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2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish Jun 07 2012 08:45 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jun 07 2012 05:40 PM

Starts tomorrow with Poland hosting Greece at 12 noon EST. GROUP A Czech 0 0 0 Greece 0 0 0 Poland 0 0 0 Russia 0 0 0 GROUP B Denmark 0 0 0 Germany 0 0 0 Netherlands0 0 0 Portugal 0 0 0 GROUP C Croatia 0 0 0 Ireland 0 0 0 Italy 0 0 0 0 Spain 0 0 0 GROUP D England 0 0 0 France 0 0 0 Sweden 0 0 0 Ukraine 0 0 0 Two issues threaten to overshadow this tournament 1) Boycotts by governments over the treatment in the Ukraine of Yulia Tymoshenko, the former Ukrainian prime minister who has been jailed for seven years. Today the British Foreign Office said it will not be sending official representation to the tournament. 2) Racism - treatment of black player here could be just awful, let's see. Fixtures - EST http://soccernet.espn.go.com/fixtures/_ ... ip?cc=5901

Mets – Willets Point Jun 07 2012 09:17 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

"You'll Never Beat the Irish"

metirish Jun 07 2012 09:35 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Yes, we are making our once in a generation jaunt to a tournament, what Giovanni Trapattoni and Marco Tardelli have achieved here with this squad is frankly remarkable , despite the criticism they get in some quarters. Tardelli then and now

metirish Jun 07 2012 09:43 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Useful links http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/euro2012/teams/ http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/euro2012/

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 07 2012 04:33 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Fun bunch of guesses here from the Guardian's soccerball writers. Guys like Polish/Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski and Danish/Ajax midfield wunderkind Christian Eriksen seem popular breakout bets.

Ashie62 Jun 07 2012 05:29 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Michael Cox Ireland – so much more likeable than England. Their weaker players are cult heroes rather than figures of ridicule.. From the Guardian.

Frayed Knot Jun 07 2012 06:09 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

So is this tournament just an end to itself -- like say non-Olympic year World Championships are to Track & Field -- or are the results here designed to feed into the process for the next WC qualifying? Or is it both?

metirish Jun 07 2012 06:18 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

I read that today and liked it, wondered if Michael Cox was from Ireland, I don't think he is, writes a brilliant bog on tactics www.zonalmarking.net what he says is largely true and the Ireland squad is littered with players who are not even first choice at their clubs, think Mike Baxter types. But they do a job as set out by Trapattoni and Tardelli, if a player is subbed out what comes on is like for like, we don't have a Ronaldo , we have McGeady instead. What has been really cool is that Ireland are based in Poland and of course the poles absolutely love the Irish, outside of Poland Ireland has the most polish nationals. I wish I was there.

metirish Jun 07 2012 06:26 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Frayed Knot wrote: So is this tournament just an end to itself -- like say non-Olympic year World Championships are to Track & Field -- or are the results here designed to feed into the process for the next WC qualifying? Or is it both? Neither , like South America has the Copa America Europe has the Euros . Next to the WC this is the biggest tournament and in fact might be better as it obviously has less teams. I maybe shouldn't have said neither as doing good makes for higher world rankings which does affect seedings for the WC. So yeah in a way it can affect WC qualifying but that's not why it is held.

Edgy MD Jun 07 2012 06:38 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

And we have the rocking CONCACAF Gold Cup, or something. Continental championships are in many ways more passionate, because what kind of grudge is there between Germany and Uruguay? Greece vs. Yugoslavia, on the other hand, can become a flashpoint for all sorts of long-simmering political and ethnic tensions most of us know little to nothing about. Every game has a little of that. Some years, it's like the Jingo Invitational. Write me down as a guy who doesn't like hired-gun coaches for national teams. If you couldn't qualify to play for Moldova, you shouldn't be allowed to coach Moldova. (Wait a minute... why would you write me down for that? Are you keeping a list of that sort of thing? Freak.)

metirish Jun 07 2012 07:38 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

My all time favourite WC song , The Pogues and the Dubliners - 1990 WC [youtube:3ovi61pk]Wotxd2uqP1c[/youtube:3ovi61pk]

Frayed Knot Jun 07 2012 07:48 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: So is this tournament just an end to itself -- like say non-Olympic year World Championships are to Track & Field -- or are the results here designed to feed into the process for the next WC qualifying? Or is it both? Neither , like South America has the Copa America Europe has the Euros . Next to the WC this is the biggest tournament and in fact might be better as it obviously has less teams. I maybe shouldn't have said neither as doing good makes for higher world rankings which does affect seedings for the WC. So yeah in a way it can affect WC qualifying but that's not why it is held. So it's a tourney held simply to determine this year's champion nation of Europe then without a direct connection to the next WC? -- That's what I meant when I said an end to itself. Track and numerous other sports also hold off-year (in their case, 'Off' year meaning non-Olympic years) championships either in a 'world' format, or in smaller continental ones, or even grouped into smaller entities like 'The Commonwealth Games' just for those stuffy English bed-wetting types and their colonies.

metirish Jun 07 2012 08:46 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Awful several black dutch players were subjected to monkey chants today while at a training session in krakow(is that where Pope JP was from?), over 25,000 fans showed up to watch the session and apparently the monkey chanting was loud. Think about that for a few seconds , monkey chants, wtf is the matter with people?

Edgy MD Jun 07 2012 09:14 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Karol Wojty?a was from Wadowice, pretty close to Krakow. He served as Archbishop of Krakow before getting a better offer. He was not known for subjecting black people to monkey chants.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 08 2012 12:59 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Frayed Knot wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: So is this tournament just an end to itself -- like say non-Olympic year World Championships are to Track & Field -- or are the results here designed to feed into the process for the next WC qualifying? Or is it both? Neither , like South America has the Copa America Europe has the Euros . Next to the WC this is the biggest tournament and in fact might be better as it obviously has less teams. I maybe shouldn't have said neither as doing good makes for higher world rankings which does affect seedings for the WC. So yeah in a way it can affect WC qualifying but that's not why it is held. So it's a tourney held simply to determine this year's champion nation of Europe then without a direct connection to the next WC? -- That's what I meant when I said an end to itself. Track and numerous other sports also hold off-year (in their case, 'Off' year meaning non-Olympic years) championships either in a 'world' format, or in smaller continental ones, or even grouped into smaller entities like 'The Commonwealth Games' just for those stuffy English bed-wetting types and their colonies. The winner of the Euros (and Copa America and CONCACAF Gold Cup and the other continental championships) get to participate in the Confederations Cup. While this tournament isn't prestigious in own right, it is something of a dry run for the World Cup and is held one year earlier in the same country. National teams that participate in the Confederations Cup have the advantage of playing competitive games in the same facilities the World Cup will be played in the following year. That's the only World Cup connection though.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 08 2012 03:39 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Animated histories of national teams participating in the Euros.

duan Jun 08 2012 05:26 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

seriously this is SO EXCITING LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE. SO EXCITING. Half to laugh whenever Barry Glendenning talks as if he's knowledgeable about football, having worked with him for 3/4 years (I can't remember dates and I was in college rather then in the office while he was with us), I can tell you he knows nothing about football. Don't get me wrong, he likes it, but he don't understand it. :) He moved to london to pursue the standup career that was inspired by a writing piece. this explains more and is worth a read metirish! http://www.hotpress.com/archive/1741954.html

metirish Jun 08 2012 07:37 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Some of the links didn't work, however I agree wit you on his football knowledge. I also think that is part of the likability of him though, the Guardian's football podcast with him is just great, although it has been a while since I listened, he certainly helped make it what it is. His video podcasts with James Richardson from the last WC were great. One thing I find hilarious is he'll really get in to it with posters in the comments section of articles he writes , it's so pointless but he seems to love it. Wish I was home for the tournament!

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 08 2012 08:41 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

I can't believe how excited I'm getting for a Russia-Czech Republic/Poland-Greece doubleheader. But, yeah, I'm getting very excited for a Russia-Czech Republic/Poland-Greece doubleheader. Continental championships are in many ways more passionate, because what kind of grudge is there between Germany and Uruguay? Greece vs. Yugoslavia, on the other hand, can become a flashpoint for all sorts of long-simmering political and ethnic tensions most of us know little to nothing about. Every game has a little of that. Some years, it's like the Jingo Invitational. Sometimes, on site. Warsaw Mayor Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she has received a letter from Russian fans who want to march from the city to the National Stadium for Tuesday's match in Group A. Gronkiewicz-Waltz said she will meet their representatives on Saturday to discuss how to best meet the fans' request. Ewa Gawor, head of the city's security forces, said the letter asked for "assistance while Russian fans with tickets walk to the National Stadium.'' Without specifying the kind of assistance, Gawor said:"We will grant that request.'' The fans said in the letter that it was their tradition to hold marches during Euro games, Gawor said. ... June 12 marks the day in 1990 when Russian lawmakers declared independence from the Soviet Union, by giving supremacy to Russian laws over the Soviet legislation. Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday he would encourage Poles to march together with the Russians, to celebrate the day that "finally buried the Soviet Union.'' And as to other issues hanging over the tournament? Nothing else, really... except that Italy's going to play while another MASSIVE match-fixing investigation involving some members of the national team looms back home.

Edgy MD Jun 08 2012 08:58 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Yeah, but that's the drama. If it hi-lights these historical tensions, it also elevates any symbolic victories over those tensions.

metirish Jun 08 2012 11:14 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

HahnSolo Jun 08 2012 11:25 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: Awful several black dutch players were subjected to monkey chants today while at a training session in krakow(is that where Pope JP was from?), over 25,000 fans showed up to watch the session and apparently the monkey chanting was loud. Think about that for a few seconds , monkey chants, wtf is the matter with people? Jesus. Come on people, it's 2012. LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Fun bunch of guesses here from the Guardian's soccerball writers. Guys like Polish/Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski and Danish/Ajax midfield wunderkind Christian Eriksen seem popular breakout bets. For a non-soccer guy, I found that preview quite entertaining.

metirish Jun 08 2012 11:57 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Entertaining opening game as Poland and Greece draw 1-1. Anyone that watches Arsenal will not be surprised with the Polish goalie , he is not to be trusted and is a calamity at times, I don't blame him for the penalty but the first goal he was nowhere , plus, do Poland have an offside trap?, awful at the back they are, very square . Poor penalty kick.

Frayed Knot Jun 08 2012 12:24 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: Now THAT is funny!

Ashie62 Jun 08 2012 12:33 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: Hilarious...Maybe someone will bail them out if they play the Germans.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 09 2012 12:06 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Whoopsie, Fighting Van Persies! (Hell of a win for the "worst team in Group B" Danes.)

metirish Jun 10 2012 12:39 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Come on Ireland

metirish Jun 10 2012 12:50 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Oh dear....a goal down already

Mets – Willets Point Jun 10 2012 02:34 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: Oh dear....a goal down already I was donating blood today when I saw that. I still think it was the early goal that made me queasy.

metirish Jun 10 2012 02:38 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Totally outclassed , some terrible defending , a non call on a penalty ....

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 10 2012 04:50 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

And yet, with a little luck... they'd have equalized. For what it was worth, it was a decent show.

metirish Jun 10 2012 05:06 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

True , and while I hate to complain about non calls I have seen the Keane tackle several times since and he went right through him , it was a penalty. Bottom line though is this team typically defends a lot better,and to get beaten in the air really is disappointing. I dread what Iniesta will do to Ireland , he was brilliant today.

metirish Jun 11 2012 10:06 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Watch online here using your service provider http://espn.go.com/watchespn/index/_/la ... nnel/espn1

Mets – Willets Point Jun 14 2012 02:18 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Spain may score more than Tampa Bay today. My poor ancestral homeland.

Edgy MD Jun 14 2012 02:30 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Eh, you're a dark-haired Irishman. Go back enough centuries and Spain's probably your ancestral homeland also.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 14 2012 03:12 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

I wonder if the ref carded himself.

metirish Jun 14 2012 04:24 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Edgy DC wrote: Eh, you're a dark-haired Irishman. Go back enough centuries and Spain's probably your ancestral homeland also. The Spanish Armada.......it hit again today, totally outclassed , we are bringing on a sub who Derby County didn't even want, Spain bring on Fabregas........ awful performances though,terrible at the back , our supposed strength. I think in the future the plan is to expand the Euros to 24 teams, look at Ireland and imagine several teams that bad in a tourney , no good.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 14 2012 06:29 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

my irl Irish friend I saw tonight is of the opinion that the Italian douche coaching the Irish has interfered with their CAHNfidence and won't pick their good young players for the World Cup.

metirish Jun 14 2012 07:23 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

I'm sure your friend is taking about James McClean in particular , a player with very little experience but bags of talent, the coach didn't even want to bring him in the squad but his hand was forced when a James McCarthy pulled out. We have another player Andy Reid who was dismissed by Trapattoni a few years ago, his crime?, being a play maker and not conforming to the managers rigid system. Again like i said before, that Trapattoni even got these players to the Euros was an achievement , a lot of these players play inn the lower levels of English soccer, or have done recently. The last time we made the Euros in 1988 we have several genuine world class players , some of the best to have played in England and Italy , here we have none really . Our last game is against Italy who need to beat us to have a chance, so in that respect the game has meaning , and obviously for our Italian coaching staff.

Edgy MD Jun 14 2012 07:41 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

metirish wrote: We have another player Andy Reid who was dismissed by Trapattoni a few years ago Which one of The Proclaimers was he?

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Jun 14 2012 09:05 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Yes, but this is why Irish fans are better than Spanish ones, and all of you fairweathers.

metirish Jun 14 2012 09:16 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Yes, but this is why Irish fans are better than Spanish ones, and all of you fairweathers. spine tingling, it actually lasted for over six minutes , form the 87th through the 93rd until the ref blew it up, it is been reported that several commentators in various countries didn't speak during the rendition , certainly in this version this barely spoke http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyTu8ibp ... r_embedded

Mets – Willets Point Jun 22 2012 09:59 AM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Germany vs. Greece today. [youtube:1wmmwoyr]ur5fGSBsfq8[/youtube:1wmmwoyr]

Frayed Knot Jun 24 2012 04:10 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

So it'll be a battle of the Axis powers in one semi-final: Germany vs Italy, and an intra-Iberia tilt in the other as Portugal meets Spain. I normally don't like penalty kicks to settle things but the England/Italy game might have been scoreless until some time on Tuesday if they didn't go to that format. No one seemed capable of scoring and only occasionally did either of them seem interested in scoring.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 24 2012 05:57 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Refraining from trying to score is Italy's strategy. England just doesn't score.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jun 24 2012 09:35 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

That's a shit strategy for Italy. I hope The Germans win by 10.

Mets – Willets Point Jun 24 2012 09:50 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: That's a shit strategy for Italy. I hope The Germans win by 10. I was joking mostly based on Italy's historical style. I haven't been watching the Euros so I don't know if they're still playing that today.

Frayed Knot Jun 24 2012 10:35 PM Re: 2012 European Soccerball Championship

Actually, your earlier description seemed pretty accurate (based on my totally NON-expert opinion from watching about half the game). England did look incapable of scoring with Italy, umm, not disinterested maybe (they did have their chances) but more like they'd take the odd opportunity if/when one presented itself but no use going nuts over it. The best scoring chances (one each way) came in the first 5 or 6 minutes. Overall, the possession ratio was about 2:1 and when the Limeys did have the ball they seemed incapable of keeping it for more than three touches or fifteen seconds, whichever came first.