As you can see, sadly, I don't update my blog anymore. However, I've now dedicated my time to Soccer Fan Base (SFB), a forum which also has a blog at http://soccerfanbase.com/blog.
So in an effort to get more writers for Soccer Fan Base's blog, I'm advertising on my old blog to find people who are willing to write for SFB. So if you are interested either email me at darrenczw@gmail.com or leave a comment. However, when leaving comments do remember to leave your email. I have received comments whom I want to reply to but he or she did not leave an email address. We might even be willing to pay you if you are willing to write for us.
I hope to hear from some of you, and hopefully get some talented writers.
After weeks and close to 1 month of intense international football, the players are returning to their clubs to grab some glory again. There will definitely be different impressions the players have created, but what are the notable points of the tournament? These, based on my opinions, are some interesting things I feel I should share:
Best Goalkeeper:
He's 37 and close to retirement but he's still solid as ever. One of the major factors Netherlands could get so far in the tournament, he will definitely retire from international football with pride and style. Thanks for the memories, Edwin!
Best Outfield Player:
I don't think anybody had expected him to do THAT well. Xavi has proven, that playing well for 1 match is one thing, but playing well all-round, that's something else. I think he has earn himself the nickname of "Mr Consistent" in Euro 08.
Most Impressive Player:
He has been the talk of the town after his impressive performances for Russia. It was so good, that he's now even being sought after by Arsenal and some la Liga clubs. I didn't know him till he showed the whole world, including me, how he shouldn't actually stay at Zenit St.Petersburg. Sleek passing with creativity and the knack for goals, it may only be one tournament, but it is enough to let everybody know how good he is.
Biggest Flop:
Seriously. His performances for Sweden is nowhere as good as the one he gave for Arsenal years ago. He's showing his age, and to avoid further embarrassment, he should just retire from international football. And he did.
That's all folks. It's time to get back to club football, as the transfer window is just possibly days away from opening, and this year's Euro tournament definitely has its twists and turns, which will change every manager's opinions on certain players.
Well folks, tonight's much-anticipated Euro 2008 group C last fixture is just hours away, where it's a battle of mind-games and managers trying to outsmart the other. Well thanks goodness I managed to sneak in their office and stole their diaries. And I even got Fabregas' too! Enjoy their diary entries, and by the way sorry for the gay pictures lol ^^ Warning: Some crude humour included!
If I were van Basten...
Just few hours before the match against Romania. Now I have to face a big decision; should I tell my squad to just let Romania win or should I rather keep my pride and own Romania 6-0? If I ask Johan Cruyff he's going to give me a definite "Win with pride" answer. So let me think things through.
If I lose to Romania (on purpose, of course. There's no way that would happen), then I would face either Sweden or Russia. Which is good. And you know what's better? The Les Blokes and the Italians, who even dared to play that bad-boy Cassano, are not going to qualify! Can it get better than that? I'll be the hero! Maybe not...
My pride and reputation is going to be tarnished, Johan Cruyff is going to scold the shit out of me, and I won't even have a chance to manage AC Milan. So what to do...?
If I were Raymond Domenech...
Oh man. Vieira won't be playing tonight, he seems like he's having some kind of terminal illness! When is he ever going to be fit for France? Maybe he should have went to represent Senegal all along!
I must beat Italy, only then will my team qualify. But only if van Bastered's team win Romania. Tough one to tell, only Michel Platini knows whether he will abandon his pride and honour just for me and Donadoni to be banging our heads on the wall. How I wish I could do what Zizou did in the World Cup 2 years ago to van Basten, too bad I forgot to shave my hair or it would be a "WC Flashback". Thierry Henry should be able to play, Gomis should get a new haircut too because he sucks at the moment with it, and Gregory Coupet should have retired earlier. What to do???
If I were Roberto Donadoni...
Bad news. I just met the chairman of the Italian National Team. He says that unless I qualify and advance to the next stage of Euro 2008, I can fu**ing kiss my Italian job goodbye. This time it seems really true; I massaged his back, scrubbed his feet, and darkened his boots. It just doesn't convince him that we were unlucky to be at this difficult position because if I called the damn repair man to fix the damn hole in the drain Cannavaro wouldn't have fell inside and break his foot.
I need to beat France, the team which is managed by the guy who copied my hairstyle. He's okay, I should be able to thrash his team 3-0 easily, but for Holland, it is a different story. That wily and sly van Basten may not field their best players in order for me and Donemech or whatever his name is to be out at the group stages. Dino Zoff said we could qualify, but pl-ease! He's already 66, he better go x-ray his head and see if there's even a brain inside! If you were so accurate you wouldn't have let Maldini kick your ass by beating your record.
What to do...
If I were Fabregas...
No way would I want to face van Persie. I know there is a high possibility that Spain would meet Netherlands in the semi-finals, but I would rather sit on the bench. He's good, and I really hope he doesn't execute that "flying kick" which scored him a goal years ago, which was deemed by many the best goal he scored. I don't want to end up like the 2 idiots Rooney and Ronaldo, who fought like babies at the World Cup 2006, who then stupidly patch up their differences by treating each other KFC meals. Bummer.
Guess my fate is sealed .. I WILL face RVP, but whose team will win?
Luiz Felipe Scolari have been appointed as Chelsea manager, it's official.
The 59 year-old manager who is currently the head coach of Portugal, have agreed terms with Chelsea as he looks set to move from Portugal to England. An excellent manager who famously managed the 2002 Brazilian National Team to World Cup glory and 2 semi-finals and a final with Portugal, he is a well-known and world-class manager in the international stage.
But can he do as well in club management?
My answer, sadly, is a brief yes. Why sadly, you may ask. It's because of this theory:
Big Phil + Club filed with Talent = Trouble for Arsenal
In fact, it's not only trouble for Arsenal, but also trouble for all the other Premiership clubs. Scolari is a good manager, and although he's not really proven at club management he is still a wise old manager who famously made his players read The Art of War, a world-renown military treatise written centuries ago, to raise their morale and make them have that winning mentality.
Many will still argue whether Big Phil can cut the mustard at club management, but one thing's for sure, even Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson did not make their players read any strategy books.
So as a Gooner I just hope he will be a major letdown.
I know this time, I'm REAL late. But trust me, all the content in this magazine have been written way before Euro 2008 start, so expect some fresh content and not news mainly after how the different teams perform, The team's performance haave nothing to do and did not influence the magazine's content. Anyway, you can view all the links to the different issues of the magazine at the end of this magazine itself.
UEFA Euro 2008, the next major football competition after the FIFA World Cup, has pretty much left us all feeling excited(even if England isn't in). This magazine series of "Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008" is about each team's profile in the competition, and I will go through 7 major teams in the tournament in the time span of 4 days, telling you about their UEFA Euro history and their key players. Hope you love it and enjoy:
Finally, I got one more place to travel to. The home country of Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Mr Hotshot Cristiano Ronaldo. And after that, I will talk about the slogan for this years competition and that's not all folks, because Portugal is the last and only country being talked about here, there will be EXTRA CONTENT in this issue, a Prediction Chart. Wanna know more, then let's go check it out!
Portugal:
Team Profile:
Association: Federação Portuguesa de Futebol Manager: Luiz Felipe Scolari Captain: Nuno Gomes Most Caps: Luis Figo (127) Top Scorer: Pauleta (47) FIFA Ranking: 11 Number of Times Champions: 0
The Ones to Watch:
Cristiano Ronaldo
No Points for guessing why. Outstanding season with the Red Devils, if he do well for Portugal as well as he does for Man Utd, Portugal have a huge gem in their team and Luis Felipe Scolari would be happy as a lark. 42 goals for Man Utd in all competitions, I don't expect him to do the same thing for Portugal, but in Euro 08 he may just have more assists than goals. An excellent dribbler, his stepovers can cause sore eyes for his opponents. Definitely the man to watch.
Ricardo Carvalho
This guy started the argument whether John Terry was still the best defender at Chelsea. An excellent defender who forms a formidable partnership with J.T., he is a rock-solid defender that seldom lose concentration, often thinking about the situation at hand. Perhaps the main force in Portugal's defence, Cristiano Ronaldo can show his stuffs all he want, but without the Portugal without their backbone in Carvalho would mean that no matter how many goals Ronaldo scored he will always be overshadowed. Watch out for him to be a key man for Portugal.
Odds:
Portugal in my opinion, is a rather good team and one has to wonder why they haven't been able to win any trophies the past few years.
Boasted with the likes of the exciting Cristiano Ronaldo, up and coming Nani, excellent technical player Quaresma, and rock-solid Carvalho, there's no reason why they can't win it.
And yes, they will win it. Remember you heard it here first, on GUNNERockYa, Portugal will be winners. They can do right what they did wrong in the last UEFA Euro tournament, when they had a major upset losing to underdogs Greece in the finals on their own turf. But this time, they will be no mistakes. With Figo and Pauleta gone, here comes a new generation of Portugese players brilliantly led by Felipe Scolari, that will win the competition. My favourites to win this match, my money's on them.
Chance of Winning: 9.5/10
UEFA Euro 2008 Slogan:
As you can see, the slogan for this eyar's tournamnet would be "Expect Emotions". Here's what Michel Platini said about the slogan:
"It describes in a nutshell what the UEFA Euro 2008 has to offer: all kinds of emotions—joy, disappointment, relief or high tension—right up to the final whistle."
Sounds like a very good slogan to me. There will be emotions, especially for the group of death. Who will go out? We shall see.
My Group Predictions:
Group A
Portugal Switzerland
Group B
Croatia Germany
Group C
France Italy
Group D
Spain Russia
It's only my predictions, there are no gurantees they are right!
Well, finally I've finished the magazine series. I seriously regretted doing it so late, but never mind. I was thinking whether I should continue the magazine series, either in a different name or the same name as the tournament has started. But maybe I won't do at all due to the lack of time. Well I will see first, but keep visiting this blog for the latest news ;) Cheers, hope you enjoyed this magazine series :)
It's midnight here, so I'm going to do this one quick. The quantity may not be there, but I hope the quality is :) Enjoy "Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008: Issue 3", and if you don't know what I'm talking about, read Issue 1 and Issue 2. Let's get started!
UEFA Euro 2008, the next major football competition after the FIFA World Cup, has pretty much left us all feeling excited(even if England isn't in). This magazine series of "Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008" is about each team's profile in the competition, and I will go through 7 major teams in the tournament in the time span of 4 days, telling you about their UEFA Euro history and their key players. Hope you love it and enjoy:
Flying to Holland and Czech Republic, I saw a great video about the 2 mascots of Euro 2008. Many people would rather be interested in the football, but the mascots are worthy mentions. To cut a long story short, today I'm going to introduce to you Czech Republic and Netherlands, and at the same time let you meet with Trix and Flix, the mascots of Euro 2008. Let's go check it out!
Czech Republic: Team Profile:
Association: Českomoravský fotbalový svaz Manager: Karel Bruckner Captain: To be decided(Formerly Tomas Rosicky, but he missed out the campaign on injury) Most Caps: Karel Poborsky (118) Top Scorer: Jan Koller (51) FIFA Ranking: 6 Number of Times Champions: 0
The Ones to Watch:
Petr Cech
His season at Chelsea may have been plagued by injuries, but nevertheless, he's still a great goalkeeper. Some may argue that he's not number one keeper anymore, being beaten by the likes of Gigi Buffon and Iker Casillas. Well those people should just see how Cech play. He's still as good as ever, and injuries may have make him a little more shaky in goal, but he's a great shot-stopper who could still be the main factor of Czech Republic's successful Euro 2008 campaign.
Jan Koller
This 35 year-old Nurnberg striker is touted as some people as a "has-been" and that he can no longer cut the mustard anymore. He is in fact, one of the rare few players in the current Czech Republic squad that has played and scored goals for the once "Czechoslovakia" before thy split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia we know today. But I beg to differ. Tall and strong, he often make his opponents feel his physical presence with dangerous headers and spectacular shots. Some may argue that he's already past his peak, but Jan Koller is still the main driving force behind the Czech Republic team. Talk about Tomas Rosicky and Galasek, no one has much more experience than Jan Koller, and with Rosicky out injured, he is a hot candidate for the captain armband. He is simply pure inspiration for the other players, and he may just give more of a "mental" presence than a physical one for the Czech team. Odds:
Czech Republic have a small chance of winning, and like Croatia they are underdogs in this competition. The depth is not really outstanding, but they have a squad with a good amount of talent with Petr Cech, Jan Koller, Milan Baros and many more. Czech Republic has a good history in this competition, so it shouldn't be a problem. But sadly, they're just unlucky.
Without one of their best player, Tomas Rosicky, it will be difficult to go far. Cech can orchestrate the defence, Koller can organise the front, but who's going to lead the midfield? Heavy blow at such a crucial time. Another example of their bad luck is getting drawn into the same group as the host; it's never good when that happens because host countries normally have a good advantage and go far in the competition. The first fixture of the tournament, Switzerland vs Czech Republic, will tell it all.
For me, I'd say that they will go till the quarter-finals but will eventually lose at that stage. But don't count on me, underdogs are always difficult to tell ;)
Chance of Winning: 7.5/10
Netherlands:
Team Profile:
Nicknames: Oranje, Clockwork Orange, Orange Crush, The Orangemen Association: Koninklijke Nederlandse Voetbalbond (Royal Netherlands Football Association) Manager: Marco van Basten Captain: Edwin van der Sar Most Caps: Edwin van der Sar (125) Top Scorer: Patrick Kluivert (40) FIFA Ranking: 10 Number of Times Champions: 1
The Ones to Watch:
Edwin van der Sar
Like many "seniors" of the competition, this year's Euro 2008 is van der Sar's final year with the Oranje. During the qualification stages of Euro 2008 he has said that he will retire after Euro 2008, at the same time hoping to bring some success for Holland. There are other good keepers like Petr Cech and Gigi Buffon, but no one has more experience than van der Sar. Netherlans' squad is rather young, so the talent is there but the experience isn't. But making van der Sar captain was the right choice, because you have seen how inspirational he can be for Manchester United, leading them to the Premiership title with a few great saves and motivational moves. Edwin van der Sar has the experience and the skill, which makes him stand out from other keepers as they have skill but no experience, or vice-versa. This trait of him will make him the perfect keeper for the Oranje.
Klass-Jan Huntelaar
Already very well-soughted from many clubs, Klass-Jan Huntelaar is only 24 but can score goals like van Nistelrooy. He was face-saver for Netherlands on countless occasions, as he score spectacular last-minute goals to give Marco van Basten the results he want. He is a great technical player, as seen with his brillian bicycle kicks and exceptional shooting skills. A calm-finisher full of composure, that is what makes him a goalkeeper's nightmare as he lead the Oranje's attack which will always be a threat for other teams. There have been many speculation on whether Huntelaar or van Nistelrooy will get the lone striker spot, but regardless of whether he starts or is a substitute, expect him to score goals.
Odds:
Netherlands has quite a wealth of talent for attack and midfield. In attack they have the ruthless goal-scoring machine Ruud van Nistelrooy and the up-and-coming Huntelaar who "hunts" for goals. In midfield they have Rafael van der Vaart, one of the few "young but experience" players in the squad, Robin van Persie, who although have been plague by injuries and may not last the full 90 minutes for Netherlands, is still a good striker who can play in attack or at the wing, which was he natural position in the past. They also have Wesley Sneijder, who had an excellent season at Real Madrid which led them to the La Liga title last season, probably he's the signing of the season in the La Liga. And finally, Arjen Robben. His season at Real Madrid may not be as good as Sneijder's, but the quality is still there. Netherlands' talent chest is filled.
Then you must wonder, "That should make that champions right?", I have to agree, they got some chance in the competition, as Netherlands are known to breed excellent attackers, from examples such as Frank Rijkaard, Ruud Gullit and van Basten. Their attack may be good, but how about their defence? Now this is what will make them go down, their defence just won't be able to cope with the other teams in the competition, and seeing that they are so unlucky to go into the same group with France and Italy, they probably won't go far. With a little bit of luck they can qualify for the next round, but still, they won't go far. Their defence needs huge sharpening, because however good your attack, you just need a stable "backbone" or your attacks will fail. Even van der Sar won't be able to save the Oranje's weak backbone this time.
Chance of Winning: 7.5/10
Trix and Flix:
Meet Trix and Flix, the official mascots for UEFA Euro 2008. With their pretty funny heads, they were chosen ahead of their other competitiors, Zagi and Zigi and Flitz and Bitz, because of their names. They feel the name "Trix and Flix" would become a vital part of the understanding of the whole event. Now here's the music video of the official theme song of Euro 2008, "Like a Superstar by Shaggy", starring Trix and Flix themelves!
That's all folks. As the competition date draws closer and closer, get ready for Issue 4, the final issue where I will go to Portugal to meet Ronaldo, and plus many more features, including my predictions and the sloggan of the tournament. Stay tune, now take cares and good bye.
Sorry for the late publication, folks. I have lots of reason why I publish this magazine late, but I won't want to waste your time so I'm going to skip the explanation part. Anyway, here's issue 2, and if you haven't read issue 1, you can read it here. So, without further ado, enjoy Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008 Magazine: Issue 2 :)
UEFA Euro 2008, the next major football competition after the FIFA World Cup, has pretty much left us all feeling excited(even if England isn't in). This magazine series of "Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008" is about each team's profile in the competition, and I will go through 7 major teams in the tournament in the time span of 4 days, telling you about their UEFA Euro history and their key players. Hope you love it and enjoy:
After reading Issue 1, I'm sure you have gotten a glimpse of France and Spain. But for today, I'm going to introduce to you France's fierce rival, Italy, who have a not-so-long but tense rivalry since World Cup 2006. And also the very team who knocked out England, Croatia, will also be shown to you. And finally, enjoy a tour around the stadiums of Euro 2008 in Switzerland and Austria. Let's go check it out!
Italy:
Team Profile
Nickname: Azzurri Association: Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (Italian Football Federation) Manager: Robert Donadoni Captain: Yet to be decided (Formerly Cannavaro but he got injured) Most Caps: Paolo Maldini (126) Top Scorer: Luigi Riva (35) FIFA Ranking: 3 Number of Times Champions: 1
The Ones to Watch:
Alessandro Del Piero
Some people call his participation for Italy in Euro 2008 is probably his last stint for the Italy National Football Team. Expected to have signed his last contract extension last season, he is already 33 but is playing, scoring, and assisting in football like a 27 year old player. He impressed at Juventus, where he is a loyal player and became the top-goalscorer for the Serie A. An excellent finisher who is also rather good at assisting and creating chances for his other strike partner, if he does play for Italy in the first team, probably partnering Luca Toni, they will form one of the best strike-force in the tournament, with Del Piero helping Luca Toni score while score some goals for himself at the same time.
Daniele De Rossi
With such an impressive season at AS Roma, no doubt can De Rossi impress too at Euro 2008. A great leader and strong defensive midfielder, he can dominate the midfield with his physical strength and influence. He can also score goals at times, especially screamers from yards out which send the goalkeeper staring. Seem tireless, whoever is playing with him in midfield knows he has a great ally playing beside him. Plays so much like Gattuso, so much better than him that Gattuso has to be shifted out of position to make space for him.
Odds:
The current world champions, Italy have a very good chance of winnig another major competition, literally proving they are the best in Europe and probably the world. I would very confidently say that they are my pick to be winners, but sadly, because of somebody, I dare not say that they will be champions. And that somebody is the injured Fabio Cannavaro.
Just before the tournament was going to start, he got injured. Some people say he's alredy past his best, but someone who captained his team to World Cup victory is really somebody. It's no easy feat, and Italy will probably miss his mental presence more that his physical presence.
So, because of that large hole left in the defence by Cannavaro, Italy is still ont my favourite to win Euro 2008. Anybody can cover up for his position, but it's really nothing as good as a "Cannavaro-captained" Italy. But anyway, they still have a rather good chance, so for the Azzurri fans, fear not. they are already proven world champions, so it shouldn't be a problem.
Chance of Winning: 9/10
Croatia:
Team Profile:
Nickname: Vatreni ("The Blazers") Association: Hrvatski nogometni savez Manager: Slaven Bilic Captain: Niko Kovac Most Caps: Dario Simic Top Scorer: Davor Suker FIFA Ranking: 15 Number of Times Champions: 0
The Ones to Watch:
Luka Modric
This Tottenham-bound attacking midfielder is a vital part of the Croatian Team. A natural playmaker, he can set up goals for his teammates and strikers, recently shown in good partnership with Eduardo da Silva. Sadly, Eduardo got a long-term injury, but he continues to do his playmaking duties well. He can use both feet to play, and he is one of the most quick-feeted players without the ball, often bringing himself to favourable offensive positions, thus creating or scoring goals.
Niko Kranjcar:
Another Croatian player from the English Premier League, he can play as a striker, although he has shown talents playing as an attacking midfielder, thus establishing his role in that position for Croatia. An excellent dribbler and passer, he can shoot well and normally score amazing scorchers. He is also a rather good freekick taker, and his ability to spot a good pass is also a good advantage for him and Croatia. He normally gets forward when the opportunity arise.
Odds:
Considered one of the best underdogs in the competition with the most chance of winnig, Croatia's squad does not lack in talent.
Yes, compared to other teams in the tournament Croatia lose out on depth, but their great winnng mentality and teamwork offers them an edge in the tournament. They are being hit hard by the loss of Eduardo, one of their greatest goalscorers and most lethal finishers, but they should be fine because they know Eduardo are watching somewhere. Luka Modric and Niko Kranjcar will no doubt shine, and a team who manages to defeat England, even if they were lucky, shouldn't be underestimated. They have a small chance of winning, but yet I can't totally rule them out. Small odds, but it would be more interesting to see how they fare and how far tehy get.
Chance of Winning: 7/10
The Stadiums:
Austria
Innsbruck
Klagenfurt
Salzburg
ViennaThe Final
Switzerland
Basle
Berne
Geneva
Zurich
I won't do the talking. Just watch this video for yourself to see what the stadiums looks like:
That's all for Issue 2, while you stay tuned for Issue 3, here's some preview for where we would be going next: We will go to the home of Johan Cryuff and Tomas Rosicky. I will also introduce to you the mascots for Euro 2008, Trix and Flix. Hope you enjoyed what you read, till then, take cares and good bye.
After months of speculation, finally a conclusion has been revealed.
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is officially the new manager of Inter Milan, while Manchester City has announced that they have now parted with Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Like I predicted earlier on, Mourinho went to Inter as head coach. It probably didn't come as a surprise for most of us, and with a squad full of talent, combined with a manager who have done so well at Chelsea, even calling himself "The Special One", Inter Milan would probably be an unstoppable force next season.
As for Manchester City, Thaksin Shinawatra, owner of the club, has decided that it is best Man City part ways with Svev-Goran Eriksson after a good start of the season, only to find that go down the table at the end of the season.
And a news that I forgot to publish earlier, Avram Grant has also been sacked by Roman Abramovich. What is my opininon on all these managers leaving their clubs(Eriksson, Mancini and Grant)?
One word: Sick.
Firstly, let's look at Avram Grant. At the start when he just joined Chelsea, many people thought that he would be a disaster. We didn't know him, perhaps even his own players don't know him. But guess what he did. A runner-up position for the Premier League, Carling Cup, and he managed to get Chelsea into their first Champions League final. Surely, he may only be runner-up for all these competitions, but he deserves another season to win them, it's really not bad for a first-timer, someone whom we didn't know, someone who is a stranger. Harsh sacking.
Now, let's look at Sven-Goran Eriksson. Before he arrived, Manchester City was 14th in the Premier Lague, and scored the fewest goals at home in the premiership, breaking a record of only 10 goals being scored at home (Try imagining that!). Then after Eriksson took over, he was sparking the media's attention, bringing the club to a 3rd position at the start of the season. The club soon became more and more inconsistent, and in the end got 9th position. I know Shinawatra is fustrated to go so low at the end of the season, but from 14th place to 9th, that's really something. Eriksson don't deserve to get sack, and now it will be intersting to see who Thaksin appoints as manager next season and what position Man City will get, while seeing how Eriksson does for the Mexico National Football Team, although it's not official yet.
Lastly, we go to Italy to analyse Roberto Mancini. Let's see his past Serie A records: 3 Serie A wins in a row. Some people may argue that the first title was won in court(because of Calciopoli), the second there was virtually no competition, and the third was because he could be a little lucky and the teams that got promoted from the Calciopoli incident was still warming up. They can say all this, but if you were an Inter fan, you would say, "A win is a win, who cares how we win it?"
I'm not an Inter fan (I'm a Gooner :D), but still I have to agree. 3 Serie A titles is not easy, I bet Jose Mourinho can't even do that. But perhaps one of the major factors why Inter sack him is that his European record in pretty horrible: 0 European title wins. Anyway, it's still another harsh sacking, and I find this sick.
So, for the conclusion, Roberto Mancini, Sven-Goran Eriksson are all victims of "Harsh Club Owners' Tyranny", and I really pity them. Sometimes I just wonder how lucky Arsenal is, at least the owners aren't nosy parkers.
The much anticipated Euro 2008 is just over 4 days away, and although I should have created this magazine series much earlier, I have no choice as this is a new blog and I only thought of it today XD And by the way, I added the Euro 2008 countdown timer at the side of the blog.
UEFA Euro 2008, the next major football competition after the FIFA World Cup, has pretty much left us all feeling excited(even if England isn't in). This magazine series of "Countdown to UEFA Euro 2008" is about each team's profile in the competition, and I will go through 7 major teams in the tournament in the time span of 4 days, telling you about their UEFA Euro history and their key players. Hope you love it and enjoy:
In this issue, I will go through 2 teams that have a rather good chance of winning the tournament, one who were the 2006 FIFA World Cup runner-up, and another a squad boasted with talents. Today, I will talk about France and Spain. And I will also share with you the match ball of the tournament. Let's go check it out! France:
Team Profile:
Nickname: Les Bleus (The Blues) Association: French Football Federation (F.F.F.) Manager: Raymond Domenech Captain: Patrick Vieira Most Caps: Lilian Thuram (139) Top Goalscorer: Thierry Henry (44) FIFA Ranking: 7 Number of Times Champions: 2 The Ones to Watch:
Franck Ribery
This fast, pacy and virtually tireless winger could just be a star for France in this tournament. With Patrick Vieira having some injury problems and Thierry Henry recent form, the Bayern Munchen winger can just shine. I supported France during the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and I have seen him dominate the flanks. We've always been talking about Vieira, Henry and Gallas all being the same old star players for France, but after this competition, Franck Ribery can just add his name to that list.
Mathieu Flamini
Another tireless holding midfielder in the French ranks, as proven in his performances for Arsenal he can just bring in the same type of form he showed at the Emirates Stadium to Euro 2008. With Vieira having some injury problems, this is the perfect opportunity for him to shine and if he shows the same kind of form he showed at Arsenal last season, France would definitely have a great chance to win the competition.
Odds:
France have a rather good chance of winning the competition, but I believe they won't get far. After the performances they showed at the qualifiers and the recent friendlies, I'm a little worried for them because they should be achieving more. Thierry Henry, quite possibly, just got a lost year at the Nou Camp, while William Gallas and Patrick Vieira always gets the same old sickness: They play well for their clubs but don't really give their best for their country. This competition I believe, is only there to show the importance of certain players, how age is affecting their once best players, and I'm pretty quite sure you would be surprise who I'm talking about.
Chances of winning: 7.5/10
Spain: Team Profile:
Nickname: La Selección (The Selection) La Furia Roja (The Red Fury) La Roja (The Red) Association: Real Federación Española de Fútbol Manager: Luis Aragones Captain: Iker Casillas Most Caps: Andoni Zubizarreta (126) Top scorer: Raúl (44) FIFA Ranking: 4 Number of Times Champions: 1
The Ones to Watch:
Cesc Fabregas
He totally stole the show at Arsenal; he was the playmaker, the person who made Adebayor top-goalscorer and at the same time, he himself became the player with the most assists and PFA Young Player of the Year. Recently given the number 10, this kid has the brains and creative juices of one of the greatest playmakers in the world, yet at the young tender age of only 21. No wonder he got number 10 jersey. His passes can slice through defence like hot knife through butter, and if he shows the form he showed at Arsenal as playmaker, Spain can actually win the competition.
David Villa
The first thing you would do when you saw his name in this magazine is, "Why David Villa instead of Fernando Torres?" Yes, no doubt about it, Fernando Torres have had a better season than David Villa, but think about ability. Torres is still young and he will certainly be a future star, but let's not forget David Villa, the player who tried hard to keep Valencia out of the drop-zone, although he looks certain to leave. Great pace, great composure, excellent finisher and superb goal-scorer. I don't know why, but I would bet on Villa doing well rather than Torres, and he together with Fabregas, Spain can go all the way to the finals.
Odds:
Spain, like England, is filled with talent and depth, but they just lack the mentality to win anything. Their team is full of star players, and you would sometimes really wonder just how in the blue world they can't win any major competition. But their luck may just change.
Although not included in "The Ones to Watch", Iker Casillas will be an important part of the team. He has proven how he can be on par with other great goalkeepers such as Buffon and Cech, and for his performances he is made captain. His commanding presence will help the team, and his team knows that they have a reliable back to fall back on.
After everything, sadly, I have to say, Spain can go as far as only the quarter-finals, or with a little luck, the semi-finals. Call it curse or whatsoever, this year just don't seem right for them. Not right, not yet. But trust me, in a few years time, they will be indomitable.
Chance of Winning: 8/10
The Match Ball:
The match ball for the tournament will be design by Adidas, called the Europass. It has the same technology as the Teamgeist. Another ball, called the Europass Gloria will be used in the finals.
Criticsms:
Recently, Jens Lehmann has complained that the ball for Euro 2008 has unpredicable movements, as shown in the last 2 goals he conceeded in Germany's friendly against Belarus in the last 30 minutes. Oliver Kahn has in fact challenged that, insisting that there is no problem with it.
Will it affect the teams and show us some embarassing moments? We shall see...
Anyway, we've come to the end of the magazine, but don't worry folks, this is only issue 1, stay tune for issue 2, as I take you to Croatia and Italy, and also a tour around the stadiums that will be hosting the matches. Till then, hope you have enjoyed my magazine. Take cares and goodbye.
To some clubs, a new kit means new luck and probably a new and better season ahead. Whether it's superstitions or just some money-making ways from Nike or Adidas, new kits are always interesting to see, even if it sucks and gets much criticisms. So for today I'm going to post pics of all the new kits of the major clubs or nations, most of them that are already official. Loads of pictures, so, enjoy.
Chelsea:
Manchester United: F.C. Barcelona: Real Madrid:
Tottenham Hotspurs: Portsmouth: West Ham:
Marseille:
Liverpool:
Brazil/Netherlands(Nike):
Spain(Adidas):
Phew. Finally done. You don't know how much my computer was lagging with the shit loads amount of pics. That's all folks. Remember, some are official, but some aren't. For Arsenal's kits they have their very own post ;) Check it out under my archives.
