Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.


Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar


Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta


Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia


Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.


Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.


Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?


Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino


Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra


Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein



As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany.
The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO,
and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.


Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> writes:

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany.

According to a post on reddit UEFA is bringing back groups of four and
five for the 2028 edition. With the current format there will be a lot
of boring glorified friendlies, specially for the groups of six.

How many Pot 3 teams can realistic pull a surprise?

-- HASM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Quoting HASM in rec.sport.soccer:

Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> writes:

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany.

According to a post on reddit UEFA is bringing back groups of four and
five for the 2028 edition. With the current format there will be a lot
of boring glorified friendlies, specially for the groups of six.

How many Pot 3 teams can realistic pull a surprise?

I'd like to think that we (Sweden) might scare Austria.


--
Manchester United FC - CHAMPIONS
Latest: England '13 (20th) Europa '17, UEFA '08, World '08

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Watched this live. Never understand why they draw the top seeds first, for most people I imagine the excitement is over once the first two pots have been drawn. Surely it would be more of a spectacle if you build up to the climax of which group will
Italy/ Spain be in?

RM


On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany. The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO, and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

RM

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany. The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO,
and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

I propose a motion that we now officially refer to this as the ”Eurocrotto Group”.


RM

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany. The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO, and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....


......

Finland :(

RM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:59:48 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:51:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!

Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

Czechia is central Europe.

Depends how you define Eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was behind the “Iron Curtain “ and certainly would have been considered Eastern European by many in the West back in 1954.

I am talking geographically. Communism fell in 1990... so it is no longer relevant except may be in China or North Korea.
https://www.thoughtco.com/communist-countries-overview-1435178

Hungary is also considered Central Europe... so I don't think there has been a pure Eastern Europe group yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe#Geographical
Central Europe" denotes a geographic definition as the Danube region in the heart of the continent, including the language and culture areas which are today included in the states of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia,
Slovenia and usually also Austria and Germany, but never Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union towards the Ural mountains

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:51:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!

Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

Czechia is central Europe.

Depends how you define Eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was behind the “Iron Curtain “ and certainly would have been considered Eastern European by many in the West back in 1954.

RM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!

Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

Czechia is central Europe.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:


Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!


Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:15:57 AM UTC-5, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Well Norway hasn't qualified since 2000 and Haaland alone cannot guarantee qualification... you need decent midfielders to pass the ball to Haaland and they have got none. Odegaard is overrated.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Yes a group of dummies. Poland and Czechia used to be good... gone are the good ol days.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany. The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO,
and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 9.10.2022. 15:15, Werner Pichler wrote:

Croatia / Turkey

Hello Darkness, my old friend...
just kidding, last time we played Turkey beat us and helped replacing
the manager, the rest is history.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

Serbia needs to fail somehow and extend their run of not qualifying,
since I don't see how based on their opponents, the only other
logical development is nuclear war in Europe soon.
Or they will just self-destruct again. They had a mole in Montenegro
team a while ago, now it's in Bulgarian (Mladen Krstajic).

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:12:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:59:48 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:51:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!

Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

Czechia is central Europe.

Depends how you define Eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was behind the “Iron Curtain “ and certainly would have been considered Eastern European by many in the West back in 1954.

I am talking geographically. Communism fell in 1990... so it is no longer relevant except may be in China or North Korea.
https://www.thoughtco.com/communist-countries-overview-1435178 >
Hungary is also considered Central Europe... so I don't think there has been a pure Eastern Europe group yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe#Geographical

I think it depends who you ask. A quick google search will show sources that refer to both the Czech Republic and Hungary as Eastern European, as it will sources declaring the countries as Central European.

Time and context may have a bearing. My childhood straddled both "Iron Curtain" states and the fall of communism in Europe and it was spent in both the United Kingdom and Turkey. From my perspective the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary are in Eastern
Europe. Others who grew up in different times and places may have a different view.

Central Europe" denotes a geographic definition as the Danube region in the heart of the continent, including the language > and culture areas which are today included in the states of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, >

Slovakia, Slovenia and usually also Austria and Germany, but never Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union > towards the Ural mountains

To be quite honest, I'm not sure I've ever heard the term "Central Europe" used outside of encyclopedia articles. Again, it might depend on where and when someone grew up, but I'm pretty sure if I did a straw poll of British citizens and asked them
where Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Serbia were located most would say Eastern Europe.

Anyhow, the OP queried whether there had been a pure Eastern European group before, in my view given the political context at the time 1954 World Cup qualifying group 8 was such a group.


RM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:33:01 PM UTC+1, vedran wrote:

On 9.10.2022. 15:15, Werner Pichler wrote:

Croatia / Turkey

Hello Darkness, my old friend...
just kidding, last time we played Turkey beat us and helped replacing
the manager, the rest is history.

Turkey is more than capable of beating Croatia in both games...............


...............


...............


...............


...............

....................




.....and then going on to lose to Armenia, Latvia and Wales. :)

I watched the draw on a Turkish channel and they responded positively but I'm not so sure. Croatia with all their World Cup finals experience are surely the group favourites. Wales beat Turkey in Euro 2020 (albeit Turkey didn't really show up in that
tournament). Armenia basically consider Turkey an old "enemy" so we can expect a hostile reception on and off the pitch and Latvia are a bogey team who for reasons unclear seem to become World Champions for 90 minutes whenever they play a team wearing
the star and crescent, even if the game is a dead rubber. I can honestly see Turkey not finishing in the top 2, the only saving grace might be the safety net of a guaranteed playoff place from having won our Nations League Group.


RM

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

Serbia needs to fail somehow and extend their run of not qualifying,
since I don't see how based on their opponents, the only other
logical development is nuclear war in Europe soon.
Or they will just self-destruct again. They had a mole in Montenegro
team a while ago, now it's in Bulgarian (Mladen Krstajic).

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 4:31:45 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:33:01 PM UTC+1, vedran wrote:

On 9.10.2022. 15:15, Werner Pichler wrote:

Croatia / Turkey

Hello Darkness, my old friend...
just kidding, last time we played Turkey beat us and helped replacing
the manager, the rest is history.

Turkey is more than capable of beating Croatia in both games...............

lol

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 4:16:07 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 9:12:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:59:48 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:51:43 PM UTC+1, LedZep IgaSwanTech wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:22:37 PM UTC-5, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:00:58 PM UTC+1, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 7:50:12 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:38:19 PM UTC+2, Real Mardin wrote:

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 2:15:57 PM UTC+1, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Euro 68 had a three team qualifying group with Albania, Yugoslavia and.........West Germany. If only it had been East Germany instead.

Not 'Eastern Europe' as it's usually defined, but I see that Hungary have been the
westernmost country in a group at least once before - in the Euro 80 qualifiers
they were in a group with Greece, Finland, and the Soviet Union.

Ciao,
Werner

World Cup 1974 qualifying group 4:

Albania

East Germany

Romania

.....

.....

......

Finland :(

RM

World Cup 1954 UEFA qualifying group 8:

Bulgaria

Czechoslovakia

".......

......

......

.......

.......

.......

Romania!!!

Yes, we’ve cracked it! Another “pure Eastern European “ group!

RM

Czechia is central Europe.

Depends how you define Eastern Europe. Czechoslovakia was behind the “Iron Curtain “ and certainly would have been considered Eastern European by many in the West back in 1954.

I am talking geographically. Communism fell in 1990... so it is no longer relevant except may be in China or North Korea.
https://www.thoughtco.com/communist-countries-overview-1435178 >
Hungary is also considered Central Europe... so I don't think there has been a pure Eastern Europe group yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Europe#Geographical

I think it depends who you ask. A quick google search will show sources that refer to both the Czech Republic and Hungary as Eastern European, as it will sources declaring the countries as Central European.

Time and context may have a bearing. My childhood straddled both "Iron Curtain" states and the fall of communism in Europe and it was spent in both the United Kingdom and Turkey. From my perspective the former Czechoslovakia and Hungary are in Eastern

Europe. Others who grew up in different times and places may have a different view.

Central Europe" denotes a geographic definition as the Danube region in the heart of the continent, including the language > and culture areas which are today included in the states of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, >

Slovakia, Slovenia and usually also Austria and Germany, but never Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union > towards the Ural mountains

To be quite honest, I'm not sure I've ever heard the term "Central Europe" used outside of encyclopedia articles. Again, it might depend on where and when someone grew up, but I'm pretty sure if I did a straw poll of British citizens and asked them

where Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Serbia were located most would say Eastern Europe.

Since when what he Brits think about Europe matter? They are longer part of Europe. They have fuXited off!

Anyhow, the OP queried whether there had been a pure Eastern European group before, in my view given the political context at the time 1954 World Cup qualifying group 8 was such a group.

RM

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On 2022-10-09, Werner Pichler <wpichler@gmail.com> wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

3 former champs.

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Soft group.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Very different policies on Russia in thet group.

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Peculiar status countries (Romania excepted).

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 1:36:58 PM UTC-5, Jesper Lauridsen wrote:

On 2022-10-09, Werner Pichler <wpic...@gmail.com> wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

3 former champs.

LOL... do Greece matter these days? The top two qualify directly. So Netherlands and France are not sweating it.

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Soft group.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Very different policies on Russia in thet group.

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Peculiar status countries (Romania excepted).

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, October 9, 2022 at 8:15:57 AM UTC-5, Werner Pichler wrote:

Group A
Spain / Scotland / Norway / Georgia / Cyprus

The one time SCO are drawn out of Pot 2, they get Haaland from Pot 3.

Group B
Netherlands / France / Ireland / Greece / Gibraltar

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Group D
Croatia / Wales / Armenia / Turkey / Latvia

Group E
Poland / Czech Republic / Albania / Faroe Islands / Moldova

Ooof.

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

Group G
Hungary / Serbia / Montenegro / Bulgaria / Lithuania

'Purest' Eastern European qualifying group ever?

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino

Group I
Switzerland / Israel / Romania / Kosovo / Belarus / Andorra

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

As last time, the top two in each group qualify alongside the host Germany. The remaining three spots are being allocated through the Nations League.

The winners of their respective groups (NED/CRO/ESP/ITA, ISR/BIH/SRB/SCO,
and GEO/GRE/TUR/KAZ) are already guaranteed a place in those play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

SO which one is the group of death?

Group C
Italy / England / Ukraine / North Macedonia / Malta

Malta will be walked over. But what about Ukraine and North Macedonia? Should they give headache to Italy and England?

Group H
Denmark / Finland / Slovenia / Kazakhstan / Northern Ireland / San Marino Finland, Slovenia and Northern Ireland more or less equal?

Group J
Portugal / Bosnia-Herzegovina / Iceland / Luxembourg / Slovakia / Liechtenstein

Is this the first time Luxembourg in same group as Liechtenstein? Iceland, Slovakia and Bosnia more or less the same level?

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

Quoting Werner Pichler in rec.sport.soccer:

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

We certainly could have gotten a worse draw than this. Can't complain.


--
Manchester United FC - CHAMPIONS
Latest: England '13 (20th) Europa '17, UEFA '08, World '08

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 4:15:38 PM UTC-5, anders t wrote:

Quoting Werner Pichler in rec.sport.soccer:

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

We certainly could have gotten a worse draw than this. Can't complain.

Yes, could have been in Group C.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Monday, October 10, 2022 at 11:15:38 PM UTC+2, anders t wrote:

Quoting Werner Pichler in rec.sport.soccer:

Group F
Belgium / Austria / Sweden / Azerbaijan / Estonia

Let's see if Anders's doom and gloom is rooted in reality.

We certainly could have gotten a worse draw than this. Can't complain.

The thing is that you *have* to finish among the top two since you're one of the few countries
without a second shot through via the play-offs.

Ciao,
Werner

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)