3rd Round draw - possible opponents

[WhiteJC]

NK Domzale or RNK Split

[Ordar]

We have Domzale (Slovenia) or RNK Split (Croatia)

[Matt]

... in case we get there.

Domzale or RNK Split awaits.

Stoke drew Hajduk Split, will be trouble.

[sw9white]

Looks like I booked my croatia trip a couple of weeks too late... dammit!

[sipwell]

Domzale or RNK Split

As Split won 1-2, it will be Split. Where is the happy Croation Foffer?

[sipwell]

Ah, you beat me to it. My thread can be closed then :)

Split won 1-2 on the field of Domzale, so it is likely it'll be them.

[Matt]

Ah, you beat me to it. My thread can be closed then :)

Split won 1-2 on the field of Domzale, so it is likely it'll be them.

Mine as well, had problem spelling D O M Z A L E...

[Two Ton Ted]

Are we home or away first? (if we get through...)

[Jimpav]

Great holiday destination but a tough draw.

Which Croatian side did we play in our first UEFA cup adventure?

[sipwell]

Away first if I am not mistaken :)

[watfordwhite]

Taken from the Split web site:

Split in the third qualifying round against Fulham
15th July 2011
In the third qualifying round of the European League Split will, if passed Ig, to play against Fulham, it was decided to draw in Nyon today. Of course, before that, both teams must finish the job in the second qualifying round. Fulham's like Split made a big step towards the third qualifying round victory (3-1) in a guest appearance in Northern Ireland Crusaders. An English rendering premijerligašem a formality until the split in Dugopolje (21 July) welcomed Domžale with a 2-1 advantage from the first game. If the red elections placement in the third qualifying round then the first encounter cons Fulham in Dugopolje 28th of July until the return was scheduled in London on August 4 at the Craven Cottage stadium.   082.gif 082.gif :beer:

[Matt]

Great holiday destination but a tough draw.

Which Croatian side did we play in our first UEFA cup adventure?

Hajduk Split, they got Stoke in the 2nd round this year.

[Pata]

Interesting... RNK's English wiki is quite comprehensive for such a seemingly small club.
3 straight promotions and then a comfortable 3rd place in their first season in the top flight, just 2 points behind Hajduk... Hmmm... the sudden rise seems to suggest that some local oligarch got interested.

Managed by a former Southampton goalkeeper, who's managed about 20 different teams in the past 18 years.

[Pata]

Hajduk Split, they got Stoke in the 3rd round this year.

Ooof... could get very nasty off the pitch.

[Matt]

Hajduk Split, they got Stoke in the 3rd round this year.

Ooof... could get very nasty off the pitch.

Stoke keeping the English flag flying in Europe, don't like that at all. Was there any trouble when we played them?

[Dougie]

Hmmm... the sudden rise seems to suggest that some local oligarch got interested.

the chairman, Slaven Žužul, appears to co-own a "large construction company" called Skladgradnja, and was in jail in Feb 2010 whilst being investigated for kickback schemes and tax evasion.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6675a94-ffb5-11de-921f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1SBTc6Xxf
http://croatiantimes.at/news/General_News/2010-02-11/8863/ato_banner_3.swf

[Mr Fulham]

Pretty easy draw. Hajduk Split (Stoke's opponent) is the far better adress in the city.

[Dougie]

It's funny that Stoke's draw is being considered "tough" by most reports but ours is not. Firstly there were just 2 points between the respective sides last season. Secondly, whilst Hadjuk Split may be a club with plenty of European heritage, but the Croatian league is pretty weak in Europe, only two places above Republic of Ireland's league in the European Co-efficients.

Looking at how the Croatian teams performed in the Europa league last year: Cibalia went out to Glentoran and Šibenik went out to Cyprian side Anorthosis. Hadjuk Split themselves made the group stages (beating two Romanian clubs to get there), but then finished bottom of a group containing Zenit, Anderlecht and AEK. Dinamo Zagreb finished 3rd in their group, ahead of Club Brugge but behind Villarreal and PAOK.

Bottom line is Croatian sides aren't to be feared and Stoke should be considered favourites in their tie, and we strong favourites in ours, though of Split are certainly a step up both from this round's tie and our opposition at this stage in 2009 (Vetra), and two competent performances will be required to progress.

[Mr Fulham]

at this stage in 2009 (Vetra)

Wasn't that Amkar Perm?

[Dougie]

Wasn't that Amkar Perm?

Nope, Amkar Perm was the team we played in the EL Playoff round (the round we will play in if we defeat RNK Split). We played Vetra in the 3rd qualifying round.