Euro 2008 Preview – Portugal
May 28, 2008
Big Phil Scolari’s Portugal team have been placed as 4th favouites to win the tournament and it’s going to be all eyes on Manchester United midfielder Chritiano Ronaldo.
Out of the 23 man squad four are based in England, Ricardo Carvalho and Paulo Ferreira from Chelsea, Nani and Ronaldo from Manchested United. Chelsea fans will be able to check up on thier new signing Jose Bosingwa, the right back will move from Porto to London after the tournament. There was only one supprise in the squad with Midfeilder Maniche being left out of the squad.
After coming runners up in Euro 2004 to Greece the expectations are high and only winning the tournament will please Scolari. They should have no problems getting out of group A with Czech Republic, Turkey and co-hosts Switzerland. The bookies have placed them at 7/1 to win.
Portugal Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Ricardo Pereira (Real Betis), Quim Silva (Benfica), Rui Patricio (Sporting)
Defenders: Miguel Monteiro (Valencia), Jose Bosingwa (Porto, to join Chelsea after tournament), Paulo Ferreira (Chelsea), Ricardo Carvalho (Chelsea), Fernando Meira (VfB Stuttgart), Bruno Alves (Porto), Pepe (Real Madrid), Jorge Ribeiro (Boavista)
Midfielders: Raul Meireles (Porto), Joao Moutinho (Sporting), Deco (Barcelona), Armando Petit (Benfica), Miguel Veloso (Sporting)
Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Simao Sabrosa (Atletico Madrid), Ricardo Quaresma (Porto), Nuno Gomes (Benfica), Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen), Nani (Manchester United), Helder Postiga (Panathinaikos)
Euro 2008 Preview – Czech Republic
May 28, 2008
Czech Republic coach Karel Bruckner not been able to name his star man Tomas Rosicky in his 23-man squad for Euro 2008 due to injury. The Arsenal midfielder is missing due to a knee injury he picked up towards the end of the season.
Rosicky’s place has been taken up by Reading midfielder Marek Matejovsky, he has six caps to his name and may be in the starting line up. Manager Bruckner had asked vetran Pavel Nedved to return from reteirment but Nedved declined.
Three players from the Preimership are in the squad, Petr Cech, Rudi Skacel and Marek Matejovsky. The lack of talent has been noted in their odds from the bookies, at 16/1 they are 8th favourites.
Czech Republic Full Squad
Goalkeepers:Petr Cech (Chelsea), Jaromir Blazek (Nuremberg), Daniel Zitka (Anderlecht)
Defenders: Zdenek Grygera (Juventus), Marek Jankulovski (AC Milan), Michal Kadlec (Sparta Prague), Zdenek Pospech (Copenhagen), David Rozehnal (Lazio), Rudi Skacel (Southampton), Tomas Ujfalusi (Fiorentina)
Midfielders:Tomas Galasek (Nuremberg), David Jarolim (Hamburg), Radoslav Kovac (Spartak Moscow), Marek Matejovsky (Reading), Jaroslav Plasil (Osasuna), Jan Polak (Anderlecht), Tomas Sivok (Sparta Prague)
Forwards: Milan Baros (Lyon), Martin Fenin (Frankfurt), Jan Koller (Nuremberg), Libor Sionko (Copenhagen), Vaclav Sverkos (Banik Ostrava), Stanislav Vlcek (Anderlecht)
Euro 2008 Preview- Croatia
May 28, 2008
Croatia coach Slaven Bilic is backing his team to make an impact in Euro 2008 and should progress from their group with Germany, Austira and Poland. Two of the 23 man squad are based in England Vedran Corluka of Manchester City and Portsmouth’s Niko Kranjcar. It will also be a good chance for Spurs fans to see their new signing Luka Modric in action.
Bilic is with out Arsenals Eduardo who is recoving from a horror leg break, but Werder Bremen’s Ivan Klasnic has been named in the squad following a ….. wait for it….a kidney transplant.
Bilic has also signed a two year extention to his contract which end speculation about a move to England. Expect the Croations to make an impact, 6th favourites with the bookies at 12/1.
Croatia Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Stipe Pletikosa (Spartak Moscow), Vedran Runje (RC Lens), Mario Galinovic (Panathinaikos)
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Manchester City), Dario Simic (AC Milan), Robert Kovac (Borussia Dortmund), Josip Simunic (Hertha Berlin), Dario Knezevic (Livorno), Hrvoje Vejic (Tom Tomsk)
Midfielders: Danijel Pranjic (Heerenveen), Darijo Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk), Niko Kovac (Salzburg), Luka Modric (Tottenham), Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth), Jerko Leko (Monaco), Ivan Rakitic (Schalke 04), Ognjen Vukojevic (Dinamo Zagreb), Nikola Pokrivac (Monaco)
Forwards: Mladen Petric (Borussia Dortmund), Ivica Olic (Hamburg SV), Ivan Klasnic (Werder Bremen), Igor Budan (Parma), Nikola Kalinic (Hajduk Split)
Euro 2008 Preview – Netherlands
May 27, 2008
Marco van Basten has named his final 23 men for the tournament today. The Dutch will have a real fight on their hands to get past France and Italy in their group, this hasn’t been helped by AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf pulling out of the squad due to differences with van Basten.
As expected there is a few familiar names in the squad with the star man being Real Madrids Ruud van Nistelrooy. Arsenal forward Robin van Persie is in the squad but in run of form after an injury hit season.
It doesn’t look like being the Dutch’s tournament with a really bad group to start in and with van Basten set to leave to manage Ajax after the tournament. The bookies have placed the Netherlands as 7th favorites at 12/1. Strong up front, weak at the back is the best summary.
Netherland Full Squad
Goal keepers :Van der Sar (Manchester United), Stekelenburg (Ajax), Henk Timmer (Feyenoord);
Defenders : Bouma (Aston Villa), De Cler (Feyenoord), Heitinga (Ajax), Mathijsen (Hamburg), Melchiot (Wigan Athletic), Ooijer (Blackburn Rovers);
Midfielder : Afellay (PSV Eindhoven), Van Bronckhorst (Feyenoord), Engelaar (Twente), De Jong (SV Hamburg), Sneijder (Real Madrid), Van der Vaart (Hamburg), De Zeeuw (AZ Alkmaar);
Strikers: Babel (Liverpool), Huntelaar (Ajax), Kuyt (Liverpool), Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid), Van Persie (Arsenal), Robben (Real Madrid), Vennegoor of Hesselink (Celtic).
Euro 2008 Preview – Spain
May 27, 2008
Euro 2008 starts soon and although it won’t be the same without England it’s still set to be a great competition with 16 teams form Europe competing. We take a look at one of the favorites Spain.
Coach Luis Aragones has named his 23-man squad for the finals and there were one or two notable absences. The big on being Real Madrid striker Raul, the Madrid forward has been key in his sides championship winning season popping up with 18 goals and his still Spain’s all time leading goal scorer with 44 goals. Another two shock names to be left out are David Albelda and Joaquín Sánchez from Valencia.
There is plenty of tallent based in England in the Spain squad, in fact their two best players Fabregas and Torres both play in England, in total 5 of the 23 play in England, 4 of them for Liverpool. The bookies have place Spain as the second favorites to win the competition at 11/2 just behind Germany.
Spain Full Squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel Reina (Liverpool), Andres Palop (Sevilla)
Defenders: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Juanito (Real Betis), Alvaro Arbeloa (Liverpool), Fernando Navarro (Real Mallorca), Raul Albiol (Valencia), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal)
Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia), Santiago Cazorla (Villarreal), Ruben de La Red (Getafe), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Marcos Senna (Villarreal)
Strikers: David Villa (Valencia), Sergio Garcia (Real Zaragoza), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), Daniel Guiza (Real Mallorca)
