Livid Ireland fans rounded on UEFA on Sunday night after football chiefs botched Ireland’s Euro 2024 qualifying fixtures.
Ireland will face the Netherlands, World Cup holders France, Greece and Gibraltar - with only the top two qualifying.
UEFA issued the Group B fixtures on Sunday night but within two hours they issued a statement saying a new set has to be issued.
“We have noticed an issue with the calendar and we ask you to DISREGARD the fixture list that was sent out,” read the statement from European football’s governing body.
“A new version will be issued as soon as possible. Apologies for the inconvenience caused. Fixtures are subject to change.”
But plenty of eager Ireland fans had already jumped on the initial fixture list and shelled out on flights and accommodation.
And they face being out of pocket if there are significant changes to the 2023 schedule.
It is still possible that UEFA rules that the initial fixture list stands, but there are believed to be issues with a number of groups - not just Ireland’s - and it is under review.
The initial fixture list had Ireland down to open their campaign at home to France in March.
They would then travel to stifling hot Greece in June before hosting Gibraltar three days later.
But the real crunch ties were pencilled in for September when Ireland were due to go to France and host Netherlands in a double-header.
However, the Stade de France in Paris could be unavailable for that clash due to the Rugby World Cup where France host New Zealand the day after the Ireland game.
In October, Kenny's men were down to host Greece and travel to Gibraltar before closing out the campaign against the Netherlands in November.
But UEFA have warned fans that those fixtures are now suddenly subject to change, despite flight being snapped up on Sunday night.
Ireland boss Stephen Kenny admits Ireland will have to ‘do something extraordinary’ to qualify after landing a nightmare draw.
Netherlands, France and Greece are all former European champions but Kenny was putting on a brave face in Frankfurt last night.
“I understand that people will not give us a chance, I get that, but we've got to back ourselves and believe in what we are doing,” he said.
“Nobody wanted France as second seeds. But we just need to pick off big results over the year.
“We will have to do something extraordinary to finish in the top two and that’s our intention.”
But Kenny accepts that Ireland must urgently address their inconsistency if they are to mount a serious challenge.
While some performances have been good, Ireland are struggling to back it up with meaningful results.
And that cost Kenny dearly in the Nations League as Ireland squandered the chance to be Pot 2 seeds yesterday.
That one step forward, two steps back approach must be ironed out if Ireland are to qualify automatically.
Kenny said: “I think we’re capable of big performances but we haven’t shown that we can do it consistently. That’s what we’re building towards, that’s what we have to show.
“We’re capable of being better than we have been. We have to do more than match performances we showed against Scotland, Serbia, Portugal and Belgium.”
“We can see the team evolve but we’ll have to produce even better performances to beat France and Holland. That has to be our determination.
“All these World Cup qualifiers will be full houses. They are really getting behind this team.
“We only have eight games, so we have to pull off some big performances. And we are capable of that.”
Third place in the group does not secure a playoff, but Ireland will be in the mix for one through their Nations League standing.
But it is a complicated process that relies on how other nations fare and won’t become clear until the latter stages of qualifying across the various groups.
France boss Didier Deschamps said: "It's a fairly dense group, a group of value. A draw can always be better, it can always be worse.”
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