 Andrei Arshavin
There might be some tricky away trips in there, but viewing the group on a team-by-team basis, Ireland should be confident of not only qualifying from it but also pushing for the top spot.
Russia are the heavyweight nation that dropped in from Pot One, while Slovakia, FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra are the other teams that Giovanni Trapattoni will have to start doing his homework on.
So is there reason for Ireland to fear these teams? Not overly. Of course, it would be foolish to start getting carried away and booking hotels in Poland and Ukraine for 2012, although this is a good group for the Irish.
Perhaps for the first time since the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) formed their senior team have been presented with a realistic chance of topping their qualifying group. Or is that being wildly optimistic?
Russian front ready to collapse?
The future of Russia manager Guus Hiddink is one of great debate. With various clubs eager to appoint him and his contract with the Russian FA due to run out in July, he has a big decision to make about what direction to go in.
If he stays then he will have to start the rebuilding process all over again as the Russian team that impressed at Euro 2008 have aged, lost form and slipped off the radar. A new squad must be assembled, but will it contain players like Andrei Arshavin?
After failing to qualify for this summer's World Cup, just like Ireland they lost in a play-off, Russia will be looking forward to the September matches. But they do have a lot of housekeeping to attend to before they will be ready for the qualifiers.
This could mean that they won't be at their strongest when Trapattoni brings his troops to Moscow or prepares them for a battle in the new Aviva Stadium. However, Hiddink may stay on, get his squad back in shape and prove that they were in Pot One for a very good reason.
Must-win games are fully loaded
Irish fans know all too well about the hiccups that their team has suffered against sides that they were expected to ease past. Flashes of that nightmare night in Nicosia still come through, while there have plenty of other incidents against so-called 'lesser' teams in Europe that have halted their progress to major competitions.
Some will automatically view the games against FYR Macedonia, Armenia and Andorra as six-pointers (beating them both home & away), but will it be that easy? This current Irish team have never really hammered a team and normally rely on just the one goal to get them through.
Then there is Slovakia - a team that should not be underestimated. Having qualified for the next World Cup, they are a country on the rise in international football. While they don't have too many star players (Marek Hamsik is their main playmaker), they will be a tough team to break down, especially away from home.
So the games that Ireland 'must win' most certainly come with a warning that it won't be easy for them to collect maximum points. Nevertheless, they are games that Trapattoni should be confident of getting enough points from to put them in a position to challenge for top spot in the group. Then it should come down their head-to-head record against both Russia and Slovakia.
Overall, it is a good group for Ireland and one that suggests they can win it. The next few months will tell if that is the case as new players need to be introduced as well as replicating the form they showed in World Cup qualification.  Giovanni Trapattoni
Following the speculation that both Turkey and Juventus had come close to appointing him over the winter, this will be his first opportunity to reassure the Irish supporters that he fully intends to see out the new contract he signed last year.
That should mean that the 70-year-old will have another crack at trying to qualify Ireland for a major international tournament after narrowly missing out on a spot at this summer's World Cup due to 'that' play-off decider in Paris.
The first game that Ireland will play this year comes next month against Brazil in the Emirates Stadium (a pointless friendly if ever there was one), but the summer period should be interesting as Trapattoni is reportedly keen on setting up another training camp to take a closer look at some fringe players.
While he may already know the bulk of his squad, there is certainly a need to introduce some fresh faces to provide competition for places and push the team on that extra bit ahead of the qualifiers in September.
Making sense of it all
Ireland may have dropped two places to 37th in the latest Fifa World Rankings, but they are as high as 23rd on the Uefa coefficient system, which means they will be in Pot Three for Sunday's draw - live on RTE2 for fans interested in tuning in.
Of course it would have been better if Ireland were in Pot One or Two and when the debate over moral compensation was ongoing it was suggested that Trapattoni's side would be bumped up to Pot Two, but nothing happened.
So all eyes will be on who Ireland draw from Pot One, which contains Spain, Germany, Holland, Italy, England, Croatia, Portugal, France, Russia. This is the heavyweight pot with either France, Portugal or Croatia the team that Ireland would prefer to get.
In the other pots there are many teams that the Irish would like to be drawn alongside, including Faroe Islands - now managed by former Ireland boss Brian Kerr, as they should be aiming for automatic qualification.
"The nine [group] winners and the runner-up with the best record against the teams first, third, fourth and fifth in their group qualify directly for the final tournament. The eight remaining runners-up contest play-off matches in November 2011."
The perfect draw would be......
Not many teams will be happy drawing Ireland in their group, but Trapattoni will have his own preference regarding what teams he would like to be pitted against. For example, Russia would be a tough team to get considering the harsh conditions they play in during the winter and the fact that they play on artificial surface.
But if the Ireland manager were to map out his ideal group it would probably be something like this - Croatia, Greece, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Andorra.
Both Croatia and Greece are not as strong as they were a few years ago. Yes, they will still be dangerous opposition to come up against, but compared to other teams in their respective pots they should be viewed as favourable options to be drawn against.
The likes of Lithuania, Liechtenstein and Andorra would not be too troublesome for travel arrangements, plus they are teams that Ireland would be looking to pick maximum points up against - if they were to be on top form in qualifying.
 Robbie Keane
Keane not only needs to start playing regularly again, he needs to remind people what he is so good at doing on a football pitch. Perhaps he even needs to remind himself as it has been so long since he stunned crowds whilst playing for his club.
Let's leave the Ireland business to one side for now as this loan until the end of the season could be the boost that Keane's career needed and it arrives at a good time too.
Celtic need a leader, who can change the game with a simple flick or measured pass or crucial goal. And Spurs need to him to rediscover his form, but are not prepared to drop other strikers for him.
With just six league goals this season, the 29-year-old knows that more is expected of him - even though he has not played as many minutes as he would have liked - and it is up to him to prove to Spurs that he can get back to his sensational best.
One move too many?
The Dubliner's critics have already loaded up with accusations that he is a player who can't stay put (Celtic are his seventh professional club) and that his days of terrorizing defenders have long since past. They will argue that his strike-rate is not as high as it should be and that he offers more negative points than positive one's.
Attacking him over his numerous clubs is fickle when one doesn't look at the reasons why he moved to each club. Sometimes it was to make the next step in his career, while others simply made sense at the time due to the club's financial position or the Liverpool case when he was used as a pawn in some bizarre boardroom power struggle.
Keane's strike-rate for his clubs has often been overlooked or viewed wrongly. Not many point out that he regularly hits double figures or that he is currently 10th in the list of all-time top scorers in the Premier League, instead he appears to have a reputation for someone who doesn't score enough. But a quick look at the stats reveals that he does indeed find the back of the net more than he is given credit for.
Regarding the balance between positivity and negativity, well one just has to ask Keane's team-mates or managers about his impact on and off the pitch to see which way they side - more often than not it will be positivity that tips the scales.
So is this one move too many? No, not at all. In fact, it is the right move at the right time......as long as the striker makes the most of it.
Trapattoni needs him back on form
Form is the key word for Keane now. For a player to be in good form, they have to be consistently producing what is expected of them. In Keane's case this means that he has to be creating chances for his team-mates and scoring goals.
As soon as he addresses this temporary loss of form then it will perk the attention of Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni, who relies on the forward to lead his team in the same way that Celtic manager Tony Mowbray is hoping he will inspire The Bhoys.
Keane will be 30 when the European Championship qualifiers roll around. By that time Trapattoni will need him playing his best football. Whether that will be for Celtic or Spurs or another club remains to be seen, but he will be crucial to Ireland's qualification hopes.
Yes, more should be demanded from Keane. This blog often laments him for not contributing enough in games. Yet it should not be forgotten that he is the top scorer for Ireland and has been one of the most successful exports of the Irish game.
But now is the time for Keane to remind everyone just what he can do. Celtic will provide the perfect platform for him to produce a memorable performance that can act as his great comeback.
 Sean St Ledger Even if he does not earn a move to a big club before the January transfer window, there is little reason for Sean St Ledger to stress about the direction his career may be going in.
The highly-rated defender returned to Preston North End this month after a loan spell with Middlesbrough did not lead to a permanent deal and he might be wondering what step to take next.
Celtic enquired and then bid for him, but Preston are determined to haggle for the best price possible. That may have scared the SPL giants off as their budget is tighter than it has been in a long time.
St Ledger may feel that his big chance to test himself at a higher level disappeared with that rejected bid from Celtic, but he needs to be patient. Several Premier League clubs have reportedly taken an interest in him as have teams currently chasing promotion from the Coca-Cola Championship.
If he can get back to the form that he showed last year when he broke into the Republic of Ireland team then it shouldn't be too long before a big club rescues him from Deepdale.
Best days are still ahead
At 25, it is safe to say that St Ledger can add many more facets to his game before he has reached his peak. And it is that potential to grow even more as defender that will excite clubs.
The former Peterborough United man has displayed some weaknesses - most notably a tendency to get caught ball-watching - over the past few years that need to be addressed and stamped out. Perhaps that is why he has yet to fully convince a big club to swoop for him.
However, he is getting better all of the time and showed just how much he has learned from his time under Giovanni Trapattoni in the Ireland set-up when he was at Middlesbrough earlier this season. More often than not he was the stand-out player in a team that struggled for consistency.
He has since moved on (or is that back?) from that stint in the North East of England. It was a mature decision to turn down the permanent deal when he felt unsettled, although he now has to get back to his best with Preston.
Irish place is not guaranteed
Despite forging a decent partnership with Richard Dunne in the heart of the Ireland defence, St Ledger will be fully aware that his place in the starting eleven for his country may be under threat if he is not performing well for his club.
That, along with his ambition to play in a better league, should act as the biggest motivating factor for him over the next couple of months as the European Championship qualifiers are not too far away.
The competition for centre-back for Ireland is not that great, although the likes of Paddy McCarthy (Crystal Palace), Alex Bruce, Damien Delaney (both Ipswich Town), and Marc Wilson (Portsmouth) will be eager to rival him for that slot alongside Dunne.
It will be interesting to see if he does get a move this month, but if he doesn't then St Ledger will have to go back to basics to remind Trapattoni as well as other clubs why he was previously in demand because playing in a struggling Preston side will not interest people as much as playing for a bigger club would.  Roddy Collins
For those foolhardy enough to resist the the urge to march to the new piper's tune there should be a few objectives bellowed out that might even see their furrowed brows flutter with a tinge of excitement. New owners always tend to rattle off a few things that can rouse even the most sceptical of supporters.
Of course, it will take a lot more than a sugar-coated speech to get things back to a structure that the FAI inspectors, along with everyone else, feels is up to scratch and able to withstand the pressure that will come once the League of Ireland storm begins to howl.
But this is a start.....a new start......that needs to happen if the cocktail of doom & gloom is to be swallowed and harsh truths are to be faced. There won't be any sign of Lady Luck on the banks of the Lee during this period, just the Revenue vultures watching on with a steady gaze.
So as the new consortium prepares to take control, they will ask their investors two direct questions - Can this club be saved? And is it worth saving? On both counts, it will be a resounding yes, although it will cost a lot to clear the debt and get the team back to a level where they are able to compete for the top honours.
A little bit of history repeating
In case you have fallen behind already in this lesson, we will do a quick recap to fill in the blanks about how Cork managed to get to themselves into such a mess that if new investors do not come onboard then they might just slip into extinction five weeks ahead of the new season kicking off.
Cork, as you may have guessed, are one of the biggest clubs in the domestic game. They have won the league twice, the FAI Cup twice, the League Cup three times and the Setanta Sports Cup once, which is pretty impressive considering they were only founded in 1984 (there have been other Cork teams before them).
Along with some excellent players, they have had some top class managers down through the years. However, in recent times, things have been quite sour for the club as investment firm Arkaga promised big things before pulling out when the debts started to rise in 2008.
Having slipped into Examinership, the Leesiders were saved - or so they thought - when local businessman Tom Coughlan took over. But his reign at the helm has been just as disastrous with two winding up orders issued, fan protests becoming a regular sight at Turner's Cross, payment not given to countless people & companies, and the once strong squad they had completely disappearing.
As things currently stand Coughlan is considering an offer from a consortium to sell up. As well as being banned by the FAI from football for twelve months due to his mishandling of club affairs last year, he is also one of the main reasons why a huge section of Cork supporters created a group called FORAS and are threatening to boycott the club unless he leaves.
Up to speed now? Okay, so let's crack on with the latest attempt to save Cork City and why this consortium are interested.
Potential to grow and grow
The attendance figures that Cork have clocked up through the years have been superb, so there is definitely a market for domestic football in the city. This is probably the most attractive point for the consortium eager to take over as they will surely have their own ideas of how best to get the fans through the turnstiles.
There is also the opportunity to help the club advance on the European stage. Despite their troubled season last term they did qualify for the Europa League qualifiers, but their new manager, Roddy Collins, does not hold the necessary coaching qualifications, so something may have to happen on that front or else they will miss out on it this year.
Nevertheless, progression in Europe is something that Cork are capable of achieving in the longer term once they get back to a solid structure. Arkaga wanted to use the club as a vehicle to get to the Uefa Champions League group stages, but they had little patience. If this new group stick around long enough they might be able to help Cork enjoy a successful run in Europe.
Then there is the League of Ireland. While Cork have always been one of the stronger teams, a lot of rebuilding has to be done if they are to retain their status as one of the Premier Division heavyweights. Is Collins the right man to lead them? Can they attract the right sort of players?
Let the money do the talking
If this new consortium do take over from Coughlan, then they will have to act quickly to convince the club's supporters that they are getting involved for the right reasons and know how to run a business properly. The best way they can do that is by paying off the huge debts currently weighing the club down.
From ex managers (Alan Mathews and Paul Doolin) to a flurry of ex players to current staff members, it appears that everyone who had any dealing with Cork City last year are owed some form of payment. Until they are paid up there is little point in pumping money into a business struggling to stay afloat in the murky waters of debt.
Ideally, Cork will be a Premier Division club this season with sensible new owners, a decent squad and a way of playing in Europe. But the false promises that have plagued their recent history will warn them that doing too much too soon could bring everything down like a house of cards. Steady steps are needed to get them back on the right track.
It is hard to predict how things will pan out for the club, but at least they have a chance to start over with new investors ready to seize on the potential and deliver where others failed to. All eyes will be fixed on the club over the coming weeks.
 Stephen Hunt
The rumour mill has linked Robbie Keane with almost every club, while Aiden McGeady's long-running suggested departure from Celtic has just become tiresome.
One Irish player that would benefit from a move - as long as that switch is to a fellow Premier League club - is Stephen Hunt as interest heats up in the Hull City winger.
Even though he only joined The Tigers this season, Hunt can't refuse to pass up an opportunity that may lead to better things on both the club and international scene.
Wolverhampton Wanderers are leading the chase for the 28-year-old and that is a move that would make sense for all concerned parties. Whether it can happen before the transfer window closes is the big question.
Risky business worth the gamble
Of course there is an element of risk for Hunt to leave a club where he has started every league game this term to join a team who are level on the same number of points and bound to be scrapping for relegation.
There is a chance that the move could backfire on him. Although when he takes all of the different factors into consideration he will surely come to the conclusion that joining Wolves makes sense.
The newly promoted side have a better manager, a more balanced squad, no trouble in the boardroom and would be considered more likely to avoid the drop than Hull.
However, it was Phil Brown who plucked him from the Coca-Cola Championship and the former Reading ace may feel that he owes the Tigers boss some loyalty. Yet, if he is as ambitious as he claims to be then he should aim to be wearing a Wolves jersey by the time February rolls around.
The stats don't lie, or do they?
For those who have been unconvinced by the winger's performances for Ireland and find themselves wondering what all of the fuss is surrounding his future, they should be directed towards Hunt's statistics this season.
He has racked up five goals and four assists from 21 league starts so far. It is also important to state that these results have come playing for a team who have struggled all season.
To put the stats into context, it is the same total that fellow Irishman Damien Duff has recorded at Fulham, who are nine places ahead of Hull in the Premier League. But is that enough for Giovanni Trapattoni to hand him a regular starting role for Ireland?
One of the things working against Hunt is that Hull are not a very popular club in the top flight - opposition teams don't like to play them, neutral fans don't like to watch them, and sections of the media don't like to give them publicity.
So, if the in-form winger was to join Wolves - a team that is getting better all of the time - then his chances of holding down a place for Ireland might improve, because his stats and performances might not be enough.
Just what McCarthy needs
As Mick McCarthy eyes up the next batch of fixtures for Wolves, he will wonder who can be the source of creativity that his side noticeably lacks right now. The long-term injuries to Andy Keogh and Michael Kightly have hit them hard, but so has the failure to find a left-sided winger who can deliver end product on a consistent basis.
Matt Jarvis has mostly filled this role, yet he has only popped up with three assists this season. For a team that is set up to play in a counter attacking style that isn't really good enough, but it is hard to blame Jarvis as he has been injured and doesn't always start games.
But if Hunt were to arrive at Molineaux, then one would imagine that McCarthy would be content to stick with him as the regular left winger as his busy style and flurry of assists are exactly what Wolves need. By adding Hunt to his roster, McCarthy would surely improve his team's chances of survival and maybe even breaking away from the danger zone.
The time is ticking down, so Hunt should be hoping that something can be sorted out sooner rather than later. | |