- 1 Jun 08, 08:43 PM
Football's still a team game, right? It's just that a lot of the views being churned out by newspapers, magazines, television shows, radio stations and websites seem to have ignored this very basic fact in the run-up to Euro 2008.
Look, being blessed with lots of talented individuals isn't a precursor to success. Just ask Steve McClaren. Yet for some reason a lot of people believe Greece have absolutely no chance of winning the European Championships again.
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Other countries may have better squads - Spain, for example, boast such luminaries as Torres, Fabregas, Ramos and Casillas - but the Greeks are a proven team, one that equals more than the sum of its parts.
They are in the Finals on merit, topping their qualifying group by dropping just five points from a possible 36, and they are coached by the same man - Otto Rehhagel - who guided them to success in Portugal.
I'm not suggesting Greece will shock the footballing world for a second time by defending their trophy, just reminding everyone that it is perhaps a little foolhardy to say they won't.
And, please, no more 'Lightning Won't Strike Twice' headlines.
What's clear to me from the numerous interviews I've read and heard in the build-up to Euro 2008 is that this is a tournament capable of serving up another surprise winner.
My particular dark horse is Poland. Like Greece, they topped their qualifying group - a group that included Portugal - and they have a coach in Leo Beenhakker who, like Rehhagel, is capable of instilling his players with oodles of self-belief.
And had Romania not been drawn in a group that also includes Italy, France and Holland, I might have tipped them to cause an upset as well.
Two other major themes have emerged from my 'research'. The first is that not many people are giving either of the host nations a prayer, particularly Austria. The second is that each team's first game is hugely significant. Win it and the self-confidence blossoms. Lose it and the pressure is well and truly on
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Finally there is some appropriate comments about Greece.
I found many other comments I read in this website unfair. Noone seemed to give Greece a chance! Not because I am Greek and I surely want them to win again, but it is only fair to say that Greece has done well so far to get to Euro 2008. They have the most points than ANY other team and the team members have fantastic relation between them and Otto is still there training them!!!
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Croatia isn't a darkhorse? :p
Anyway people are writing off Greece because we haven't seen them in a competitive match in four years (why wasn't Greece at the world cup?)
Also I like to point out having the most points out of the easiest qualification group doesn't say much. That's like saying Germany will win it because they scored the most goals out of all the teams.
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Austria -- Germany on the 16th is a massive game.
Nobody seems to be taking Austria seriously, however, my German colleagues are starting to sound worried about this game...
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Nice one Phil.
They always talk about Spain being 'nearly men'. There is a reason for that, despite all their talent they aren't much as a TEAM.
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Totally agree that Greece have a chance, but can they really defend so well for as long as they did in the last Championships. You have to have a large slice of luck to win anything in football, just ask Denmark, who shouldn't even have been there when they won it, and I think Greece had more than their fair share when they won it.
Saying that I think there are literally only two or three teams that can't win it this time. Greece are one, largely because they can't do it again (can they?), Romania, because of the group they are in, and Turkey because they are on a slight decline despite qualifying.
I for one can't see past Italy, France, Spain and Germany, but European nations now find themselves very much on a level as far as standards are concerned, Greece winning the last championship bears this out.
So this year why not have an each way punt on Czech Republic or Switzerland. The Czechs because you can never rule them out and they have the best keeper, and Switzerland because they are at home, and even England got to the semis when they hosted it.
Should be good finals though and what price my four banker teams not making it out of the group stage!
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At last a responsible article on EURO 2008. Talking about FOOTBALL and nothing else. Most of the paperwork is bitter about GREECE just because their national team have not been able to win a major competition in years. They all forget to mention that football is about the TEAM, not the individuals. Am not claiming that GREECE will win (no back to back trophy since the start of Europen championship), but give them some credit for what they have achieved. They have proved that no Ronaldo, Henry or Figo can win a competition by themselves. Some forget that football is about sportsmanship and team spirit. And please do not deny the Greek fans the joy we have been through the summer of 2004.
I hope we can all enjoy this tournament and feel the excitement football has to offer.
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I live in Greece and though a lot of bartenders and owners are upset that there is no British team in the championships a lot of locals and ex-pats (we are very few!) are relieved.
The Greeks don't generally think their team can win and claim to prefer basketball instead! but if they can perform to their ability as a TEAM then the flags will be flying! Greek flags fly for anything.
My son was born in Greece and at 9 months old will be wearing a Greek shirt and as this is our adopted country so will his dad.
We don't have the hype that the English suffer from so the pressure is different. You don't play because you are a premiership star/primadonna, you are playing for Greece and its people so put away your pretensions and have a go. Greece has a chance because the blue and white still means something.
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Why write off Romania? They beat and drew with NL in the qualifying group to finish first and the French were beaten twice by Scotland.
Greece were beaten 3-2 by Hungary the other day. If Hungary can get 3, how many do you think Spain, Sweden or even Russia without Arshavin will get? They will need to drastically improve their defense if they wan t to stand a chance.
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Greece were beaten 3-2 by Hungary the other day. If Hungary can get 3, how many do you think Spain, Sweden or even Russia without Arshavin will get? They will need to drastically improve their defense if they wan t to stand a chance.
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If you want to go by friendly form, may i remind you that Greece beat portugal 2-1 in lisbon a few weeks ago. So i don't think the loss to hungary shows that much, if anything, it brings us down to earth, just what we need if we're going to do well in this competition. I'm not going to say i expect Greece to win it, but you can't write us off again. Also, we didn't have the easiest qualifying group. Turkey away is a match that even england failed to win a few years ago.
The reason that we won Euro 04 is that we knew EVERYTHING about our opposition, whereas our opponents knew nothing about us, and never gave us a chance. The team's plane was waiting to take us back after the first week, not even we expected to do it. The Greek FA promised to pour huge sums of money into a youth program if we won. This makes the win so so sweet.
Finally, I really do think the Premiership should go for the 5 plus 6 rule, it used to be in place in the greek league, and i think still is, and its helped us so much. Our U17's reached the euro final last year, beating Germany 3-2 with 10 men in the semis, and only losing 1-0 to three in a row winners Spain. So i think the future is bright for Greek football.
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A few sensible comments on here, which is refreshing. I am full of anticipation for this forthcoming tournament, and one of the main reasons, is the fact that a host of sides can win Euro 2008.
One of Holland, France, or Italy is going to leave at the group stages, who's to say two of these potential winners dont stumble and fall at the expense of Romania, who are certainly no mugs. Their qualifying was highly impressive.
In terms of dark horses in my own opinion, Croatia are worth an e/w bet in the very least. Czech Republic would have been the same, but I fear they have lost a spark with Rosicky being out.
Roll on Saturday!!
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Greece were without doubt the worst team to ever win a major international tournament. They got smashed by a terrible Russian side and would have undoubtedly have lost to the Czech's had Nedved not been injured after 20 minutes of their semi-final in which time they were played off the park. Even then Baros and Koller missed sitters to bury them.
France and Portugal (twice) played shocking stuff to go out to them.
Greece are a defensive unit who operate on their strength at set pieces and set pieces will not win them this trophy again. Getting the most points from an easy qualifying group is one argument to favour them though I would point to the fact Turkey murdered them 4-1 in Greece. NO top nation capable of winning this tournament suffers results like that. Greece are awkward to break down and strong in the set piece, but they'll be exposed as the ordinairy side they actually are this time.
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It's largely the same setup as four years ago, and I've only seen a couple of other teams improve, so Greece are definitely in with a shout again, as long as they can prove themselves better than Russia and Sweden.
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9. Wrote: "If you want to go by friendly form, may i remind you that Greece beat portugal 2-1 in lisbon a few weeks ago."
I believe that match took place in Germany. Anyway Portugal got trashed 3-1 by the Italians, they got trashed by the Poles 2-1 they couldn't beat Serbia nor Finland (unlike Greece), away or home . So what does that say about Portugal? Nothing much that's for sure.
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11. Wrote "Turkey murdered them 4-1 in Greece. NO top nation capable of winning this tournament suffers result like that"
I know it was a fair few years ago but remember when a lucky England beat Germany 5-1...would you have discounted Germany out of the next major tournament? Of course you wouldn't, that would be stupid.
I'm not saying Greece will win it, but a one-off result does not write the form books.
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So many bitter england fans taking out their disapointment from seeing their multi million pound premiership outfit lose time and time again. Lets face it, croatia aren't that good, neither are russia, or infact macedonia. Please, if you have some spiteful comments to make because your nation has underperformed on the national scene for 50 years now, then just keep them to yourselves because frankly nobody wants to hear them.
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15. Wrote "Lets face it, croatia aren't that good, neither are russia, or infact macedonia."
Correction: It's FYR Macedonia, since I am also a macedonian from northern Greece.
Although I am greek, and I suspect Greece may be in with a very slight chance of doing well, I do not reckon that they will do better than the first couple of rounds at best. As far as I am concerned winning the Euro 2004 did not really improve greek football at all (a few victories at the uefa cup is hardly a sign of impovement); in fact the already corrupted Athens-state got even worse with so much money supposedly to be invested in football just disappearing into the pockets of the usual suspects. This was followed by numerous dopping incidents, etc etc etc. So TBH not sure whether I would want my country to really succeed at european stage, which would mean a false sense of promoting all the good values of sportmanship, when Greece has never been able to apply these in the everyday life and operate as a true European state. Sad really...
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Thyra 7 has said it best.
There are no easy groups in qualifying, If there were, then the fact that england was playing against teams like israel and FYROM and failed to qualify speaks heaps about the English national side.
I personally love the fact that they keep writing Greece off.... I wish they keep doing it throughout the tournament.... They clearly haven't learned from that mistake, and it would be fantastic if it comes back and bites them. As for the way the blue and whites play.... Yes we play defensively.... Since as everyone claims, all these other teams are more flamboyant and skilled than us..... then let them come on the pitch and try to beat us.
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Germany lost 5-1 to England and then proceded to spawn the luckiest run ever to a World Cup Final. They failed to beat Ireland in the group stages and got to the final because all the big guns were on the other half of the draw! They should have lost to the US, beat a frankly average South Korea who could also have beaten them and then got absolutely destroyed by Brazil in the final where Brazil could have scored as many as they wanted!
They got through because Italy were (controversially) beaten by South Korea and England and Brazil were on the other side of the draw (and Argentina got knocked out in a tough group).
Don't get me wrong, Germany, like Greece, were a tough team to beat but they weren't going to win that tournament with the utter pony they had playing like Oliver Neuville. But playing behind the ball, on the counter looking for set pieces? It's not going to work against Italy or a much strengthened Portugal (compared to 4 years ago).
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I think people are basically too quick to write off the greek side in terms of individuals as well as a unit. They form a solid unit, but anyone who actually watches the greek players will know they all (or at least most) are very talented.
True very few could be called essential, star players for their club sides (those who play for the larger European clubs that is), but many are very talented and appreciated by their club sides.
I think people just fail to look past names like Ronaldo and Totti and the likes. You just have to look at club sides with a mass of giant names (like the real madrid side of a few seasons back) to know it doesn't garentee success.
Basically the greeks are a solid unit, many of whom have been playing for the national side together for many years, and HAVE that individual quality as well. No, they are by no means favorites, but you cant write them off. By the same token you cant write off Croatia, Turkey, the Czechs, or even Poland. Yes maybe the two host teams can be safely ruled out (or as safely as any side can be in any footballing competition), but this tournament isnt a case of minnows vs giants, the sides with perhaps less colorful histories, or less obvious individuals talents, still cant be ruled out, as the necessary talent is still there.
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Why is it only me that fancies another major shock in 2008 just like the Greeks did in 2004 and the Danish did in 92? But when someone thinks there will be an upset people immediately suggest Croatia or the Czech Republic. Whisch is fair enough seen as Croatia are a strong side and have a fairly easy group but the czechs are way past there best now with most of there top players being 30+. The side that will upset the odds will be Russia. Firstly they have one of the best managers in the world in Guus Hiddink who never fails to deliver. Just think if he got South Korea to the semi finals in the world cup, holland to the semi-finals in 1998, australia so nealy to a quarterfinals in the last world cup but for a stupid tackle by Lucas Neill. Even with the french, italians, dutch and spanish being in the same half as Russia i still fancy them to at least mke the semi finals. They might not have Arshavin for the first two games but they play as a team and have quality throughout. I know where my money is going
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maybe greece are being written off because they didn't reach the world cup in 2006, and because even under mclaren we beat them 4-0, which isn't exactly a confidence booster for the defending champions.......
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It is hard to know whether Greece will or will not get through the group stages, BUT what one can note in the above comments is some level of hostility about the team's last Euro win.
Were they the right team to win it four years ago? The beat Portugal twice, France and the Czech team... Perhaps not terribly exciting football but as mentioned above the Greek team is at best when they do play as a team - and what is wrong with that? England are still trying to discover team work...
Regarding the 4-0 loss to McLaren's England, I watched the game and have to say that there was one team on the pitch - despite the score the hopeless team was England. The same applies to the 4-0 loss to Turkey in Athens. Since when to scores alone tell the whole picture? If what matters is a win under any condition, then why hold it against the Greeks winning the last time around?
Like many others out there, I read the comments here and in the newspapers - it is fun reading how the Greek team has been written off as having no chance to progress past group stages. It is also interesting to read that most British support Portugal or Spain - typical tourist destinations for them...
What Otto achieved with Greece is something some European teams would love to have. If the fairytale does not repeat itself, at least history can't be re-written. Greece won Euro 2004 - not nice being sour losers four years after the event.
Bring the football on, let the best team win.
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Cliche after cliche after cliche.
Just how much do you know about the Polish national team to tip them as a dark horse? You know the name of their manager, and...?
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Greece are a defensive unit who operate on their strength at set pieces and set pieces will not win them this trophy again. Getting the most points from an easy qualifying group is one argument to favour them though I would point to the fact Turkey murdered them 4-1 in Greece. NO top nation capable of winning this tournament suffers results like that. Greece are awkward to break down and strong in the set piece, but they'll be exposed as the ordinairy side they actually are this time.
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remember that Germany lost 5 - 1 at home to england in the qualifiers for WC 2002 yet made the final and only lost to an unstoppable brazil.
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redbaba you speak major assumptions. The game Greece lost to Turkey you should watch again. The best team did loose and these things do happen in football.
'NO top nation capable of winning this tournament suffers results like that...' Oh, yes they do.
Also redbaba: 'they'll be exposed as the ordinairy side they actually are this time.' Well, perhaps the FIFA rankings are based on hot air alone!
Set pieces? How many goals did Greece score from set pieces alone in the last Euro and why - anyway - is this a problem?
I find it amazing that some people have still difficulty admitting that what Greece achieved in 2004, it deserved - this alone is a good enough reason for them to do it again!
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'Bring the football on, let the best team win', is not a cliche... It is a cliche to put down the Greek team.
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In 2004 it's true Greece were very organised and above all a good team. That said, if France and Spain were well prepared and communicating well with each other they would always beat Greece, because they have better players. You've got to think Greece won't be underestimated this time in the same way, though I would back them to get through their group. If they were to win the tournament, however, it would be disappointing because it would mean the top teams had not produced the football they were capable of.
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Everyone says that the teams in Euro 2004 underperformed thats why greece won. Has anyone stopped to think of why that is... I mean if as you all say, France, Portugal and the Czech republic are all good teams, then how come they underperformed when they all played Greece.. It has nothing to do with outperforming.. It is simple... They underperformed because all their "star" players were outplayed defensively by the greeks.. Look at the Greece France game and you will see why Greece won that game.. Henry was literally not seen in that game.. He did not do anything not because Henry is not a class player (He was on fire that season with Arsenal) but because Seitaridis is a class defender, and won every single battle with Henry... I urge you to look at the man marking the greeks played against the French... All their star players were overshadowed and outplayed....
I agree with an earlier comment.. Greece are worthy champions because they knew how to play as a team, and they knew how to play against every team they faced.... Thats what wins championships... and not the names of players.
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I have family that live in Greece and I visited just after the end of the 2004 championship. I think the elation that I saw came out of complete amazement. No Greeks that I spoke to were under the impression that they were going to win. I think this is why there were such huge parties when the final result came through. I hope that this competition will provide another result to celebrate!
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I've just come across this post and to be honest i'm a little worried that people are starting to think about Greece. I was hoping that like many of the BBC pundits opinions, that people believed Greece have no chance of doing anything.
I have lived and played football in greece. The standard of the top league is about the level of the lower half of the Championship over here with the top 3 or 4 teams been mid table Premier league teams.
What Greece does have now is that the top players are palying abroad, more now than when they won the tournament.
I believe they have a chance of doing something but only if the beat Sweeden in the first game, i cant see them going out chasing a result against Spain or Russia
Although i want Greece to do well, i cant see past Spain as there top players are on form
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It just amazes me that people constantly underestimate the Greek victory in 2004. The fact that Greece won at that time obviously means that they were a better team. Otherwise the would not have won. People seem to just underestimate the power of this team. As many others right so said, the Greek team works as a unit and they have achieved what other countries fight for and long for to get. Greece is a small country with not that much money spent on the team as in other countries, including the UK. So, give them a pat on the shoulder and congratulate them for what they have done in 2004 and wish them good luck.
Some said that Greece has not got a chance because they are not basically a good team as they did not enter into the World cup in 2006. So, I am assuming that the same people will be writing England off in Euro 2012 as they failed to qualify for this current Euro!
I am not saying that Greece will win this Euro and the vast majority of Greeks do not believe this. However, this does not mean that they will not do well. Of course Greece will not be underestimated by the players of the other teams this time and the games will not be easy however Greece is a good team and they will fight. In 2004 they showed a fantastic strategy which many may not have liked as it lacked “show” but as someone correctly said they took away from the “stars” of the other teams the chance of actually performing as individuals. Football is a team game and this is how it should be played.
Greece only entered the Euro once more prior to 2004. And has only gone to the world cup once. The country’s football history is not long but is greatly improving. And for such a small country its sport achievements are great. Look at basketball too!! So, please stop depriving the happiness from all of us. And, sometimes it is good to first judge yourself before you judge others!!
Everyone enjoy the great games to come. Good luck Greece and I will be definitely have my Greek t-shirt on
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Greece scored 25 goals in 12 games in our qualifying groups compared to 10 in 8 last time around, and 7 in 6 at Euro 2004.
We play a much more attractive style of football than 2004, and many of our players are now enjoying a successful career in the top Europeal leagues. So why does it seem that most people dismiss us as a "defensive" team? (not that I mind that much, since it was this kind of underestimating that helped us through in 04)
Sure, we are no Brazil, and winning the competition for the second time in a row will be a miracle, but this time around we have an improved team to help us cope.
And, despite feeling sad that not a single PAOK player is in our squad, I will be behind this team 100%. All the best! :)
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Boy, bitter ain't the word! Below is an article straight from the ITV Euro 2008 sports section. Biterness straight out the horses mouth; from the media to the general public, it's the same vibe through and through:
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Group D - Greece
Published: Wednesday, 7 May 2008, 11:17AM
Population: 9.2 million
Best performance: Winners in Euro 2004 – you may not remember it as they may have sent you to sleep before their victory over Portugal
Support them because: They shook world football to its core with their victory in 2004, proving big titles don’t only go to big nations.
Manager: Otto Rehhagel would still be considered a modern-day Greek god even if he picked 11 pensioners for their opening Euro 2008 clash against Sweden. A hugely successful club manager in Germany, Rehhagel took over as Greek national boss in 2001 and led his 100-1 outsiders to victory. Failure to qualify for the 2006 World Cup failed to shake the nation’s faith in the manager and he duly came up trumps again with qualification for this summer’s jamboree.
Premier League star: Success in Portugal didn’t lead to an exodus of Greek players from their national league. Bolton winger Stelios is the only current squad member plying his trade in England, but these days he’s more likely to be seen modelling tracksuits and woolly hats on the sidelines than actually taking part in matches.
Coming our way? Greece’s top scorer in qualifying Theofanis Gekas was a prolific marksman for Panathinaikos before making a switch to Bayer Leverkusen where he scored seven goals in a 15-1 pre-season victory. It’s not gone so swimmingly since, but a few goals in Austria and Switzerland will have the scouts circling.
Tactics: The set-piece specialists of Euro 2004 have attempted to expand their game in the last four years and Rehhagel often went into qualifiers with three up-front. However, with the quality of opposition improving, it’s likely he will choose to go defensive again and rely on the counter-attack.
How they qualified: Despite a humiliating 4-1 home defeat by bitter rivals Turkey, Greece finished top of their group with more points than any other side across the whole qualifying competition. A run of one defeat in eight after the Athens horror show put their campaign back on track and Greece duly qualified with a game to spare.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Nikopolidis (Olympiacos), Chalkias (Aris Thessaloniki), Tzorvas (OFI Crete).
Defenders: Kyrgiakos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Dellas (AEK Athens), Vintra (Panathinaikos), Spiropoulos (Panathinaikos), Goumas (Panathinaikos), Torosidis (Olympiacos), Patsatzoglou (Olympiacos), Antzas (Olympiacos).
Midfielders: Basinas (Mallorca), Stelios (Bolton Wanderers), Karagounis (Panathinaikos), Tziolis (Panathinaikos), Katsouranis (Benfica).
Forwards: Salpingidis (Panathinaikos), Liberopoulos (AEK Athens), Gekas (Bayer Leverkusen), Samaras (Celtic), Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Charisteas (FC Nuremberg).
Odds: To win Group D 4-1; To win Euro 2008 20-1
http://www.itv.com/Sport/football/Euro2008/Teamprofiles/Greece/default.html
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Sarcastic and RUDE!
Its nice to see a BBC sport journalist showing Greece some recognition for what they achieved in 2004. It seems that a lot of people either walk around with a blind fold over their eyes or are just as bitter as the ITV sport journalist who wrote the article above.
Wont be easy to repeat euro 2004, but we got a much better squad and with a little faith, (seems to be the missing ingredient at the moment) we will do it again.
GOD BLESS!
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I remember the Euro's last time. Every game Greece played was the same, every commentator and expert of football said the same thing "they will lose this time" and on it went. They used so many reasons to explain this from the farcical that Greece shouldn't win it as they are a small nation to the more acquired opinion that they are not attack minded enough. But Greece did win Euro 2004 and in some style despite some of the nasty comments on this page. When was the last time England beat France, Portugal or Czech republic in a tournament? If I remember correctly it was Portugal that knocked out England last time round. Also as for soft groups ok maybe it was but Greece still stormed it, last time round they won their group again and had Spain in it. So come on stop being so bitter and support the white and blue HELLAS OLE!!
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