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EURO 2008 CONTENDERS


Forza_Italia

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I have a feeling Germany has a good chance of winning the Euro. With the young guys they have now plus 2 more years experience they have what it takes to win. My top 3 picks in this order(if they Qualify)

1. Germany(looking to rebound from a home loss in the world cup)

2. France(always Dangereous even without Zidane)

3. Italy(even with a slow start,best European team of all time and very hard to beat)

Teams like Holland/Portugal/England always seem to choke in the big games and I dont think this will change anytime soon

What are everyone else's picks?

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quote:Originally posted by River City

Best European team of all time? Based on what?

I'm partial to Portugal, but based on my (limited) knowledge, I'd have to go with either the Netherlands with Cruyff or the Magic Magyars.

Well, I think he meant that Italy is the most dominant nation of all-time.

But he's still wrong. That honour clearly belongs to Germany. Italy typically chokes at the Euros. The only time they ever won it was when they hosted it back in the sixties and they still needed a coin-toss to progress past the semis.

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Holland have a good crop of talent coming through (Marcel DeJong and Jonathon DeGuzman included) if they can find someone to steady the defence. Don't be surprised to see co hosts Switzerland in the semis, with Germany and Spain, but every Euro needs a dark horse from the east and I think it could be Russia this time. Hiddink turns lead into gold everywhere he goes!

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quote:Originally posted by Forza_Italia

I have a feeling Germany has a good chance of winning the Euro. With the young guys they have now plus 2 more years experience they have what it takes to win. My top 3 picks in this order(if they Qualify)

1. Germany(looking to rebound from a home loss in the world cup)

2. France(always Dangereous even without Zidane)

3. Italy(even with a slow start,best European team of all time and very hard to beat)

Teams like Holland/Portugal/England always seem to choke in the big games and I dont think this will change anytime soon

What are everyone else's picks?

Bold predictions when you consider that today (early on) neither France nor Italy heads the group that they are both in!!!

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quote:Originally posted by canso

Holland have a good crop of talent coming through (Marcel DeJong and Jonathon DeGuzman included) if they can find someone to steady the defence. Don't be surprised to see co hosts Switzerland in the semis, with Germany and Spain, but every Euro needs a dark horse from the east and I think it could be Russia this time. Hiddink turns lead into gold everywhere he goes!

I like Belarouz..he's a strong and smart defender and can get nasty if need be....just ask C. Ronaldo.

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quote:Originally posted by River City

I like Belarouz..he's a strong and smart defender and can get nasty if need be....just ask C. Ronaldo.

Odd that you mention "smart" and the challenge on CRonaldo in the same sentence. A tackle worthy of a straight red-card in the 7th minute of a World Cup knockout-round match is about the stupidest thing a defender can do in his career.

Didn't know much about him until the World Cup. Just that he was nicknamed the "Cannibal" when at Hamburg. And going to the EPL looks like was a mistake as he can't keep-up with the pace of the matches. He looked lost against Liverpool.

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He was solid at Hamburg meriting his transfer to Chelsea. He just recovered from injury so he's not 100% yet.

As for the challenge, trust me, I was as angry as a Portuguese fan can get, but I think he was late on the tackle on purpose. There is a theory (espoused in World Soccer magazine no less) that the Dutch came out specifically to target Ronaldo. In which case, Boulharouz was just 'following orders'. Either way, stupid moment in his career, but doesn't detract from his abilities.

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Khalid the Cannibal isn't the answer. No one one that back line can really be described as "calm" or even "steady." Still with VandeSaar behind them the d can afford to take risks.

I'm making Spain my number one pick though. Every choker comes good sooner or later and the team has all the pieces to beat anyone, especially now that Raul has been dropped.

"Raúl was once a great player, and may be again, but like Steve McLaren and Beckham, it is clear that Aragonés has tired of the overbearing influence that one player can have on the set-up. By dropping him at last, he has shown courage where others have meekly failed. Now he can manage the side without having to look nervously across at Raúl, to see whether the great man approves of his every move. He can allow others to emerge from Raúl's shadow and take responsibility.

Raul's reaction on scoring against Atlético was deeply paranoid - pointing to his name on the back of his shirt in a pathetic little act of self-vindication. Some may have applauded, but others will have quietly been thinking 'good riddance'. No-one can question the man's commitment, but Raúl overstayed his welcome. Now the national side might start to function as it should, given the mass of talent that it still possesses in its ranks." - Phil Ball, soccernet

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