So you might be wondering how did we end up as top seed and what it all means. Well, to start…..winning this qualification means so much more then going to Poland/Ukraine next summer. I’ve been trying to figure out how we managed to secure a top seed, when all the conditions to be a seeded team were not in our favour.
For instance….
Each nation’s coefficient was generated by calculating the following:
- 40% of the average ranking points per game earned in the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying group stage. 40% of the average ranking points per game earned in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage and final tournament. 20% of the average ranking points per game earned in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying stage and final tournament.
- The seedings were as follows: Croatia 32,723 – Portugal 31,202 – Ireland 28,203 Czech 27,982 – Turkey 27,601 – Bosnia 27,199 – Montenegro 21,876 – Estonia 20,355.
- Only Portugal Qualified for 2010 World Cup lost to Spain in the last 16
- Euro 2008 Saw Portugal, Turkey, Czech and Croatia Qualify. Turkey got to the semi’s.
Strange, how we managed to be the 3rd placed team never mind being a seeded team..anyway, who cares!!!
Who Benefits if we Qualify
- FAI Stand to gain over 12m – 8m to qualify – another 4m to come out of the group – Qualification would be a timely financial boost to Abbotstown, given the FAI’s approximate €40 million debt incurred on the rebuilding of Lansdowne Road. Also the Future of soccer in Irelands rest on them receiving this money. Many of the FAI’s future programmes need these funds to succeed so it is vital for the future of the game in this country that we get through these 2 ties.
- In March, Uefa also announced a lucrative television rights pooling fund which would benefit their 53 member nations by a minimum of €40 million over its four-year term from its introduction in 2014.
- So having the likes of Germany, Sweden, Austria in our WC qualifying group will also stand to us financially.
Do it for Ireland
All that said, lets give the boys in Green our full support, whether you like our style of play or Traps strange squad selections (he must be respected for all he has achieved so far in football but still believe he could be getting more out of this lot) or even the fact that our CEO John Delaney fat salary of 400k is and always was completely ridiculous. Someone recently told me that, It’s four times the prize money for the winners of the national league AND it’s more than the entire prize fund for ENTIRE league and i’m sure there’s not many countries where the CASH PRIZE for the top league is dwarfed by the salary of the head of the FA.
In fact he is paid more then Barrack Obama, Kenny and Cameron and 4 times the salary CEO of the Scottish FA!
Thats 2.6million for the CEO and senior management team….That is a lot cash…considering most young kids playing football have never experienced the feeling of supporting Ireland in a Euros or WC……
As you can see winning these games means so much more then a summer in Poland……it will dictate the development of the game in this country for the next 4-5 years, the intention fo this post was to take about the game, how did I end up talking about JD’s outrageous salary……………..?
C’Mon IREland!!!
I’ll have one eye on Portugal! 🙂
