Euro Cup

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:06 pm

A shame to see the best team of the championship out, but the Greek win was not undeserved. The Czechs didn't play as well as they have done in the previous games.

[QUOTE=Xandax]Now I hope they can win the final also - I don't want Portugal to win

[/QUOTE]

Me too - go Greece!

Monolith · Post by **Monolith** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:10 pm

[QUOTE=C Elegans]A shame to see the best team of the championship out[/QUOTE]

If it was the best team it wouldn't be out now, would it?

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:15 pm

[QUOTE=Monolith]If it was the best team it wouldn't be out now, would it?

[/QUOTE]

Sure they would/could ... that is the fun about football (or sport for that matter)

It isn't always the best team that wins, as much as it isn't always the most deserving team that wins either.

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:22 pm

Same here, one of these two must win the final. Anyone but Potugal.

I like Greece for their underdog/newcomer/down to earth image. I like the Czech because of their style and motivation. What a sensation whould it be if Greece would reach the final,

but I think the Czech have a better chance against Porugal..

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 3:25 pm

[QUOTE=Rob-hin]<snip>
but I think the Czech have a better chance against Porugal..[/QUOTE]

Not the way they played tonight

The czech were dissapointing in this last match, although they were so strong throughout the tournament up to now .......
nerves maybe?

Lost One · Post by **Lost One** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 7:18 pm

Now I hope they can win the final also - I don't want Portugal to win

Why does everyone want Portugal to lose? I mean, if you look at the matches we've won, I'd say they were all deserved, even against England where our side has shown the better football. This is the first time we are in the final of the Euro Cup, we got to the semi-final of the last one, and we have some good players. Figo was player of the Year once and plays for Real Madrid, Ronaldo plays for Man U, and we have some other good players playing in foreign teams also.
I still don't get the anti-portuguese sentiment coming from people here.

It's not like we wouldn't deserve winning the Cup this time, despite never having won any...

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Thu Jul 01, 2004 11:48 pm

Don't worry about it, LO, not everyone is rooting for Greece. GO PORTUGAL. Just play de futebol and crush 'em!
And I think that the people here who don't want Portugal to win come from countries that lost against Portugal...

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 12:23 am

[QUOTE=Coot]Don't worry about it, LO, not everyone is rooting for Greece. GO PORTUGAL. Just play de futebol and crush 'em!
And I think that the people here who don't want Portugal to win come from countries that lost against Portugal...

[/QUOTE]

Denmark didn't loose to Portugal.... go Greece, go

[QUOTE=Lost One]Why does everyone want Portugal to lose? I mean, if you look at the matches we've won, I'd say they were all deserved, even against England where our side has shown the better football. This is the first time we are in the final of the Euro Cup, we got to the semi-final of the last one, and we have some good players. Figo was player of the Year once and plays for Real Madrid, Ronaldo plays for Man U, and we have some other good players playing in foreign teams also.
I still don't get the anti-portuguese sentiment coming from people here.

It's not like we wouldn't deserve winning the Cup this time, despite never having won any...[/QUOTE]

What does "deserving it" has to do with Figo playing for Real Madrid or has been chosen player of the year once? (3 years ago btw). Figo is one of the most overrated players on the portugise team in my oppinion. And I think that as a whole Portugal's team is overrated, sure there are some decent players (Ronaldo is good, quite good), but that dosen't mean it is deserved still. As with many things in sport - the team you wish to win, is a subjective matter. It isn't as much people being "anti-portugal"; more like "pro-greece".

Looking at the scalps that Greece has taken this year - maybe not with terrible interesting football all the time, but smart football, and with the football they have the ressources for - I'd say they deserve it much more.

I just hope Greece wins (and Portugal looses

)

Coot · Post by **Coot** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 5:21 am

[QUOTE=Xandax]Denmark didn't loose to Portugal.... [/QUOTE]I stand corrected

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 8:07 am

Well, after spending two weeks away from home, I've watched a lot of matches on a German channel. I'm not really sure which channel it was, but I must say the quality of German reporting was much higher then I’m used to in the Netherlands.

I was surprised the Netherlands got this far. We didn't do that bad of a job, although getting to the semi-finals with 2 losses, 2 draws and only 1 win kinda speaks against my own words. Portugal didn't impress me in the least either. Sure, they had there moments, especially in the first 45 minutes, but overall I think they could do better.
That France and the Czechs got kicked out by Greece was even more of a surprise to me. Greece played really well organized and are extremely good in the duels. I've never seen a country make such great and precise slidings.

It deserved a standing ovation from my side.

This evening, I will be watching Greece-Portugal at a friends house. Considering the annoying and bad quality of the Dutch reporter(s), beer will probably fill my stomach more then ones...

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:40 pm

Congrats to Greece!

Won in normal time too. Excellent.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:43 pm

Congratulation Greece

Congratulations to Greece. Magnificent

Now who'd think the Greeks would take it, when the tournament was kicked off, even with their win in the starting match against Portugal, it was still an amazing sensation that Greece won this tournament.

Now - let us guess on the increased mediastorm that will focus on the german referee Markus Merk and his friendship with Rehhagel, and claim he was corrupt or something. As there has been up to the final.

But anyway - I think it is the biggest sensation in the European tournament

Oh - and what about that jerk runner, trying to cause publicity for some website. Stupid. I hope he gets thrown in jail or gets a very hefty fine.

Lost One · Post by **Lost One** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 2:44 pm

Well done Greece.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:02 pm

Very well done, Greece!

A well deserved victory for a team that has played strategic, disciplined and effecient football through the whole tournament.

Xandax wrote:Now - let us guess on the increased mediastorm that will focus on the german referee Markus Merk and his friendship with Rehhagel, and claim he was corrupt or something. As there has been up to the final.

I really hope not. Thankfully, there were no controversial situations in the game at all. Merk and Rehagel are not friends btw, even if they have known each other for a long time. Merk has sent Rehagel up to the grandstands for misconduct

Oh - and what about that jerk runner, trying to cause publicity for some website. Stupid. I hope he gets thrown in jail or gets a very hefty fine.

The Swedish commentators said he threw a Barca jersey at Figo...on the replay, it certainly looks so, and he looked like he was wearing a scarf (or similar) with the Barca colour around his hips.

Numinor · Post by **Numinor** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 3:43 pm

[QUOTE=Sytze]Well, after spending two weeks away from home, I've watched a lot of matches on a German channel. I'm not really sure which channel it was, but I must say the quality of German reporting was much higher then I’m used to in the Netherlands.
......
This evening, I will be watching Greece-Portugal at a friends house. Considering the annoying and bad quality of the Dutch reporter(s), beer will probably fill my stomach more then ones...[/QUOTE]

Could you explain where's the main difference between German and Dutch reporting ? Because as a German, I find the German reporting really dumb, the reporters talk so much nonsense during the game that I can barely stand it sometimes

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:24 am

[QUOTE=C Elegans]<snip>
The Swedish commentators said he threw a Barca jersey at Figo...on the replay, it certainly looks so, and he looked like he was wearing a scarf (or similar) with the Barca colour around his hips.[/QUOTE]

I noticed that also, yes. But I saw (didn't look closely, so I can't remember it excatly, and didn't really want to remember it) an URL for a website, both on the front and back of his shirt. So maybe it was a "dual" runner. An anti-Figo/Pro-barca and website publicity..... instead of having 2 runners

Lost One · Post by **Lost One** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 2:14 am

Figo used to play for Barcelona, and then he swapped to Real Madrid which caused a lot of anger (and still does) amongst the Barce supporters. I remember watching the early matches after his transference, where he would play against Barcelona, and all kinds of plastic and glass utilities would be thrown at him while he was taking a corner or at the sideline.

Xandax · Post by **Xandax** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 2:23 am

[QUOTE=Lost One]Figo used to play for Barcelona, and then he swapped to Real Madrid which caused a lot of anger (and still does) amongst the Barce supporters. I remember watching the early matches after his transference, where he would play against Barcelona, and all kinds of plastic and glass utilities would be thrown at him while he was taking a corner or at the sideline.[/QUOTE]

Yeah - I know.
Have seen this often, both international and national.
Even some supporters in Denmark goes overboard when a player shifts from their club to an "enemy" club. There was one with our local club where a player changed club, and was called all sorts of things and banners were posted when the clubs played etc....

It is tragic and stupid behavior in my oppinion.

Sytze · Post by **Sytze** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 2:51 am

[QUOTE=Numinor]Could you explain where's the main difference between German and Dutch reporting ? Because as a German, I find the German reporting really dumb, the reporters talk so much nonsense during the game that I can barely stand it sometimes

[/QUOTE]

The main reason, is that I find German reporting much more objective. If that was a one-time happening for Germany too, then I should probably withdraw my words.

The second reason, is that our Dutch reporter(s) spill out so much garbage and talk so fast, that you got the tendency to turn the volume down and turn on the radio..

____

About the guy who walked on the field; me and my friends laughed our asses of when he entered it and started running like a headless chicken. We could barely stop laughing when the guy jumped into the nets like a nuttcase. It was simply hilarious.
What we did wonder about though, was what kind of punishment he would get. I've read something about some supporters who got a few days jail because they destroyed something. How would Portugal categorize this? Terrorist attack?

Lost One · Post by **Lost One** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 4:04 pm

well...now it's a wait for the Olympics, even though soccer isn't exactly the highlight of any Olympics...mostly because the countries don't use their A teams.