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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Sept 7, 2018 6:51:36 GMT
The competition kicked off last night with Wales going top of Group 4 of League B by obliterating a very poor Ireland, whilst the last two World Cup winners Germany and France played out a goalless draw in the heavyweight Group 1 of League A.
England, who are in Group 4 of League A, kick off their campaign against Spain at Wembley tomorrow.
For anybody that isn't aware, the UEFA Nations League competition is designed to bring an air of competitiveness to the previous international friendlies calendar dates (though nations can and will still play non-competitive friendlies as England will against Switzerland next Tuesday evening).
The competition’s format works as follows: the 55 countries that make up the UEFA region are divided into four separate Leagues (A,B,C,D), based on their UEFA rankings from November 2017 (after the World Cup qualifiers ended).
Leagues A and B have 12 teams each, League C has 15 teams and League D has 16 teams. Those four Leagues are split again into smaller groups of three or four nations:
League A Group 1: Germany, France, Netherlands Group 2: Belgium, Iceland, Switzerland Group 3: Italy, Poland, Portugal Group 4: Croatia, England, Spain
League B Group 1: Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine Group 2: Russia, Sweden, Turkey Group 3: Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland Group 4: Denmark, Republic of Ireland, Wales
League C Group 1: Albania, Israel, Scotland Group 2: Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary Group 3: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Norway, Slovenia Group 4: Lithuania, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia
League D Group 1: Andorra, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Latvia Group 2: Belarus, Luxembourg, Moldova, San Marino Group 3: Azerbaijan, Faroe Islands, Kosovo, Malta Group 4: Armenia, Macedonia, Gibraltar, Liechtenstein
The competition will introduce promotion and relegation to international football for the first time and at the end of each Nations League season, the top teams in each of the four groups will go up and the bottom teams in each of the four groups will go down to and from each League. (e.g. four teams will be promoted from League B to League A and four teams will be relegated from A to B. Similarly, four teams will move from League C up to League B and four will move in the other direction. The same format applies to League C and League D).
The winners of the four groups in League A will qualify for the latter stages of the competition, where they will face-off in Semi Finals before the winners of those games contest the first UEFA Nations League Final. The Final Four tournament takes place between the 5th and 9th of June 2019.
The UEFA Nations League trophy and inter-league promotions aren’t the only prizes on offer for the competition’s successful teams. Potentially, a competing nation could earn a spot at the 2020 European Championships.
The established qualification process for the European Championship will largely stay the same with its own standalone qualification competition as normal. 20 of the 24 European Championships qualification spots will go to teams that finish in the top two of their traditional qualifying format groups (as previous).
However, the remaining four places at the Finals will be contested in the Nations League Play Offs that will take place in March 2020. 16 teams will compete in the play-offs. Each Nations League division (League A, B, C, D) gets four play-off spots. If the winner of a particular group has already qualified for the Euros via the traditional method, the next best team which has not qualified goes into the play-offs.
Those 16 teams will go into four groups, with the top team of each group going to the Euros. The four teams play two one-off semi-finals and one one-off final to determine play-off winners.
This allows the perceived "smaller" nations, as well as any underperforming bigger nations (looking at you, Netherlands) a second shot of qualifying for the Euros if, as is highly lilely, they are unsuccessful in the traditional qualification format.
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Post by Lobster on Sept 7, 2018 8:20:36 GMT
Have to be honest, no matter how many times this is explained to me, I find myself switching off halfway through the explanation.
Not happy that Sky now seems to have exclusive rights to England games either.
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Post by iandychesterfc on Sept 7, 2018 8:52:00 GMT
It would be fine if the euros qualification was not running alongside it. Just have this nations league and take the top 32 teams from it, its all the qualifiers are anyway
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Post by MOC on Sept 7, 2018 9:10:16 GMT
Have to be honest, no matter how many times this is explained to me, I find myself switching off halfway through the explanation. Not happy that Sky now seems to have exclusive rights to England games either. ITV will still have live coverage of England's Euro qualifiers going by this.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Sept 7, 2018 9:49:03 GMT
Have to be honest, no matter how many times this is explained to me, I find myself switching off halfway through the explanation. Not happy that Sky now seems to have exclusive rights to England games either. ITV will still have live coverage of England's Euro qualifiers going by this. Yeah Sky only have exclusivity to the Nations League - which, really, is just competitive friendlies. The Davis Cup of football.
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Post by Frank Owen’s Paintbrush on Sept 7, 2018 18:07:55 GMT
Forgot to add above that basically it's a way of giving Scotland a better chance of qualifying for a major tournament x
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Post by bluearmy on Sept 7, 2018 19:11:46 GMT
Off topic but looks like Champions League on BT Sports will be doing a Europa League scenario with 2 games kicking off at 17:55 and others 20:00 instead of the old 19:45
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Andy
Junior Member
Posts: 57
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Post by Andy on Sept 8, 2018 6:34:37 GMT
I think it is great idea, just adds a bit more meaning to the friendlies. The smaller countries are bound to start to get better by playing competitive games which will make qualifying games more exciting.
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Post by ivawhopper on Sept 8, 2018 8:08:11 GMT
I think it is great idea, just adds a bit more meaning to the friendlies. The smaller countries are bound to start to get better by playing competitive games which will make qualifying games more exciting. Couldn’t agree more about this. Friendliest have become meaningless over the years, people not wanting to play and games played against the same opposition. Anything to freshen this up a bit is more than welcome. Also I’ve never seen the point of the likes of Andorra getting wamboozzled against Switzerland in a friendly. Getting the weaker nations some games against similar abilities will be good for everyone, as it can’t be much fun getting a schlakking every single time you play for your country.
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Post by Wortleyblue on Sept 8, 2018 20:35:33 GMT
I see England are doing well again but there is 9 mins of added time???
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Post by Hannibal on Sept 8, 2018 21:28:54 GMT
England 1, Spain 2.
Disappointing result that. Expected better against a team that flopped in WC.
That result will virtually eliminate England. Sounds like their defending was not much better than ours.
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Post by sirfred on Sept 8, 2018 21:36:07 GMT
Sir Gareth Southgate - my Arse - he can't beat any team that have an ounce of quality
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Post by Matt on Sept 8, 2018 21:55:58 GMT
England 1, Spain 2. Disappointing result that. Expected better against a team that flopped in WC. That result will virtually eliminate England. Sounds like their defending was not much better than ours. Once they’re relegated they move into a different league (I think that’s how it works)The design It’s a bloody mess tbh. Apparently this took 7 years planning.
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Post by sirfred on Sept 8, 2018 22:02:51 GMT
Tbh I couldn't give a flying shit
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Post by Hannibal on Sept 9, 2018 11:42:47 GMT
England 1, Spain 2. Disappointing result that. Expected better against a team that flopped in WC. That result will virtually eliminate England. Sounds like their defending was not much better than ours. Once they’re relegated they move into a different league (I think that’s how it works)The design It’s a bloody mess tbh. Apparently this took 7 years planning. I can't say I fully understand this , but it does seem a bit like the Davis Cup format in tennis. I honestly can't see why Southgate is any better than what's gone before him. When was the last time we beat one of the Big 6 in a competitive match. We didn't beat a team ranked higher than us in WC and eventually went out to a country with a population smaller than Wales and we had a very favourable draw which we'll never get again.
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Post by Lobster on Sept 9, 2018 15:36:52 GMT
Didn’t watch the England match, but no way should Welbeck’s goal have been disallowed. Refs are still far too quick to give goalkeepers a free kick when they drop a cross.
Someone on the BBC site made the point that England fans are ridiculously dramatic. If we lose against narrowly against Spain and Belgium we’re hopeless, if we beat Panama and Tunisia it’s football’s coming home. I think you have to look at England as a team going through a transformation from a bunch of overrated individuals to a hardworking and well-organised team.
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Post by chislenko on Sept 9, 2018 19:58:13 GMT
I am quite bemused how Holland with their record over the last few years are in Group A.
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Post by The Angry Agenda on Sept 10, 2018 9:36:37 GMT
England 1, Spain 2. Disappointing result that. Expected better against a team that flopped in WC. That result will virtually eliminate England. Sounds like their defending was not much better than ours. How does this result virtually eliminate England ? They still have 3 matches to play
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Post by Hannibal on Sept 10, 2018 10:51:52 GMT
England 1, Spain 2. Disappointing result that. Expected better against a team that flopped in WC. That result will virtually eliminate England. Sounds like their defending was not much better than ours. How does this result virtually eliminate England ? They still have 3 matches to play They'll have to win in Spain and that ain't going to happen. Even assuming we pick up points against Croatia the crux is that Spain have to lose at least one game. If we finish bottom of this group are we relegated to the B groups?
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Post by The Angry Agenda on Sept 10, 2018 11:04:01 GMT
How does this result virtually eliminate England ? They still have 3 matches to play They'll have to win in Spain and that ain't going to happen. Even assuming we pick up points against Croatia the crux is that Spain have to lose at least one game. If we finish bottom of this group are we relegated to the B groups? Don't really understand the full picture, but is there a way teams can get themselves deliberately relegated so they are in weaker groups and then stand a better chance of getting to major finals via the play-off route in this competition ?
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Post by keysersoze on Sept 10, 2018 11:04:57 GMT
How does this result virtually eliminate England ? They still have 3 matches to play They'll have to win in Spain and that ain't going to happen. Even assuming we pick up points against Croatia the crux is that Spain have to lose at least one game. If we finish bottom of this group are we relegated to the B groups? Yes.
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Post by Bristol Blue on Sept 10, 2018 11:20:41 GMT
I think its a decent idea. Rankings were always a bit weird (Netherlands still being highly ranked as mentioned above) but this should eventually sort its self out so everyone knows their true level. If Netherlands are as bad as current form makes out the they will soon drop through the leagues accordingly. Same for any teams that are better than their current ranking suggests.
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Post by Hannibal on Sept 10, 2018 11:50:41 GMT
They'll have to win in Spain and that ain't going to happen. Even assuming we pick up points against Croatia the crux is that Spain have to lose at least one game. If we finish bottom of this group are we relegated to the B groups? Don't really understand the full picture, but is there a way teams can get themselves deliberately relegated so they are in weaker groups and then stand a better chance of getting to major finals via the play-off route in this competition ?
I haven't a clue, lol.
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Post by Imperial on Sept 10, 2018 14:32:36 GMT
I think its a decent idea. Rankings were always a bit weird (Netherlands still being highly ranked as mentioned above) but this should eventually sort its self out so everyone knows their true level. If Netherlands are as bad as current form makes out the they will soon drop through the leagues accordingly. Same for any teams that are better than their current ranking suggests. Yeah Iceland in group A is ridiculous. But as you say it’ll sort itself out in time.
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Post by Lobster on Sept 10, 2018 14:36:08 GMT
I think its a decent idea. Rankings were always a bit weird (Netherlands still being highly ranked as mentioned above) but this should eventually sort its self out so everyone knows their true level. If Netherlands are as bad as current form makes out the they will soon drop through the leagues accordingly. Same for any teams that are better than their current ranking suggests. Yeah Iceland in group A is ridiculous. But as you say it’ll sort itself out in time. Iceland have qualified for the last two competitions, and reached the quarters of Euro 2016. No reason why they shouldn't be seen as one of Europe's stronger teams.
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Post by Imperial on Sept 10, 2018 17:18:37 GMT
Yeah Iceland in group A is ridiculous. But as you say it’ll sort itself out in time. Iceland have qualified for the last two competitions, and reached the quarters of Euro 2016. No reason why they shouldn't be seen as one of Europe's stronger teams. They just got tonked 6-0 by Switzerland. I know where you’re coming from but they played massively above themselves at Euro 2016. They are nowhere near the level of the elite national teams.
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Post by Lobster on Sept 10, 2018 17:45:39 GMT
Iceland have qualified for the last two competitions, and reached the quarters of Euro 2016. No reason why they shouldn't be seen as one of Europe's stronger teams. They just got tonked 6-0 by Switzerland. I know where you’re coming from but they played massively above themselves at Euro 2016. They are nowhere near the level of the elite national teams. What else can you judge it on though? If they consistently play above themselves, they earn the right to be seen as one of the elite.
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Post by Imperial on Sept 10, 2018 18:00:12 GMT
They just got tonked 6-0 by Switzerland. I know where you’re coming from but they played massively above themselves at Euro 2016. They are nowhere near the level of the elite national teams. What else can you judge it on though? If they consistently play above themselves, they earn the right to be seen as one of the elite. The quality of the players representing the nation for one. I’d also argue that to say they have played above themselves consistently is generous in the extreme.
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Post by Lobster on Sept 10, 2018 19:37:59 GMT
What else can you judge it on though? If they consistently play above themselves, they earn the right to be seen as one of the elite. The quality of the players representing the nation for one. I’d also argue that to say they have played above themselves consistently is generous in the extreme. How can you assess that? You can’t say to a team “yeah ok you’ve qualified for the last two tournaments but that team’s players are better than yours so tough”. You can only judge a team on their recent results and Iceland’s (until the weekend) have been good.
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Post by chislenko on Sept 10, 2018 22:17:51 GMT
They'll have to win in Spain and that ain't going to happen. Even assuming we pick up points against Croatia the crux is that Spain have to lose at least one game. If we finish bottom of this group are we relegated to the B groups? Don't really understand the full picture, but is there a way teams can get themselves deliberately relegated so they are in weaker groups and then stand a better chance of getting to major finals via the play-off route in this competition ?
I think you may be on to something there.
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