How Connah’s Quay Nomads could be Gerrard’s first test as new Rangers boss

Four JD Welsh Premier League clubs will represent the nation in Europe this year, but one has an increased chance of facing esteemed opposition on the continent. 

Connah’s Quay Nomads have found themselves fast-tracked to qualifying round one of the Europa League thanks to a late change in UEFA’s seeding process.

As the Deeside club qualified for Europe via their first ever JD Welsh Cup win, UEFA has re balanced Connah’s Quay as entrants in the first qualifying round stage for the 18/19 Europa League.

The change is part of the body’s complicated seeding process but is based on the fact that the current Europa League champions, Atletico Madrid, qualified for the Champions League with a second place finish.

Fernando Torres and co’s win created a knock-on effect in the forthcoming Europa League, leaving an empty space in the third qualifying round.

https://twitter.com/UEFACalculator/status/999369010952265728p

To address this, cup winners from Denmark, Norway, Faroe Islands and you guessed it…Wales have been progressed to a later round than they were originally assigned.

Therefore, Connah’s Quay must now drop plans to face opposition from the likes of Kosovo and Gibraltar and prepare for the possibility of facing some household names.

Dynamo Minsk, AIK Stockholm and FC Kobenhavn, who Newtown AFC faced off within 2015/16, could all be drawn against Nomads as the seeded side.

And Dundalk, Hibernian and Rangers could meet Nomads in all-Celtic clash on July 12 and 19.

Although the change effects Nomads’ chances of drawing beatable opposition, they boast an excellent record in the Europa League, winning two, drawing one and losing three

The club became the only Welsh side to progress in a European competition without conceding a goal over two legs, beating Norway’s Stabaek Fotbal 1-0 in their inaugural appearance in Europe in July 2016.

(Featured Image: RuaraidhG)