World Cup Qualifying Draws

First topic message reminder :

Just 1074 days until the World Cup returns and this evening is the qualifying draws. Approx Times:

1921: African Zone Draw. 1941: Asian Zone Draw. 1952: North American, Central and Caribbean (CONCACAF) Zone Draw. 2011: Oceania Zone Draw. 2029: European Zone Draw.

The european pots are as follows:

Pot One: England, Spain, Holland, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Norway, Greece
Pot Two: France, Montenegro, Russia, Sweden, Denmark, Slovenia, Turkey, Serbia, Slovakia
Pot Three: Switzerland, Israel, Rep of Ireland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Belarus, Ukraine, Hungary
Pot Four: N Ireland, Scotland, Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Lithuania, Albania, Austria, Poland
Pot Five: Armenia, Finland, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Moldova, FYR Macedonia, Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands
Pot Six: Wales, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malta, Andorra, San Marino

Text Commentary here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9551624.stm

AberdeenSteve wrote:England have struggled against the Montenegrins and Ukraine won't be easy either.

hard games but nothing we can't win

Bout ye. Like thon draw there so I do. Hard to bate, so it is.

Group I: Spain, France, Belarus, Georgia, Finland

Group H: ENGLAND, Montenegro, Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, San Marino

Group G: Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania, Latvia, Lichtenstein

Group F: Portugal, Russia, Israel, NORTHERN IRELAND, Azerbaijan, Luxembourg

Group E: Norway, Slovenia, Switzerland, Albania, Cyprus, Iceland.

Group D: Netherlands, Turkey, Hungary, Romania, Estonia, Andorra.

Group C: Germamy, Sweden, Republic of Ireland, Austria, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan.

Group B: Italy, Denmark, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Armenia, Malta.

Group A: Croatia, Serbia, Belgium, SCOTLAND, Macedonia, WALES

I'd take a draw away against those teams the rest is easy-peasy . I reckon Scotland will come second may even come 1st.

I think Group A will end Serbia , Croatia, Scotland , Belgium, Wales and Macedonia

Have to admit that Croatia certainly aren't the team they once were and I genuinely think that Group A is massively wide open!

Our group is do-able. Make Windsor a fortress and nick one away from home and whilst we're aren't Brazil, we could be going there. All the same to me though.

Group I - Easy to predict; Spain 1/France 2
Group H - Not a bad draw for England, should win the group. Will be close between Montenegro, Ukraine and Polanf.
Group G - Quite an open one. Would say Bosnia and Slovakia to qualify.
Group F - Straight forward- Portugal/Russia
Group E - Another one with four strong team- Norway, Sloevnia, Switzerland and Iceland.
Group D - Holland to win it, Turkey/Romania to come 2nd.
Group C - Ireland stand a chance of pushing Sweden.
Group B - Very tough group, Czech and Italy would be my prediction.
Group A - Very open, don't think Wales stand chance, Scotland have an outside chance.

I love the way wotever group england are drawn in its always a tough group.if they think their r capable of challengin for a cup they should b brushin aside teams like ukraine - unless they rnt that good, in which case gettin to the quarters would b really good

Group A - Serbia, Croatia - Scotland have an outside chance, Wales no chance.
Group B - Italy, Czech - Denmark have an outside chance
Group C - Germany, ROI
Group D - Netherlands, Turkey
Group E - Tough but I'd say Norway then Switzerland
Group F - Russia, Portugal, NI need a miracle
Group G - Greece and Bosnia
Group H - England and Ukraine
Group I - Spain and France

Are these groups based on the top 9 teams going automatically through and they are joined by the winners of the four play off games?

I still can't believe that Norway are classed as top seeds, baffles me.

A 'middle of the road' type draw for Scotland. It could have been better but also could have been a lot worse. For once we have avoided super powers such as Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Holland who we have drawn in recent competitions which must be a good thing. We have a decent record against Croatia but Serbia are an unknown quantity who have a talented squad. Belgium are no mugs and whilst Macedonia should hold no fears (we'll want revenge for Skopje) the Wales matches are a worry as the local derby matches have habit of being unpredictable. From pot six we could have had a far easier draw.

We are improving so I look forward to the campaign.

AberdeenSteve wrote:Are these groups based on the top 9 teams going automatically through and they are joined by the winners of the four play off games?

I still can't believe that Norway are classed as top seeds, baffles me.

I was looking at their squad and they don't seem to have any real stand out players- Hangelaand, Riise, Huseklepp, Braaten, Rogne and Skjelbred are all good, but not in the same class as other top seed teams.

A decent draw for Ireland we should be aiming for 6 points against Kazakstan and the Faroes while 4 isn't unrealistic against the Swedes and Austria. I would be happy with one point against Germany. 2nd is acheivable.

Tough group for us(ROI).

Skopje is a great spot, was there for Euro game last month.

They have a new stadium, impressive, great weekend there, locals were great, very friendly.

Just some info for Wales and Scotland fans thinking of going.

Wish we had drawn them again, just for the weekend alone.

Agree with you Thomand, will be tough, but 2nd isnt out of the question.

for england its good but some of the other home natons have tough groups