By Chris Wright
UEFA have just announced the seeding of the 16 teams that will be plucked from the perspex goldfish bowls of doom in Kiev on December 2nd, and they look a little bit like this…
Top seeds: Spain, Holland, Poland, Ukraine
Second seeds: Germany, England, Russia, Italy
Third seeds: Croatia, Greece, Portugal, Sweden
Fourth seeds: Denmark, France, Czech Republic, Republic of Ireland
Lawdamussy. Thanks to UEFA’s ranking-based seeding system, it looks like we’re due at least one good, old-fashioned ‘Group of Death’ in a fortnight’s time – Spain/Germany/Portugal/France anybody?
As for England, you’d have to suggest that being pulled out with Poland, Greece and (arguably) the Czech Rep would represent the kindest possible draw – though there’s a real threat of getting saddled with Spain, Portugal and France. At least we’d be going into the tournament with a ready-made excuse.
What’s more, with Ireland being placed in the fourth pot, it looks like they’re likely to be handed a stinker of a group ahead of their first outing at a European Championships for 23 years to boot.
Any thoughts on the seedings/draw/possible permutations folks?