Ireland's Euro 2008 fate to be known today
Friday, 27 January 2006 10:09
Ireland manager Steve Staunton is in Switzerland for the Euro 2008 qualifying draw
The draw for the 2008 European Championships takes place in Montreux in Switzerland this morning, with Ireland seeded fourth.
The two host nations - Austria and Switzerland, have already qualified, leaving 50 other countries vying for just 14 qualifying spots.
UEFA has changed the format of qualifying from that used for the 2004 European Championship in Portugal, meaning that teams finishing first or second in each group will qualify, meaning there will be no qualification play-offs.
Greece, shock winners in Lisbon, are among the top seeds along with England, the Netherlands, Portugal, the Czech Republic, 2000 winners France and Sweden.
Given the seedings, Ireland could conceivably be drawn with England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Euro 2008 Qualifying seedings:
Pool 1: Greece (holders), Holland, Portugal, England, Czech Republic, France, Sweden.
Pool 2: Germany, Croatia, Italy, Turkey, Poland, Spain, Romania.
Pool 3: Serbia-Montenegro, Russia, Denmark, Norway, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Slovakia.
Pool 4: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Republic of Ireland, Belgium, Latvia, Israel, Scotland, Slovenia.
Pool 5: Hungary, Finland, Estonia, Wales, Lithuania, Albania, Iceland.
Pool 6: Georgia, Macedonia, Belarus, Armenia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Moldova.
Pool 7: Liechtenstein, Azerbaijan, Andorra, Malta, Faroe Islands, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, San Marino.
http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0127/euro2008.html