Left field
The Reuters global sports blog
Both teams got the Euro 2012 playoff draw they wanted
By Philip O’Connor in Stockholm
It wasn’t just Irish eyes that were smiling when the Euro 2012 playoff draw was made in Polish city of Krakow – some of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) delegation appeared to be laughing out loud when they were drawn to face Estonia, with the winner heading to next year’s finals.
But despite the protestations of coach Tarmo Ruutli, Ireland probably represents the best possible draw for the Estonians, given that the other alternatives were Portugal, Croatia or the Czech Republic.
“I don’t think the Republic of Ireland were the easiest of our potential opponents,” Ruutli said in a statement after the draw. “All the teams at this stage are strong and they proved it during the group stage. However, I won’t deny the fact that we wanted to face Ireland more than the others.”
Former Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham didn’t mince his words, telling RTE TV that “everyone would have been leaning towards Estonia. They are the weakest of the teams we could have faced.”
But Ireland’s problem may be that, despite a plethora of players playing in the English Premiership, they don’t tend to do well against “weak” teams.
They struggled to beat lowly Andorra in their two qualifiers, and suffered the ignominy of conceding a goal to them at home.
Euro 2012 playoffs renew recent rivalries
The Euro 2012 two-legged playoffs should offer plenty of action and eight entertaining matches, with the last four berths in next year’s finals up for grabs.
While Ireland will start as strong favourites against Estonia, the other three ties appear set to be nerve-jangling affairs in which two former Yugoslav repubics will be eager to avenge painful defeats against their respective opponents, while another is aiming to make history in only their second tournament as an independent nation.
Revenge will be the only thing on Croatia’s mind when they clash with Turkey, who knocked them out in an epic Euro 2008 quarter-final. Having taken the lead in the final minute of extra time to go 1-0 up, Croatia were almost already celebrating when Turkey equalised with the last kick of the game and then won the penalty shootout to send their fans in Vienna into raptures, leaving Croatian coach Slaven Bilic and his players shattered.
The defeat had far-reaching consequences for Croatia, as they struggled throughout their 2010 World Cup campaign and failed to reach the finals, while Bilic repeatedly came under fire from the media after tepid performances from a team which had clearly not recovered from the shell-shocking loss to the Turks.
They showed precious little improvement in the Euro 2012 qualifiers, as a 2-0 defeat by Greece which consigned them to the playoffs exposed chinks in the armour of a squad expected to qualify for next year’s finals as the group winners.
But Croatian fans, several of whom had told me they were so busy celebrating Ivan Klasnic’s goal in Vienna against Turkey they missed Semih Senturk’s deft equaliser, will forget the ordeals they have endured over the past three years if the team lay their gosts to rest in what promises to be a cracking tie, with the return leg in Croatia’s capital Zagreb.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Spreading out internationals makes sense
UEFA's plan to spread out fixtures during international weeks makes perfect sense and should bring an end to those strange weekends during the season with no top class soccer, when I find myself watching rubbish old B-movies and darts.
The idea would see a national team play on Thursday for example and then Sunday, or Friday and Tuesday like now or Saturday and Tuesday.
The "week of football" as UEFA dubs it will also mean the big soccer fans can watch lots of live international football day after day rather than trying to catch the highlights of 20 games all played one one evening.
Clubs can't moan either as they will still be getting their players back on a Wednesday before a club match as currently happens after the reasonably recent change to play second matches of international double headers on Tuesday.
The only downside to the plan I can see is that national coaches will get less preparation time following weekend club matches if their first game is on a Thursday.
UEFA also wants to harmonise kick off times for qualifiers which makes a lot of sense too.
Everyone knows that Champions League games in the club sphere start at 1845 GMT but looking at Friday's Euro 2012 games, they start at 1600, 1700, 1715, 1800, 1900, 1915, 1930, 1945, 2000, 2030 and yes the obligatory Portugal at 2100 (when do they ever get to sleep?)
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
FIFA’s World Cup decision day — live
We'll be following all the presentations and the vote itself as FIFA's executive committee decides on the hosts for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Spain/Portugal, Russia, England and Netherlands/Belgium are the four rival bids for 2018, while Australia, South Korea, Qatar, United States and Japan battle it out for 2022, with the vote to come on Thursday.
Follow it all here live...
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
Euro 2012 qualifiers – live
We're following all tonight's Euro 2012 qualifiers live. Join us here for updates, comments and pix ... and details of all the goals as they go in.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
France break Irish hearts to seal World Cup slot
France ensured the likes of Franck Ribery, Karim Benzema and Thierry Henry will be at the World Cup in South Africa next year after winning through with a goal that has left Irish fans seething.
There was nothing wrong with the finish from William Gallas, but Thierry Henry admitted using his hand to keep the ball in play and commentators and Irish supporters are already talking of "The Hand of God II" and "The Hand of Henry" in reference to Diego Maradona in 1986.
"Yes, there is handball but I am not the referee," Henry told reporters. "I'm in the box, there are two defenders in front of me. The ball bounced off my hand, the referee did not see it and I played on."
Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni called the goal a "great mistake" by Swedish referee Martin Hansson but he chose not to accuse Henry of cheating.
"I told the referee that it is possible to make great mistakes," Trapattoni told a new conference after the game at Stade de France. "It is a bitter evening."
Trapattoni said he felt the referee should have talked to his assistants and to Henry before awarding the goal.
Having said that, I can perfectly understand the feelings here. Every football fan has had to endure such injustices for their team at one stage or another but it hurts even more in a game with such high stakes.
We are now running the story that the Irish FA are asking FIFA for a replay. I think that’s very unlikely to happen but I guess even making the request makes a point to FIFA and France.
http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/news/article/ -/6494536/irish-fa-calls-france-playoff- replayed
Sportswrap: redemption special
Click on the video above for our latest look at the week’s sporting highlights, including an interview with Andre Agassi (in full Edith Piaf mode), the thoughts of Michael Phelps on his trial by textile and the almighty scrap for the last nine World Cup places.
As always, Sportswrap is presented by Owen Wyatt, written by Kevin Fylan and produced from our Canary Wharf HQ.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
World Cup playoff draw – your views
Draw for the European World Cup playoffs:
Republic of Ireland v France Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina Greece v Ukraine Russia v Slovenia
Two-legged ties to be played on Nov 14 and 18.
Is that the sound of a World Cup playoff shock I hear? France, 2006 runners-up, will have to beat Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland over two legs to reach South Africa next year and that is no easy feat.
The Irish were unbeaten in qualifying and drew with world champions Italy twice while with Trapattoni as coach they have the wiliest of wily foxes, whatever you think of his English. We talked a lot on this blog about the controversy over seedings but it would be hard to separate Greece and Ukraine on paper let alone on the field.
Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo struggled in qualifying and just scraped the playoffs so let's not discount proud Bosnia yet. Is Guus Hiddink destined for another World Cup with Russia? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Giovanni Trapattoni has moulded Ireland into a very hard team to beat indeed. If France fails to score in Croke Park or even lose, there is definitely a chance of an upset over two legs.
from Reuters Soccer Blog:
The all-star XI in World Cup trouble
Some of football's biggest names, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are in danger of missing out on next year's World Cup, as countries such as Argentina, Portugal and France struggle in qualification.
Most, if not quite all of them, may make it in the end, of course, but for a bit of pre-weekend qualifier fun, here's my stab at a world XI wtill fretting over their places at South Africa 2010.
Think I've got it about right? Missed anyone out? Let me know in the comments.
Petr Cech (Czech Republic): The Chelsea keeper is arguably the best in the business, but the Czech Republic are currently fourth in group three and could be eliminated on Saturday if results go against them.
Patrice Evra (France): The left back could pick up his fourth consecutive Premier League crown with Manchester United this season, but he could miss out on the World Cup with France currently second in their group behind Serbia and hoping for a play-off place at a realistic best.
Thomas Vermaelen (Belgium): The former Ajax defender has enjoyed a superb opening to the season since completing a move to Arsenal, but he will not get the chance to showcase his talents in South Africa after Belgium were eliminated from their qualifying group.
Dmytro Chygrynskiy (Ukraine): Barcelona paid €25 million for the former Shakhtar Donetsk defender, but Ukraine will need to overhaul Croatia in Group Six for the centre back to stand a chance of playing in the World Cup.
France will make it, Portugal have a good chance (as long as Sweden don’t win in Copenhagen) but Argentina look on very shaky ground. I’d be very sorry to see Messi, Aimar, Higuain and co miss the World Cup but guess we’d all survive.
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Resident Left Field Expert
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