Irish third seeds hoping for a break in new UEFA order

At the outbreak of World War One, the Festhalle in Frankfurt was utilised as a camp for German soldiers, however, it will be the generals of the continent's football teams who will gather at the historic venue for Sunday’s Euro 2024 draw.

The multi-purpose arena first opened in 1909, and while it had a dark role to play in the second World War with its involvement in the November pogroms in 1938, it somehow avoided demolition, when a fire devastated the interior, while the Allied Forces dropped bombs from above – Led Zeppelin, as it happens, were the first rock bank to headline in 1970.

Commander in chief of the Irish forces, Stephen Kenny, will be on hand to see what battles will present themselves throughout the 2023 international calendar, with his Republic unit sitting in the veritable no-man’s land of Pot 3.

As a result, Ireland will find themselves drawn alongside two higher-ranked sides for the qualification phase of the Germany-hosted tournament, and while there are many a potential landmine lurking in the upper echelons, the draw could also be quite kind to the green army.

A new world order of sorts in top tier, as a result of some unlikely outcomes in the latest edition of the UEFA Nations League, with England and France now finding themselves in Pot 2, while Hungary and Poland are among the top seeds – Italy, Spain and the Netherlands sticking in there for the traditionalists, while Germany will automatically qualify as hosts.

Can there be a preferred option for Ireland from the elite sides considering they are all in situ as a result of a consistent calendar year of international football?

Familiarity may help soften that particular blow, as Ireland have fared quite well in mostly tight games against Denmark,