Soccer Editorial

The Typical League

2010-12-17T14:18:00.001-05:00

So once again the Champions League reappears and the draw for the round of 16 has been made. And once again there are some ties which make you say, “There’s going to be a lot of controversy in that one” I don’t how UEFA manages to do it so well without drawing serious attention to themselves from people who actually matter in the football world. Seriously, we can tell which matches are going to cause a stir; you can’t keep expecting people to believe there are coincidences.
Let’s take a look at this year’s draw:

Roma vs Shakhtar Donetsk
- Not much to say about this one. A relatively even match up, Roma finished 2nd in Group E which contained Bayern. One match between the two sides the Romans came from 2-0 down to win 3-2, whereas Shakhtar managed to win a group which Arsenal were expected to dominate.

Valencia vs Schalke 04
- Valencia 2nd in Group C to Man Utd and Schalke winners of Group B. Another about even match up. One talking point could be Raul’s return to Spain, even if not against his former club.

Inter Milan vs Bayern Munich
- A repeat of last year’s final. Yes we expected it given the seedings so no surprise here. Evidence of UEFA seeking to keep people interested with the absolute “randomness” of such a thing unfolding. It’s a different Inter which won the Champions League last season however. No more Mourinho, a visibly older squad, Wesley Sneijder a shadow of the player who lead Inter to that magnificent treble, and let’s not forget Rafa Benitez is now their manager. Bayern however aren’t in much better shape. At the time of writing they currently sit 6th in the Bundesliga 17 points behind leaders Dortmund.

Olympique Lyonnais vs Real Madrid
- Lyon was the team that knocked out Madrid last season at the same stage. The same stage they’ve been stuck at since 2004. Given that they now have Mourinho in charge, whose sole purpose at the Bernabeau is really to lift the Champions League then it will probably be the turning point for them this year around, provided that the players don’t catch cold feet. And of the possible teams they could’ve drawn Lyon was just the right amount of difficultly to give them a test but allow them to go through.

Marseille vs Man Utd
- Easy draw for Sir Alex’s men. They finished unbeaten in their group and look most likely candidates for the Premier League based on current form and Chelsea’s stuttering.

FC Copenhagen vs Chelsea
- If Ancelotti is still around given Chelsea’s recent form this is a match they will be thankful for. Another easy tie for the favourites.

Arsenal vs Barcelona
- The two best passing sides in the world faceoff. No, Barca couldn’t have been given an easy run to the title as they are the favourites for the cup, especially after the 5-0 drubbing of Madrid in La Liga even though that is another competition. The 3 Ballon D’Or nominees all play for the Blaugrana. Arsenal have been good this season so there is no clear winner here on the basis of current form but the Champions League doesn’t return to February. Also, one cannot forget the Cesc Fabregas issue, when will he finally give up on Arsenal and return to the Camp Nou.

AC Milan vs Tottenham
- Spurs topped a group containing the other side from Milan so it was obvious they had to come up against the other half of the city sooner rather than later. Good Premier League form has been transferred to the Champions League for the men from White Hart Lane with Welshman Gareth Bale receiving all the plaudits. Milan sit atop Serie A thanks to their summer signings of Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Boateng and new manager Allegri but their Champions League form has not been as consistent. Spurs have employed the you score 3 we’ll score 4 method of wining most of their games this season so this is likely to be a high scoring tie.

Spanish Report: Barca's Busy Summer

2009-07-09T17:30:00.005-04:00

Winning the treble might be hard, but what follows is even harder. You not only have to maintain what you achieved, but as unlikely as it sounds also try to improve where possible. This is why Barcelona and Pep Guardiola will have a tough summer ahead of them in terms of signing players. So I’ll just give my opinion on the changes I think would be suitable to improve the squad.

First of all it’s an almost certainty that Samuel Eto’o will leave the club this summer. His destination is still unknown, but he’ll likely be residing Manchester or Milan next season. City is the likeliest of destinations, but there are also rumors linking him with United, Milan, and Inter. So basically a striker will be needed, it’s an easy choice for most people as only one name comes to mind: David Villa. One of the top strikers in the world currently, settled and proven in Spain, with Valencia willing to sell, and Madrid having ended their pursuit of him. So there’s nothing left except for Eto’o to leave to make way for El Guaje.

Now the weakest spot in Barca’s attack (although it’s difficult to call it weak given their amazing goals tally last season) was Henry, he was great for sure, but at 31 his best years are behind him and I think his form in the previous campaign is probably the best he will ever offer to Barca. Another name that is no longer linked with the Galacticos is Franck Ribery. There is hardly a better winger in the market than the Frenchman, at 26 he’s just what Barca are looking for: talent, speed, technique, and experience. Just imagine an attack with Ribery on the left, Villa in the center, and Messi on the right. With such players Barcelona would definitely have something capable of rivaling the Real Madrid trio of Kaka, Ronaldo and Benzema.

We all know how Hleb failed last season. He couldn’t settle after his move from Arsenal and it’s quite likely that he will want to leave, and Barca would want him to leave as well. Bayern are reported to be interested, so he could be included in the deal that would see Ribery come to the Blaugrana. Another name on the way out is the Icelandic Eidur Gudjohnsen. The former Chelsea forward is surplus to requirements at the club and is reported to be seeking first team football which some clubs in England might be willing to offer him. So, if Hleb and Gudjohnsen leave, Barca will certainly need an understudy for Iniesta, a player with an attacking flair. No one better springs to my mind other than the player who Arsenal signed to replace Hleb, Andrei Arshavin. Linked with Barcelona all the time, has the talent and mentality to do well. Could be used as the super sub, the role that Pep intended for Hleb last season; he’d add something new to the Barca attack and could certainly cause trouble to any defense. However, unless the Russian really wants to cause unrest by forcing a move away from the Emirates, he’ll remain in North London next season.

Once the attack has been taken care of, it will be time to reinforce the defence, one area where one can see room for improvement for the treble winning side. Regular left back Abidal is good defensively but average going forward. He’s not bad but to be the best you only have to keep on improving, and that’s what Barca have to do. Ashley Cole would be a decent addition in my opinion, he’s better than other names in the market like Riise and Aly Cissokho, and he’s been linked with Barca. Has great experience and could fly all down the left wing the same way Dani Alves does it on the right side.

The only spot left is the center back, if Milito and Marquez return, along with Puyol, Pique and Cáceres, and they all stay fit, I don’t see a need to buy or sell any center back. Things are fine as they are, at least the way I see it.

So basically my theory is:

In:

Villa
Ribery
Arshavin
Ashley Cole

Out:

Eto’o
Hleb
Gudjohnsen
Silvinho already left

Some might think I’m asking too much spending, as Barcelona is already a fine squad as it is. But I think to improve on the ‘treble’ they have to spend big, and with a squad like this they can realistically win 6 tournaments, which is the only feasible thing for them to aim for after such a terrific year.

Italian Edition: Calcio in Crisis

2009-07-02T18:05:00.004-04:00

It’s been a spell of turmoil for Italian Football over the last three months. A number of situations have occurred which have taken the league to a real low compared to other big leagues of England, Spain and even Germany.
1) Kaka’s departure to Real Madrid
2) Retirement of Maldini, Nedved
3) Confederations Cup failure

1) Kaka was recently presented as a Real Madrid player with the number 8 jersey, bringing to end a transfer saga which essentially stretched for roughly 2 years. The details of the transfer are really and truly irrelevant at this point as issues regarding the amount Madrid have spent on him, what Milan will do with the money and other things have been discussed time and time again. What I want to focus on is how his departure affects Italian football. On the face of it, it should affect Milan more given that they’ve lost their best player. But aside from being the Rossoneri’s best player , Kaka was also one of the best players in the league, not to mention the most marketable player. Players like Kaka brought attention to the Serie A. The league has been living in the shadow of the Premiership and La Liga for the past 3 years or so despite Milan’s Champions League triumph of 2007. Something not aided by the recent economic crisis. Serie A obviously still contains many terrific players with the likes of Ibrahimovic, Maicon, Ronaldinho, Pato but none of these players really deliver what Kaka did in terms of marketability. Shirt sales, boot deals, lucrative commercials, the list goes on. Not to mention the fact that Ibrahimovic has been linked to Chelsea, Madrid and Barcelona. Maicon to the free spending Spaniards and Pato to The Blues.

2) A lesser cause for concern but something which has been overlooked is the loss of legends such as Maldini and Nedved. Sure they weren’t the youngest anymore but it’s what these players brought to the game in terms of integrity and loyalty. Something lost to many players in this day and age of the game.

3) And finally to the Confederations Cup in South Africa. This was the last straw for the Italians. An absolute horror showing. I’m not just talking about the 3-0 hammering at the hands of Brazil either but the whole tournament as a whole. Italy lacked dynamism in attack, defensive stability and connection in midfield. The Confederations Cup is a chance to test out things and see where things are going wrong or right before the real test at the World Cup. Marcello Lippi clearly got it wrong but in some ways I think he knew that. In my opinion Lippi knew the limitations of the squad he took with him to South Africa yet wasn’t ready to admit it yet. The displays in South Africa would have showed him where he needs to make changes. Unfortunately it won’t be so easy as there are all over the pitch. One easy problem to fix however is getting rid of the dreaded 4-3-3 formation. Italian success is usually found with the incorporation of a fantasista. Something not included in the 4-3-3. Despite not setting the stage alight in Germany 3 years ago what Totti or Del Piero offered was a link between the midfield and attack. Pirlo, one of the major protagonists of that World Cup triump of 2006 had a good tournament, especially when taking into consideration the form of his other teammates. However without someone to connect the midfield and attack nothing will go right for Italy. Insert Antonio Cassano. Hopefully Lippi can get over whatever problem he has with the Sampdoria man who has found a new lease of life.

However it’s not all bad news for Italy. The U-21s despite being stopped at semi-final stage were a joy to behold and many of the players have a chance at making it into the squad for the World Cup. As Lippi said after the defeat to Brazil; plunging a bunch of youngsters into the team isn’t going to magically fix things. But that being said a number of youngsters can make an impact on the squad and make it easier for the transition when the majority of the team gets too old and retires, which is likely to happen after the 2010 World Cup. The likes of Marco Motta, Domenico Criscito, Fabiano Santacroce, Salvatore Bocchetti, Claudio Marchisio, Mario Balotelli and Sebastian Giovinco are likely candidates for consideration for the future of the Azzurri. If a few of these bunch can produce some terrific seasons with their respective clubs , along with some overlooked by Lippi like Gaetano D’Agostino and some who were injured like Alberto Aquilani and Antonio Di Natale then Italy have a good shot of at least making the semi-finals of next summer’s event. All eyes will be on Lippi to see if through La Nazionale he can bring back some glory and respectability to Italian football amongst the other leagues.

Italian Edition: Is This The Downfall of AC Milan?

2009-07-01T22:29:00.003-04:00

Is this the end of the glory days for AC Milan? Is it now all over for the Milanistas? No more summer spending, no more trophies, nothing? Silvio Berlusconi, the man who rescued Milan from Serie B in the late 80’s and led them to their current glory whilst being celebrated as the club with the most international trophies in the world, was once adored and idolized by all the Rossoneri fans around the globe. This same man is currently a popular hate figure amongst many diehard Milanistas for what is seen as the deterioration of the club season after season. Berlusconi, along with Galliani, are blamed for all the recent failures of the Milanese club. Can they rescue Milan once again?

It all started with the sale of Shevchenko. Before the 2006 World Cup, Milan had one of the best squads in the world. However, they had finished trophyless for two seasons in a row. Was it time for Ancelotti to go? Was it time to start a new era? After the World Cup, Sheva went to Chelsea. Ancelotti and Pirlo almost went to Real Madrid, only for Berlusconi to block the moves at the last minute. Milan never really replaced Shevchenko, instead they bought Ricardo Oliveira from Real Betis. He turned out to be a major flop in the peninsula. Kaka was then seen to be the one to ultimately replace Sheva. In the Serie A the club’s form was terrible, up until the January transfer window arrived. Massimo Oddo and Ronaldo were signed from Lazio and Real Madrid respectively as short term replacements to quickly fill the gaps. Milan’s form started improving domestically but their main focus was on the Champions League. By the end of the season Milan had become European Champions. Kaka stepped up and filled Shevchenko’s boots, Ancelotti, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso, and Nesta all had their magical moments. But was this enough to rely on for the future? Wasn’t it time to rebuild despite success? Time to incorporate some youngsters whilst still on a high? Berlusconi and Galliani didn’t think so, according to them AC Milan was a team full of “Experienced Champions”.

Eventually no big name players were signed, and no weaknesses were improved. No new defenders, no new striker (not until January anyway, when Pato was able to play), just Emerson, another Real Madrid reject. Despite being a former Serie A great with Roma and even Juventus he had become old and slow. Something heavily associated with Milan at the time. That season turned out to be the worst of this decade for AC Milan. They finished in a humiliating 5th spot, after being knocked out from the Champions League by Arsenal, failing to even qualify for the quarter finals. However, according to Berlusconi and Galliani it still remained a successful season after Milan lifted both the European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. But for the Milan fans, it was a humiliating season. Ronaldo was injured all of the season and played only 1 game and a half, Milan’s form at the San Siro was horrific, and the Rossoneri giants had to rely on an 18 year old kid nicknamed “The Duck” to save them from more embarrassment.

Last summer however was an improvement. Milan at least acted in the transfer market, however being unable to acquire original targets such as Adebayor and Ivanovic, Milan ended up with Ronaldinho and Senderos. Zambrotta, Antonini, Borriello, Shevchenko, and Abbiati also arrived. Hardly a Champions League winning squad, but definitely an improvement from the previous season. With no Champions League to play for, Milan crashed out of the Uefa Cup early against Werder Bremen, and finished the season 3rd in the Serie A. Obviously, Berlusconi and Galliani had had enough and it was time for Ancelotti to go. Leonardo was destined to fill his boots, with every Milanista hoping he’d pull a Guardiola. Was he the right choice? We’ll have to wait and see.

Despite all the facts mentioned above, the biggest hit to AC Milan has to be the sale of Kaka. Milan’s #1 star, the club’s main marketing image, the player destined to be the next captain and finish his career at Milan. It turned out to be all lies, all the rumors were true, and eventually Kaka did leave Milan for Real Madrid. Okay, life goes on, and a player leaving isn’t the end of the world. Instead of Berlusconi and Galliani spending the money from the Kaka sale to reinforce and rebuild the squad, they decide to use it to “balance the books”. What has happened? What has happened signor Berlusconi? Don’t you like AC Milan anymore? Turns out that Berlusconi wants AC Milan to function as a company now, so no more personal cash to help the club. With Serie A’s image declining season after season, Milan, and all the other Italian clubs, can’t afford to spend as big as English or Spanish clubs. So, no Kaka replacement, or no stars to be signed. Even when Milan fans got a glimmer of hope when Galliani said that Milan will rely on the youth, the Cissokho deal fell through and Werder Bremen refused to sell Dzeko.

With rumors about Pirlo and Pato leaving for Chelsea, and Milan linked with absolutely no one in the market, is this the end for the great AC Milan? Or do Berlusconi, Gallliani, and Leonardo know what they’re doing? Milan has always came back stronger time after time, will it be the same now? Or is this the start of the downfall of AC Milan? Only time will tell…

Guess Who's Back

2009-07-01T01:04:00.001-04:00

After a year away we the writers of Soccer Editorial are back. This time around we’re not just offering our opinion on the football matters of the world but we shall also bring the latest news, transfer gossip and some interesting columns unique to our blog. Some of these articles will include a fantasy football guide and prediction column for the Barclay’s Premier League, as well as a historical look from the 80's and 90's of Italian football.

South American Broadcast: The Other Side Of The Coin

2008-07-25T19:33:00.002-04:00

Regarding football, when July comes, signings are the hot subject. No wonder, it’s transfer market time in the biggest spotlight of the football world: Europe. With the market open it’s time to think of renovation or simply reinforcements for the squad. That’s when clubs go out looking for great players who don't fit their asking salary, dreams or glory ambition anymore. But they also look for hot prospects around the globe, players who grew up in ordinary clubs or those who currently belong to what would be considered big clubs in their respective leagues, but when compared to the European giants or Asian millionaires, become small.

In South America there are countries that breath football. In Brazil, it’s almost every little boy’s dream to become a football player, and for those who achieve this, winning the league or Libertadores and being part of the national team it’s the objective, it’s glory. But then that isn’t enough, the highest glory one player can dream of is to get to the big stage, to where worldwide glory and recognition rests: the European most famous leagues, specially the Spanish, Italian, English and German ones.

Playing in La Liga, Serie A, Premier League, Bundesliga and performing in the Champions League is something most kids only dream of in their video games, so if for someone so far away to achieve this wasn’t enough fuel, there’s also the economic factor. Money talks, they say. It could be mute considering the joy of joining a historic club that collects fans all around the globe and the satisfaction of being considered one of the best, but it’s not. It speaks volumes, to the point where players leave their countries to destinations with not so glorious football only because of it. But could we say “only”? The salary Asian millionaire clubs can afford to pay the players cannot compare to the ones offered by the clubs that helped to develop them. Considering that a lot of players come from families with low income, an opportunity to be economically settled for the rest of their lives cannot be discarded so easily. And not only players are tempted to a move, coaches too.

The problem for some of the South American leagues is not only the loss of great quality in the teams, but also the timing of it. The season works differently from the northern countries. It doesn’t start in August or September and end in May. In Brazil, for example, it starts in May and ends in December. Now, in July, the championship is currently heading to its 15th round, with the highest four places occupied by Grêmio, Flamengo, Vitória and Palmeiras respectively, with just four points between them and the leader having 28. It’s a very balanced championship, being hard to tell in its start which teams are gonna end the season with one of the four Libertadores spots. It depends much on their current economic situation, which can change from year to year, and on their squads, which sometimes changes from semester to semester! That’s when the European transfer market reflects on it. Suddenly South American leagues are like big shops and players, products in vitrines. Teams lose their most important players in the middle of the competitions. This year Flamengo (the best attack so far) was leading the Brasileirão until last Thursday, but their last two losses and a draw saw them lose it to Grêmio (the best defence). We can discuss if it was solely because they just lost two very important creative players, Renato Augusto to Bayer Leverkusen and Marcinho to Qatar S.C, but it is certain that this fact played a role in it. Another one that headed to Qatar is Roger, who after a good form at Grêmio, where he was on loan, left the club through the back door after the club’s president critcised how suddenly he announced his move.

Fluminense just had a month to forget with their disappointing loss in Libertadores final (in a penalty shootout) in front of more than 80,000 people in their home ground. But if that wasn’t enough, in order to prepare for their games in the continental competition, they neglected the home league having a serious of bad results, and are now fighting to leave the relegation zone, occupying the 18th place with just 13 points. They have a good squad and are perfectly capable of pulling that off, but two of their most gifted players, one in attack and other in defence, are now being linked with moves from abroad. They’re Thiago Neves and Thiago Silva. The latter is currently a target of reports coming from Italy claiming that AC Milan is interested in him and Alex Silva, a centre back from São Paulo. Silva is not the only São Paulino being linked with a move. Miranda, another centre back, and Hernanes, an attacking midfielder, are also subjects of speculation. There are few official offers but a lot of talk. It doesn’t even take a player to be sold to get in the way of a team’s performance. Some of the players that are being watched by scouts and being surrounded by agent’s talk drop their performance levels, much due to the pressure. Feeling the need to impress affects the weakest psychologically. This summer there was also Diego Cavalieri sold to Liverpool, Henrique to Barcelona and certainly there’s more to come, with Palmeiras turning down an offer of 9 million euros from Hertha Berlin for Chilean attacking midfielder Valdivia (they’re expecting a bigger one) and a deal that would see Grêmio’s Leo go to Español probably coming soon. That leaves a lot of trouble to the coaches, who have to work hard in order to recompose the missing pieces.

So what could be done in a situation like this? About the players leaving, not much. But regarding the league, it’s like that saying, if you can’t fight the enemy, join him. Adapting the football calendar to the north countries one could be a way of dealing with the issue. There’s a lot of journalists and people in Brazil that defends changes in the calendar of Brazilian football, changing not only the Brasileirão dates but also the Copa do Brasil ones, for different reasons. The Argentinian Primera División already works like this since the 80’s and has influenced the organization of others South American leagues. But it isn’t as easy as it seems. July and August is not summer time in the south, not only the football calendar is different, but also everything that surrounds people’s lives, from school to work. So leaving these two months without something that generates a lot of profit such as football is not the easy way out by any means. So as you can see, it’s an issue that still is gonna give a lot to talk about, being far from having a clear solution.

Italian Edition: Ronaldinho Fever

2008-07-19T12:05:00.001-04:00

Ronaldinho has become an AC Milan player in what can be labeled as the biggest move of the summer thus far. The former two-time World Player of the Year has raised many an eyebrow after his disappointing season with Barcelona. A season filled with off the field problems regarding such as issues as his weight, injuries and commitment to the club. With these things to consider Milan could probably be taking a risk in signing him, however as a Milan fan myself I don’t think there was a better time to get him. The San Siro faithful have welcomed Ronaldinho with open arms but there are some who are still skeptical.

A lot of the concerns regarding Ronaldinho at Milan center around the number of egos at a big club like Milan, how the player will fit into the team and whether or not he was indeed the right purchase to be made in the first place.

First of all, there is the issue of the egos at the club. How are Ronaldinho, Kaka, Seedorf, Pirlo, Ambrosini, Gattuso and Flamini supposed to fit into the same team without some dressing room bust ups. When I saw this point raised by a number of people I immediately rebuffed it. Carlo Ancelotti usually sets out his team in either the Christmas Tree 4-3-2-1 or 4-3-1-2. Ronaldinho, like his countryman Kaka, is more of a forward than a midfielder given his position higher up the pitch. This automatically rules him out of a place in the midfield trio. Hence, the likes of Pirlo, Ambrosini, Gattuso and new signing Flamini won’t be threatened directly by the inclusion of Ronaldinho, anymore than they would have had the club purchased Adebayor or Drogba for instance.

Actually only one player has been against the inclusion of the Gaucho and that is Clarence Seedorf. The Dutchman enjoyed a trequartista role in support of Pato, Gilardino or Inzaghi alongside Kaka for most of the last season. He seems unwilling to drop back into a deeper role to accommodate the Brazilian but what’s funny about it is if an out and out striker had been bought, he would still be shifted into midfield due to the fact that Pato is considered a starter and any new striker would be played alongside him with Kaka in support. The other thing Seedorf has had a problem with is giving up his #10 shirt. At the end of the day though it’s just a number on the back of the shirt and whether or not Ronaldinho wears number 10 he will still sell a lot of merchandise and Seedorf will still be a key piece of the Milan puzzle.

Now for how Ronaldinho fits into the Milan first team without stepping on other player’s toes. Formation wise, its not difficult to fit 4 playmakers as Milan now have with Kaka, Ronaldinho, Seedorf and Pirlo into the side. The issue of only putting one defensive minded midfielder should not be too much of a big deal. Many teams such as Dinho’s former club Barcelona and Euro 2008 Champion’s Spain were quite successful with only one defensive player in the midfield. Once the player’s gel properly and Ancelotti gives them suitable instructions expect no problems.Furthermore, many pundits have questioned whether or not Milan needed Ronaldinho. In my opinion Ronaldinho was a better signing than another striker not only economically but tactically as well. Why would Milan need another attacking midfielder? Well Ronaldinho isn’t exactly an attacking midfielder due to the amount of goals he’s capable of scoring. He also adds a certain creative element and tactical unpredictability which Milan would not have gotten had a striker arrived. Why would Milan need another creator when they have Kaka, Seedorf and Pirlo? Ronaldinho offers something different to the others. Also, having watched 65% of Milan’s matches last season, and reading comprehensive match reports on the other 35% I could tell Milan’s problem wasn’t the lack of a finishing touch. It was the inability of the midfield to create enough chances for the striker. And sometimes it is just difficult to break down teams, a point where a moment of magic is needed to win the match. Ronaldinho is known for such moments of magic. In addition, with Pato, Inzaghi and even Borriello who scored 19 goals in Serie A last season Milan have enough finishers to put the ball in the back of the net, once they receive the chances.

The final problems regarding Ronaldinho are his weight and his determination to play in the Olympics. The latter has already been settled and he will be heading to Beijing with Pato. It is the perfect opportunity for him to gain match fitness and improve his touch before the season starts. The former Barcelona man has already started to lose some of the weight he gained due to being out of action for so long and with competitive matches in the Olympics plus more pre-season training he should be in top shape. The coming season looks promising for Milan and Ronaldinho.

English Essay: Enough Of The Ronaldo Bashing

2008-07-14T12:33:00.001-04:00

I know it is fun for football fans to hate a player for no reason but it seems that this current Ronaldo Saga is turning into a witch-hunt where the guy can do no right.

Allow me to present the most common accusations aimed at the Madeira born winger.

• He is overrated.....Kaka and Messi are way better players.
• He isn't a leader/He disappears when it matters most

• He is turning his back on Man Utd after all the club did for him.
• My personal favourite: He is a coward for not handing in a transfer request.

Before I begin my analysis, I must say that I am no great fan of Ronaldo but jealousy, envy or sheer prejudice are no criteria for judgement, and if we are going to judge Ronaldo as a footballer and later as a person, it is impossible to refute the facts.

The Facts:

• 181 shots, 109 shots on goal, 31 goals, 7 assists (from 31 Premier League starts)
• 42 goals in all competitions (new club record for a midfielder)
• 65% free kick accuracy – 5 goals (best in the Premier League)

I'm fully aware that these stats cannot stand by themselves but please allow me to dig deeper. On twenty occasions, Ronaldo got the all important first goal. Any football fan knows the importance of the first break-through but I know you are going to argue that these twenty goals may not have resulted in a win but wait! In more than 15 matches, Ronaldo's goals were the difference between a win and a draw/defeat.

I can testify that I watched every single Man Utd game except for the derby defeats to Man City and the draw with Arsenal at the Emirates. Ronaldo was the single most important player in the Man Utd's double-winning season and only the contribution of Rio Ferdinand can even come close. As a footballer, Ronaldo simply was in a class of his own last season. Not even Kaka or Messi should enter the debate.

Now to delve into the gray era: Ronaldo's character. Many football followers have been saying that Ronaldo is turning his back on Man Utd. This statement shows a total misunderstanding of the situation. From the time Ronaldo arrived at Man Utd, it was perfectly clear that he dreamt of playing in Spain. It seems that people think that just because he is successful at Man Utd, he should just give up on his dream and become the next Giggs/Scholes. It is simply unreasonable. A Portuguese player will almost always rate La Liga as his greatest goal. After 5 seasons, in which he has won EVERY SINGLE TROPHY he could possibly win with the club, is it really ludicrous for him to consider a move?

The final stick most people use to assault Ronaldo is that he is a coward for not making his feelings clear and submitting a transfer request. As a true Man Utd fan, I could not be happier with the way Ronaldo is handling his situation. I know you are wondering if I'm crazy but let me explain. For the entire summer, Ronaldo has just given three interviews in which he has deferred the final decision to his club and despite his ambitions has stated that he will be happy to go back to United and perform as before if asked to. Furthermore, the football transfer market works like all commodities markets around the world and prices are controlled by numerous social and economic factors. Right now, Ronaldo has a price tag in excess of fifty millions pounds on his head. Now let's propose that Ronaldo goes to the media and says that he will refuse to play for Man Utd again, like a certain Michael Essien is famous for doing in his transfer saga, then I assure you his price would drop. We could speculate about how much it would drop but it is certain that there would be a reduction.

Recently, people have been bemused by Ronaldo's proclamation that he is a slave. I'm prepared to wager that most people have never actually seen the interview. It is my honour to present the extract:

"You know what I said, what I want and what I would like. I agree with the president of FIFA. Now I have to wait and see but I do not know where I will start the season"

I know the word slave is what caught everyone in Mr.Blatter's interview but did no one realize his main point was that Man Utd should sell. Has anyone even considered that Ronaldo just agrees that he should be allowed to leave? If he really thought he was a slave then why wouldn't he use the word slave in the interview?

I am pretty sure this article will not change the opinion you hold of Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro but at least you can now say you hate him after knowing all the facts.

English Essay: Arsenal: The Flawed Policy

2008-07-10T09:45:00.001-04:00

After reaching 3rd place in the Premiership having been at the front of the pack for large stages many felt that Arsenal would be well on their way for the next season. Wenger’s charges were finally reaching their potential and could end up winning the next title after the disappointment of just missing out on the previous one.

With a promising season set to unfold one would assume that the only task Arsene Wenger might have would be to add to his young talents. For the past three years Arsenal have been a club going places but not quite getting there and many feel that there is one world class player with experience missing from this bunch in order to give them that little bit extra. The signing of a player like this would never happen at this current time it seems due to Arsenal’s policy of signing young talent.

However, there is another policy of Arsene Wenger’s which I would like to look at and that is the selling policy. A club like Arsenal which was at the top of the revenue charts for Premier League clubs a season ago does not need to sell its players to improve its financial stability, so there must be other reasons. One of the key cogs in last season’s relative success Mathieu Flamini has already left for Milan and the likes of Aliksander Hleb and Emmanuel Adebayor look set to follow him out the exit door. Why would these 3 players who are all certified starters in the side want to leave? Well in the cases of Flamini and Adebayor at least it’s down to money. However, this isn’t the “I don’t care for the club or its fans and only want to deepen my pockets” kind of thing. It goes a bit deeper and more into the wage structure at Arsenal.

Arsenal unlike other clubs, distribute their wages in such a way that the bottom earner isn’t too far off from the top earner. This makes for a quieter dressing room at first but when your key players begin to question their value to the club you get the predicament Arsenal currently find themselves in. Flamini and Adebayor see themselves as being undervalued by the club given their performances from last season. Wenger however doesn’t see it that way and wants to make sure the wage structure of the club remains intact. Fair enough Mr.Wenger but will paying 3 or 4 of your best players a noticeably higher amount than other players really hurt your club that much? It seems to work for other clubs so why can it not work for yours. This is one of the main reasons why clubs such as Milan and Barcelona have been attracting the Arsenal players to them.

One funny thing to note regarding this is the double standards of Mr.Wenger. He goes about stealing young talents from under the noses of other clubs, yet when these players grow up and another club comes in for them he bitches and moans about it before he agrees to sell. This becomes even more evident in the case of Mathieu Flamini. After taking him on a free transfer from Marseille, the French manager makes quite a commotion when Milan do the same thing.

The other thing which may have weighed on their minds is how Arsenal treat players when they reach the latter part of their careers. Offering one year contracts to players such as Pires and Ljunberg who were key members of the golden era when Arsenal went unbeaten. Having given tremendous service to a club for such a time players would prefer a little more contractual security when it comes to knowing where the might be playing the next season. The environment at Arsenal is great if you’re a youngster but when you begin to reach the twilight of your career it can all be over quickly.Probably the final thing which is sending these players out the exit door at Arsenal is the fact that they are going places but not quite getting there. Arsene Wenger hasn’t displayed the ambition of the club by splashing the cash on one or two world class players and prefers to stick to his young faces. These younger players however lack a sense of maturity which could take them all the way. Their drop off at the end of the season could possibly be as a result of this as most other title chasing teams after one or two blips would not have taken such a nose dive.

Arsenal and more appropriately Arsene Wenger needs to change this policy because it can mean the difference between keeping his current squad happy for a few more years as they continue on their quest for those elusive trophies.

International Insider: Euro 2008: Casillas to Nikopolidis: the players who defined the tournament

2008-07-02T10:38:00.000-04:00

TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas, Gianluigi Buffon
Defenders: Fabio Grosso, Yuri Zhirkov, Philipp Lahm, Aleksandr Anyukov, Sergei Ignashevich, Giorgio Chiellini, Josip Šimunić, Robert Kovač
Midfielders: Wesley Sneijder, Arda Turan, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Hamit Altıntop, Marcos Senna, Daniele De Rossi, Andrei Arshavin, Michael Ballack, Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta
Forwards: David Villa, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Semih Şentürk
Coach: Fatih Terim

4-1-3-1-1: Casillas; Lahm, Šimunić, Chiellini, Zhirkov; Senna; Altıntop, Xavi, Sneijder; Arshavin; Villa

COMMENDABLE PERFORMERS

Goalkeepers: Igor Akinfeev, Artur Boruc
Defenders: Daniel Pranjic, Hakan Balta, Vedran Ćorluka, José Bosingwa, Gökhan Zan, Denis Kolodin, Dorin Goian, Christian Panucci
Midfielders: Ivan Rakitić, Lukas Podolski, Tranquillo Barnetta, David Silva, Darijo Srna, Valon Behrami, Gökhan Inler, Cristian Chivu, Sergei Semak, Konstantin Zyrianov, Luka Modrić, Libor Sionko, Deco
Forwards: Fernando Torres, Hakan Yakin, Eren Derdiyok
Coaches: Guus Hiddink, Luis Aragonés

SHAME OF THE TOURNAMENT

Goalkeepers: Antonios Nikopolidis, Petr Čech, Ricardo
Defenders: Éric Abidal, Lilian Thuram, Andrea Barzagli, Marco Materazzi, Willy Sagnol, Marcell Jansen, Per Mertesacker, Christoph Metzelder, William Gallas
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani, Simone Perrotta, Sidney Govou, Florent Malouda, Simão, Claude Makélélé
Forwards: Luca Toni, Mario Gómez, Thierry Henry, Marco Streller, Nicolas Anelka
Coach: Raymond Domenech

3-4-3: Nikopolidis; Thuram, Materazzi, Abidal; Govou, Aquilani, Perrotta, Malouda; Gómez, Toni, Henry

International Insider: Euro 2008: The batte for the Henri Delaunay trophy; German guile against Spanish flair

2008-06-28T01:55:00.000-04:00

International Insider: Euro 2008: Chance for Germany to regain supremacy

2008-06-25T14:32:00.000-04:00

Germany is now the big favorites to lift the Euros’ after most of their bigger rivals were eliminated. This could be their best chance of recapturing the Euros’, a tournament which they last won in 1996 in England.

Ever since winning the Euros’ in 1996, things have been down hill for the Germans. They were humiliated in the 1998 World Cup when they got trashed 0-3 by Croatia. Things did not improve in Euro 2000 as they were eliminated in the group stages of the competition which included a 0-3 thumping at the hands of a 2nd string Portuguese team.

Germany did well in the 2002 World Cup but that was largely contributed by the form of their goal keeper Oliver Kahn as well as a big slice of luck they had throughout the competition. They managed to reach the finals of the tournament but lost to the eventual winners, Brazil. The Germans once again failed to impress in Euro 2004 as they were eliminated in the group stages of the competition. Things finally took a turn for the better in 2006 as a much improved German squad under Jurgen Klinsmann, impressed throughout the tournament even if they failed to make it to finals, losing 0-2 in extra time to the eventual winners of the competition, Italy.

Like most of the other semifinalists, Germany finished runners up in their group and that move seem to have cast fresh doubt’s on their ability to win the tournament. Germany kicked off the tournament in impressive fashion after they defeated Poland 2-0. Both goals were scored by Bayern Munich hit man, Lukas Podolski. However, they appeared to drift back to their old ways after a lackluster performance against Croatia. It was probably one of their worse performances in recent times and the Germans ended up losing the match 2-1. They were down 2-0 by the 62nd minute. Things only changed a little after Coach Joachim Low introduced Bastian Schweinsteiger to the match to replace the ineffective Mario Gomez. Podolski was on hand once again to score a late goal but it was not enough as the Croatians were able to hold of the late surge from the Germans.

Coach Low was heavily criticized after the match for the Germans lackluster performance. They went into the last manage with a bit of pressure as they needed at least a draw against the Polish side to secure their qualification towards the knock out stages of the competition. It was not an easy task as their opponents were co-hosts

Austria

. Despite not looking very convincing, the Germans prevailed via an inspired free kick from their skipper, Michael Ballack.

Their opponents in the quarterfinals were no pushovers as they met one of the favorites of the tournament,

Portugal

. Many pundits believed that

Portugal

would eliminate

Germany

especially since the Germans had failed to impress during the group stages. To make matters worse, Coach Joachim Low was suspended from the touchline after a row with the officials during the match against

Austria

. However, the Germans turned on the style and change their tactics. The impressive Bastian Schweinsteiger was brought into the squad at the expense of Mario Gomez, who failed to impress. It was Schweinsteiger that gave the Germans an early lead as he tapped in a cross on the left from Podolski. The Germans used their physical and height advantage well and increased their lead from a set piece situation. Miroslav Klose was able beat his marker easily and put the Germans ahead by a 2 goal margin. Nuno Gomez pulled a goal back for the Portuguese just before half time to give the Portuguese a life line. However, The Germans used their height advantage again in the 2nd half and capitalized once again from a set piece situation. Michael Ballack beat his marker and headed home from close range to restore

Germany

’s two goal advantage. The Portuguese did not give up and continued pressing and were rewarded late in the match when substitute Helder Postiga was on hand to head in a good cross from Nani. The Germans were able to hold on and booked their place in the semifinals.

The Germans will meet one of the dark horses of the tournament,

Turkey

in the semifinals. Coach Joachim Low would be hoping to use all his experience gained in the Turkish league during his stint as the manager of Fenerbahce in the late 90’s to plot the downfall of the Turks. The Germans also have a great advantage coming into the match as

Turkey

has lost a couple of key players to injuries and suspension. Coach Low knows that he cannot write off

Turkey

’s chances as they have proven time and time again in this tournament that they are able to come back despite all the odds against them. The Germans need to stay focus throughout the match and cannot afford to lose concentration. The Germans have a point to prove and would be hoping to show the world that they are not a spent force. Even though Turkey has a knack for coming back into matches when they seem to be dead and buried, this German side will be hoping to put the final nail in the coffin of the come back kings and end the their runs of impressive come backs. This is probably

Germany

’s best chance of success since Euro 1996 and it gives them a big chance to regain their supremacy.

International Insider: Euro 2008: Comeback Kings

2008-06-25T11:18:00.000-04:00

After the first match of the tournament which they lost against Portugal 2:0, everything seemed to go well for Fatih Terim's warriors. Winning the two other games in the group stages with a last minute goal against Switzerland, the unbelievable comeback against Czech Republic, and of course in my opinion the match of the tournament where they defeated Group B winners Croatia.

Did they bring all the luck of the world from their home country? Or we may just see another Euro 2004 saga where the complete outsiders lift the trophy! In the end, Terim's picked up players deserve great applause for that marvellous fighting spirit they showed on the pitch. This should be a great doctrine for other teams that the match doesn’t end until the final whistle. Turkey won 3 matches in a row with a late goal after they were one and respectively two goals down. Do they really wait for their opponent to score first before they start playing their game? Who knows... but we can freely talk about it since that's what the facts indicate.

The beginning of the Euros didn't start well for the Turks. They lost the first match against group favourites Portugal after goals from Brazilian born defender and current Real Madrid player, Pepe and a late goal from substitute Raul Meireles. That seemed to be the end of Turkey's Euro 2008 run after the Czech's win in the other game against co-hosts, Switzerland. The Czech’s would have been considered favourites alongside Portugal to reach the knockout stages. However things turned around when they met the Swiss; by winning the match after they started the second half with one goal down. The first goal came from their super-sub Senturk who tied the score in the 57th minute of the match. It was 90th minute which saw Swiss hopes crushed after a great strike from Turkey's young sensation Arda Turan which won the match for Turkey.

And it had to be decided in the last match of Group A between them and Czechs to follow Portugal into the quarter-final of the 13th edition of UEFA European Football Championship. The match started as a pretty nightmare for Turkey who were two goals down until the 75th minute when their youngster Arda Turan again scored the goal of hope for them with 15 minutes remaining. Real drama then unfolded in the final minutes of the match. An amazing fumble by the Czech Republic’s star player until then, Petr Cech let Nihat Kahveci have an easy tap in to score for a 2:2 score line in the 87th minute of the match. Just two minutes later, and Nihat became the hero of the night after beating Cech again and this time leading them to quarter-final and reminding us of the CL Final 2005, with Liverpool coming with an amazing comeback after a 3:0 down against AC Milan.

Turkey secured a semi-final berth after a dramatic penalty shootout against Croatia after 90 minutes + extra time gave us a 1:1 with two last minute goals. It was Slaven Bilic's team who had taken the lead in 119th minute after an awful mistake by Turkey's second choice goalkeeper and former Hero of 2002, Rustu Recber who had to replace Fenerbahce's Volkan Demirel's due to suspension after he pushed Czech Republic striker Jan Koller in the closing stages of the previous match. While everyone was waiting for another Croatia - Germany show, Turkey had other ideas and it was again Semih Senturk who stopped the celebrations with an unbelievable 120+2 minute goal. It was Rustu who became the hero of the night from the flop of the match as he sent his country to the semis and will be between the sticks also for the next match. This thanks to a save on Petric after two misses from Modric and Rakitic.

It was the last time in World Cup 2002 that we could see a great Turkey with Hakan Sukur, Hasan Sas, Ilhan Mansiz and their hero Rustu Recber who were Turkey's lead stars that finished 3rd in that tournament, and that great Turkey seems to be back with different staff and players but the same spirit of glory.

Now, they've reached the semi-final and will meet Germany who are favourites to win the tournament. Fatih Terim doesn't have many options in this match because of player suspensions and injury problems including to their top striker Nihat, will be out of this match. But they won't get their hopes down, since the ball is round and anything can happen in today's football. For what is certain, it will be a match to remember no matter who leaves the stadium victorious.

International Insider: Euro 2008: Overachievers & Mr.Motivational

2008-06-24T07:52:00.000-04:00

Guus Hiddink is one of those men who might be better suited as a motivational speaker or the guy who talks to soldiers before a war. I say this because over the past couple international tournaments he has taken teams who under another coach may be simply happy reaching a major international tournament but under Guus harbor ambitions of going far in them as illustrated by the likes of South Korea and Australia in the previous two World Cups. The next team in this list of overachievers is Russia.After a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Spain many would have written off Russia’s chances of progressing to the next round. Actually, given that Russia was the team which qualified at the expense of England then a surprise or two might be expected but getting out of the group was out of the question.Russia and Guus Hiddink surely proved any doubters wrong, winning the next two games of the group without conceding a goal. A 2-0 win over Greece followed by a similar result against Sweden with a stellar display from one Andrei Arshavin allowed the Russians to progress. Against the Swedish in a match which would determine who would go through as runner’s up in the group behind Spain, Russia displayed a performance with pace, quick movement and the belief that they could do anything, led by the inspirational Arshavin who was coming off a two-match suspension. The difference he made to this team was clearly noted and the questions regarding why Hiddink kept him in the squad whilst knowing he would miss the first two games were emphatically answered.

Could this performance be bettered against a Dutch team which had defeated World Champions Italy 3-0 and World Cup finalists France 4-1? Under Hiddink this team could probably climb Mount Everest in football gear; such is the belief which this man instills into his teams.

The Russians were on top from the get go, which would have been surprising for Holland who had basically dominated the other teams in the Group of Death. The Dutch had no answer for what was essentially the Arshavin show as he dazzled his opponents throughout the match with his pace and quick footwork. Opening gaps in Holland’s defence and drawing foul after foul.

The first goal of the match, scored by the Russians came in the 55th minute came off the boot of Roman Pavlyuchenko after he took full advantage of Sergei Semak's cross from the left side with a placed shot that went just inside of Van der Sar's goal; 1-0 to Russia. Dutch hearts would have fallen until the 86th minute when a Sneijder free kick from the left was put in the back of the net by master poacher Ruud van Nistlerooy; One of Holland’s best players on the night despite being isolated for most of the match.

And so to extra time. The first half didn’t yield much except for a powerful curling shot from Pavlyuchenko which rebounded off the crossbar. It was the 113th minute that saw Russia take the lead again by a superb run and cross from Arshavin finding Torbinski, the super sub who lost his place in the starting eleven due to the return of Arshavin. Marco van Basten’s team still couldn’t find a way to goal and it was lights out 3 minutes later when Arshavin ran onto a throw in to slot the ball between the keeper’s legs and put the icing on the cake as the Russians progressed to the semis. Europe’s elite clubs would definitely have taken note of Arshavin and could be queuing up once the Euros are over to get his signature. Before that however, he and Russia will be hoping to carry on with the dark horse tag and defeat Spain in a Group D rematch. The side that had beaten them 4-1 in the opening game of the group. Hiddink is a smart manager and could find a way to outsmart Aragonés this time in the same manner he outsmarted van Basten. In addition with the sort of form Arshavin displayed in the quarters and final group game I for one would not be begrudging Russia a place in the final come June 29th or even becoming the second underdog in a row to win the European Championships.

International Insider: Euro 2008: La Furia Roja; the red fury unleashed?

2008-06-24T07:41:00.000-04:00

International Insider

2008-06-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

Due to unforseen circumstances there will be no preview of Group D. Since the Group stages are finished, full groups reviews are coming.

International Insider: Euro 2008: Group C Preview

2008-06-06T15:09:00.000-04:00

GROUP C {NETHERLANDS, ITALY, FRANCE, ROMANIA}

Overview: Group C; dubbed the group of death for this tournament as expected contains four sides all capable of qualifying for the quarterfinals. France & Italy would be the favourites to qualify from this group given their world rankings, recent performances and overall pedigree. These two know each other rather well given their recent history. Both were finalists at Euro 2000 and World Cup 2006 and were in the same qualifying group for Euro 2008. The final group game on June 17th could be a potential group decider when these two face off.

France last won the Euros in 2000 when they beat Italy on a David Trezeguet Golden Goal in extra time. That Euro 2000 team has some similarities as the likes of Henry, Thuram and Makélélé still don’t know when to call time on their international careers. Les Bleus are obviously missing one of the main catalysts of that golden era of ‘98 and ‘00 and the one who lead them to the World Cup Final in ’06, the now retired Zinedine Zidane. France could have topped their qualifying group were it not for two shock 1-0 defeats, both home and away to Scotland who narrowly missed out on this summer’s championship.

The current Azzuri have qualified for the European Championships; a feat which the last World Cup winning side of 1982 could not manage to do. The last tournament triumph for the 3rd ranked team in FIFA however came back in 1968. The Italians have the oldest average age of all the competing teams with around 7 of the expected starting 11 either 30 or above. But age is never a factor in short tournaments like the Euros. The Italians topped a very difficult qualifying group containing the aforementioned France; managing to earn qualification in a 2-1 win away to Scotland on the last match day.

Not to be overlooked are the Dutch. Seeded first in this group L’Oranje have some history in this competition having made the semi-finals on the last occasion. They will no doubt be looking to send one of the two teams in blue back home early. Lack of World Cup glory shouldn’t be any indication that Holland are to be overlooked by Germany ’06 finalists Italy and France as the Euros is where they’ve excelled, their last victory coming in 1988.

Romania are the dark horses of the group. They qualified out of the same group as the Dutch and should be underestimated by the other group members at their own peril. A team solid throughout with good attacking ability, even if they don’t qualify for the quarterfinals they could throw a wrench in the works for the remaining three teams by taking some important points off of them especially given the competitiveness of the group.

The Squads

France

Goalkeepers: (1) Steve Mandana, (16) Sébastian Frey, (23) Gregory Coupet

Defenders: (2) Jean-Alain Boumsong, (3) Eric Abidal, (5) William Gallas, (13) Patrice Evra, (14) François Clerc, (15) Lilian Thuram, (17) Sébastian Squillaci, (19) Willy Sagnol

Midfielders: (4) Patrick Vieira, (6) Claude Makélélé, (7) Florent Malouda, (11) Samir Nasri, (20) Jérémy Toulalan, (21) Lassana Diarra, (22) Franck Ribéry

Forwards: (8) Nicolas Anelka, (9) Karim Benzema, (10) Sidney Govou, (12) Thierry Henry, (18) Bafétimbi Gomis

Head Coach: Raymond Domenech

Inspired Call-ups: Bafétimbi Gomis

Shock Omissions: David Trezeguet, Mathieu Flamini, Philippe Mexes

Analysis: Raymond Domenech is not the brightest razor in the bunch. Rumoured to not pick players based on their star signs is to be honest the only viable reason for the omissions of Serie A based players Trezeguet, Flamini and Mexes. Either that or his blatant bias and hate towards Italy. To each his own, however I don’t think there is anyone else in world football who would call up Jean-Alain Boumsong of the ‘Chuckle Brothers’ ( his partner in calamity being Titus Bramble) ahead of Philippe Mexes who has yet again been in great form for Roma and should be in the squad regardless of whether Boumsong was there or not.

Trezeguet was never in Domenech’s good books and the French coach probably still holds a grudge after his fatal miss in the 2006 World Cup. However, Trezeguet is someone who’s regularly scored 20+ goals every season and did so again, only missing out on the title of Serie A’s top scorer by one goal to his Juventus team-mate Alex Del Piero. Since the only in form striker in France’s squad expected to start is Karim Benzema at 20, then Trezeguet’s experience would have been a great assistance to the French campaign. Raymond should hope he does not rue this mistake. Flamini might have replaced Vieira in the squad after the captain picked up an ankle injury but he should have been in the team from the beginning rather than Diarra based on the simple reason of superior quality.

The key player for France will be Franck Ribéry who has been given the role of replacing Zidane. A big pair of shoes to fill despite the 24 year old’s undoubted quality. The French squad is good but I think the lack of a killer forward, who is on form, (as Anelka and Henry are top quality strikers) could prove to their downfall and when the quarterfinals come around the French could be on the outside looking in.

Another key man will be Claude Makélélé. At 35 this will definitely be his last major tournament by the shortness of it means that his age should not affect him too much. He’s displayed some good form for Chelsea this season. With Avram Grant having rested him many times, saving him for the important games like the Champion’s League and clashes with the other big four clubs in the Premiership mostly then he’ll be relatively fresh.

Youngsters like the Arsenal bound Samir Nasri and Lyon’s Jérémy Toulalan will be hoping to make the most of any chances they might get. Those chances could be few and far between unless injury befalls a colleague because of Domenech’s unwillingness to trade youth for experience in major tournaments. With France being in a group where slip ups cannot be afforded the pair might have to hope for a few cameo appearances at best.

The lack of form is not only evident up front as Eric Abidal has enjoyed an indifferent first season at Barcelona. His club mate Thierry Henry could say the same for himself as he’s failed to live up to expectations after his £16m move from Arsenal and the hype surrounding the ‘Fantastic Four’. Florent Malouda, like Abidal has also failed to emulate the form he did at Lyon for Chelsea.

Italy

Goalkeepers: (1) Gianlugi Buffon, (14) Marco Amelia, (17) Morgan De Sanctis

Defenders: (2) Christian Panucci, (3) Fabio Grosso, (4) Giorgio Chiellini, (5) Fabio Cannavaro, (6) Andrea Barzagli (19) Gianluca Zambrotta, (23) Marco Materazzi

Midfielders: (8) Genarro Gattuso, (10) Daniele De Rossi, (13) Massimo Ambrosini, (16) Mauro Camoranesi, (20) Simone Perrotta, (21) Andrea Pirlo, (22) Alberto Aquilani

Forwards: (7) Alessandro Del Piero, (9) Luca Toni, (11) Antonio Di Natale, (12) Marco Borriello, (15) Fabio Quagliarella, (18) Antonio Cassano

N.B: Alessandro Gamberini was called up to replace the injured Cannavaro.

Head Coach: Roberto Donadoni

Inspired Call-ups: Antonio Cassano

Shock Omissions: Filippo Inzaghi

Analysis: The world champions have managed to keep the core of the team which won them the World Cup aside from Francesco Totti and Alessandro Nesta who are both retired. However, given the fact that Nesta was injured after the USA game and Totti was not the most fundamental part of the success in Germany these two should not be heavily missed. Roberto Donadoni has assembled a good squad with some fresh ideas and new players. After he was appointed there were his critics as the Italians only drew their first game against lowly Lithuania but since then he’s found the right formula which lead Italy to the top of their group.

Buffon is simply a colossus in between the sticks and even if teams manage to get by arguably the meanest defence in European football Buffon is considered in most corners as the best in the world. The aforementioned Italian defence has been dealt a cruel blow with Fabio Cannavaro set to miss the tournament due to injury. He was the catalyst behind the World Cup victory with his superior play and leadership qualities and will be hard to replace. Italian defenders are always good and surely whoever steps in for him, be it the always controversial Marco Materazzi or Giorgio Chiellini will be of the highest quality. The athleticism of Cannavaro will be just as hard to replace however as the inspiration he brings to his team-mates on the field is difficult to replicate. Buffon, who is most likely to be named captain in his place given he has the most caps in the starting 11 should still manage a good job. Once the Italians stay focused then they could still go all the way but as the tournament is yet to begin it remains to be seen how well they deal with Cannavaro’s loss.

The most likely person to substitute for Cannavaro would be Giorgio Chiellini. The Juventus man has enjoyed a fantastic season at the heart of the defence since switching from LB. Materazzi is the other alternative but he’s not enjoyed a very good season with Serie A champions Inter Milan. He is a big game player and manages to annoy the hell out of most attackers as Zidane among others can attest to, but as age has caught up with him he’s lost important skills such as pace.

The other key players will be Pirlo and Toni and with good performances from these two as well as the other players around them of course then Italy could go all the way. Italy’s success in Germany stemmed from a strong core of Buffon, Cannavaro, Pirlo and Toni.Pirlo and his midfield partner Gattuso both for Italy and AC Milan have not enjoyed their best seasons for their club but will be looking to change that for country. ‘Trilly’ as he has been affectionately nicknamed by the Italy fans due to his languid and graceful way of moving about the pitch has always performed much better for Italy as with the National side he is the focal point of the midfield unlike at Milan where he has to share to role with Kaka. His use of possession and set pieces will remain of importance throughout the tournament.

Gattuso has probably lost a bit of his pace and energy but the partnership he has formed with Pirlo since their days in the Italy youth sides is reason enough for Donadoni to keep faith. If necessity arises Roma golden boys De Rossi and Aquilani can offer something different, provided the former doesn’t start.

Bayern Munich man Luca Toni enjoyed a prolific season for the German giants, scoring 39 goals in all competitions on his way to become top scorer in the Bundesliga and joint top in the UEFA Cup. The power of Italy’s target man, not to mention his heading and finishing ability make him probably the best out and out striker in football at this present moment.

The major shock for most, though expected from my point of view was the call up of the fiery Antonio Cassano whilst leaving Pippo Inzaghi at home. Super Pippo had been in fantastic form prior to the end of the season but was left out as he didn’t fit the characteristics of Donadoni’s formation. One point striker up front supported by two forwards on either wing. Di Natale, Camoranesi, Quagliarella, (top scorer) Del Piero and Cassano are all capable of operating on the wings and Borriello who almost became Serie A’s top scorer fits the role of the Toni alternative given his physical build. Cassano is easily one of the most talented players in the world but his attitude could become a cause for concern especially since winning squads require a great sense of harmony and togetherness. If the squad manage to maintain that sense of harmony and Cassano proves his worth then it could be another success for the Azzuri.

Holland

Goalkeepers: (1) Edwin van der Sar, (13) Henk Timmer, (16) Maarten Stekelenburg

Defenders: (2) Andre Ooijer, (3) John Heitinga, (4) Joris Mathijsen, (5) Giovanni van

Bronckhorst, (12) Mario Melchiot, (14) Wilfred Bouma, (15) Tim de Cler, (21) Khalid Boulahrouz

Midfielders: (6) Demy de Zeeuw, (8) Orlando Engelaar, (10) Wesley Sneijder, (17) Nigel de Jong, (20) Ibrahim Afellay (23) Rafael van der Vaart

Forwards: (7) Robin van Persie, (9) Ruud van Nistelrooy, (11) Arjen Robben, (18) Dirk Kuyt, (19) Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, (22) Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink

Head Coach: Marco Van Basten

Inspired Call-ups: none

Shock Omissions: Clarence Seedorf

Analysis: Given their good history in this competition and ease with which they went through qualifying it was only a little surprising that the Netherlands were placed in Pot 1 of seeding alongside hosts Austria and Switzerland and holders Greece.

Marco van Basten has always been thought of as a good young coach but his career which unnaturally started as head coach of a national team has had its controversies and he has been criticised for his selection policy and lack of attacking football at times. Many were dumbfounded when van Basten left Holland’s two biggest players Ruud van Nistelrooy and Clarence Seedorf out of his side for World Cup Qualifying.The Seedorf issue could have been argued given that at the time, young stars such as Sneijder, Robben and Van der Vaart were emerging and Seedorf’s presence in the squads would have hindered their progress. Especially since the four-time Champions League winner had not been in the most scintillating form and had passed his peak. The omission of Ruud was a different case however. He was still at the time one of the most prolific finishers in world football and even though Holland had a few promising youngsters coming through the ranks, none of them had the pedigree of van Nistelrooy. Van Basten actually had to beg Ruud to forgive him and hence return to international duty to aid the Dutch. The case of Seedorf wasn’t exactly a shock omission, since Seedorf had been called up by van Basten but it is still worth mentioning. Having learned from his previous mistakes van Basten included Seedorf from the beginning. The former Ajax and Real Madrid man however declined to be included in the squad, strangely citing van Basten’s lack of trust in him as a reason. Seedorf could potentially regret this however as Holland have a good chance of going far if not all the way in the tournament and this would have more than likely his international swansong as it’s unlikely he would have been travelling to South Africa in 2010 as a part of any Dutch World Cup squad should they qualify.

Real Madrid trio van Nistelrooy, Sneijder and Robben will be key players for the Netherlands along with premiership based Edwin van der Sar and Robin van Persie. The Arsenal man might not be available for the first game against Italy after his injury ridden season but will play a major role in support of van Nistelrooy in the other games.

Robben will probably also be employed in a striker supporting role in a 4-3-3. The pace of Robin and Robben will be a threat to any side that comes up against Holland. Sneijder will be hoping to carry on from his positive first season with Madrid and have a good Euro 2008.

Van der Sar will be another hoping to carry good season form into the summer tournament having been one of the key players as Manchester United lifted the Premiership and Champions League double. He will also believe his awful luck in penalty shoot outs will be behind him as he was the hero in Moscow as United defeat Chelsea on penalties when van der Sar saved from Nicolas Anelka.

Romania

Goalkeepers: (1) Bogdan Lobont, (12) Marius Popa, (23) Eduard Stăncioiu

Defenders: (2) Cosmin Contra, (3) Razvan Rat, (4) Gabriel Tomas, (5) Cristian Chivu, (6) Mirel Radoi, (13) Cristian Sapunaru, (14) Sorin Ghionea, (15) Dorin Goian, (17) Cosmin Moti, (22) Stefan Radu

Midfielders: (7) Florentin Petre, (8) Paul Codrea, (11) Razvan Cocis, (16) Banel Nicolita, (19) Adrian Cristea, (20) Nicolae Dica

Forwards: (9) Ciprian Marica, (10) Adrian Mutu, (18) Marius Niculae, (21) Daniel Niculae

Head Coach: Victor Piturca

Inspired Call-ups: none

Shock Omissions: none

Analysis: I can’t say there is much I know about the Romanians aside from a few of their better players. But as overall team they’re quite good. A qualification campaign in which they only lost 1 game after qualification was secured indicates their quality. To be able to top a group including the Netherlands as well as Bulgaria shows that they are at the tournament on merit. The golden era which included the likes of Gheorghe Hagi is over but they can still boast quality in a few areas.

Romania’s best player and biggest threat upfront is undoubtedly Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu. The 29 year old is coming off a fantastic season for the 4th place side in Serie A and UEFA Cup semi-finalists. During his days at Parma he was one of the best players in the league when that club which will be unfortunately be playing in Serie B next season were going through a fantastic era. His move to Chelsea didn’t turn out as well as he and others would have expected and hit rock bottom after his drug scandal caused him to be sacked by the London based outfit and banned from the game for 6 months. An inauspicious return to the game under Fabio Capello of Juventus was not what he had in mind and the following season he went to Fiorentina where his career has re-blossomed. If Romania are to progress out of the group, despite being potential banana skins to the other countries seeking a quarterfinal birth then Mutu will have to be at the top of his game.

Another key player will be Inter’s Cristian Chivu. The central defender has been employed in a defensive midfield role by Piturca for his country and has performed admirably there as well. The Romanian’s biggest hope for qualification is that the bigger sides in the Group of death underestimate them and they then capitalise on what would be a foolish mistake for any of Holland, Italy or France. If they weren’t placed in this group they could probably have a hope of qualifying out of it, but one can never be too certain in football.

International Insider: Euro 2008: Group B preview

2008-06-06T14:34:00.000-04:00

GROUP B {AUSTRIA, CROATIA, GERMANY, POLAND}

The Squads

Austria

Head Coach: Josef Hickersberger

Goalkeepers: (1) Alex Manninger, (21) Jürgen Macho, (23) Ramazan Özcan

Defenders: (2) Joachim Standfest, (3) Martin Stranzl, (4) Emanuel Pogatetz, (12) Ronald Gërçaliu, (13) Markus Katzer, (15) Sebastian Prödl, (16) Jürgen Patocka, (17) Martin Hiden

Midfielders: (5) Christian Fuchs, (6) René Aufhauser, (8) Christoph Leitgeb, (10) Andreas Ivanschitz [captain], (11) Ümit Korkmaz, (14) György Garics, (19) Jürgen Säumel, (20) Martin Harnik

Forwards: (7) Ivica Vastić, (9) Roland Linz, (18) Roman Kienast, (22) Erwin Hoffer

Inspired Callups: Erwin Hoffer, Ivica Vastić, Sebastian Prödl

Shock Omissions: Veli Kavlak, Ümit Korkmaz, Paul Scharner

Croatia

Head Coach: Slaven Bilić

Goalkeepers: (1) Stipe Pletikosa, (12) Mario Galinović, (23) Vedran Runje

Defenders: (2) Dario Šimić, (3) Josip Šimunić, (4) Robert Kovač, (5) Vedran Ćorluka, (6) Hrvoje Vejić, (13) Nikola Pokrivač, (15) Dario Knežević

Midfielders: (7) Ivan Rakitić, (8) Ognjen Vukojević, (10) Niko Kovač [captain], (11) Darijo Srna, (14) Luka Modrić, (16) Jerko Leko, (19) Niko Kranjčar, (22) Danijel Pranjić

Forwards: (9) Nikola Kalinić, (17) Ivan Klasnić, (18) Ivica Olić, (20) Igor Budan, (21) Mladen Petrić

Inspired Callups: Nikola Pokrivač, Ivan Rakitić

Shock Omissions: none

Germany

Head Coach: Joachim Löw

Goalkeepers: (1) Jens Lehmann, (12) Robert Enke, (23) René Adler

Defenders: (2) Marcell Jansen, (3) Arne Friedrich, (4) Clemens Fritz, (5) Heiko Westermann, (16) Philipp Lahm, (17) Per Mertesacker, (21) Christoph Metzelder

Midfielders: (6) Simon Rolfes, (7) Bastian Schweinsteiger, (8) Torsten Frings (13) Michael Ballack [captain], (14) Piotr Trochowski, (15) Thomas Hitzlsperger, (18) Tim Borowski, (19) David Odonkor

Forwards: (9) Mario Gómez, (10) Oliver Neuville, (11) Miroslav Klose, (20) Lukas Podolski, (22) Kevin Kurányi

Inspired Callups: Mario Gómez, Simon Rolfes, Piotr Trochowski

Shock Omissions: Marko Marin, Jermaine Jones, Patrick Helmes

Poland

Head Coach: Leo Beenhakker

Goalkeepers: (1) Artur Boruc, (12) Tomasz Kuszczak, (22) Łukasz Fabiański

Defenders: (2) Mariusz Jop, (3) Jakub Wawrzyniak, (4) Paweł Golański, (6) Jacek Bąk, (13) Marcin Wasilewski, (14) Michał Żewłakow, (23) Adam Kokoszka

Midfielders: (5) Dariusz Dudka, (8) Jacek Krzynówek, (10) Łukasz Garguła, (15) Michał Pazdan, (16) Jakub Błaszczykowski, (17) Wojciech Łobodziński, (18) Mariusz Lewandowski, (19) Rafał Murawski, (20) Roger Guerreiro

Forwards: (7) Euzebiusz Smolarek, (9) Maciej Żurawski [captain], (11) Marek Saganowski, (21) Tomasz Zahorski

Inspired Callups: Jakub Błaszczykowski

Shock Omissions: Radosław Matusiak, Grzegorz Bronowicki

International Insider: Euro 2008: Group A preview

2008-06-06T12:15:00.000-04:00

GROUP A { CZECH REPUBLIC, PORTUGAL, SWITZERLANSD & TURKEY}

Overview: Group A; A tricky group which will see the likes of one of the favorites and Euro 2004 finalist Portugal take on the host nation Switzerland, Euro 2004 Semifinalist, the Czech Republic and dark horses Turkey.

Portugal is the favorites of the group and would like to do one better than the last Euros’ when they lost in the finals to Greece. Host Switzerland has the potential to cause an upset just like Greece did in Euro 2004. The Czech Republic, who was one of the semifinalists in the last Euro, would he hoping to improve on their performance and win the Euros and provide a farewell gift for their long serving coach Karel Brückner. Turkey are no push overs and would be hoping to spring a couple of surprises by qualifying for the next round.

The Squads:

Czech Republic

Head Coach: Karel Brückner

Goalkeepers: (1) Petr Cech, (16) Jaromir Blazek, (23) Daniel Zitka

Defenders: (2) Zdenek Grygera, (6) Marek Jankulovski, (12) Zdenek Pospech, (13) Michel Kadlec, (21) Thomas Ujfalusi, (22) David Rozehnal,

Midfielders: (3) Jan Polak, (4) Tomas Galasek, (5) Raduslav Kovac, (14) David Jarolim, (17) Marek Matejovsky, (18) Tomas Sivok, (19) Rudolf Skacel, (20) Jaroslav Plasil.

Forwards: (7) Libor Sionko, (8) Martin Fenin, (9) Jan Koller, (10) Vaslav Sverkos, (11) Stanislav Vicek, (15) Milan Baros.

Inspired Callups: Vaslav Sverkos

Shock Omissions: None

Analysis: Coach Karel Bruckner would be hoping that his side can hand him a perfect farewell gift by winning the Euro’s for him. Czech Republic did well in the last Euro’s only to fall in the semis to Greece.

They no longer have the services of long standing wingers like Karel Poborsky and Vladimir Smicer while Tomas Rosicky has also been ruled out of the tournament because of an injury. Perhaps their biggest lost is the retirement of their golden boy Paval Nedved.

At the back, The Czech Republic has a fantastic goalkeeper in Petr Cech, hailed by many fans as the best goalkeeper in the world. If the Czechs are to progress to the next round, a lot will rest on Cech's shoulders and his ability to keep the opposition at bay. He is backed up at the back by the experienced Grygera and the Italian based Ujfalasi to provide cover. Young Michel Kadlec, whose father guided the Czech to the Euro 96 finals, would add further depth and quality to an already impressive Czech squad. Another Italian based player, Jankulovski will push forward and provide much needed width.

Perhaps their weakest point is their midfield. They no longer have the services of players such as Nedved and would be hoping that Tomas Galasak can hold the midfield together. Jaruslav Plasil is the new golden child of Czech football and is being followed by a lot of big clubs in Europe. He would need to fulfill his potential if the Czechs are to get trough to the next round. The impressive Marek Matejovsky will replace the injured Rosicky.

Upfront, they still have the services of the very experienced Jan Koller whose partnership with Milan Baros during Euro 2004 captured the hearts of pundits. Although a lot of critics have slammed the selection of Baros (because of his poor club form), coach Bruckner remains defiant and believes he can get the best out of Baros.

Although many pundits have written off their chances of winning the tournament, the Czechs cannot be written off as they still have a lot of quality players in the squad like goal Petr Cech, Marek Jankulovski, Tomas Galasak, Jan Koller and Milan Baros. They also have a new breed of young talent to come trough the ranks like Jaroslav Plasil, the main hailed as the new Pavel Nedved

Despite an impressive showing in the last Euro 2004, the Czech Republic had a poor World Cup and would look to make amends. The Czechs impressed during the qualifying stages of the tournament and finished on top of their group ahead of Germany. Let’s hope they entertain us in the same way they did in Euro 2004.

Portugal

Head Coach: Luis Filipe Scolari

Goalkeepers: (1) Ricardo (12) Quim, (22) Rui Patricio

Defenders: (2) Paulo Ferreira, (3) Bruno Alves, (4) Bosingwa, (5) Fernando Meira, (13) Miguel, (14) Jorge Ribeiro, (15) Pepe, (16) Ricardo Carvalho.

Midfielders: (6) Raul Meireles, (8) Petit, (10) Joao Moutinho, (18) Miguel Veloso, (20) Deco

Forwards: (7) Cristiano Ronaldo, (9) Hugo Almeida, (11) Simao, (17) Ricardo Quaresma, (19) Nani, (21) Nuno Gomes, (23) Helder Postiga.

Inspired Callups: Raul Meireles

Shock Omissions: Nuno Maniche

Analysis: Portugal is one of the favorites to win Euro 08. They have a very talented team which consists of young and talented players like Ronaldo, Quaresma, Nani, Moutinho, Veloso mixed with experienced players like Deco, Carvalho, Gomes and Ricardo.

Coach Scolari has a very talented squad at his disposal and has done well during his tenure. He guided the team to the finals of Euro 04 and the semis of the last world cup in 2006. He has already been linked with a host of clubs and this could well be his last major tournament as the coach of Portugal.

The star of the team without a shadow of a doubt is the man that has been linked with a big money move to Real Madrid and potentially the best player in the world right now, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo, who is also the team captain, has an impressive 50+ caps to his name scoring 20 goals in the process. He will come into the Euros fresh from helping his team retain the English Premier League and winning the Champions League. He also scored a total of 42 goals during that process. While Ronaldo might take the lime light, Portugal is by no means a one man team.

In goal, they have the charismatic Ricardo. He has been their hero in their last 2 penalty shootout victories over England. They also have a great back line which is led by the experienced Ricardo Carvalho. He would link up with Real Madrid’s prodigy Pepe. They also have Chelsea’s new summer singing, Jose Bosingwa to provide width from the back. Portugal need their defense to be on song if they are to progress as potential group winners.

Inspirational playmaker Deco runs the show in the middle of the field. He will line up along with Sporting Lisbon’s young prodigies in Joao Moutinho and Miguel Veloso. Scolari could turn to Petit if he wishes to opt for more experience down the middle. They seem have a good balance in the middle and should not miss the experienced Maniche who was dropped by Scolari. Portugal’s biggest strength would definitely be their wingers. Scolari can choose between an array of stars like Simao, Ricardo Quaresma and Nani to lineup alongside Ronaldo. This tournament will give Ronaldo the chance to cement his reputation as the best player in the world.

Upfront, they have the experienced Nuno Gomes who could line up with the impressive Hugo Almeida.

Portugal comes into this tournament with great expectations. They seem to be the team to beat on paper. They should progress from this group as group winners.

Switzerland

Head Coach: Jokob Kuhn

Goalkeepers: (1) Diego Benaglio (18) Pascal Zuberbuhler, (21) Eldin Jakupovic.

Defenders: (2) Johan Djorou, (3) Lodovic Magnin, (4) Philippe Senderos, (5) Stephan Lichtsteiner, (13) Stephane Grichting (17) Cristoph Spycher, (20) Patrick Muller, (23) Philipp Degen.

Midfielders: (6) Benjamin Huggel, (7) Ricardo Cabanas, (8) Gokhan Inler, (10) Hakan Yakin, (14) Daniel Gygax, (15) Celson Fernandes, (16) Tranquillo Barnetta, (19) Valon Behrami, (22) Johan Vonlanthen.

Forwards: (9) Alexander Frei, (11) Marco Streller, (12) Eren Derdiyok,

Inspired Callups: Alexander Frei

Shock Omissions: Johann Vogel

Analysis: The Swiss come into the tournament as co host with Austria. They would be hoping to capitalize on their impressive showing in the 2006 World Cup. It will also be Coach Jokob Kuhn last tournament as the manager of Switzerland as he had announced that he will retire at the end of the tournament. Kuhn has an impressive squad with a good mix of young talent as well as some experienced players. Perhaps the biggest surprise he made was his decision to drop former Switzerland captain Johann Vogel citing that the chemistry between Vogel and the rest of the squad was no longer there. Only time will tell if that move proves to be costly for the Swiss army.

Swiss has a young and impressive backline which is lead by the Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. They have Arsenal young duo of Arsenal’s Philipp Sendeors and Johan Djorou to provide cover at the back while Liverpool bound Philipp Degan would be hoping to establish his name in the tournament and impress his new club. The most impressive of the lot would arguably be Lodovic Magnin, a player who already has over 40 caps to his credit. His assured and consistent performance at the back would be welcomed by the Swiss as it would complement their young and inexperience defense. Magnin also has the ability to push forward and help create chances. He is also dangerous from set pieces and has the ability to keep the opposition on its toes from his dangerous free kicks.

In the middle, the Swiss will look to the highly rated and versatile Lazio midfielder Valon Behrami to provide steel down the middle. They would also be hoping that the their talented young midfielder, Tranquillo Bernetta regains hit fitness in time for the tournament as he should provide creativity from the left side of the midfield. Perhaps their biggest concern in the midfield is the fact that they lack of an out and out creative playmaker.

The biggest lift for this Swiss side is the return of their charismatic front man and top scorer Alexander Frei who had been out of the national team for almost a year because of injury problems. He would be expected to provide the much needed ammunition upfront. Frei, who has scored an impressive 32 goals in 56 caps, would be hoping to carry his impressive goal scoring form to the tournament and help the Swiss progress to the next round. He would partner FC Basel’s Marco Streller or the young and talented Eren Derdiyok.

The Swiss will be hoping to capitalize on their advantage of playing at home. They have always suffered from a lack of goals and this is because they do not have an out and out creative playmaker that can make a difference by creating chances. They have also had several fitness issues over the last couple of weeks and would be hoping that players like Tranquillo Barnetta can regain his fitness on time. Switzerland also suffered from a couple of disastrous results in the run in to the tournament and will need to improve and capitalize on their home grown advantage if they want to make it to the next round.

Turkey

Head Coach: Fatih Terim

Goalkeepers: (1) Rustu Recber (12)Tolga Zegin, (23) Volkan Demirel.

Defenders: (2) Servet Cetin, (4) Gokhan Zan, (13) Emre Gungor, (15) Emre Asik, (20) Sabri Sarioglu (22) Hamit Altintop,

Midfielders: (3) Hakan Balta, (5) Emre Belozoglu, (6) Mehmet Topal, (7) Mehmet Aurelio, (10) Karandeniz Gokdeniz, (11) Tumer Metin, (14) Arda Turan, (16) Ugur Borol, (17) Tuncay Sanli , (19) Ayhan Akman

Forwards: (8) Nihat Kahveci, (9) Semih Senturk, (18) Kazim Kazim (21) Mevlut Erdinc

Inspired Callups: Emre Gungor

Shock Omissions: Hakan Sukur

Analysis: After shocking the world with their impressive form in the 2002 World Cup, Turkey has since failed to recapture the form that made one of the most talked about teams in 2002. Fatih Terim has selected a squad that looks good in terms of flair but fail to cut it at the back. They are the dark horses of this group and will need something really special like they were able to produce in 2002, to get trough the next round.

Things do not look good at the back. Long serving goalkeeper Rustu Recber has been replaced by the inconsistent Volkan Demirel. He can sometimes produce great displays but lets himself and the team down by making a howler in the same match. Most of their center backs are slow and poor in terms of aerial ability and this has been one of the main reasons Turkey have been pretty inconsistent. If Turkey are to progress to the next round, a lot will depend on their ability to defend. In a recent friendly against Ukraine, they lost because of a host of errors made by their defense. A lot rests on the shoulders of their German based defender Hamit Altintop, who suffered a metatarsal injury in March. He returned to the squad for the Ukraine match but looks short of match fitness. They could also miss the width provided by their impressive Fenerbahce wing back Gokhan Gonul who misses the tournament because of injury.

In the middle, there are some good and quality players like the English based Emre Belozoglu and Tuncay Sanli. While Emre has had a poor season in England, Tuncay has been impressive for Middlesbrough and seems to have won over the fans. Another bright spot for the Turks would be the emergence of Arda Turan who has caught the eye of a number of clubs in Europe including Newcastle.

Upfront, they will be hoping that their new golden boy, Niaht Kahveci can step into the shadow of their beloved golden child, Hakan Sukur. He would probably partner Kazim Kazim, a player that impressed the pundits in the Champions League after his brilliant display in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinals against Chelsea. It remains to be seen if they can recapture their goal scoring form without Sukur.

Turkey seems to lack balance and consistency needed to get trough to the next round. Coach Terim has been tinkering a lot with the formation and it remains to be seen which formation he would deploy in his bid to get Turkey to the next round. Most pundits have written them off but they remain the dark horses of this group. If they can reproduce the form they showcased in the 2002 World Cup, the fans could be in for a big surprise.

International Insider: Euro 2008 Teams & Schedules

2008-06-04T11:15:00.000-04:00

UEFA Euro 2008 begins in earnest on June 7th 2008 and runs until June 29th in Austria and Switzerland. This is only the second time in its history that the tournament has been jointly hosted. The tournament consists of 16 teams placed in 4 groups. 14 of those teams having qualified from 7 groups during Euro 2008 qualifying with the two hosts automatically earning tournament berths.

Teams

Group A: Switzerland, Czech Republic, Portugal, Turkey

Group B: Austria, Croatia, Germany, Poland

Group C: Netherlands, Italy, Romania, France

Group D: Greece, Sweden, Spain, Russia

Schedule

Below is the list of matches for the tournament including the dates, times, locations and stadiums where each match is to be played.

Saturday 7 June 2008
Grp A
Switzerland
18:00
Czech Republic
Basel - St. Jakob-Park

Grp A
Portugal
20:45
Turkey
Geneva - Stade de Genève
Sunday 8 June 2008

Grp B
Austria
18:00
Croatia
Vienna - Ernst Happel

Grp B
Germany
20:45
Poland
Klagenfurt - Wörthersee
Monday 9 June 2008

Grp C
Romania
18:00
France
Zurich - Letzigrund

Grp C
Netherlands
20:45
Italy
Berne - Stade de Suisse
Tuesday 10 June 2008

Grp D
Spain
18:00
Russia
Innsbruck - Tivoli Neu

Grp D
Greece
20:45
Sweden
Salzburg - EM Stadion Wals-Siezenheim
Wednesday 11 June 2008

Grp A
Czech Republic
18:00
Portugal
Geneva - Stade de Genève

Grp A
Switzerland
20:45
Turkey
Basel - St. Jakob-Park
Thursday 12 June 2008

Grp B
Croatia
18:00
Germany
Klagenfurt - Wörthersee

Grp B
Austria
20:45
Poland
Vienna - Ernst Happel
Friday 13 June 2008

Grp C
Italy
18:00
Romania
Zurich - Letzigrund

Grp C
Netherlands
20:45
France
Berne - Stade de Suisse
Saturday 14 June 2008

Grp D
Sweden
18:00
Spain
Innsbruck - Tivoli Neu

Grp D
Greece
20:45
Russia
Salzburg - EM Stadion Wals-Siezenheim
Sunday 15 June 2008

Grp A
Switzerland
20:45
Portugal
Basel - St. Jakob-Park

Grp A
Turkey
20:45
Czech Republic
Geneva - Stade de Genève
Monday 16 June 2008

Grp B
Poland
20:45
Croatia
Klagenfurt - Wörthersee

Grp B
Austria
20:45
Germany
Vienna - Ernst Happel
Tuesday 17 June 2008

Grp C
Netherlands
20:45
Romania
Berne - Stade de Suisse

Grp C
France
20:45
Italy
Zurich - Letzigrund
Wednesday 18 June 2008

Grp D
Greece
20:45
Spain
Salzburg - EM Stadion Wals-Siezenheim

Grp D
Russia
20:45
Sweden
Innsbruck - Tivoli Neu
Thursday 19 June 2008

Quarter-Final 1
Winner Grp A
20:45
Runner-up Grp B
Basel - St. Jakob-Park
Friday 20 June 2008

Quarter-Final 2
Winner Grp B
20:45
Runner-up Grp A
Vienna - Ernst Happel
Saturday 21 June 2008

Quarter-Final 3
Winner Grp C
20:45
Runner-up Grp D
Basel - St. Jakob-Park
Sunday 22 June 2008

Quarter-Final 4
Winner Grp D
20:45
Runner-up Grp C
Vienna - Ernst Happel
Wednesday 25 June 2008

Semi-Final 1
Winner #25
20:45
Winner #26
Basel - St. Jakob-Park
Thursday 26 June 2008

Semi-Final 2
Winner #27
20:45
Winner #28
Vienna - Ernst Happel
Sunday 29 June 2008

Final
Winner #29
20:45
Winner #30
Vienna - Ernst Happel