Euro 2008 Qualfication

[tHuG $TyLe]

Well, seeing as by this time next week we will know who has qualifed for the Euro's and who hasn't, its a good time for a thread.

I took this from the BBC site..but this is what teams gotta do to qualify:

Group A:

Poland will be guaranteed a spot at the Euro 2008 finals with victory over Belgium, though Portugal, Serbia and Finland could take top spot from them. Finland take on Portugal in their final group game, which could prove the decider.


Group B
Scotland will qualify if they beat Italy in their final qualification game on Saturday at Hampden Park.

If Scotland lose, they are out.

If Scotland draw, then their hopes rest on Ukraine doing them a favour by beating France in the final set of group matches on 21 November. If they have drawn, a point for France in Ukraine would put Scotland out - barring the mother and father of all shocks in Italy courtesy of the Faroe Islands.

Key fixtures:
17 Nov: Scotland v Italy (1700 GMT)
21 Nov: Italy v Faroe Islands (1930 GMT)
21 Nov: Ukraine v France (1930 GMT)


Group C
Greece are through after securing at least a top-two place. It's a fight between Norway and Turkey for the second qualifying spot with two games to go.

Norway play Turkey at home on the weekend.

Group D

Germany and the Czech Republic have qualified.

Group E
England's qualification is out of their hands. Their best hope is to finish ahead of Russia. But if the Russians win in Israel on Saturday, they will be one point ahead of England with one match to play - and that match is away to rock-bottom Andorra. England will not expect any favours from Andorra, who are on a run of 28 consecutive Euro qualifying defeats.

If Russia lose in Israel, then England need only to draw (or win) against Croatia in their final match at Wembley to guarantee qualification. If Russia draw in Israel, then England will need to beat Croatia in their final match to go through, given that a Russia win against Andorra is all but certain.

There is one other glimmer of hope for England. If Croatia lose in Macedonia, then an England win over the Croats by a three-goal margin will put them above their rivals. A 2-0 win would also be enough, but a two-goal margin in which England have conceded a goal (eg 3-1) will not be enough - as Croatia's away goal will mean they lead the head-to-head standings between the teams. Of course, should Russia have dropped points against Israel then any win over Croatia will suffice.

Key fixtures:
17 Nov: Israel v Russia (1800 GMT)
17 Nov: Macedonia v Croatia (1900 GMT)
21 Nov: England v Croatia (2000 GMT)
21 Nov: Andorra v Russia (2000 GMT)

Group F

There are no two ways about it - Northern Ireland's chances are hanging by the slimmest of tiny threads. But there is a route through for them.

First up, they must win both of their remaining matches, at home against Denmark and away to Spain. Anything less and they are out. But two wins will be sufficient, providing Spain have failed to win in their other match at home to Sweden on 17 November.

If Spain beat Sweden, two wins for Northern Ireland will still put them through, but only if Latvia triumph in Sweden in the final qualifying match on 21 November. Same can be said for Denmark..

Key fixtures:
17 Nov: N Ireland v Denmark (1945 GMT)
17 Nov: Spain v Sweden (2100 GMT)
21 Nov: Spain v N Ireland (1900 GMT)
21 Nov: Denmark v Iceland (1900 GMT)
21 Nov: Sweden v Latvia (1900 GMT)

Group G
Romania have qualified. Holland will join them at Euro 2008 with a win from their last two games, or if Bulgaria slip up.

Key fixtures
Bulgaria v Romania, G, 16:00
Holland v Luxembourg, G, 19:30
Slovenia v Bulgaria, G, 17:00
Belerus v Holland

Any predictions? hopes?

 

[Flipmo]

My prediction, cya England.

 

[Flipmo]

Here's an article I read on another board from this English writer. Though it was interesting. What do you guys think?

-----
It would be a major blow to England should the national team fail to qualify for Euro 2008. But for this inward-looking nation of football fanatics, England's absence from Austria and Switzerland might be a blessing in disguise, saving us all from another dose of our 'world beaters' suffering another 'shock' quarter-final exit. The truth, you see, is that England aren't that good. And that's nothing new.

Overestimating ourselves is an English tradition, be it on the football pitch or down the pub.

The fans are to blame to the extent that they buy into it, but it’s the media who repeatedly spout this hype every time a World Cup or European Championships beckons.

But look at the facts: England haven’t even reached the final of a major tournament for 41 years, and things don’t look rosy for 2008 either.

These are hardly traits of a world class national side, in fact we’re perhaps only marginally better than Uruguay, fellow faded winners of world football’s most prized trophy.

One cause of the perennial overestimation of our national talents stems from an overwhelming ignorance of football abroad. Open the newspapers or head to the websites of Britain’s mainstream football media and you will discover precious little coverage of foreign football. This is in stark contrast to France, Germany or Italy, for example.

Fixated on our own (admittedly very high quality) Premier League, the tendency has long been to rubbish what transpires overseas – players abroad who aren’t at Barcelona, Real Madrid or either of the Milan sides are often deemed inferior. If they were good enough, they’d be playing over here.

But do we really kid ourselves that the knowledgeable nations of world football marvel at our players in the same manner we do, that the talk in cafés in São Paulo, Madrid or Rome is of Ashley Cole or Frank Lampard?

This ignorance – some would say arrogance – has cost England many times in the past. Before the first of England’s recent qualifiers with Russia, captain John Terry was unable to name a single Russian player. Painful as it may be, he’ll presumably have no problem remembering who Roman Pavlyuchenko is now.

The abuse that Owen Hargreaves used to receive in an England shirt is another case in point. Deployed anywhere but his strongest position by Sven, English fans would jeer Hargreaves, labelling him substandard, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the guy must have had some talent to win the Champions League and start for Bayern Munich every week.

One outstanding World Cup and a £17m move to Manchester United later, Hargreaves is viewed by most as a ‘must’ in England’s starting line-up. It’s not his abilities that have changed, merely that he’s now visible to a media and public so intensely focused on domestic football.

It is perhaps this fear of being forgotten by the fans that prevents some English talents from hopping off abroad. Beckham managed it, but he wouldn’t have been forgotten if he’d sat on the bench for Dynamo Tblisi. With football an increasingly global game, the lack of English players abroad could be significant. We ourselves make a big deal of how ‘football is different over here’ and of how ‘foreigners need to adapt to the Premiership’.

So is England not lacking something by having no top players (Beckham aside) accustomed to the various individuals and styles of play on the continent? The French, Brazilians and Dutch have players based in all of Europe’s top four leagues. No, their domestic leagues are not of the same quality as England’s, but even the Spanish and Italians are now catching onto the idea that basing certain players abroad aids their personal development, especially if they’re from a country where competition for places in the top sides is tough.

Xabi Alonso has blossomed at Liverpool in a way that would perhaps have been impossible at Real Madrid. Italy’s Fabio Grosso swapped the bench at Inter for regular football at Lyon. Ligue 1 isn’t Serie A, but it remains a decent championship where he can play every week and enjoy Champions League football.

CSKA Moscow’s Vagner Love and Werder Bremen’s Diego are other examples: Stars for their clubs, their confidence has exploded and they proceeded to help Brazil lift the Copa America this summer. So what if their club sides aren’t as good as Chelsea? Surely their chosen path benefits themselves and Brazil more than Shaun Wright-Phillips’ almost permanent benching at Stamford Bridge does for him or England.

Blaming foreigners in the Premier League is a cop out. Good enough players command their place in the side regardless: Rooney at Manchester United, Terry at Chelsea and Gerrard at Liverpool. All English, all top professionals.

For those on the fringes of the Premiership’s biggest clubs – the likes of Peter Crouch or Wright-Phillips – their ambition to win accolades with England should be questioned. If they were truly motivated, they would head somewhere smaller offering regular football, be that in England or – if they want Champions League experience too – abroad.

But the dual lures of big money and a peripheral role in domestic club success ultimately prove too great to shift the inertia, as too does the memory of many a past English hero – from Jimmy Greaves in the 1960s to Michael Owen in 2005 – running back to Britain from a failed spell overseas faster than you can say ‘I missed the food.’

Those who have recently spoken in favour of footballing quotas maintain that removing such stiff foreign competition from the Premier League would prevent the likes of Crouch being restricted to bit-part roles for their clubs, and that this is therefore the key to obtaining a strong national side. Maybe so. But another thing worth considering is that great club players – as Rooney, Terry and Gerrard undoubtedly are – do not necessarily make great internationals. We’ve seen it time and time again with the Dutch and Spanish, and perhaps England are the same.

Consider this: between 1977 and 1984, English clubs won the European Cup every year except one. Just like now, the consensus was that England had the greatest league in Europe. Unlike now, there were very few foreigners plying their trade here. And how many trophies did the Three Lions bring home? So much for the quota argument.

Chris Williams

 

[_carmi]

okay i haven't followed the qualifications. is italy gonna make it?

 

[stefanwzyga]

okay i haven't followed the qualifications. is italy gonna make it?

Italy battle it out this weekend with Scotland to see who's going. It's in Scotland so were confident we can get one of the best results in our history.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Good article that Hizzle posted.

But did Terry really say he couldn't name one Russian player before the first match? Kerzakhoz, Arshavin are two quality players..

 

[hizzle?]

^^ it was Flipmo.

Are we that similar?

 

[_carmi]

^^ it was Flipmo.

Are we that similar?

yeah you guys are. and i dont know why.

 

[DPG iz all I C]

The whole country has gone in to overdrive over this game, i think they're setting themselves up for spectacular failure.

 

[Bobby Sands]

Good article that Hizzle posted.

But did Terry really say he couldn't name one Russian player before the first match? Kerzakhoz, Arshavin are two quality players..

I never heard that. If he did then he is a clown because Russia have some good players.

I would like to see Scotland qualify but i dont think they will. Italy will up their performance for that game.

 

[Flipmo]

Good article that Hizzle posted.

But did Terry really say he couldn't name one Russian player before the first match? Kerzakhoz, Arshavin are two quality players..

Yeah, thats the truth.

 

[Bobby Sands]

The reason England are not doing well? Most of their player are not technically good enough. They need a player like Paul Scholes in the team.

The reason Arsenal have very few English players? Because there are very few English footballers that are technically good enough to play in Wenger's system. The English players that are suitable, are already at big clubs.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Scholes playing at Left Mid for England is one of the dumbest things England have ever done tactically.

Oh and Owen is injured again and will miss the Croatia game...Crouch and Defoe maybe to start? :laugh:

 

[Bobby Sands]

Yea they didnt think of him highly enough at all. In my opinion Scholes is one the most technically gifted central midfielder in the World. I say this as a Liverpool supporter.

Crouch got your goal tonight didnt he?. He is a very good player imo. Fuck Owen. His biggest mistake was leaving Liverpool.

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Yes Crouch is decent enough, but laughing at the state of England strikers, that a player that can't get into Liverpools first team (until a couple of games ago I admit) I player who cant get a game for Spurs and a player playing as a defensive mid for Newcastle are Englands hope. Too bad Agbohnlor got injured tonight...

 

[Bobby Sands]

Yea but Crouch should be in the liverpool team. I prefer him to Kuyt. Torres and Crouch should be Liverpools starting strikers with Kuyt and Voronin (he is a good player but finishing is poor) as back up.

Defoe is another money hungry idiot. He should have left Spurs for regular first team football long ago. He seems to be more than happy to sit on the bench every week and pick up his big pay check.

Agbonlathor is a very good player imo. He did very well last season and has been brilliant for Villa so far this season.

 

[Flipmo]

It's halftime and Scoland is down a goal, but playing amazingly well.

Fucking Luca Toni man, goal in the 2nd minute. What an animal...

 

[Duke]

I hope Scotland manages to upset Italy. But the spaghetti munchers have a knack for playing well when it matters.


To be brutally honest, I couldn't care less if England makes it or not. I'd like to see them attend because they have good individual players and I'd like to see them fail to punish them for their footy arrogance.

We should beat the Luxo's and sail comfortably through. I will be disappointed if we don't take #1 spot in the group, though.

 

[Duke]

You're joking.....fucking hell, fuck Italy, man. Fuck em fuck em fuck em fuck em. Didnt deserve shit. always cheat and luck their way through games.


fuck em!

 

[tHuG $TyLe]

Go Italy..

Hard luck on Scotland... Hopefully they will have an easier WC qualifying group.