Official Euro 2008 Thread

[Galiza Ceive]

Portugal is playing very well. Although I liked Croatia in the first match I think a semifinal Portugal-Germany is granted.
My opinion on Italy is that against the Netherlands they played the best they can play with that team. Agree on the comments about the midfield: How can Ambrosini and Gatusso been playing instead of De Rossi? Toni is a very good striker if someone is there to put the ball in a good position and this Italy simply does not have anyone. Del Piero? Cassano? If they are the best creative players in this team I understand why they will be eliminated in the first round (I yhink they will lose against Romania and France).
The Netherlands could easily be the best team in the tournament but I still dont like their defense. In my opinion they will finish losing in the semifinals against France or Spain because of the defense (in my opinion Ooijer will be responsible for that)

[celticmaestro]

today's game between germany and croatia will tell us a lot.

it will tell us whether or not croatia are up to it and capable of beating a great team (england are not great, by no means), and it will tell us if germany can beat a very tricky team who aren't easily intimidated.

[celticmaestro]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

[Who]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

[celticmaestro]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

[Who]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

[Edgar]

this mid day and morning schedules are killinf my fan spirit
hopefully I will catch up on weekends
great win by holand
its always nice to have some quality futbol on tv during weekdays

My favorites thus far

Germany, Portugal...and yes...Holand.

[celticmaestro]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

are you a chelsea fan?

the names i've highlighted would have been terrible choices and scolari is better than all of them.

i think scolari is an excellent tactician and he may actually get chelsea playing good football (don't hold your breath though) but for me, mark hughes should have been given the job.

[Who]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

are you a chelsea fan?

the names i've highlighted would have been terrible choices and scolari is better than all of them.

i think scolari is an excellent tactician and he may actually get chelsea playing good football (don't hold your breath though) but for me, mark hughes should have been given the job.

Yep, I'm a Chelsea fan. I'm delighted to get rid of Avram Grant and am very happy with Scolari's appointment.

Going back in time to Mourinho's dismissal (outraged at that), one name I really wanted was Juande Ramos but Spurs signed him. That irked me in a big way.

There weren't a lot of quality candidates out there. Scolari was definitely near the top of my list so I'm very happy. He already knows a couple of the Chelsea players and his style of football suits our squad (Portugal are more attack minded but formation and type of players at those positions is similar). I would have loved Mark Hughes but I'm equally happy with Scolari.

[celticmaestro]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

are you a chelsea fan?

the names i've highlighted would have been terrible choices and scolari is better than all of them.

i think scolari is an excellent tactician and he may actually get chelsea playing good football (don't hold your breath though) but for me, mark hughes should have been given the job.

Yep, I'm a Chelsea fan. I'm delighted to get rid of Avram Grant and am very happy with Scolari's appointment.

Going back in time to Mourinho's dismissal (outraged at that), one name I really wanted was Juande Ramos but Spurs signed him. That irked me in a big way.

There weren't a lot of quality candidates out there. Scolari was definitely near the top of my list so I'm very happy. He already knows a couple of the Chelsea players and his style of football suits our squad (Portugal are more attack minded but formation and type of players at those positions is similar). I would have loved Mark Hughes but I'm equally happy with Scolari.

i suspect a lot of chelsea fans will be happy with scolari. i find it interesting - we'll see.

if scolari can bring in the likes of deco/kaka/ronaldinho etc then we could have some competition next season.

if not, i'm banking on a three-peat for united.

[Who]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

are you a chelsea fan?

the names i've highlighted would have been terrible choices and scolari is better than all of them.

i think scolari is an excellent tactician and he may actually get chelsea playing good football (don't hold your breath though) but for me, mark hughes should have been given the job.

Yep, I'm a Chelsea fan. I'm delighted to get rid of Avram Grant and am very happy with Scolari's appointment.

Going back in time to Mourinho's dismissal (outraged at that), one name I really wanted was Juande Ramos but Spurs signed him. That irked me in a big way.

There weren't a lot of quality candidates out there. Scolari was definitely near the top of my list so I'm very happy. He already knows a couple of the Chelsea players and his style of football suits our squad (Portugal are more attack minded but formation and type of players at those positions is similar). I would have loved Mark Hughes but I'm equally happy with Scolari.

i suspect a lot of chelsea fans will be happy with scolari. i find it interesting - we'll see.

if scolari can bring in the likes of deco/kaka/ronaldinho etc then we could have some competition next season.

if not, i'm banking on a three-peat for united.

I don't think we need to make too many changes. Another wide player or two. Preferably two. We need more width and creativity down the flanks. We've lost a lot since the Duff-Robben days three-four years ago.

I don't want any more central midfielders unless someone leaves. That's already very strong and overloaded. I'm very happy with Boswinga, he looks a top player. That'll cure our flaws at right back. So I'm happy with the defense. Obviously Cech is top class. Drogba up front is excellent. I doubt Scolari wants to play two strikers, if he does I'd like another front player.

Having a competent manager will make a huge difference to Chelsea in itself. Very optimistic about our chances now. ManU will be right there, Arsenal will be a bit back but almost as dangerous, and Pool another bit back. Should be good competition at the top of the table.

[Casperian]

forgot to mention, i'm very surprised that scolari has been announced as the new chelsea manager right in the middle of these championships.

good pay-package for scolari, bad decision from chelsea.

Why do you think it was a bad decision?

Who would you have rathered they signed?

someone who's managed at club level in this decade would have been a start. personally i'd have gone for hiddink, swallowed my pride and gone back to mourinho or i'd have gone for mark hughes.

i think scolari is a very good coach, but not having coached at club level in 8 years and never having coached in europe before will hinder him.

Football hasn't changed. It's not important that he hasn't managed a club recently. The only worry you'd have would be how does he handle the egos of todays players? Well he can answer that at international level and the answer is brilliant. I don't think it matters at all that he's hasn't coached at club level in a long time. I also think he's spent long enough in Europe coaching Portugal to have a good understanding of European football so I don't see that as a major drawback either.

I would have loved to have seen Mark Hughes signed. Disappointed they looked past him. But he's just signed with Man City so he was off the board at this point anyway. Hiddink was never a candidate because he was never going to leave Russia and Abramovic was never going to ask him too. 

Who else?

I would have chewed my right arm off if Ancelotti got the job. I'm not wild about Mancini but I could have lived with that. Deschamps was someone I didn't have much interest in. His career is all over the place right now and I'd rather someone more established. Rijkaard has said he's taking a year off football so he wasn't a candidate. Then there's Sven, I could have been content with that but again I'd much rather Scolari.

I agree, football hasnīt changed, and Scolari is an excellent coach.
That said, itīs one thing to manage a group of 22 superstars on a national team once per month, and another to manage 50 stars on a club team every day. Chelsea is special, and every coach in the world, no matter who, has to prove he can handle that. I remember he had problems with the stars of the brazilian national team, so I guess weīll have to wait and see.

I donīt know their plans and situations, but coaches like van Gaal, Lippi or Hector Cuper could have been interesting, too.

Itīs ridiculous how Cuper was treated since he left Valencia.
Is Lippi still interested to coach or did he retire?

Anyway, things will be interesting next season.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Germany has to pressure early in the game. The longer Croatia can keep it tied, the better their chances are. They are excellent at keeping the ball posession, and Modric can explode anytime on the field. Iīm confident Ballack and Frings can handle Modric, but itīs not a given.

[celticmaestro]

Germany has to pressure early in the game. The longer Croatia can keep it tied, the better their chances are. They are excellent at keeping the ball posession, and Modric can explode anytime on the field. Iīm confident Ballack and Frings can handle Modric, but itīs not a given.

same. i think this is a test for germany, but if they play their best, they'll win.

[Casperian]

Yep, I'm a Chelsea fan. I'm delighted to get rid of Avram Grant and am very happy with Scolari's appointment.

So, what`s your opinion about Michael Ballack? I would love to hear the opinion of a Chelsea fan about him. Where do you see him as a player?

[Who]

I donīt know their plans and situations, but coaches like van Gaal, Lippi or Hector Cuper could have been interesting, too.

Itīs ridiculous how Cuper was treated since he left Valencia.
Is Lippi still interested to coach or did he retire?

Lippi is a great manager but I just don't like him. I don't have a good reason, he just rubs the wrong way. I'm not really sure why but I find myself in little fits of anger whenever he does well. So I'm kind of happy we didn't sign him. As for his plans ... I have no idea what his plans are. First the papers said he'd retire, then that he'd consider working again, then that he has no plans. I'd be a bit surprised if we see him coaching again. I don't believe that he wants to coach abroad and he's already accomplished everything in Italy. Lippi would have been a great choice for Chelsea.

I'd rather Scolari than Van Gaal. Far superior defensively and orgnanizes his team better. I think Van Gaal has seen his best days and isn't really a top class manager anymore. I like the syle of football he plays but I imagine him consistently failing to bring home silverware in English football.

Hector Cuper's career has been wierd since he left Valencia. Got a big money switch to Inter. Did well but not good enough. Ultimately failed at Inter but not badly. I'm suprised nobody ever gave him another chance at the highest level. That said I think Scolari is better than Cuper. I love the confidence Scolari gives his team which is something I don't think Cuper inspires in his team. Cuper builds them (his teams) up to have a chance in big matches rather to go and take the game by the throat and win it. It's a loser's mentality. It's also why Inter didn't win and why his teams in Spain regularly lost the big matches.