euros - we will get a hummer of a group due to the seedings. Could end up - England, France, Portugal, Scotland! That is a worst case scenario ; but it'll be a tough tournament for us no matter.

It will be very Scottish to hammer Israel 3-0 and put in a great performance ; everyone hyper and high as they can be following the national team and top it up by going to Belgrade and going 1-0 before losing 2 late goals and crashing out 2-1. Another wee sickner will be that team who gets the spot in C : Israel, Norway, Scotland, Serbia will play their 'home' games at Hampden in the group ; so we could well be papped out by Norway/Serbia in the final and they'll take our place in our own home city at the Euros.

Still, that's the cards ; let's see if we can give it a go. Away to Serbia and Norway will be mega tough. Hoping lots of knocks, red cards and players out for any potential final ; but for there to be a final we need to beat Israel. Clarke now has 3 months to come up with a plan to hopefully get us to the Euros. I'm not confident, but Mon Scotland, change the fécking script for once and do this!

Playoffs in full

Bulgaria - Hungary
Iceland - Romania

Two winners meet in Sofia or Budapest. So much for UEFA eh, for all the racist language from Bulgaria and fines etc ; they now potentially have two home ties to get to the Euros!

Slovakia - Ireland
Bosnia - NI

If both the Irelands' get through ; it will be some match in the final as Belfast will host the final!

Georgia - Belarus
North Macedonia - Kosovo

Played in Georgia or Belarus. As great as Kosovo have been I fear North Macedonia will be too much ; Gerogia - North Macedonia should be a belting final. I'd expect Georgia to get there!

KOTFS

Except unlike JWOTS you actually learn stuff and it's interesting.

[delboy1983]

Must get past Israel and hopefully play Norway away and not Serbia

[kancutlawns]

Norway would do you over too. It’s going to be tough for you. It’s a fix giving you Israel though.

[delboy1983]

Norway would do you over too. It’s going to be tough for you. It’s a fix giving you Israel though.

Last time we played Norway away we won 0-1

[subsub]

Norway would do you over too. It’s going to be tough for you. It’s a fix giving you Israel though.

Last time we played Norway away we won 0-1

WHO CAN STOP THEM?!

[subsub]

Group A (Rome, Baku): Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, Wales

Group B (St Petersburg, Copenhagen): Russia, Denmark, Belgium, Finland

Group C (Amsterdam, Bucharest): Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria (Georgia, Kosovo, Belarus, North Macedonia)

Group D (London, Glasgow): England, Croatia, Czech Republic (Scotland, Israel, Norway, Serbia)

Group E (Bilbao, Dublin): Spain, Poland, Sweden (N Ireland, Bosnia, Slovakia or Ireland)

Group F (Munich, Budapest): Germany, France, Portugal (Iceland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary)

[Carlos J]

Mega complicated draw.

England v Croatia, Czech Republic and winner of Scotland, Israel, Serbia and Norway.

Wales v Turkey, Italy and Switzerland

One of the Ireland's if get through v Spain, Poland and Sweden.

Group F the group of death with Germany, France, and Portugal in it.

[subsub]

- could be England v Scotland!
- Group F = group of death
- Wales will be pretty happy

[Two Crows]

How on earth are France the current World Champions and 2016 Euro Finalists in Pot 2?

How on earth are Portugal current European Champions and 2019 Nations League Winners in Pot 3?

[Jonathan]

Ridiculously over complicated draw. A good group for England though if we win it we play someone from Group F

[AlcoholBrazil]

Best to forget it all, and wait until the play-offs are done, and the draw can be publshed properly. Waste of time looking at it now.