Let’s go right ahead and get carried away with ourselves.
For Ireland’s potential second round draw at Euro 2016 to be in any way kind, Martin O’Neill’s men would be best coming second in their group.
A first-place finish would grant the Republic a tougher draw in the round of 16 than second would and coming in third doesn’t seem like it would do much favours for us either.
Because there are 24 teams in this year’s tournament in France with 16 of them advancing from the group stage, the second round draw isn’t like your usual round robin seeding. Of years gone by, the winner of group A (for example) would play the runner-up from group D. The runner-up of group A would in turn play the winner of group D in the next round.
At Euro 2016, there are six groups of four teams. In four of those groups, three teams will qualify for the round of 16 and two teams from the other two groups.
The draw for the second round is more complicated in that the winners and runners-up from each group will be facing winners and runners-up from two or three different groups. Not the same one.
So, if Ireland were to advance from group E via a first, second, or third place finish, they could be looking at a second round opponent from three different groups.
Ireland’s potential second round opponents are like this then:
If Ireland finish first, they will play the runners up from group D. That means a clash with either of the group of death – Spain, Turkey, Croatia or Czech Republic.
If Ireland finish second, they will play the winners of group F. Not a damning prospect – Portugal, Iceland, Austria or Hungary.
If Ireland finish third, they will play either the winners of group A or group D. So that means either a pairing with the best team from the best group, or more than likely a clash with France in the round of 16.
Everyone pray for a second-place finish.
Because we’re that picky.
