Euro 2008

[Rogue]

I agree about Benzema possibly being the star of the tournament, he is a very talented player and this tournament will earn him a transfer to a big club next season - if his great goal against Manchester United in the Champions League didn't already do it.

As for Euro 2008, I think France or Holland will win, if either of them get out of that group of death with Italy, they have a great chance of reaching the final.

Don't forget Croatia, they beat England at Wembley to eliminate them from the qualifying phase and play great football too. They have the weakest team out of the 16 in their group, Austria, and Poland, who never progress from the group stage of finals.

[Seven]

Originally Posted by ezzdx

I'm think the final will be between Germany and France,and Potugal with Netherlands or Spain will be with them in the semi-finals.

Germany-France as a final would be just great for me, as it should have been World Cup 2006 final already.
I think France still has a great team even without Zidane, the pair Ribery-Benzema can strike. I think if France get out of the group of death, as I fear it may not, we will make it to the final.

Italy has a good team too, not my favorites, but they're always good when in final phase.
Portugal has Ronaldo, Netherlands has Van Nistlerooy and Van Persie and can also be very dangerous.

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Rogue

I agree about Benzema possibly being the star of the tournament, he is a very talented player and this tournament will earn him a transfer to a big club next season - if his great goal against Manchester United in the Champions League didn't already do it.

As for Euro 2008, I think France or Holland will win, if either of them get out of that group of death with Italy, they have a great chance of reaching the final.

Don't forget Croatia, they beat England at Wembley to eliminate them from the qualifying phase and play great football too. They have the weakest team out of the 16 in their group, Austria, and Poland, who never progress from the group stage of finals.

I wish if Ireland were in this Euro to see your supporting posts for Ireland.
I'm agree with you about Karim Benzema,I think he who will be one of the best players in the world in the next year,now France could get a new stars when she lose some,Zidane retired but Ribery,Benzema and Nasri are now a big players.

Holland has a very strong attack and goalkeeper but weak defense and unstrong midfield but this on papers only and we will see in the ground who is the best,the football isn't by names.
about Croatia,they have a good team and I don't think they won't cross the first round unless if Austria succeed to go with Germany,Don't forget the Austrians are playing at their home,but I don't think there is a chance for Croatia after the quarter-finals.
But I notice you ignored Germany,are you don't see the Germany could do it!

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Seven

Germany-France as a final would be just great for me, as it should have been World Cup 2006 final already.
I think France still has a great team even without Zidane, the pair Ribery-Benzema can strike. I think if France get out of the group of death, as I fear it may not, we will make it to the final.

I'm agree with you in this,the 2006 final were should to be between Germany and France as they were the best two teams in that cup but Italy was very lucky in all her matches,Italy didn't face any strong until the semi-finals,even they defeated Australia by unvalid penalty.
But if the Italians successed to get out of the group of death,I think their chance to be in the semi-finals would be high.

[Fibonacci]

One of the best teams in Europe (currently 6th place in FIFA world ranking) and we don't even have a place in a voting table?

I believe in Czech! Pity we lost Rosicky (and Nedvěd did not return), but with Čech as keeper I think we have great chance. Well ... we are able to win or loose to anybody, but this is same for all.

I'd also like to see some great play form Polish team. They are not much known, but may surprise - as Greece last time.

Great match last Euro, Ned 2 : 3 Czech

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

One of the best teams in Europe (currently 6th place in FIFA world ranking) and we don't even have a place in a voting table?

I'm sorry for that,also I'm sorry for the Russians,but I can't put all teams in the poll,and I thought the home land should get a place in that poll,but honestly I thought before making this poll about another teams in the place of Austria and Switzerland but I found them many,and this who made me put "other".
and this didn't mean Czech isn't in the poll,and as the poll is public and we can know who voted and to any country he voted,Czech now has one vote and Russia has 2 votes.

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

I believe in Czech! Pity we lost Rosicky (and Nedvěd did not return), but with Čech as keeper I think we have great chance. Well ... we are able to win or loose to anybody, but this is same for all.

Czech is usually a problem for the big teams but I see her chances in this Euro aren't high,they lose Rosicky and Nedved as you said and also the most starts of Czech weren't in a good form in this season"specialy Baros and Koller",and Czech is in a difficult group,any thing may happened in this group.

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

I'd also like to see some great play form Polish team. They are not much known, but may surprise - as Greece last time.

I don't think Poland will be the black horse of this Euro,I think the black horse will be either Croatia or Turkey or Russia.

[Niceideas]

Englan.... Oh wait damn.

Actually i'm fucking stoked we didn't qualify, i think it's funny as fuck, as unpatriotic as that sounds.

I hate when we have Rooney and Owen injured and there's not another international level striker in England so we have to play Crouch up front on his own. That's what buying foreign players into club sides and not cultivating local talent gets you. Football should take a page from rugby's book, there are loads of great players that can step up and play for their country at any time, if there were half a dozen fly halfs injured we'd still have players that could step up. Seriously we don't deserve to be in Euro 2008.

[ezzdx]

It's good to see you again,Niceideas.
I see you are right but honestly I don't like the English team but England isn't less than some teams in this Euro,but as you said the high number of the foreign players in the their league make them couldn't find the good substitutes,but don't forget that those foreign players are who made the final of the Champions league between two English clubs.

[Niceideas]

yeah man, thanks.

I totally agree, thats why there were two english teams in the final, but we are so far gone that we rely and need foreign players to make the premiership so high level. If, a long time ago, we'd set up better ways of training young local players we'd be in a much better situation football wise.

[ezzdx]

Thing like that is very difficult as the clubs want the money and the championships,and the fans also won't wait many years to see the young english players become a big stars,it's really a problem.

[Seven]

Niceideas, I don't think having many foreigners in your premiership is bad for local talents. I mean, of course, they'll have to fight and be very good to earn their place in the team, but the problem is just that clubs must invest more money to train young players.
We have a really bad championship in France, yet in my opinion a good national team, with many players who play in England (Evra, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Anelka), Spain (Henry, Thuram, Abidal), Italy (Viera), Germany (Ribery, Sagnol), and also many players who play in France. And I think having players who play in many championships is great, because even if English league is the best championship, Spain, Italy and Germany bring some different types of play, so mixing it all is great for the team.

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Seven

We have a really bad championship in France, yet in my opinion a good national team, with many players who play in England (Evra, Gallas, Makelele, Malouda, Anelka), Spain (Henry, Thuram, Abidal), Italy (Viera), Germany (Ribery, Sagnol), and also many players who play in France. And I think having players who play in many championships is great, because even if English league is the best championship, Spain, Italy and Germany bring some different types of play, so mixing it all is great for the team.

You are right in this and also you make me notice another problem for England,they haven't many players playing out of England "no one now except Beckham who playing in USA",and this is one of the biggest problem of the English team.
and this also was one of the reasons which caused the big drop of the German football after the world cup 1998 to 2002.
usually the countries that don't have players in the different strong leagues aren't have a big chance in the championships.

[Rogue]

You don't see English players in the other European leagues because they are looking for players with good technical skill and the ability to keep possession of the ball. The Premiership isn't about that at all, the games go back and forth and a wasteful long ball doesn't bother them. It will be interesting to see if the England national team can change that under Fabio Capello even though they have not been, nor will they ever be trained to keep hold of the ball from grassroots level.

It works the other way around sometimes too. Juan Sebastian Veron was a flop at Manchester United because he was only used to having lots of time on the ball in Italy. He was fine in Champions League games but he couldn't cope with the tempo of the English game. Even though this was obvious, Chelsea then paid £15m for him to see for themselves.

[Fibonacci]

10 reasons, why Czech may win the championship (from Czech newspaper)

1) Quality of players
- we have not the biggest stars as in past years, but still can be proud we have players even from national league (and we are a small country), who can represent us

2) We are not the favorite
- nobody will probably underestimate us, but the quality is not as high as in top teams (France, Spain or Portuguese)
- this role is usually better for Czech sport teams

3) Some analytics give us quite a good credit
- like Raiffeisen Zentralbank. We should beat Germany in semifinal and then Spain on penalty shoots

4) Last torment for a lot of players and couch

5) Euro is our championship - we know how to play it, 1st 1976, 2nd 1996, 3rd 1960, 1984 and 2004. There are more successful teams, but not as many.

6) System of torment - concentration on one the most important match.

7) Karel Brückner - great strategist, lead the Czech team successfully to all possible torments during his couching

8) Team spirit - not the biggest stars, but the team

9) In 1996 Slavia won the Czech title and we were 2nd, now Slavia won the title once more - happy omen

10) Factor X - on such a short torment you need happiness. On 2006 we lost Koller and Baros just at the beginning. Now we lost Rosicky. Time, that the happiness return to us!

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Rogue

You don't see English players in the other European leagues because they are looking for players with good technical skill and the ability to keep possession of the ball. The Premiership isn't about that at all, the games go back and forth and a wasteful long ball doesn't bother them. It will be interesting to see if the England national team can change that under Fabio Capello even though they have not been, nor will they ever be trained to keep hold of the ball from grassroots level.

I think this is one of the main reasons that the English players aren't in the other strong leagues,also the hot weather of Spain and Italy is a problem for some players,and I remember Owen said that when he was playing in Real.

But England had a very good national team in 2002,2004 and 2006 although they didn't take a place in the semi-finals in any of those years,and also they defeated from one man in those three championships.

[ezzdx]

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

10 reasons, why Czech may win the championship (from Czech newspaper)

I like your optimism,no one of the 16 teams of this Euro hasn't a chance for winning the cup,but we say our different predictions.
Czech has a good history in Euro as you said and they play better in Euro cup than in the World cup.but believe me it won't be easy for Czech to cross the group A.

Originally Posted by Fibonacci

3) Some analytics give us quite a good credit
- like Raiffeisen Zentralbank. We should beat Germany in semifinal and then Spain on penalty shoots

Honestly I didn't hear before about Raiffeisen Zentralbank,but Czech may face Gemany in the quarter-final and also Spain hasn't a big chance to be in the final.

[ezzdx]

And this is the Previous Winners of Euro cup.

[ezzdx]

Eurosport site has made a fantasy game for Euro 2008,it's online free game and you play it in their site,so there isn't any download links for it,and this is the link of the game:

http://uk.eurofantasyfootball.yahoo.net/app/


In this team you establish your team by collecting your players "at least 14 player" from the players of the 16 team of Euro 2008,then choose any plan and start the game,and you could change any player after any round.and you will get your points based on the success your players have had during their matches and what they did in every match.
the rules is simple and to know more about this game see this link:

http://uk.eurofantasyfootball.yahoo....lfe_regeln.jsp


And after making a team or if you already have a team you can join any league you want and you can join more than one league,I established a league called "RB" for any member here want to join this league,I made it for RB members,so I hope the members here who have teams there or who want to make teams to jion this league,and good luck for all.

[godofthunder]

I hope Croatia will go far... Although they don't promise much after preparation games with Netherland, Scotland, Hungary and Moldova...

But still... the spirit of Wembley is still here...