Pripyat, Stacheldraht, Mart Poom, Oranjeboom

[Duncan Gardner]

Slight reprise...stuck with this thread as never-ending Euros qualification still meanders slowly towards some Caspian Delta

New supremo Baraclough's first squad includes the usual mix of pensioners, hopeful starlets and SPL cloggers. Oxford's Mark Sykes has fucked off to the dark side, retiring from internationals before actually playing in any; he's replaced by new team-mate Joel Cooper. Ad Hoc's boys are the first opponents

[ad hoc]

I think technically as the Caspian is a very big lake it doesn't have a delta. The Volga, however, which empties into the aforementioned lake, does.

Who are my boys? Romania? Or have Ultonia joined CONIFA now and facing Szekelyfold?

[Duncan Gardner]

Aye, Volga was the Delta I was thinking of- although looking at the map it's nowhere near Baku, which is staging games next summer.

Romania, Norway and Austria make up the group

[Ek weet nie]

An uncapped 23 year old playing in League One seems an unusual choice to reignite tensions over.

[Duncan Gardner]

The choice is purely Sykes' own. He might go on to get 50 caps, like James McClean; or alternatively stay in D3 relative obscurity and struggle to get any.

Generally though it's little different to the Grealish and Rice cases. Our fans will sulk for a while, yours will be smug without getting too excited

[Diable Rouge]

As you say, you'd imagine he'd have to graduate to the Championship at least before he'd appear on Kenny's radar.

[Diable Rouge]

Speaking of whom, Jayson Molumphy and Adam Idah earn their first call-ups.

[Kevin S]

As you say, you'd imagine he'd have to graduate to the Championship at least before he'd appear on Kenny's radar.

Though both Will Grigg and Kieffer Moore in the last few seasons show that if the round peg to fill your round hole is in League One it can be worth a try.

[Duncan Gardner]

We're back. Norn Iron ease to a 6-0 thrashing of the Faroes in Torshavn. Attagirl

[Duncan Gardner]

Has Bara forgotten we've 3 games next week? I know the squad picks itself really but some confirmation would be nice

[Duncan Gardner]

And the build up begins to Thursday's play off final. The hosts are likely to be without Evans junior (hamstrung), Laugherty (family bereavement sadly) and reserve keeper Carson. But sometime Liverpool youth prodigy Ryan McLoughlin is back. Sknhed Skrtel misses out for the Slovaks

[Duncan Gardner]

Yes, I've been saying so since at least 2013 but this looks like the last hurrah for Goaldrought generation. Davis is soon 36, Jonny Evans, McGinn and Laugherty 33. The big man- playing despite family bereavement- hit the post as we pushed for a late winner. Never mind, now to get behind North Macedonia- it's namesake lighthouse directs shipping into Belfast Harbour