Commercial sport championships turn streamlined affairs into bloated monstrosities

None of the teams striving to make France in these play-offs really deserve their passage to Euro 2016, writes Brendan O’Brien

Distant European outpost. Small but intimidating stadium. A place at the Euros at stake.

We’ve been here before. Four years ago, to be precise, when the Republic of Ireland played Estonia at the A Le Coq Arena in Tallinn. Alas, Bosnia would appear to be no Estonia and the other major difference between the play-offs then and now is that Ireland simply haven’t earned their second chance this time around.