I know it may be hard for some of you to believe this, but to say that I'm ubber excited for the start of Euro 2008 would be a massive understatement. We are TWO days away from kickoff and I figured this is a good time to post my thoughts and make my official predictions for the Championship.

The Odds have officially been released today and here's how they look...

Germany 7/2
Spain 11/2
Italy 7/1
Portugal 15/2
France 9/1
Holland 12/1
Croatia 14/1
Czech Republic 20/1
Switzerland 25/1
Greece 25/1
Russia 28/1
Sweden 33/1
Turkey 40/1
Poland 40/1
Romania 40/1
Austria 100/1

I'm a little surprised at some of the numbers... I would have had Italy above Spain... I'm surprised Greece is higher than Sweden and Turkey (and I'm not just saying that because Greece beat Portugal twice at Euro 2004 - including the Final)... and I'm very surprised that Austria has 100/1 odds... I'd have them at 500/1... hell I'd have 500/1 odds that they actually score a goal.

GROUP A

Czech Republic
Portugal
Switzerland (hosts)
Turkey

This group intrigues me and not just because Portugal is in it. All four teams have a chance at advancing to the Quarter Finals. As hosts, Switzerland will have a strong fan presence but also a lot of pressure as let's not forget that since 1980 (when group stages were instituted) the host nation has advanced to at least the Semi Finals. The Czech Republic and Turkey are always dangerous teams... and well Portugal has been playing inspired soccer since Scolari took over and this could very well be their year.

I'd also like to point out, that statistically this should be Portugal's year to finally capture a major Championship. They lost in the Quarter Finals of Euro 1996, lost in the Semi Finals of Euro 2000, and lost in the Finals of Euro 2004... which means they should finally WIN in Euro 2008.

Group A: Prediction

1. Portugal
2. Czech Republic
3. Switzerland
4. Turkey

*I contemplated putting Switzerland in second place, but with Tranquillo Barnetta's ankle injury (even though he's scheduled to start on Saturday) I just don't know if they have it in them to advance.

GROUP B

Austria (hosts)
Croatia
Germany
Poland

Let's get one thing perfectly clear... the only reason Austria is at Euro 2008 is because they're co-hosting with Switzerland. They're an embarrasment and will be the laughing stock of these Championships. I will be surprised if they score a goal and if they do, I sincerely hope they celebrate as if they won the whole thing cuz lord knows that's the only celebrating they'll be doing.

This is another interesting group as on paper you'd like to say that Germany is a favorite while Croatia and Poland battle for second spot. But let's not forget that since winning Euro 1996, Germany hasn't won a single game at the European Championships. Throw in the fact that goalkeeper Jens Lehman is already complaining about the tournament ball - I'm starting to doubt how well the Germans will do. Then again, on paper, they have virtually the same team from World Cup 2006 and could very well be a threat to go far... so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Group B: Prediction

1. Germany
2. Croatia
3. Poland
4. Austria

GROUP C "The Group of Death"

France
Italy
Netherlands
Romania

The "Group of Death" is downright scary and a virtual coin toss to determine just who will advance to the Quarter Finals. Romania could be a darkhorse - everyone is underestimating them and writing them off... so they could pull off a few surprises but I just don't see David slaying Goliath this time around.

So that brings us down to three. The Dutch are talented individually but struggle to come together as a team. It's been their biggest downfall over the years and I don't see that changing. As World Champions, Italy is undoubtedly the favorites coming into Euro 2008 but they were dealt an awful blow this week as their Captain Fabio Cannavaro was ruled out of the tournament due to injury. That will put a huge dent in their defence - and as we all know, the Azzuri are a perfect example of how defence wins Championships.

The French are a bit of an enigma. They have the talent but I question their goalkeeping. I'm anxious to see Bafétimbi Gomis take to the pitch as this tournament may turn out to be his coming out party. He's young, has nice speed and is a gifted player... definitely keep your eye on him.

Group C: Prediction

1. Italy
2. France
3. Netherlands
4. Romania

Group D

Greece (Defending Champions)
Russia
Spain
Sweden

If we can have another "Group of Death" this would be it! Lots of talent and again, any of these four teams can advance to the Quarter Finals. Now some of you will use the term "sour grapes" but I'm still not sold on Greece. They were lucky at Euro 2004 and proved it by failing to qualify for World Cup 2006. Sure they had the most points in qualifying but look at their group... Turkey, Norway, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Hungary, Malta. Greece are lucky to be defending Champions and mark my words, they will NOT do it again.

With Fernando Torres, I'd have to say that Spain is unquestionably one of the favorites to win Euro 2008. They have a very talented squad, but if history is any indication, they'll find a way to choke along the way.

Russia can not be underestimated. Guus Hiddink has done a spectacular job with this squad and with a lot of players coming off a UEFA Cup victory with Zenit St. Petersburg, they will certainly be a threat at this tournament.

And Sweden is also a tough opponent - they'll make life difficult for you and could very well find themselves in the Quarter Finals.

Group D: Prediction

1. Spain
2. Russia
3. Sweden
4. Greece

So based on my predictions... it would set up the following Quarter Final matchups... the teams in BOLD are the teams I think will win

QUARTER FINALS

Portugal x Croatia
Germany x Czech Republic

Italy x Russia
Spain x France

SEMI FINALS

Portugal x Germany
Italy x Spain

EURO 2008 FINAL

Portugal x Spain

EURO 2008 CHAMPIONS... Portugal.

Way to go Enigma - your predictions are holding true after day 1.
Portugal 2-0 Turkey
Czech Republic 1-0 Switzerland
Tranquilo played but Alexander Frei was injured. I hope he makes it back. He is such a pleasure to watch on the pitch. Portugal looked cohesive and they definitely got the opening day tournament jitters out of them. I don't think they'll be hitting the wood much more from here on out. They are really strong. Turkey was pretty good at shutting out Ronaldo for most of the first half but they couldn't keep pace and there is no way you can keep Ronaldo out of it for any length of time. That Ronaldo free kick that was barely tipped by Volkun (sp?) was amazing. It should have gone in.

What's your analysis of Portugal's play Enigma?

Unless today's matches are shown live locally I'll have to follow them on the net.

Austrian defenders Franz Schiemer and Martin Stranzl may be the key to keeping the co-hosts in the competition. But I wouldn't count on it - even against Croatia.

So hopefully I'll get to enjoy watching the two of them while they last.

The Canadian TV schedule, with games shown on TSN and Sportsnet.

Fans celebrate Portugal's 2-0 victory over Turkey on day one of Euro 2008 in Toronto.

Austria was impressive in a 1-0 loss to Croatia. They certainly looked like the better team though playing at home must have been a motivator. Stranzl played offense with heart near the end of the game, especially for a defensive player. Losing a an obvious bad call by the official was a bummer too.

Hopefully they'll be fired up by this match - and rested - against Poland, if they want to have a hope of staying in. Poland will have its hands full with Germany.

I saw the latter 2/3 of the Croatia-Austria game, and definitely Austria played well in the loss, particularly in the latter part of the game. Croatia should have done better against an inferior team, but they got their 3 points.

Saw the first part of the Germany-Poland game and while Poland played admirably, you can't beat that German precision. Polish-born German Lucas Podolski scored both goals.

The Pols must be bracing themselves for some really bad Polish jokes right now:

Question-

How many Pols does it take to defeat the Polish football team?

Answer-

Zero, one Dutchman did it!

Poland's manager Leo Beenhakker should be kicking himself for expecting two defenders playing half a mile away from the goal to stop Lukas Poldolski and Miroslav Klose. That first Poldolski goal was basically a gimme that even I could have made.

But give that pair credit. The second goal was a work of art, regardless of the ESPN commentators saying it was another easy one. By then the Polish pair (should have been 3) was actually dropping back to defend.

And what the hell was Bastian Schweinsteiger thinking with that hair. Dude, bleach blonde with a black bang? You get a yellow card for fashion violation. And continue warming the bench for Poldi.

The first two days of Euro 2008 are officially in the books... some early thoughts...

Switzerland (0) x Czech Republic (1)

The Czech Republic played some uninspiring soccer against the Swiss. They looked lazy and unprepared for competition. One would hope their narrow victory would serve as a wakeup call, but we'll see what happens against the Portuguese.

I really liked the way Switzerland played - a nice blend of youth, speed and energy made them exciting to watch and provided tons of great opportunities. Hakan Yakin played exceptionally well, and I was happy with Tranquillo Barnetta's performance too. Unfortunately, they were unable to finish on a number of chances and couple that with the loss of Alexander Frei for the rest of the tournament... the Swiss will miss out on the Quarter Finals.

Turkey (0) x Portugal (2)

Impressive! I don't think I've seen Portugal play this well since Euro 2004! Their defence, while untested for the most part, was solid - and they'll have to remain that way should Portugal want to capture the Gold. With that said, I'm a little concerned over Paulo Ferreira and wonder if he'll be a weakness against stronger teams.

Props to Bosingwa, Pepe, and Joao Moutinho who put in phenominal performances against Turkey. Nuno Gomes, while he didn't find the back of the net, played well... if he can find his finish, Portugal may have found a striker - the missing piece to their great puzzle.

As for Turkey - to no one's surprise they were flat and struggled to keep up with the fast paced Portuguese. They desperately need a star striker (hello, Hakan Sukur) and the failure to have him in the roster will ultimiately, in my opinion, cost Faith Turim his job.

Based on their performance, I'm confident in my prediction that Turkey will finish last in the group.

Austria (0) x Croatia (1)

I joked that Austria should have 500-1 odds on scoring a goal - but today, I was proved wrong. Aside from the opening few minutes, they badly outplayed, outworked, and outclassed Croatia. They were hungry for a win and quite frankly, deserved at least a point out of that game.

Croatia should be absolutely ashamed of themselves after that pitiful performance. After taking a 1-0 lead, thanks to a penalty shot, they took their foot off the gas pedal and played in neutral. They can do that against Austria... but believe me, they'll get a rude awakening against Germany and Poland.

I believe I gave Croatia too much credit when I predicted they'd finish second in Group B... at this rate, they deserve to be in third or fourth.

Poland (0) x Germany (2)

After four games, there's no doubting that Germany is the class of Euro 2008. A jaw dropping performance tonight and one that proved to the world that they are deserving of the "favorite" tag. Their offence was deadly and I loved how Miroslav Klose would stay just onside to create terrific opportunities.

Lukas Podolski (ubber ubber ubber hawt!) made the most of his chances and will instill fear in all opposition. To be perfectly honest, the only team that has a chance at beating Germany prior to the Finals would be Portugal...

I will say this, however, I wasn't convinced in Jens Lehmann's performance. I found him to be a bit shakey - so that could be a weak spot for Deutschland.

As for Poland... their defence was awful as they struggled to contain Klose, Podolski and Gomes. Aside from that, they were a tough team and one that should be able to defeat Croatia and earn 2nd spot in the Group.

So I missed out on my predictions for Euro 2008, so I had to go back and look up what I said in the other topic back in January when the draw happened... I was surprised to see you had the same pics enigma and some of the comments were the same... so to save some time I'll just put who I think will move on:

Group A:
Portugal and Czech Republic
-I had to laugh, I put if the turks could upset the Czech Republic then I thought Switzerland might be able to sneak through at C.R.'s expense, I don't really think that will happen because Turkey looked way too weak yesterday, but they were playing Portugal.
- The Czechs were flat yes, but I'm hoping they can pull it together.

Group B:
Germany and Croatia
- Before, I said that Poland has always played decent and could have a chance to get through by knocking off Croatia, and after watching Croatia barely sneak by I would love to change my pick to Poland (I remember I really couldn't decide between the two in the past), but that wouldn't be fair. My only hope is that the first game will be a wake up to Croatia.
- You are absolutely correct in saying Podolski is hawt.

Group C:
Italy and France
- How can you say that Italy will not make it through
- France I have no doubts about the keeper issue, they will be ok (and I did say that in january). Coupet will show up and be healthy enough to play
- The Netherlands can play upset here, but streaky play is a problem with them so I'm leaving them off of this.

Group D:
Spain and Greece
- Yup, I finally don't agree with you
- Spain will get through without a problem
- Greece will once again turn some heads, but not enough to go very much further.
- I'll agree that Russia may get in here, but I'm sticking to my January pick of greece.

I would go into quarter finals and on but it'd be very similar to your's...

But I am going to start predicting the Match of the Day for the next day (just for fun):
Italy vs. Netherlands 2:30
-Despite some key injuries on both sides, including Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro, this game should still be a pretty good game.
- The France/Romania game should be good, but as I read somewhere (don't remember): "Romania has nothing to lose and everything to gain." which equals "Romainia is the weakest of the 4 teams in the 'Group of Death'"

I'm going to be the first to admit that Romania should have won that game that just finished up. The french team was dead tired. They looked like the adult league that I play in. They would push for one run and then take like 10 minutes to recover from it. Their best chance was when the Romania defender almost scored on his own keeper.

Thanks to the video recorder on my tv I rewatched Mutu's free kick in the second half. It was a clear hand ball when the ball hit the wall, and it wasn't like the defender was trying to protect himself. It should have been a PK and Romania could have won.

To find something positive on the French side, Coupet needed a game like this. He has never played in a Championship and now he has the confidence of knowing he's played in one. I'd like to see him get tested a little bit at somepoint to see how he holds up though.

But for one of the "favorites" in Euro 2008 France looked horrible, let's hope they snap out of it.

Wow, that was quite possibly the worst soccer game I've ever seen in my life. I don't even feel guilty that I feel asleep from the 74th minute until the post-game show.

I don't know many people (except maybe the Dutch) that would have predicted that outcome to the Netherlands/Italy match-up. If the first match put you to sleep, i would hope that you found the excitement that I did in that second one.

Regardless of the controversy around the first goal, the Oranje outplayed Italy, plain and simple. IMO the key to their game is their flow and movement as a team. They counter very well which set up not only the most beautiful goal of the tournament thus far (their second of the game) but also their final goal after a great save from Edwin van der Sar on Italy's best chance of the night. Ruud van Nistelrooy showed that he can def still play.

What I noticed about Italy was that their communication wasn't there. They would make these nice passes but the receiving player would run the opposite way or wouldn't read the play. So that means its either a lack of communication or that the players just aren't comfortable playting with each other yet.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Oranje get out of the 'Group of Death' in fact I think they might win it. France needs to wake up if they are going to give them a run for it, but so far the Dutch team has been one of the best teams I've seen in this tournament.

Alright something new:

I'd have to agree with you on both the Hottie of the Day and Match to Watch Tomorrow! Though, I'd give an honourable mention to Adrian Mutu of Romania for hottie of the day.

As for Italy x Netherlands... WOW! I knew Italy would struggle without Fabio Cannovaro but never did I imagine the performance that they put on in Switzerland. They had no defence and if it wasn't for Buffon, they would have lost by an even wider margin. By the way, can someone tell me why Alessandro Del Piero didn't start? When he came on, he jump started the Italian offence and they actually had a chance to make a game of it... that's poor coaching if you ask me. If Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero aren't starting on Friday, the Italians are DONE!

Now everyone is talking about the first goal. Ruud Van Nistelrooy did appear to be offside but if you watch the replay, you can clearly see an Italian defender laying on the pitch - just past the goal line. Even though he's out of the playing surface, since he didn't go off with the referee's permission, he's still considered to be part of the play which would make Van Nistelrooy ONSIDE.

As per the official FIFA Rule Book (page 64)

"If a player accidentally crosses one of the boundary lines of the field of play, he is not deemed to have created an infringement. Going off the field of play may be considered to be part of a playing movement."

OFFICIAL FIFA RULE BOOK

Holland looked spectacular and I'm clearly wrong when I predicted they'd finish in third place. Based on three days of action, I'd hazard to say that Holland would be in the Euro 2008 Final against Germany.

Spain (4) x Russia (1)

Fresh off yesterday's thrilling game between Holland and Italy, we get another edge of your seat type game! Despite the score, the Russians played very well - especially when you consider all their key injuries and suspensions. With that said, it was clear that they're no where near the level of excellence possessed by the Spaniards. Spain was nearly flawless - showing speed, natural talent and tons of depth. Today's game proved just why I predicted a Finals appearance for the boys in Red.


Greece (0) x Sweden (2)

I've been saying it since 2004 - Greece's surprise victory at Euro 2004 was a fluke and they proved it today against Sweden. Greece play uninspired soccer and are incredibly boring. I've never heard fans whistle/boo so loudly as Greece stood in their own end, passing the ball endlessly between defenders - they are a prime example of why some think soccer is so boring. They tried to bore the Swedes to death and then capitalize if they caught them snoozing... which they almost did. The problem with this tactic is that as soon as the other team scores - Greece has got nothing and are struggling to create chances.

Greece failed to qualify for World Cup 2006 and despite finishing on top of their qualifying group for Euro 2008 - have done nothing to prove that Euro 2004 was anything but a fluke.

As for Sweden... they played well and I thought Zlatan Ibrahimovic was pretty decent. I still think that Ibrahimovic is better suited as a substitute rather than a starter - but it worked against Greece and they were able to come away with a 2-0 victory.

While Ibrahimovic's goal was beautiful, I still consider Sjnider's goal against Italy to be the best of the tournament thus far.

The Spain/Russia game was great. I agree Russia played decently but was still no match for the Spanish side. My biggest concern was that Spain was a group of individual player and not a team, but today they showed that they can play as a single unit together. The only flaws I saw were a couple of breakdowns on defense. They just got sloppy and I think once they make it through to the next round they will need to tighten up the defense or it will end up being the 2006 World Cup again where they won all three games in the group stage easily but then were defeated in the next game. I still think they could win this tournament though, I was very impressed with them today.

Alright, Alright, the Greece team winning the tournament is a fluke, and I take back saying they would be the second team from this group to move on. The game dragged on whenever Greece 'controlled' the ball and I even found myself getting bored. They did however have a couple of nice counters but were unable to get a decent shot off of them.

I do feel that the Sweden team could move on though. I didn't really see too much that would make me think they couldn't beat Russia, especially when Greece tied up the ball for a lot of the game. Ibrahimovic goal was impressive, just a beautiful strike and one that is difficult to keep control of (trust me). But I agree that Sjnider's goal was better. It's just something about the whole play and the ball movement of the dutch.

Alright on to the good stuff...

Turkey (2) x Switzerland (1)

You can call it "Turkish Delight" or a "Swiss Miss" - but no matter how you slice it, the co-hosts are the first team officially eliminated from Euro 2008, while the Turks are into sudden death.

A torrential downpour threatened the integrity of today's game and at one point, there was talk of UEFA suspending the match! Thankfully the game progressed and both sides still managed to put on a wonderful display of soccer despite the frightful conditions. Hakan Yakin's goal just proved how much of a factor the weather can be, as the ball stopped dead in front of the goal after skidding across a huge puddle - giving Yakin one of the easiest goals of his career.

The Swiss maintained pressure and had numerous chances... but credit to Turkey - they never gave up and their hardwork and persistance finally paid off when they got the equalizer in the second half. As time ticked down, it appeared both sides would settle for the draw - until Turkey caught a break and managed to find the back of the onion bag - silencing the crowd in Switzerland.

It's unfortunate to see the Swiss go out so early - they have an exciting young team but with the injury to Alexander Frei and Tranquillo Barnetta coming off an injury, there just wasn't any hope for these young guns.

With the win, Turkey stays alive... more on them in a bit... but first...

Portugal (3) x Czech Republic (1)

It's time to Party in Portugal - as the Portuguese claim the first spot in the Euro 2008 Quarter Finals after a well deserved 3-1 victory over the Czech Republic.

This game lived up to its hype as the first half was very much a see-saw battle. Both sides with opportunities and for fans of both nations (myself included) it really was an edge of your seat thriller.

Portugal opened the scoring as Cristiano Ronaldo was denied inside the box by Peter Cech - but Deco was there to convert the rebound. It wasn't pretty but a goal is a goal and I'll take it any day! Celebrations were short lived however, as the Czech's capitalized on a corner kick with a beautiful header from Sionko.

While Portugal played well, their defence worried me a bit, especially when it comes to Paulo Ferreira. I find him to be a major weakness as far too often he was getting beat on the wing.

In the second half - a much more aggressive Portugal. In fact, I found they played a lot better once Fernando Meira came in for Joao Moutinho. And thank goodness Ricardo Quaresma came on for Simao. Let me tell you - I sincerely hope that Simao is benched for the rest of the tournament. He is far too individualistic on the pitch, and can't seem to check his ego on the door. His insistance on taking Free Kicks from close range is tiresome - as it's obvious that it should be either Deco or Cristiano Ronaldo taking them.

Speaking of Cristiano Ronaldo - he gave Portugal the lead with a well placed one timer... a very nice goal, and his first since October! And then to put the icing on the cake, Cristiano Ronaldo then passed the ball to Ricardo Quaresma who had a wide open net to give the Portuguese the 3-1 victory and a spot in the Quarter Finals.

So here's what we know...

- Switzerland has been eliminated

- Portugal has clinched first place in Group A

- The winner of the Czech Republic / Switzerland game on Sunday will earn the final spot in the Quarter Finals. If they tie, however, after 90min they will go to a SHOOTOUT to determine who will advance since both are tied with 3 points and have an identical goal differential of -1

I didn't get a chance to watch today's games but WOW... I can't believe Germany lost to Croatia (I heard Germany played awful) and that Austria managed to draw Poland!!!

Makes me scared thinking about Portugal x Germany in the Quarter Finals rather than the Semi Finals.

I'm off to the lake for a bachelor party - so I'll talk to you all on Monday hahaha... CHEERS!

Dont count out Orange yet....last I checked they were 3-1 over France.

Hard to believe the fate of France and Italy in the so-called group of death © depends on Romania losing.

That's soccer for you. "Any Given Sunday" (or Friday or Saturday...) anything can happen.

David Villa strikes again-- scoring the winning goal on a breakaway in injury time. Spain over Sweden, 2-1.

Spain, Portugal, Croatia and the Netherlands all have 2 wins.

Reigning champs Greece, with 2 losses, is mathematically eliminated.

Today's match between Turkey and the Czechs should be really good, since they both have 3 points, this will decide who else goes on from their Group.

You couldn't have been more correct MetsfanChi. That was one of the best game in the history of the European Championship competition by some measures.

As much as I like Petr Cech (god I'm glad he took that godaweful cap off after the match) I'll admit I was rooting for the Turks throughout the match. That was an historic win for them since they last defeated them when the Czech Republic was still part of Czechoslovakia.

Lots of scrappy playing. Lots of goals. Can't remember many games I've enjoyed watching more.

What a great game that was and congrats to the Turks for such a spirited comback. I think these finals have been great so far. Before the tournament began, I was tipping the Czechs to go all the way to the final, but wow, was I wrong?

Holland and Spain have been looking great, so has their play;), but so often in these big tournaments the teams that come flying out of the blocks can often peak too soon, just look at Agrentina in the last world cup.

I'm loving it!

I'm pulling for Germany and the Netherlands, both are really talented teams. Germany maybe a little bit more, because of Podolski

EURO 2008 QUARTER FINALS

Germany - 3
Portugal - 2

*tear* I need a hug

I'll post my full thoughts on the game soon...

Sorry I posted the same message 3 times in a row accidentally... don't know how to change it...

I have been keeping up with this peripherally. The Lakers and the Celtics had my undivided attention. I have been rooting for Espana (la matria) for a while now. Good team.

I cannot wait until Sunday. I am so hoping that Espana beats Italy. It should be a smashing game.

Tears shed, hearts broken, and disappointment among Portuguese fans around the world, as the dream of winning the European Soccer Championship is now over.

Portugal fell 3-2 to Germany in the Quarter Finals of Euro 2008, the earliest exit in a major tournament since failing to make it out of the Group Stages at World Cup 2002 in Korea/Japan. In addition to the loss, the Portuguese have lost the services of Head Coach Luis Felipe Scolari. After 5 1/2 years of leading this team to new heights and giving fans a reason to believe... Scolari will join the English Premier League by managing Chelsea FC.

I'm pretty intense when Portugal is in a major tournament and tend to get pretty down following elimination. But this year was different... I got over the loss rather quickly. While I was bummed out yesterday, as the day progressed I started looking ahead to World Cup 2010 Qualifying (Sept. 9 vs Malta) and wondering just who our new coach will be. And here's why...

Portugal showed no heart and no desire to win in that Quarter Final against Germany. They came into the game with zero confidence, convinced that the superior German height difference would be a factor. Sure there were flashes of brilliance, but on the grand scale, this was a highly disappointing performance by a team that could do so much better.

And then there were the individual performances...

Paulo Ferreira - simply put, I would be a happy man if this sorry excuse of a defender never wore a Portuguese jersey again. To say that he was awful would be a massive understatement. He was our weakness on defence, and we may as well have been playing a man short that entire game.

Ricardo - once again, the former Sporting keeper is proving why we all make fun of him for letting in such bad goals. Yes Ricardo was spectacular in penalty kicks in 2004 and 2006, but outside that, he's been terrible. He can't handle crosses, and he's sloppy when he comes out of the net. Here's hoping that Ricardo's time with the National Team has come to an end, so we can usher in a new era led by the young Rui Patricio.

Simao - one of the biggest problems with the Portuguese National Team is their ego / attitude. A prime example is Simao Sabrosa. After the shit he pulled in the Group Stage game against the Czech Republic, I would have benched him for the rest of the tournament and ensured he'd never wear the jersey again. Since when does he go around trying to take free kicks? As far as I'm concerned, the player who gets fouled gets first crack at the shot, and if they don't want it, it should go to Cristiano Ronaldo.. and if he doesn't want it, Deco, and if he doesn't want it... then maybe look at Simao. But don't go trying to take a free kick and then when you do, fire it straight at the wall.

Cristiano Ronaldo - credit the Germans for successfully shutting down the World's Top Player in the biggest game of the tournament. Cristiano Ronaldo was rendered virtually useless and you could see how frustrated he was getting by his AWFUL dive / flopping around. It's why I fear his inevitable move to Real Madrid... at Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson would not put up with theatrics like that. Ronaldo has matured a lot in Manchester... and I feel it'd be a step back (while a step forward in the pocket book) if he were to join the "Galacticos". For the record... Ronaldo has been playing with an injured foot the last three months and will have surgery... not that I'm making excuses.

In fact I won't be making excuses for this team. I don't care that Chelsea showed great disrespect by announcing Scolari's departure during the tournament. I don't care that Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't get his head out of his ass, and either made a decision or stopped giving stupid hints about his future with Man Utd / Real Madrid. And sure there was that push by Michael Ballack in the box, just prior to his goal but to be honest, the Germans were the better team and like I said, Portugal showed no heart and had no hunger to want to advance to the Semi Finals. Which is too bad, because I'm convinced they'd be able to beat either Turkey or Croatia.

So what happens now?

First things first, we need a new coach. It's expected that the Portuguese FA will announce Scolari's replacement in early to mid-July. In my opinion, I'd try with the following...

1. Guus Hiddink. If Portugal is able to lure him away from Russia, it would be the greatest decision they could make. Hiddink is a genius. Sure he hasn't won a major tournament but he's able to fire that desire in his players and put them in top physical condition. He's worked wonders with Holland, South Korea, Australia and now Russia. I can only imagine what magic he could create with guys like Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Ricardo Quaresma, and Pepe.

2. Carlos Queiroz. Tihs is the more realistic option and one that I'm crossing my fingers for. He's an assistant under the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He was managing Portugal when they won the World Youth Championship in 1989 and 1991. It's time he helps lead up to Gold with the Senior Team.

And of course, it's time to look ahead to Qualifying for World Cup 2010. Our road to South Africa begins on September 6th against Malta. It's an interesting group and we'll have our hands full, but I'm confident we can progress.

WORLD CUP 2010 - GROUP 1

Portugal
Sweden
Denmark
Hungary
Albania
Malta

Group Winner automatically advances to the World Cup. Runner up advances to a home and away playoff.

So Euro 2008 is in the past... time to look ahead. Thanks for the memories Scolari - you gave us reason to believe in our team, to believe in a Championship and made us one of the best in the world.

Oh my goodness! I won't totally spoil it by telling you who has won for those who may have recorded the game - although I hope you recorded a lot of extra time at the back end of the game - but after 120 minutes of lacklustre and basically boring play - the most unreal finish I think I have ever witnessed in today's Turkey - Croatia quarter final. Complete devastation on one side, a remarkable victory for the other! Unbelievable!

I was busy at work this afternoon and completely forgot about the game. But I went by the Eaton Centre after work and there was a group of Turkish fans at Yonge & Dundas waving flags. Then a convoy of 6 or 7 cars came down Yonge St. with Turkish fans waving flags and honking their horns. It will be interesting to see what happens downtown, as the final game next Sunday coincides with the Pride parade.

Orange crushed! What a performance by the Russians--stunning the Dutch in extra time.

3 games, 3 group winners down

Exactly. I'm cheering for Spain, but I'm worried about Italy.

That Russian stunner against Holland has to qualify as the biggest upset of the match IMO. And watching the methodical and patient play of the Dutch was a thing of beauty. But it was the wrong tactic against that Russian defensive wall.

Another big surprise has been the play of Turkey throughout the tournament but especially defeating the Czechs. It will be a pleasure to see Turk Colin Kazim-Richards playing for Turkey but wanting to win as much for his birthplace England as for the Turks. What a fascinating biography. Listening to his sexy south London accent in the vid in the previous link makes me want to root too...for England...I mean Turkey, of course. Honestly, I've been in the Turks corner for a while (see previous post). And this hot Turk-Antiguan-Brit is all the more reason.

My heart goes out to Dutch goalie Edwin Van de Sar. The rest of the squad just did not play to his level.

And there is an interesting dilemma brewing over the abbreviated Turks side after all the yellow cards. Very, very interesting..

There is no denying it now... Guus Hiddink is the greatest manager in International Soccer.

Down with Italy! Down with Italy! I hope someone beats the Azzuri. But My Deutsch guys are still in it!

Shootout!

=======

Casillas!!

WOOT! VIVA ESPAÑA!!!

The color commentator on ESPN pointed out several missed calls that would have favored the Spanish, and only one or two that would have favored the Italians. And when the Spanish team won said "Justice was done".

I have to say I agreed with him on every call, including the last. But it would have been interesting to see the Italians try to strong-arm the Russians who match them in size and strength.

VIVA ESPAÑA!!! Yo estuve bien feliz cuando vi que los españoles han ganado.

Am watching the replay of the Germany-Turkey game. Certainly Turkey has nothing to be ashamed of. They played a great game, and that late equalizer looked like it might go to extra time. But a great late goal by Lahm and Germany is on to the finals.

(Aside: does that German coach always wear the same fitted white shirt? It's a nice shirt, and he's a hot guy, but it seems like he's always wearing the same thing.)

Yes! I was so pissed I was class during this game only to find out the best part didn't get broadcasted. Saw the replay on ESPN Classic and wow was that an awesome finish to the game.

Spain/Russia should be really interesting tomorrow.

Anyway, ONWARD GERMANY!!!

So the Euro 2008 Final is set... Germany x Spain... has the makings of a classic.

Shall we get some predictions going here?

My prediction is;

Germany 2
Spain 1

Although I'd like to see Spain win something at last, I think the Germans will just shade it. Congrats to them both for reaching the final of what has been an excellent tournament.

It's a shame that David Villa will most likely miss the game, because he is sooooooo cute.

I'll go with Spain 3-2 - they just looked so good in the second half yesterday.

Germany hasn't impressed me one bit this tournament. I also think that Iker Casillas is a better netminder than Jens Lehmann... with that said, I think the German attack of Podolski/Schweinsteiger/Klose will be too difficult to overcome for the Spanish Defenders...

Germany - 3
Spain - 1

Germany 2
Spain 1

I'm watching this instead of the pride parade thats for sure.

I was at the adidas store last night and almost bought myself a Spain jersey and cap, but then realized I may not be able to watch the game on Sunday as I'll be up at a family friend's cottage and I don't if they'll be any TV reception. Go Spain!

Michael Ballack is doubtful for tomorrow's game... I wonder how much that will affect Deutschland