Draw will reflect changing fortunes

Seeded four
The teams have slipped a long way down the merit table of Europe's élite nations and find themselves ranked among the fourth seeds, Ireland's lowest standing in two decades. It means both will be drawn in a group containing three other sides who can boast superior form over the last four years.

Tough prospect
For instance, the Irish could find themselves battling for one of two qualifying berths in a section that includes the likes of England, Italy and Ukraine, all group winners on the road to this summer's FIFA World Cup finals. Belgium could come out of the hat with traditional powerhouses France, Germany and, say, Russia or Norway.

Big change
Rewind the clock four years and the equivalent draw for the UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers had both countries rated among the strongest nations. A place among the first seeds offered them every chance of claiming a ticket to the Portugal finals.

New start
It was a task that proved beyond them as indeed did the challenge of qualifying for the 2006 World Cup finals when their records proved remarkably similar – third and then fourth in their respective groups. Now both have turned to new managers to improve their fortunes with Steve Staunton, the former Liverpool FC defender and the Republic's most-capped player, taking over from Brian Kerr while Belgium have appointed René Vandereycken to replace Aimé Anthuenis.

More fixtures
Fifty teams will be attempting to gain entry to the 2008 showpiece with Austria and Switzerland qualifying automatically as co-hosts of the final round in three summers' time. The same number set out on the road to Portugal in 2004 when sides were grouped into ten sections of five; this time every competing nation will have a busier fixture schedule. There will be one group of eight teams with the other six pools made up of seven. Greece, as holders, are in pot 1 and are joined by England and the Netherlands who four years previously were both ranked among the second tier.

Germany fall
Conversely Germany, Italy, Turkey, Spain and Romania have moved down the rankings and all know they will have to face one of the strongest sides – Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, England, Czech Republic or France – home and away over the next couple of seasons.

Fearing the worse
Scotland and Slovenia will share a similar sense of foreboding in the countdown to the draw which takes place at 12.00CET. Four years ago they had places in pot 2; now, along with Belgium and the Republic of Ireland, they will be competing in a section containing no fewer than three teams whose chances of going through are rated better.

How it works
The sides have been classified according to their results in the qualifying rounds for the 2004 UEFA European Championship and this summer's World Cup. Some teams could be disappointed that improved results in the World Cup qualifiers have not been reflected in a more favourable pot number.

Worse off
For instance, Northern Ireland have made strides under manager Lawrie Sanchez with their 1-0 defeat of England in Belfast a result to be savoured in that country for many years to come. Yet they are comparatively worse off this time – placed in the sixth of seven pots as against the fourth of five four years ago – which reflects their poor attempt to reach the Portugal finals in 2004 when they did not score a single goal in their eight games.