FIFA World Cup 2018 Qualifying Thread

Bus-Conductor said:

That Denmark team are a good little football team, playing a much better brand of football under the new coach, with some decent players down the spine of that team, Schmeical, Kjaer, Poulson, Christensen, and in Eriksen, one of football's most understated talents. Really impressed with them tonight, and with the marginal exception of Italy, all the teams that went through the play-offs were by far the better teams.

I didn't really want Eriksen working this summer, but to see and hear (post match) what it meant to him and how impressed I was with this Denmark side, I'm pleased for him and them that they are there. It's fitting that a player like Eriksen gets to have that on his CV whilst at his peak. What a performance from him, but also great performance from Denmark coming from a goal behind away from home under huge pressure.

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DJS said:

Shame Republic of Ireland didn’t qualify.

They had a pretty decent group of players for a few years but as those players have retired the ones coming through aren’t of the same quality.

It was a pretty tasty side at one point with likes of Keano, Quinn, Duff, Carr, Harte, Given, Holland, Angry Keane in it.

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Dougal said:

Quinn retired 16 years ago! Along with our World Cup hopes. He’s been a Chairman since. I think it’s safe to say that era is over. Even in those times we longed for the days of Jack Charlton as Mick McCarthy had to blood a lot of youngsters and there were far more misses than hits. We hope again for a new generation but the country has a couple of other sports ahead of soccer and even Connor McGregor creates more excitement.

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DJS said:

There used to be far more players coming over at a young age to English clubs and comng through their youth systems as well.

Leeds in particular bought through Gary Kelly, Ian Harte and Stephen McPhail who were all pretty decent for them, although i think McPhail was unlucky with injuries?

Republican of Ireland used to have a thing for bringing through quality full backs as well!

Doesn’t seem to be happening now, as you’ve said above guess youngsters prefer to go for other sports over football.

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Dougal said:

The interest in the other sports never went away, just a place for soccer was found among it. There’s just no room at the top table for Irish players anymore. When most of your squad comes from Burnley, Preston, Ipswich, Derby and the likes it’s no surprise that competing is difficult and frankly uninspiring. But without a striker, like we had in Keano, all the organisation in the world at the back isn’t going to get you far, even with him it was a slog. Another batch of retirements now and we await new heroes.

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Dougal said:

Congrats to the Aussies



Having just had a look at the possible eligible players for Ireland it's still not overly inspiring.

http://www.punditarena.com/football...xi-made-up-of-potential-granny-rule-recruits/

Lucky escape that Noble turned us down at least...

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specspurs said:

Sorry to correct you but it's four times in a row. I am very happy even though this team is not nearly as good as some that did not qualify. And I go back a long way. Back to clearly remembering watching every game in our marathon qualification for West Germany 1974. Back to being at the Sydney Sports Ground when we lost over two legs against Israel when they qualified for Mexico 1970.

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aussiespursguy said:

oh yeah.....Hatrick to Mile!!!!....Second penalty... 3-0....Off to Russia....

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archiewasking said:

Sounds like you're in the Mile high club............

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Cavehillspur said:

No NI or ROI involvement is fucking depressing, also throw the Italians in there too would've preferred to watch Italy than Sweden tbh.

Roll on the Euros...lol

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DanielCHillier said:

All three of those teams play such boring defensive football, glad they haven't qualified.

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