ZoltanBuchan Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 To stand a better chance of getting in to pot 2 for 2018, we need to beat a team ranked 20-40 in the FIFA rankings - I'm on my iPhone at the moment, hopefully Wanderer can provide the link - Cape Verde are currently ranked 33rd, due to an incredible African Nations' Cup run last time around, but that's looking like a total one-off, and we'd be strong favourites to best them at Hampden or in London. So, one for the SFA to look into? That'll be the day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eastiebeastie Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Guaranteed friendly in June. 5 weeks between end of championship season and game in Dublin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goozay Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 To stand a better chance of getting in to pot 2 for 2018, we need to beat a team ranked 20-40 in the FIFA rankings - I'm on my iPhone at the moment, hopefully Wanderer can provide the link - Cape Verde are currently ranked 33rd, due to an incredible African Nations' Cup run last time around, but that's looking like a total one-off, and we'd be strong favourites to best them at Hampden or in London. So, one for the SFA to look into? That'll be the day... Disagree. The best way to improve our chances of getting into Pot 2 for the next campaign is to win as many competitive games this campaign as possible. You get way more points for winning a qualifier compared with a friendly. Friendlies should be used to prepare for qualifiers and/or give frings players a chance. Arranging friendlies solely to chase ranking points is a massive red herring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goozay Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Surely there will be a friendly.....there's quite a gap between end of season & ROI match. Didn't need a friendly to beat Croatia in Zagreb when there was a similar gap. And don't call me Shirley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottincarlisle Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 (edited) Guaranteed friendly in June. 5 weeks between end of championship season and game in Dublin. I suppose we can't play before June 6th when the Champions League Final is. Edited November 22, 2014 by scottincarlisle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 I suppose we can't play before June 6th when the Champions League Final is. Very earliest we can play is the 7th..... Ireland v england that day, so if there is a game you would hope we are aiming for the same day to allow our players to get same recovery time as the Irish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoltanBuchan Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Disagree. The best way to improve our chances of getting into Pot 2 for the next campaign is to win as many competitive games this campaign as possible. But we only have one qualifier to play until the pots are settled for 2018. If we beat ROI we're definitely in pot 2, if we get a draw there's an 'outside' chance. However, if we beat a team in the top 40 of the FIFA rankings in a friendly before the Ireland game, we only need a draw in Dublin to be assured of a pot 2 place. Really good article about it here: http://sport.stv.tv/football/international/300213-scottish-fa-have-friendly-decision-to-make-to-enhance-world-cup-chances/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewelk Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 From a business perspective it's probably better for the SFA if Scotland are in pot 3 or 4 because it maximises the number of 'big matches' and hence the price of their season ticket. It can't be easy for the associations of the pot 1 teams to sell 10 matches against relative diddy teams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanpar Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Very earliest we can play is the 7th..... Ireland v england that day, so if there is a game you would hope we are aiming for the same day to allow our players to get same recovery time as the Irish. We can play any date in May or June. There is no restriction on internationals at that time of year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 We can play any date in May or June. There is no restriction on internationals at that time of year. True, but really not much window for a game.... Play off final for Championship at Wembley is 25th of May, then you have Scottish and FA cups on the 30th of May, then champions league final on the 6th (isn't there a window of 3rd-6th with no games allowed because of that?). Naturally no way to tell how any of these will effect the scotland team, but have to work on the basis that Celtic will be in the Scottish Cup final, Derby could be in play off final and Everton could be in the FA Cup final..... And doubt Strachan would want to call up two squads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jock strap Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 End of May, on a Saturday afternoon at Craven Cottage again please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dandydunn Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 End of May, on a Saturday afternoon at Craven Cottage again please. Js in speaking sense shocker!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jock strap Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Js in speaking sense shocker!!!!! That hurts that ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 End of May, on a Saturday afternoon at Craven Cottage again please. Very unlikely we will get a Saturday as you have the Championship Play Off on the 25th, FA Cup final a week later and then Champions League final the following week. If we are playing before Dublin, I suspect Sunday the 7th or Monday the 8th of June are the most likely dates for a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoonTheSlope Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Very unlikely we will get a Saturday as you have the Championship Play Off on the 25th, FA Cup final a week later and then Champions League final the following week. If we are playing before Dublin, I suspect Sunday the 7th or Monday the 8th of June are the most likely dates for a game. Sunday the 7th in London would suit me down to a T. Got Take That tickets at the o2 on the 6th Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErsatzThistle Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Note to the SFA. Here's some European nations we haven't played for a while in friendly or competitive matches: Turkey (1960), Russia (1994), Greece (1995), Finland (1998), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1999), Latvia (2001), Portugal (2002), Romania (2004), Hungary (2004), Belarus (2005) and Switzerland (2006). We've also still to play our first ever match against Albania, Montenegro and Slovakia. A friendly against Catalonia, the Basque Country, Brittany or Corsica whilst not giving us any ranking points would still be kind of interesting and may also have the bonus of upsetting the Foreign Office and Daily Mail readers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 (edited) Note to the SFA. Here's some European nations we haven't played for a while in friendly or competitive matches: Turkey (1960), Russia (1994), Greece (1995), Finland (1998), Bosnia-Herzegovina (1999), Latvia (2001), Portugal (2002), Romania (2004), Hungary (2004), Belarus (2005) and Switzerland (2006). We've also still to play our first ever match against Albania, Montenegro and Slovakia. A friendly against Catalonia, the Basque Country, Brittany or Corsica whilst not giving us any ranking points would still be kind of interesting and may also have the bonus of upsetting the Foreign Office and Daily Mail readers A number of those teams would be to "outside the box" for the SFA to consider (ie Belarus, Albania Montenegro etc....).Slovakia we were suppose to play when we got hammered by Sweden in Stockholm, and sure they got upset and reported us to FIFA or something over going back on our word to play them.... SFA will never consider playing a non-FIFA/UEFA affiliated nation in a friendly on the off chance it gives a few nations within FIFA the chance they need to get stuck into our FIFA position. Recall a big deal was made when we played Switzerland that there would be a return game, but apparently the SFA agree to these a lot and have been known to take their time over it (estonia last year being repayment for a game I. 2004). Edited November 22, 2014 by wanderer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tartanpar Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Very unlikely we will get a Saturday as you have the Championship Play Off on the 25th, FA Cup final a week later and then Champions League final the following week. If we are playing before Dublin, I suspect Sunday the 7th or Monday the 8th of June are the most likely dates for a game. I agree those dates are the most likely but I was just poining out that there are no restirctions to play on any date in May or June. Last year there was a black out but only for WC teams (to try and give everyone a rest before the tournament). Teams not playing in the WC were able to play any day. This year Scotland (and anyone else) can schedule a fixture any of the 365 days in the year (although clubs are not obliged to release their players outside international dates but after the season has finished it is fine). You will see Euroean teams playing friendlies from mid May onwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 End of May, on a Saturday afternoon at Craven Cottage again please. Craven Cottage is soooo 2014. The Den is where it's at in 2015. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoonTheSlope Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Craven Cottage is soooo 2014. The Den is where it's at in 2015. Deep saaaf... Pwoppa nawty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deecie Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Deep saaaf... Pwoppa nawty You mugging me owf you caaaaant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fringo Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Craven Cottage is soooo 2014. The Den is where it's at in 2015. I thought you said Dens ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoonTheSlope Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 You mugging me owf you caaaaant? Jog on you SÃ!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 I don't like the idea of a friendly only a few days before a qualifier although a home game against a beatable team ranked 20-40th would be ideal in March. Shouldn't affect us against Gibraltar that should be a pretty comfortable 3 points (we can't afford to be complacent though!!) so would be great if we could boost our chances of Pot 2 beforehand. Always preferred away friendlies but being in Pot 2 would be massive for us, qualification for major championships is more important than a few days away with the troops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zicoladud Posted November 23, 2014 Share Posted November 23, 2014 Js in speaking sense shocker!!!!! js has never spoke sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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