Euro 2008 (include all discussions)

Originally Posted by Rico

Spain can win a World Cup. It is a matter of time before they do it. Do you have any clue how well the Spanish youth sector is working? Do you have any idea of how well organised their work with young talents proceed?

Spain played offensively well. Villa were creating spaces while Torres managed to do more offensively than Toni in the entire match.

I always wish the best for Spain, but Spain were poor offensively in this game and had little creativity in front of the net. Italy was worse offensively, but Italy knows how to defend well and apparently wanted to try their lucky at penalty kicks. It's a flip of a coin.

Spain's finishing was hideous. And Spain won't be winning the world cup, because nations like Germany and Brazil will bei n the way. I do have plenty of a clue, and I think Italy's youth system is better than Spain's.

It doesn't matter how good Spain's youth is... they can't win a major trophy because while their strikers are good, their defenses are NOT. Spain took the lead against France in the world cup, and blew it later on conceding three goals. The defense is terrible still. Puyol and Marchena is all Spain have? Disgraceful.

If Inzaghi and Pirlo were in the game he would have led Italy to victory.

Originally Posted by Siregar

This is the game I watched. None dared to attack which makes it a very very boring match!

My dad told me it reminded him of the world cup 1990... in fact most of the matches so far has reminded him of that...

Spain's youth system is perfect. It has Real Madrid and FC Barcelona as the core. It produces talents and it evolves them into something beautiful.

Many big talents have come out of the Spanish youth section. Raul, Torres, Fabregas, Butragueno, Zubizarreta, Morientes, Hierro, Salgado, Villa.

It is the freshness of the youth sector, the new-wave energi which is pouring through the country's school.

Italy's youth system is also very good and is closely behind Spain.

Originally Posted by Rico

Spain's youth system is perfect. It has Real Madrid and FC Barcelona as the core. It produces talents and it evolves them into something beautiful.

Many big talents have come out of the Spanish youth section. Raul, Torres, Fabregas, Butragueno, Zubizarreta, Morientes, Hierro, Salgado, Villa.

It is the freshness of the youth sector, the new-wave energi which is pouring through the country's school.

Italy's youth system is also very good and is closely behind Spain.

I know very well about Spain's youth sector, but it has nothing on Italy right now. Italy has many more players... take a look at the Toulon tournament recently. It is not behind Spains in any sense of the word... are you joking? Italy's youth system is miles ahead of that in Spain... and unlike Spain, the system in Italy has an emphasis on defensive players (which are sorely lacking in Spain). That's why it is my view that Italy has the best chance of winning a world cup in the future. France is the one falling behind one...

Take for example Dessena, Abate, Giovinco, Acquafresca, Cigarini, Santacroce, David Di Gennaro... and of course Alberto Paloschi... these are all players we know about from various clubs from around Italy... many will be future stars...

I must say Italy really disappointed me last night. Toni didn't get any support and all italy tried to do was play the long ball. I still don't understand why Cassano got to play before Del Piero. Alex had one of his best seasons ever. But Spain got threw and they deserved it so good luck to them. With both the Netherlands and Italy out I must say I now think Germany will be victorious coz we all know what football is all about

Spain's youth sector is a hidden treasure. Not many people are aware of the massive effort Spain put into developing players.

Not only are the youth coaches very talented. But also it is a Spanish tradition to take in players from other countries. Often from South America to make a team stronger.

I'm not at all questioning Italy's talent mass which is undoubtedly impressive. Very impressive.

But anyone who understands and has put time into it will see that Spain's talent school and fabrication of young footballers not only from Spain but also from foreign countries is in a league of it's own.

Originally Posted by Rico

Spain's youth sector is a hidden treasure. Not many people are aware of the massive effort Spain put into developing players.

Not only are the youth coaches very talented. But also it is a Spanish tradition to take in players from other countries. Often from South America to make a team stronger.

I'm not at all questioning Italy's talent mass which is undoubtedly impressive. Very impressive.

But anyone who understands and has put time into it will see that Spain's talent school and fabrication of young footballers not only from Spain but also from foreign countries is in a league of it's own.

I have nothing against Spanish stars, and in fact I always wish Spain the best, but Spain has a severe problem that has not been getting any better with years. The problem is the lack of natural defenders... I've noticed this time and time again. I'm totally pleased with Spain and their ability to produce excellent strikers... but unlike Italy, they will never match in the department of defense. Carlos Puyol and Marchena simply don't cut it anymore.

And when Spain does not match other major countries in the art of defense, it will not get that far in the world cup.

I'm up really late so I must say good night. Messing around with windows vista.

I'm not a Spanish NT fan (far from that), but they have a good youth sector, not the U21 but the U17? or 18, I don't know what category it is ...

Most of their best players come from Barcelona anyway.

For Italy, we know who will be the next players of the team:
- Sure = Buffon, Chiellini, Pirlo, De Rossi, probably Cassano
- The ones I think will remain until next WC even if they're not starters = Zambrotta, Grosso, Gattuso, and ? Toni if not too old
- The ones I hope will join the Azzuri = Giuseppe Rossi, Rosina, Montolivo, Dessena, Dossena, Paloschi, Gilardino
- For the others = I don't know, only time will tell us ...

I only hope you italians have a paper that FIGC will soon sign and Donadoni will be fired!

Sorry for your loss...

Originally Posted by mrki

I only hope you italians have a paper that FIGC will soon sign and Donadoni will be fired!

Sorry for your loss...

I know what you're thinking right now !! Ahahah ...
... Suspens ...
A paper saying that FIGC sign Ancelotti as new NT coach ?! Tell it !! lol

Lippi as "new" NT coach would be good ...

Originally Posted by Giancarlo

My dad told me it reminded him of the world cup 1990... in fact most of the matches so far has reminded him of that...

WC90 was of the most boring world cups, This EURO-08 stands out as a good tournament. No more catanaci, no more italy. Every game, except when Italy and France played is a good one and almost unpredictable. Except I can predict Germany smeatrolling Turkey.

Monday 23 June 2008

Zidane's expert eye on EURO
by Andrew Haslam from Vienna

He is watching a tournament for the first time since 1994 and former French international Zinédine Zidane is thoroughly enjoying UEFA EURO 2008™, although he freely admits to not having the first idea who will win.

'Fan's eyes'
"It's been a wonderful tournament with fantastic matches," Zidane, who turns 36 today and retired two years ago following his side's defeat by Italy in the FIFA World Cup final, told euro2008.com. "I've had a lot of pleasure watching the games. It's the first tournament for a while in which I'm not playing myself so I have been following it from outside and enjoying it with my family. I look with a fan's eyes and I really enjoy watching these games because they are top-level matches."

Arshavin admiration
As one of the most world's foremost creative talents it is not surprising that Zidane – in Vienna to hold a coaching clinic for children as part of his role as an adidas ambassador – focuses mainly on the more aesthetic side of the game, with one player in particular catching his eye. "In the game [against the Netherlands] the Russia No10, [Andrei] Arshavin, impressed many of us. Everything he does is surprising. He is very young and it's his first major tournament so to be able to play the way he does is surprising enough to talk about."

Les Bleus let-down
A European champion with France in 2000, Zidane could only watch as Les Bleus lost to the Netherlands and Italy to fall at the first hurdle this time round, although he pinpoints the opening draw with Romania as the crucial factor. "The problem was that we had to win the first game," he explained. "It's so important to start well in such a competition; we had to beat Romania because the following matches were the Netherlands and Italy so we had to win that one. I'm disappointed, of course, because as a fan and ex-national player I had many expectations. I expected them to do better, it didn't work out but I am sure that the French team has a bright future and especially for the 2010 World Cup."

Portugal praise
France aside, Zidane professed to a particular affection for a side who lost in the quarter-finals, adding: "My favourite team was Portugal, but unfortunately they're not in the tournament any more. They were a complete team, had many good individual players who are very strong technically and were strong in defence. It's always important to have good individual qualities and good forwards, but it's even more important not to concede goals and Portugal had this potential before the quarter-final against Germany. Of course they played against a very strong German side which hadn't done so well in their previous matches, but they played a perfect game against Portugal."

'Beautiful teams'
Germany will meet Turkey in the semi-finals in Basel on Wednesday with Spain taking on Russia in Vienna a day later, yet Zidane is still reluctant to single out any one team as likely champions. "Germany are always there for important matches, they're always among the last four and [Michael] Ballack leads his team in a great manner. Russia have proved that they have a great quality as a team, especially against the Netherlands. They're physically well prepared and that allowed them to beat the Netherlands; they were a lot fresher in extra time. There are still beautiful teams and in such tournaments there are always surprises. I hope they will be great matches. I have no idea who'll win; my prediction would not be correct."

As De Niro says in The Untouchables, "life goes on".
I'm happy for Spain cause they are the closest people to italians in Europe, so we are a bit like cousins.

The hatred shown towards italian football fires me up, cause it's a sign of fear.

Originally Posted by Giancarlo

I know very well about Spain's youth sector, but it has nothing on Italy right now. Italy has many more players... take a look at the Toulon tournament recently. It is not behind Spains in any sense of the word... are you joking? Italy's youth system is miles ahead of that in Spain... and unlike Spain, the system in Italy has an emphasis on defensive players (which are sorely lacking in Spain). That's why it is my view that Italy has the best chance of winning a world cup in the future. France is the one falling behind one...

Take for example Dessena, Abate, Giovinco, Acquafresca, Cigarini, Santacroce, David Di Gennaro... and of course Alberto Paloschi... these are all players we know about from various clubs from around Italy... many will be future stars...

While I agree with you that Italy has quite a good bit of talented youngsters coming through, I don't think the Toulon tournament can be used as a guide because there are many other countries who do not participate in this tournament and some which do participate do not put out their best squads. I'd use the UEFA U-21 Championship as a better yardstick. There'll be one next summer, we'll see how well Italy does.

Originally Posted by Giancarlo

I ended up watching the discovery channel before the 2nd half of extra time. It was just that lousy.

Seems like all of the quarter final matches were so boring. At Croatia-Turkey match I turned off the TV when the game was still in 80th mins. Dutch was surprisingly dull. And reading the posts here I'm glad I didn't watch the Italy-Spain game