Mr Bairn Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Hoping for Wales Iceland Faroes Cyprus Andorra Dreading England France Turkey Armenia Georgia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheScarf Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Iceland Scotland would scud them 9 times out of 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightmare Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Iceland Scotland would scud them 9 times out of 10. Doubt it. Iceland are currently going through probably the best period in their history. They're almost a stick-on to qualify for Euro 2016 as a result of winning 5 out of 6 matches in their group (beating the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Turkey as well as a couple of diddies so far), and made the playoffs for the 2014 World Cup before losing to Croatia. I'd still take them in our group, mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoonTon Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Doubt it. Iceland are currently going through probably the best period in their history. They're almost a stick-on to qualify for Euro 2016 as a result of winning 5 out of 6 matches in their group (beating the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Turkey as well as a couple of diddies so far), and made the playoffs for the 2014 World Cup before losing to Croatia. I'd still take them in our group, mind you. That's the thing about a small nation like Iceland though. They're at their highest ebb right now, but it won't be long before they take a dip. They absolutely have some very good players, but they lack depth. It wouldn't be a surprise at all if they struggled in the next campaign. I think that's why most of us would take them, despite their good recent form. Something along the lines of Romania, Iceland, Faroes, Finland and San Marino would be an incredible draw. There's far more potential for really tough draws than easier draws though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La_Leyenda Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The first qualifying campaign I remember was Euro 92, which in those days usually meant listening to the away games in these (what seemed) strange, far away, remote countries, before watching the highlights later. I loved that campaign though. Coming back from 2-0 down to draw with Switzerland was the high point. Then it came to the final game where Romania had to beat Bulgaria. They drew, Hagi missed a pen, and Scotland qualified. The reason I mention it is because Scotland could actually get the exact same group (plus one extra from pot 5 - which I'll take Cyprus cos my folks live there. So Romania, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Cyprus, San Marino. That's the group right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoonTon Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Cracking infographic in the SSC email this week: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 What's with certain nations getting guaranteed group of 6 due to centralised tv rights? Surely that shouldn't be affecting a draw! edit - what the graphic doesn't say is that France and Italy from pot 2 also have this guarantee edit 2 - slavering pish, it does...still a nonsense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christophe Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Anyway fingers crossed for three things: A good Scotland draw, England to get France/Italy, and a tasty mental Balkan group Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 I don't suppose it makes much odds - broadly speaking, it just guarantees they'll face some Pot 6 minnows twice? - but I agree that it seems untoward. I take it they aren't incorporating Russia & Gibraltar for friendly purposes, like with France for Euro 2016 qualifying? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moo Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 If we're going to get a group of death again then let's hope it's cracking away ties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Nice infographic, apart from the 'Most Frequent Opponent' bit - I'm more interested in who our most frequent opponent has been in World Cups (qualifiers and finals), or even in competitive matches altogether. And I'm not counting the Home Internationals in that Anyone know where that can be found out easily? Might be nice to know who other countries play most often as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Nice infographic, apart from the 'Most Frequent Opponent' bit - I'm more interested in who our most frequent opponent has been in World Cups (qualifiers and finals), or even in competitive matches altogether. And I'm not counting the Home Internationals in that Anyone know where that can be found out easily? Might be nice to know who other countries play most often as well. You have to count some editions as they've sometimes doubled as WC or Euro qualifiers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFTD Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 You have to count some editions as they've sometimes doubled as WC or Euro qualifiers. Mmm, I suppose. I'd forgotten about those. Hardly a fair qualifying process, but there's no denying it. Interesting that the media didn't count those tournaments as 'competitive' when Scotland and England met at Euro '96 - it was widely reported as being the first time the countries had played each other in a competitive match. Perhaps 'drawn together' was more accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightmare Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Romania in Pot 1 is surprising. They've done nothing since Euro 2000 and it's not even like their recent form is that good either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpoonTon Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Nice infographic, apart from the 'Most Frequent Opponent' bit - I'm more interested in who our most frequent opponent has been in World Cups (qualifiers and finals), or even in competitive matches altogether. And I'm not counting the Home Internationals in that Anyone know where that can be found out easily? Might be nice to know who other countries play most often as well. As far as I can see that would be Wales (8 meetings), followed by Norway and Czechoslovakia (7). It's late and I'm tired though, so I may have missed something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigkillie Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 What's with certain nations getting guaranteed group of 6 due to centralised tv rights? Surely that shouldn't be affecting a draw! edit - what the graphic doesn't say is that France and Italy from pot 2 also have this guarantee edit 2 - slavering pish, it does...still a nonsense As far as I can tell, the only effect of this is that it is now slightly more likely that France or Italy will end up in the same group as one of those other "big nations". It doesn't affect Scotland's odds of being drawn with any given team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsjfc Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 As far as I can tell, the only effect of this is that it is now slightly more likely that France or Italy will end up in the same group as one of those other "big nations". It doesn't affect Scotland's odds of being drawn with any given team. That was my thoughts. Had it in my head that they had to be drawn apart, but can't see that anywhere now. If we can get the 5 team group it would increase our odds of getting an easier group. It does very marginally increase the odds of a nightmare group too though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamonds are Forever Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 My only predictions are that regardless of who we get people will moan that it is a tough draw. And that people will moan at England getting an easy draw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HibeeJibee Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 According to my notes, including all FIFA or UEFA games: * we have played Belgium the most, no fewer 12 times across 6 qualifying campaigns * then Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic, 11 times across 5 qualifying campaigns (11? due to a tie-breaker match) * then Wales, 10 times across 6 qualifying campaigns (6? due to WC 1950 & 1954 qualifiers being Home Championships so not home-n-away) * then Faroe Islands, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland all 8 times across 4 qualifying campaigns... plus we played Norway and Switzerland at finals tournaments, which brings each up to 9 times What about getting overly familiar? (1) - we drew Denmark in 3 successive qualifying campaigns from 1970 to 1974 (2) - we drew Estonia in 3 out of 4 campaigns from 1994 to 2000 (3) - we drew the Faroe Islands every other campaign 4 times running, 1996 to 2008, and did the same with Lithuania 2000 to 2012 Unusual situations? - the only non-European team we have ever faced in qualification is Australia, in the 1986 Intercontinental Playoff - we only played 2 matches at WC 1954 in Switzerland as Seeds only played Non-Seeds in the finals groupstage We have never played a competitive game against Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Slovakia or Turkey, but this could be our year for most of them. Fairly surprising not to have drawn Albania, Hungary or Turkey yet. And incidentally, we never have and now never will play a competitive game against Saarland, which is sad :-(. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the snudge Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 According to my notes, including all FIFA or UEFA games: * we have played Belgium the most, no fewer 12 times across 6 qualifying campaigns * then Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic, 11 times across 5 qualifying campaigns (11? due to a tie-breaker match) * then Wales, 10 times across 6 qualifying campaigns (6? due to WC 1950 & 1954 qualifiers being Home Championships so not home-n-away) * then Faroe Islands, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland all 8 times across 4 qualifying campaigns... plus we played Norway and Switzerland at finals tournaments, which brings each up to 9 times What about getting overly familiar? (1) - we drew Denmark in 3 successive qualifying campaigns from 1970 to 1974 (2) - we drew Estonia in 3 out of 4 campaigns from 1994 to 2000 (3) - we drew the Faroe Islands every other campaign 4 times running, 1996 to 2008, and did the same with Lithuania 2000 to 2012 Unusual situations? - the only non-European team we have ever faced in qualification is Australia, in the 1986 Intercontinental Playoff - we only played 2 matches at WC 1954 in Switzerland as Seeds only played Non-Seeds in the finals groupstage We have never played a competitive game against Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Slovakia or Turkey, but this could be our year for most of them. Fairly surprising not to have drawn Albania, Hungary or Turkey yet. And incidentally, we never have and now never will play a competitive game against Saarland, which is sad :-(. Saarland? Sorry if I'm being nosey but do you research football for a living? The amount of knowledge you possess is quite frightening! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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