Euro 2004

10 Days to go

[limbo]

...An attacking minded, well rounded, youthful England team with plenty of talent and imaginiation went onto the pitch last night to face a inexperienced Japanese side away from home, and showed us nothing new, at all!....

Bar a few moments of genuine skill it was worrying to watch. Is that how they will march out against the French next Sunday?

There is 10 days to go till the first ball is kicked and as an avid football fan I am looking forward to some excellent matches - and with the tables set like they are there will hopefully be no shortage of excitement. But England look tired :(

The French side are awesome, but remember the world cup? The Dutch and the Spanish are beautiful footballers but are they beatable? and the likes of Germany and Italy can never be ruled out even if they are not the forces as they once were. There are also outsiders in the form of the Czech Republic and Croatia, and the stalwart Sweden and Denmark. Not to mention the hosts!

Not one match looks like a no brainer, every one a challenge. I would love to see the English football team win something in my lifetime, but am I being that overly common thing; an blindly optimistic England fan? I hope not.

So who do you think has the best chance this time?
Anyone lucky enough to be visiting Portugal in June?
Anyone taking part in Fantasy Football? (I am yet to pick a team)

Ta, (a very hopeful) Limbo

[foxtunes]

".....There is one aspect that we have not discussed: The clubs. Which of those clubs with many players at Euro 2004 will have been really happy with the general performances of their players so far?....."

Liverpool have to be pleased with the performance of Baros at Euro 2004....5 euro goals is a good return for a striker who spent most of last season injured or on the bench.

[limbo]

There's also that young Evertonian player, can't remember his name though...

[foxtunes]

Do you think Everton will be able to keep hold of Rooney?

[Shak]

and that was that for another 4 years ...

Shak

[BeeDeeDubbleU]

Congratulations to the Greeks and commiserations to the Portuguese. That was good tournament and a fairy tale ending for Greece. I am taking nothing away from them when I say that this must be the greatest shock ever in this tournament.

They played great throughout and thoroughly deserved their victory because they could not have had it any harder. They beat the home nation twice, drew with Spain and also beat the Czech Republik and France. Go Hellas, and all the best for the Olympic Games in Athens!

[defanjos]

Congratulations to the Greeks.
Portugal played bad and deserved to lose.

I knew the Greeks were bad news :(

[limbo]

Unbelievable - the greeks will have a hangover from hell today! Ouzo anyone?

A perfect end to the least predictable international footie tournaments I have ever seen. If only I had put a tenner on Greece to win ;)

Comiserations to the Portugese, but judging by the players chosen I think they had forgotten how the Greeks beat them first time. Pauleta was a bad choice, as was costinha. they should have hit them hard at their weakness, midfield. still when all is said and done the Greeks played the better football, albeit defensive.

Wonder how much Dellas will move for this summer? The player of the tournament for me. (and, yes I am an Evertonian!).

kalo spe-meno

Limbo

<added>

Do you think Everton will be able to keep hold of Rooney?

Maybe till 2005, possibly winter transfer.

Everton will be set if they keep him, and rich if they don't. Quite a prospect for a club with eyes on a larger playing field. I'd miss the boy though. I was at the Arsenal game when he made the premiership stand up take notice.