Scotland Ukraine. Will it go head?….

[vanderark14]

4 hours ago, mccaughey85 said:

No, obviously this is a rare situation but if a country was invaded during the qualifying groups and was struggling to field a team then fifa should try and help that country out by making allowances like they are now. Given the harsh realities that the ukrainian ppl are facing i would hope that we(scotland) are willing to do the small goodwill gesture of playing the match at a later date. 

Its a little depressing that our fans on here are whining like 5 year olds when the ukrainian ppl are courageously  fighting foreign occupation of their country. We could learn alot from the 

Scotland are willing to play the game so I'm not sure why you're getting on your high horse and acting like a self righteous twat.

[Caledonian Craig]

Scotland have waited. Austria have waited. Wales have waited. The fans have waited. FIFA has postponed the match for THREE months. That seems like more than enough goodwill from the international football community. We are even in the unprecedented position of having a World Cup Finals draw next Friday with teams still not knowing WTF is happening. I was happy to give Ukraine until June but no longer. And to be honest I would hope Ukraine would reciprocate and accept that anymore delays are unacceptable in the current situation. The competition cannot be put on hold any longer. They should have the common sense to accept that with war raging a football World Cup is immaterial for them at this moment in time. Concentrate on forcing Russian forces out of their country and when peace prevails repair the infrastructure and return to international football. 

PS And just remember that another June delay impacts on the Nations League fixtures list too.

[thesaint]

13 hours ago, todd said:

Shoosh you!, the 'right on' brigade are gonna be all over you😁

Good, and proud of it. 

[Texas Pete]

20 hours ago, Robbo `81 said:

I feel Scotland should be playing Wales on Tuesday with the winner to play Ukraine for a place in Qatar

I know that's not ideal, and Wales would potentially have to play 3 games, but from a bigger.picture viewpoint it means the least disruption in June...if Ukraine aren't able to play no changes to fixtures is required,  but if they are then only 1 game would need to be accommodated instead of 2 as is now 

This has to be the daftest suggestion yet. 

[weekevie04]

I think we'll be given a bye to face Wales in June.

Even if the Ukraine/Russia crisis ''ends'' soon, there's no way that Ukraine will be able to get a team together or even be thinking about fielding a team to go to the World Cup.

[Tartan Chris]

9 hours ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Scotland have waited. Austria have waited. Wales have waited. The fans have waited. FIFA has postponed the match for THREE months. That seems like more than enough goodwill from the international football community. We are even in the unprecedented position of having a World Cup Finals draw next Friday with teams still not knowing WTF is happening. I was happy to give Ukraine until June but no longer. And to be honest I would hope Ukraine would reciprocate and accept that anymore delays are unacceptable in the current situation. The competition cannot be put on hold any longer. They should have the common sense to accept that with war raging a football World Cup is immaterial for them at this moment in time. Concentrate on forcing Russian forces out of their country and when peace prevails repair the infrastructure and return to international football. 

PS And just remember that another June delay impacts on the Nations League fixtures list too.

If it is played in June you might aswell add nations league points to the one game rather than having to play them twice in one week.

Will Nations league even still happen if they extend euros to 32 teams? That would feel a complete waste of time.

[Tartan Chris]

43 minutes ago, weekevie04 said:

I think we'll be given a bye to face Wales in June.

Even if the Ukraine/Russia crisis ''ends'' soon, there's no way that Ukraine will be able to get a team together or even be thinking about fielding a team to go to the World Cup.

It's a shame for them if that happens given this is through no fault of their own. Personally I'd be happy to wait as long as possible but get the feeling of it's too long until September (but then Clarke seemingly was o.k with that suggestion in the press conference last week).

Perhaps they could be given automatic qualification for next world cup as fair play consolation gesture. Think europe is getting three extra places for the 48 team world cup in 2026 so you have flexibility to do that.

[Caledonian Craig]

8 minutes ago, Tartan Chris said:

 

Perhaps they could be given automatic qualification for next world cup as fair play consolation gesture. Think europe is getting three extra places for the 48 team world cup in 2026 so you have flexibility to do that.

No I would be against that. Where was the bye to World Cup Finals for Syria and Afghanistan? There was none for them so why should Ukraine get preferential treatment?

[vanderark14]

1 hour ago, Tartan Chris said:

It's a shame for them if that happens given this is through no fault of their own. Personally I'd be happy to wait as long as possible but get the feeling of it's too long until September (but then Clarke seemingly was o.k with that suggestion in the press conference last week).

Perhaps they could be given automatic qualification for next world cup as fair play consolation gesture. Think europe is getting three extra places for the 48 team world cup in 2026 so you have flexibility to do that.

Of course Clarke is OK with it. He's not exactly going to say anything different

Offering them an automatic place in the next tournament is madness 

[Orraloon]

8 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

Of course Clarke is OK with it. He's not exactly going to say anything different

Offering them an automatic place in the next tournament is madness 

September probably suits us better than June, to be honest. But Clarke isn't going to say that either. 

[Robbo `81]

2 hours ago, Texas Pete said:

This has to be the daftest suggestion yet. 

Aye, it's not without its flaws.. 🤣

 

Maybe I was focusing on 'cause as little disruption in June as possible' too much ..

 

Or just talking bollocks 🙄 

[Texas Pete]

3 hours ago, Robbo `81 said:

Aye, it's not without its flaws.. 🤣

 

Maybe I was focusing on 'cause as little disruption in June as possible' too much ..

 

Or just talking bollocks 🙄 

I can just imagine the Welsh FA’s reaction to being told they need to play 3 potential playoff games when we would need to play 2 and Ukraine 1. Sporting integrity would be right out the window with that one. 

[DAVIDB46]

I still get the feeling we are going to be shafted badly with this somwhere , the Ukraine nations league date has to become the play off date without question.

I would still not rule out having to play a ridiculous six games in June and these games being tagged on after the nations league game.

we are not fit enough to cope with that amount of games 

[dezmondo]

All the talk now seems to be  September for these games.

[romanticscot]

On 3/24/2022 at 3:17 PM, DAVIDB46 said:

 

Here is what I would have done - swap Ukraine with Australia, and we should have played them last Thursday.

Let me explain - Australia qualified through the 3rd round of the AFC qualifications last September and play in the 4rd round in June. The 4th round winner then goes into a play off with CONMEBOL 5th place - all of this is in June in a mini tournament in Qatar. Australia would have had to potentially play 1 more matches, fixture dates and venues were already on the calendar. Australia would have had a harder route right enough. It parks Ukraine until June if they could make it, same as what as happened now.  If Ukraine cant make it in June and assuming Australia didnt bag the UEFA spot in the coming days, could have been reinstated for their 4th round match essentially giving them two opportunities to get to the World Cup. If Ukraine cant make it in June then offer them some consolidation for the next World Cup such as a play off opportunity via another federation. 

 

The reason I picked Australia is because of all the AFC, and CONMEBOL, OMC and CONCACAF teams in this 4 way play off in June -  they didnt have a competitive match in March and they secured their next play off match and were the only ones to have done so last September. It wouldn't have had a fixture congestion nightmare that we are facing this summer.

Edited March 27, 2022 by romanticscot

[romanticscot]

If Ukraine can make it in June, then have a consolation for Australia for the future by graciously accepting a harder route. As I think about it, I doubt they would have accepted the offer. 

[Bristolhibby]

It must be June or not at all. 
 

If it goes ahead then the Armenia home game should be sacrificed for the Ukraine semi, then the Ukraine slot should be for the final.

Least disruption and home fans get a packed out Hampden and not many Armenians will be disrupted.

It also gives primacy for the World Cup games. No way a Nations League game should be played in with those qualifiers.

It also protects Dublin and Yerevan of which I know thousands of Scots have already booked flights.

Not sure where we fit the Armenia home game, presumably in September. 
 

Ukraine need to notify us (FIFA) by early May at the latest. Anything else is just too late.

J

[dezmondo]

Surely we should be hearing something about the rearranged dates in the coming days. Any sort of communication would be good! 

[Caledonian Craig]

Well the closer we get to the draw on Friday with no announcement then the option of a bye for Ukraine to the finals diminishes. They cannot stage the draw and then, at a later date, add Ukraine to a group of four without causing great controversy. In fact I'd say that boat has sailed. The window to impose that bye was prior to the semis giving Scotland a bye in turn to the play-off final which then could have been played tomorrow keeping everything on schedule.

 

Edited March 28, 2022 by Caledonian Craig

[Dodger]

The silence from the authorities on the rescheduled dates is deafening. There's no reason that a decision can't be made now that we know its Wales in the final. 

Is the assumption that they're now  waiting to see whether June is realistic for Ukraine before announcing anything? 

[Squirrelhumper]

Yes. 

Be as well just making it September, there will have been no domestic football for month in Ukraine either way. 

That said, if they make it september, no Scotland fans can book anything until at least then. Think you need match tickets before booking nay hotels etc. 

[Caledonian Craig]

1 hour ago, Dodger said:

The silence from the authorities on the rescheduled dates is deafening. There's no reason that a decision can't be made now that we know its Wales in the final. 

Is the assumption that they're now  waiting to see whether June is realistic for Ukraine before announcing anything? 

Well despite the Kiev manager pleading for a bye to the finals that is not happening. It would seem Dynamo Kiev are sending out a team for friendlies across Europe. That being the case there is no excuse them not being to field a team in June.

[thesaint]

32 minutes ago, Caledonian Craig said:

Well despite the Kiev manager pleading for a bye to the finals that is not happening. It would seem Dynamo Kiev are sending out a team for friendlies across Europe. That being the case there is no excuse them not being to field a team in June.

Agree. It should be June. No later. At the start it was Ukraines players would all be fighting. Now it's changed to their players will be allowed to get together and play friendlies around europe. Suggest if they are together for a few months concentrating on nothing but the upcoming world cup play offs, as far as organising their tactics etc that they will end up having an advantage on either us or Wales. Anybody else starting to get the feeling we are being shafted in all this. 

[Caledonian Craig]

1 hour ago, thesaint said:

Agree. It should be June. No later. At the start it was Ukraines players would all be fighting. Now it's changed to their players will be allowed to get together and play friendlies around europe. Suggest if they are together for a few months concentrating on nothing but the upcoming world cup play offs, as far as organising their tactics etc that they will end up having an advantage on either us or Wales. Anybody else starting to get the feeling we are being shafted in all this. 

I was happy to wait beyond March but cannot and should not be delayed beyond June. Sorry but it is impacting big time on us and Wales not knowing what is happening and whether to look for training facilities, hotels and more in Qatar.

[Stockholm 1980]

Much  as the world and ourselves sympathise with Ukraine the time has come to sort this fixture situation 

Being as generous as possible I’d propose to Ukraine to play the Semi and possible Final in September on the planned Nations League dates, on the proviso that the Ukraine withdraw from the Nations League and also agree they will not be relegated to League C for having to do so.

In June Scotland  play Armenia and Ireland Saturday Tuesday Saturday Tuesday 

4th Scotland v Armenia

7th Scotland v Ireland 

11th Ireland v Scotland

14th Armenia v Scotland

September

Armenia v Ireland 

Ireland v Armenia 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by Stockholm 1980