Group 8

[Saraj Fanatico]

Group 8:

Italy
Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland
Cyprus
Georgia
Montenegro


Thoughts? Are you happy with the draw your nation got? What will be the exciting match up in this one? What are your teams chances of making it? Share your thoughts!

[Italianduke]

We have got a good draw, shouldn't be a problem to qualify, tho we must watch out in nost losing important points vs Republic of Ireland

[COMEGATOS]

I agree, this is an easy one for Italy :)

[Andygers]

Yeah good draw for Italy, if you can qualify from the group of death then you can qualify from this.

[shevafan]

omg another easy qualifying group for italy...

[Italianduke]

omg another easy qualifying group for italy...

It's not we get tough or easy groups for WC qualifications.

Where we are we make a tough group for others.

[shevafan]

It's not we get tough or easy groups for WC qualifications.

Where we are we make a tough group for others.
i did a little research:

Euro 2000 qualifying:
Italy
Denmark
Switzerland
Wales
Belarus

WC 2002 qualifying:
Italy
Romania
Georgia
Hungary
Lituania

Euro 2004 qualifying:
Italy
Wales
Serbia&Montenegro
Finland
Azerbaijan

WC2006 qualifying:
Italy
Norway
Scotland
Slovenia
Belarus
Moldova

Euro 2008 qualifying:
first hard qualifying group for italy

WC 2010 qualifying:
Italy
Bulgaria
Republic of Ireland
Cyprus
Georgia
Montenegro



out of 6 qualifying campaigns you only really had one that was hard



by the way that was my 750th post =))

[Bigpappys_gun]

Montenegro is going to kick some ass's here. Watch out Italy

BTW that was my 450th post

[Andygers]

Montenegro must be the hardest team to play against in pot 6 compared to Faroe islands, San Marino ect

[shevafan]

yeah cause their ranking is very low since they havent really played a lot of matches since they split from serbia.

[Andygers]

Yeah they will be up a pot next time the qualifiers come round.

[wales]

Know one really knows how good they are, I dont think their as good as Serbia.

[wales]

Strangely enough i think, Italy probably 1st, but even Montenegro could challenge for 2nd.

[stuglue]

I can't see anyone other than Italy for top of the group,i could see Bulgaria and Georgia proving awkward opposition but they won't fail.
As for the Republic Of Ireland,they are transition,in a year's time they might be more settled but i feel they'll have to wait for another tournament

[Lusitânia Power]

Montenegro got a good coach, called Filipovic a former SL Benfica player, they will do some damage, but I think Italy will pass this, unless Ireland finally wake up and qualify at least for the playoff

[Saraj Fanatico]

MOntenegro got that monster Vucinic. And has a lot of good players from the Portugese league. Such as Milan Purović, and Simon Vukčević who are both young and dangerous. Montenegro has a great squad. Its just that they need to get used to working together out on the field and they will be a strong side. They will be a lot more of a challenge for Euro 2012 qualifying.

[Pape]

Montenegro is def a sleeper in this group. They might sound week and look weak since they only played like 3 matches all time, but they will have a awsome attack and great team overall come qualifying.

And you can easily add Stevan Jovetic to that list Saraj!

[SiN]

World champion Italy should have no trouble in winning this group, with Bulgaria and Ireland likely to be in close competition for the runners-up spot. Montenegro is playing in its first qualifying competition after being admitted to FIFA this year as an independent state after splitting with Serbia.

[Vic]

1- Italy
2- Bulgaria

[wales]

1- Italy
2-???

[Vic]

Montenegro impressed me when we played them for some months ago in a friendly game. We won with 2-1 with our B-Team but they have some nice firepower upfront.

[wales]

Yeah they are the danger if everyone expects to pick up points against them.

[Fenerliyim]

i change my mine, this group is the easiest group in the qualifiers not group 2.

Italy's gonna cruise through this group without even breaking a sweat.

And for 2nd place i honestly have no clue, i hope the irish make it though

[SiN]

Second place will be either Bulgaria or Ireland, its simple enough. I do hope the Irish make it through, Bulgaria is strong aswell i wouldint want to see Turkey play Bulgaria if they both make it through, last time we met they whooped us 3-0.

[გიორგი]

We will fight to gain the second place... everyone will have very difficult matches in Tbilisi...

[გიორგი]

We are going to have our first match against Ireland in Tbilisi in September. I hope we will win...

[Saraj Fanatico]

^ How do you know? Where did you get the Schedule?

[NB-MVP]

1- Italy/Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a very strong league with teams like Levski Sofia and CSKA Sofia... and they have players like Petrov (Manchester City), Berbatov (Tottenham), Bojinov (Manchester City), Angelov (Energie Cottbus), another Petrov (Aston Villa), Georgiev (Duisburg), Yankov (Hannover), Dimitrov (CSKA Sofia), Zanev (Celta de Vigo), Ivankov (Kayserispor), etc. and they are 18th in FIFA Rankings and they could've easily pipped Holland from Euro 2008 if they had won another game instead of drawn...

[Andygers]

^ Yeah Italy will defiantly go through.

[NB-MVP]

where did you guys get the schedules?!?

[Saraj Fanatico]

Fifa has confirmed that they have released all fixtures for all groups except, 2-3-5... DAMN!

[გიორგი]

where did you guys get the schedules?!?
I got it from Georgian net...

[Italianduke]

06/09/08 TBA Georgia Georgia Ireland Republic Ireland Republic
06/09/08 TBA Cyprus Cyprus Italy Italy
06/09/08 TBA Montenegro Montenegro Bulgaria Bulgaria
10/09/08 TBA Italy Italy Georgia Georgia
10/09/08 TBA Montenegro Montenegro Ireland Republic Ireland Republic
11/10/08 TBA Georgia Georgia Cyprus Cyprus
11/10/08 TBA Bulgaria Bulgaria Italy Italy
15/10/08 TBA Ireland Republic Ireland Republic Cyprus Cyprus
15/10/08 TBA Georgia Georgia Bulgaria Bulgaria
15/10/08 TBA Italy Italy Montenegro Montenegro
11/02/09 TBA Ireland Republic Ireland Republic Georgia Georgia
28/03/09 TBA Montenegro Montenegro Italy Italy
28/03/09 TBA Ireland Republic Ireland Republic Bulgaria Bulgaria
28/03/09 TBA Cyprus Cyprus Georgia Georgia
01/04/09 TBA Georgia Georgia Montenegro Montenegro
01/04/09 TBA Bulgaria Bulgaria Cyprus Cyprus
01/04/09 TBA Italy Italy Ireland Republic Ireland Republic
06/06/09 TBA Cyprus Cyprus Montenegro Montenegro
06/06/09 TBA Bulgaria Bulgaria Ireland Republic Ireland Republic
05/09/09 TBA Bulgaria Bulgaria Montenegro Montenegro
05/09/09 TBA Cyprus Cyprus Ireland Republic Ireland Republic
05/09/09 TBA Georgia Georgia Italy Italy
09/09/09 TBA Montenegro Montenegro Cyprus Cyprus
09/09/09 TBA Italy Italy Bulgaria Bulgaria
10/10/09 TBA Montenegro Montenegro Georgia Georgia
10/10/09 TBA Cyprus Cyprus Bulgaria Bulgaria
10/10/09 TBA Ireland Republic Ireland Republic Italy Italy
14/10/09 TBA Ireland Republic Ireland Republic Montenegro Montenegro
14/10/09 TBA Italy Italy Cyprus Cyprus
14/10/09 TBA Bulgaria Bulgaria Georgia Georgia

[Italianduke]

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/matches/group=250479/index.html

[გიორგი]

famous Argentinian coach Hector Raul Cuper, previously working in Parma, Inter Milano and well-known for his successful work in Valencia, becomes the head coach of the Georgian National Team.

[Saraj Fanatico]

Thats pretty good news for Georgia. Their NT looks stronger now then in the past and with a good coach you may accomplish more.

[vojvoda]

1. Italy
2. Montenegro

Let's go CRNOGORCI! Oj lijepa majska crna gorooooo! :D:D:D

[NB-MVP]

Tough group

1) Italy
2) Republic of Ireland
3) Bulgaria
4) Montenegro/Georgia
5) Montenegro/Georgia
6) Cyprus

[A(Bosancero)]

1. Italy
2. Bulgaria
3. Montenegro

Montenegro will show how good they are this competition and they should do great

[NB-MVP]

Lol, Republic of Ireland will be first, I have no idea why everyone is ignoring:

Keane (Liverpool)
Doyle (Reading)
Stokes (Sunderland)
Murphy (Sunderland)
Miller (Sunderland)
Hunt (Reading)
Kilbane (Wigan)
McGeady (Celtic)
Reid (Sunderland)
Reid (Blackburn)
Duff (Newcastle)
Whelan (Stoke)
O'Shea (Manchester United)
Dunne (Manchester City)
O'Brien (Bolton)
Finnan (Espanyol)
McShane (Hull)
......................

There are way more Republic of Ireland internationals that play in EPL. In fact, Republic of Ireland has the second most foreigners in EPL (32 of them playing in EPL, 9 of them in Sunderland), second to France (33).

I can't believe most of you are having a fight between Montenegro and Bulgaria for second. Horrible...

[A(Bosancero)]

This is Montengro's first footballing competition recently they have done well in matches beating Norway 3-1,Hungary they aren't that bad

[Gunner]

Italy's game was very boring..

[Italianduke]

Italy's game was very boring..

Both teams played for the 0-0 :boo:

[Gunner]

I know, i think Italy should have looked to have put 3 strikers on up front to win it. But they were very cautious.

[Italianduke]

I know, i think Italy should have looked to have put 3 strikers on up front to win it. But they were very cautious.

Actually it was a 4-3-3, but there was no connection between midfield and strikers

[Gunner]

In that case, there was no hope lol

[გიორგი]

Bulgaria struggled against us and despite the big pressure and lower ball pocession they worked out a point... goalless draw...

[stuglue]

[Italy] Italy 4 3 1 0 6 2 10
[I Ireland Republic 3 2 1 0 3 1 7
[Bulgaria] Bulgaria 3 0 3 0 2 2 3
[Montenegro] Montenegro 3 0 2 1 3 4 2
[Georgia] Georgia 4 0 2 2 2 5 2
[Cyprus] Cyprus 3 0 1 2 2 4 1

[გიორგი]

Ireland-Georgia match is coming closer... :)

[wales]

lol most fascinating thing about this group is the fact that Bulgaria have played 4 drawn 4.

[nitko_06]

I think that the first two teams will be Italy and Bulgaria.

[Albita]

I believe in Lippi so :]
Things will turn out good for Italy.
this will be a breeez.

Its a shame they weren't challenged more tho srsly.
like shevafan had stated earlier Italy gets pretty easy teams.
are they favored in some way?

as for who will win second.
Ireland i guess.

[stuglue]

As optimistic as the Irish are about beating Italy at Croke Park I really don't see them taking top spot. 2nd will be fine however as Bulgaria will take 6 points from there last 3 finishing on 17 whilst Ireland will lose to Italy but beat Montenegro and finish on 19.

[wales]

yeah ^^ Ireland for 2nd place I think.