EURO 2012 campaign

[Craig_in_Prague]

Euro Qualification Dates Agreed

Friday, 19 February 2010

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8523895.stm

Scotland's European Qualification Campaign match dates have now been confirmed.

2010
Friday 3rd September Lithuania Away
Tuesday 7th September Liechtenstein Home

Friday 8th October Czech Republic Away
Tuesday 12th October Spain Home

2011
Saturday 3rd September Czech Republic Home
Tuesday 6th September Lithuania Home

Saturday 8th October Liechtenstein Away
Tuesday 11th October Spain Away

[Mikey_1875]

Can't eactly be going into the last game looking for a result then

[Craig_in_Prague]

Would have preferred Czechs away in Sept, when it'll still be reasonable weather........Oct might already be chilly on the willy.

[Part/Time Supporter]

Plus points:

No matches in June or August
Should get off to a decent start, maybe put the Czechs under pressure
Spain should have already qualified by the last game

Overall, a lot better than the shambles that was the WC group fixtures.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Is that right that the 2 sets of fixtures are a year apart? Do we not normally have matches in February/March?

[Sylar]

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Is that right that the 2 sets of fixtures are a year apart? Do we not normally have matches in February/March?

Perhaps the SFA decided to leave February/March blank to allow Rangers/Celtic to focus on qualifying for the QF/SF of the Champions League without their superstar Scottish Internationals having to strain their fitness levels?

[MoantheCabbage]

Why are the games on Friday's and Tuesdays now?

[Danderhall Hibs]

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Why are the games on Friday's and Tuesdays now?

Probably Tuesday to suit the clubs whoi'll get their players back earlier. I think it'll be Friday to suit the international team - they'll still have 3 days in between matches.

[Sylar]

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Why are the games on Friday's and Tuesdays now?

I've just noticed there's only ONE Scotland home qualifier on a Saturday, with the others all being Tuesday evening games.

What a kick in the teeth to those distant TA members who travel from all over the country.

[scott7_0(Prague)]

Booked already for the CZ game in Prague, will use the 351 bus and probably get it at 10am the day of the game.


Looking at heading to Spain and Lichtenstien....

[Bad Martini]

We'll be coming. Easy...easy.

[Oranje39]

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I've just noticed there's only ONE Scotland home qualifier on a Saturday, with the others all being Tuesday evening games.

What a kick in the teeth to those distant TA members who travel from all over the country.

I think thats a big mistake, when we do well our home games are on the Saturday. Very bad management by Harry Potter..

[Brummie_Hibs]

Booked up for Lithuania and Czech.

Now I've gotta work out the best way to get from Licky to Spain, but I've probably got a year to sort that...

[Bristolhibby]

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Is that right that the 2 sets of fixtures are a year apart? Do we not normally have matches in February/March?

Celtic Cup in Dublin 8th/9th February 2011 at the new Aviva stadium (old money, Lansdowne Road).

J

[Hibbie_Cameron]

Looks like the beginning of October is going to be a fun few days

[MartinfaePorty]

To give Levein his due, it's my understanding that he gives the Chief Exec (Smith) options and it's up to him to negotiate. Craig Brown said he always felt there was a lot going on beforehand, such as minnows making sure they had a big game in early, so they would get a decent crowd/tv money. Also, Saturday games are a fairly new phonemenon and it's the clubs forcing the Tuesday/Friday games. Think it's a good thing to have the Spain game last.

I see the Tartan Army have been hard at it on the internet today, as flights to Kaunas now £150 each way. By comparison, about £30 the week before and after!

[down-the-slope]

Scotland will begin their Euro 2012 qualification campaign away to Lithuania and finish with a game away to Group I favourites Spain. Craig Levein's side will travel to Lithuania for the opener on Friday 3 September after fixtures were agreed at a meeting in Madrid on Friday.
The Scots end their campaign in Spain on Tuesday 11 October 2011.
Coach Levein said: "Although it's not quite the ideal scenario, I'm pretty happy with the way it's turned out."
The Scots play Liechtenstein for the first time at home on Tuesday 7 September and take on Czech Republic away on Friday 8 October.
The Scottish Football Association was heavily criticised over its negotiations for the last World Cup qualifying campaign.





Manager George Burley has to take his side to searing Macedonia in September 2008 and visit Norway in August last year less than a week into the Scottish Premier League season.
Both games were lost, results that went some to denying Scotland a place in the play-offs.
This time, the Scots will play all their matches in September and October of this year and next - with an 11-month gap between fixtures - with double-headers on each occasion.
"We've avoided playing in June, which has always been difficult for us," Levein told BBC Scotland after the meeting he attended with SFA chief executive Gordon Smith and representatives from Scotland's Group I rivals.
Asked about the possibility of gaining maximum points from the first two games - away to Lithuania and at home to Liechtenstein - Levein admitted that it was not quite the fixtures he would have wanted.
"We know from experience that Lithuania away is not an easy match," he said.
"I'd perhaps have preferred that one to be at home, but it gives us a chance.
"We went in with certain objectives that we wanted to achieve and with the exception of one compromise, I consider it a good result."
The fixtures are a break from the tradition of Saturday and Wednesday double-headers, with Scotland playing two away matches on Fridays and three of their home matches on Tuesdays.
"We were adamant that we did not want a game in June and wanted a week's preparation for the four games against the Czechs and Lithuania," said Levein, who praised Smith and SFA president George Peat.
"We also wanted Spain in October, which we got.


"I want to give a lot of credit to George Peat and Gordon Smith for the groundwork in the build-up between the draw and today.
"The outcome shows that the behind-the-scenes work this morning and the preparatory work done when we arrived on Thursday was important in trying to cement a fixture schedule that suited us.
"It was a lot more productive than turning up and starting from scratch.
"The draw itself is only positive if we manage to turn what we think is a promising fixture schedule into points."
Walter Smith led Scotland to victory on their last visit to Lithuania in September 2006, goals from Christian Dailly and Kenny Miller securing a 2-1 win in Kaunas as part of the Euro 2008 campaign.
Levein faces his first test of the field of play on 3 March in a friendly against the Czechs that was organised before the Euro 2012 qualifying draw was held.
He is scheduled to name his squad for the Hampden Park match on Monday.

Scotland fixtures
2010
Friday 3 September - Lithuania (away)
Tuesday 7 September - Liechtenstein (home)
Friday 8 October - Czech Republic (away)
Tuesday 12 October - Spain (home)
2011
Saturday 3 September - Czech Republic (home)
Tuesday 6 September - Lithuania (home)
Saturday 8 October - Liechtenstein (away)
Tuesday 11 October - Spain (away)

[Hainan Hibs]

Not sure what to really think about it. The way things look we have to take maximum points against Lithuania which means a bit of pressure in the first game.

Also a double header of the Czech's away and Spain at home is something else!

Guaranteed after looking at that list we will go into the final game needing to get something from it and will come close, but not close enough once again

But what the hell, looking forward to it to the pepsi max and cannot wait to get right behind the team

WE'LL BE COMING

[Nakedmanoncrack]

Looks reasonable from the point of view of giving ourselves the best possible chance of qualification.
Could have done with more home game's on Saturdays though.
Regarding travel, I personally wanted Spain & Lichtenstein to be next year, as they are the only trips that I'd consider, and I'm unlikely to be able to get away for a trip this year.
But them being right at the end isn't ideal.