ToffeeWeb - Season 2009-10

The Mail Bag

Europa Cup: 15th Seeds

Well, we finally ended up as 15th seeds for the Europa Cup draw on Friday

4 of the 5 seeded teams in Wednesday's CL qualifiers got through — Shakhtar Donetsk being "relegated" to the Europa League, but Sporting Braga lost to Elfsborg of Sweden so are totally out of Europe. We therefore move up one place to 15th.

The draw is at 12:30 and should have some feed from Radio 5.

So who do we expect to get? Obvious - Genoa who came 5th in Serie A! That would be our luck. But there are some other toughies: Gent, Belgium Cup winners;3 teams from Czech Republic; Brondby from Denmark; PAOK from Greece; Lech Poznan; Nacional, who were 4th in Portugal last season; Trabzonspor who were 3rd in Turkey, Dynamo Moscow who were 3rd in Russia... The list goes on.

You just know the teams we won't get - Sturm Graz who were 4th in Austria or St Patricks who were 2nd in Ireland. (Yes, I remember University College Dublin in 84-85...)

Anyway, at least it will stop us from talking about Lescott, BK and DK for a day. Never know, get an easy draw and maybe JL will stay for the promise of Europe!
Phil Roberts, the edge of my seat next to the radio Posted 06/08/2009 at 19:32:13

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Comments

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James Greem
1 Posted 07/08/2009 at 00:57:42

I predict PAOK, nice couple of days in Greece!!

Dave Wilson
2 Posted 07/08/2009 at 05:48:32

Give us St Patrick’s.

If we’re going to stretch resources to breaking point in pursuit of this Mickey Mouse trophy, let's have a few good piss ups on the way.

Phil Roberts
3 Posted 07/08/2009 at 08:12:17

Sorry - meant to add that when we do draw Genoa, it will not be a piece of cake.

Kevin Jones
4 Posted 07/08/2009 at 08:44:06

Hi Phil, don’t forget none of these teams will fancy playing us either. We’re not as bad as some people make out.

Peter Roberts
5 Posted 07/08/2009 at 08:46:08

Mickey Mouse trophy, Dave Wilson?

So I take it you’d rather take 5th place (which is the best we will achieve this season in the League) over a UEFA Cup victory and 10th spot?

I would ideally like NAC Breda - 25 miles from Rotterdam and only finished 8th in the Dutch Eredivisie last season. Alternatively, anyone up for a 25th anniversary re-union with Rapid Wien?

Phil Guyers
6 Posted 07/08/2009 at 08:57:37

Before the draw it will be narrowed down to just five unseeded teams (and possibly just four) from which we can draw our opponents. I’ve looked on uefa .com and the draw format is not up yet.

I wouldn’t mind getting Guingamp, the French Cup winners or Tromso, the most northerly top division club in the world!

Brian Lawlor
7 Posted 07/08/2009 at 09:21:01

The groups have been done:

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/uefacup/news/kind=1/newsid=870394.html

We can get either Hearts, PAOK of Greece, Bate Borisov of Bulgaria, Sigma Olomuc of Czech Republic or Aktobe of Kazakstan.

Alan Clarke
8 Posted 07/08/2009 at 09:37:09

It’s Kazakstan nailed. How the fuck will any of us get there?

Lee Smith
9 Posted 07/08/2009 at 09:40:37

@ Phil Roberts

Ha Ha, mate, that ’piece of cake’ line was a shocking effort!

Andrew Warrender
10 Posted 07/08/2009 at 09:42:15

I am predicting PAOK. If we were to get drawn against FK Aktobe - how the hell would you get there??

Gavin Ramejkis
11 Posted 07/08/2009 at 09:41:36

Alan I would have said fly Air Borat but we all know he plays for the RS now - Bruno number 9

Simon Dunne
12 Posted 07/08/2009 at 10:03:00

Hopefully it’s Hearts!

Mac Lloyd
13 Posted 07/08/2009 at 11:00:26

PAOK would be the toughest draw but we all know it’ll be bloody Kazakstan.

Better set off now to make it for kick-off.

Colin McPhail
14 Posted 07/08/2009 at 11:28:01

Hearts would suit me fine !! - Aye, bring on the Jambo’s..

Lee Smith
15 Posted 07/08/2009 at 11:42:58

Sky Sports News are showing the draw apparently. Heres a pretty decent link for it

http://www.justin.tv/vipfootball_1

Mark Leicester
16 Posted 07/08/2009 at 11:47:08

The draw is also on iraq goals if you have not got Eurosport, also says Everton against Malaga is on there later today.

Lee Smith
17 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:39:08

It’s Sigma Olomuc of Czech Republic

Mac Lloyd
18 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:41:26

Could of done with the home leg second but can’t complain too much with that.

Lee Smith
19 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:43:26

Hmmmm....they done Aberdeen 8-1 on aggregate in the previous round.

Liam Reilly
20 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:43:22

They spanked Aberdeen 8-1 on agg. Could be another Mentalists.

For sure, we’ll make it tough.

Shane Brannigan
21 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:44:18

What ya make of that? 8-1 is emphatic but Aberdeen are shit poor...best draw out of the group i think, feared it was BATE the way it was heading!

Ben Jones
22 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:49:31

Best out of that group? I’d rather have that team from Kazakhstan! Saying that though, it’s a better draw than last year with Liege... we should do alrite

Lee Smith
23 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:50:01

FYI Nearest major airport is Vienna (171km away) and direct flights are approx £130 return from London.

Mac Lloyd
24 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:49:35

Great video on you tube of (a few) blokes standing in deserted stands, to some dodgy Czech soundtrack..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtxGjymg9P8

Sean McNally
25 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:52:09

Just checking the flight details now.....looks like a tough one.

There isnt a major airport in 100 miles from Olomouc so it's a 2 flight job...... :(

Lee Smith
26 Posted 07/08/2009 at 12:58:50

Stadium only holds 12,000, so unless they move venue I can’t see there being many tickets available!

Gary Green
27 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:00:50

Ryan Air fly there from Stanstead to an airport called Brno, 70 kms from Olomouc

Lee Smith
28 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:12:51

Good spot Gary. About £75 return, leave on Weds return on Friday. Apparently it’s about 90km from Brno to Olomoucis and taxi is about 10CZK per km, so about £30 in real money.

Iain McWilliam
29 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:12:45

Went to Brno this year actually. Brno airport is right next to the motorway that takes you up to Olomouc (good motorways btw). Shouldnt be too much hassle for you although if you stray off the main path its a bit like being in werewolf country.

Steve Sanchez
30 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:09:28

I live in Prague, its much easier to fly to Brno than to Prague to get to Olomouc. The train from Prague to Olomouc is very unreliable, I’ve missed a few flights cos of it. They were supposed to introduce a flight from Blackpool to Brno but I’m not sure if it ever happened.

Guy Hastings
31 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:21:53

Brno gave the first two letters of its name to the Bren light machine gun which was manufactured in Enfield - just in case you need a conversation opener in the bar over there.

Bradley Nolan
32 Posted 07/08/2009 at 13:18:50

Was in Brno once, they don’t speak much English in the airport or train station, there were busses between the two, the trains are fairly nice though.

Jay Harris
33 Posted 07/08/2009 at 11:03:45

So we have the potential banana skin of Everton v Sigma Olomouc a team who beat Aberdeen 8-1 on aggregate.

Still should give us the opportunity to view some potential "cheap" buys.

Damian Scott
34 Posted 07/08/2009 at 16:18:20

Reckon I’ll give this trip a miss lads.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/8187687.stm

Fighting before Dons’ Europa tie

Fighting broke out between rival fans ahead of Aberdeen’s Europa League match in the Czech Republic.

Visiting supporters clashed with local Sigma Olomouc fans in Olomouc city centre. It was not immediately clear if arrests were made.

Aberdeen football club also confirmed that two female fans were attacked and robbed on Thursday afternoon.

Earlier, during the night, a local gang threw tear gas canisters at Aberdeen supporters at a bar.

Two arrests were made following that incident.

About 300 Dons fans are in the city for the match against Sigma Olomouc, which the Czech side lead 5-1.

There were minor skirmishes following the tear gas incident, which happened in the early hours of Thursday at the Crack Irish Bar, which is owned by 43-year-old Graham Campsie, from Edinburgh.

A spokesman for Aberdeen FC said: "I’ve spoken to a number of the guys who were in the pub at the time and they all got a hell of a fright.

"But other than the effects of the gas itself, there was no damage, thankfully.

"There’s never been any trouble in eight years Graham’s been there and he was also quoted as saying that it was a brilliant night up until then, everybody was thoroughly enjoying themselves, with a good old sing song."

Dave Wilson
35 Posted 08/08/2009 at 06:03:17

Peter

I havent actually given up hope of breaking into the CL.
I believe this is a front too many to be fighting on, it makes our already slim chances of breaking the sky 4 monopoly, even slimmer

This trophy is footballs Grand National, it takes some winning and progression to the later stages without actually winning it, comes at a price its the biggest resource drainer of them all

But of course your right, beggars cant be choosers and If you offered me this trophy instead of 5th . . . . . I’d snatch your hand off

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