2012 UEFA European Championship

england got off lightly-ukraine,sweden and france
ireland got a very hard time of it-spain italy and croatia

(02-12-2011 18:55 )wodenssun Wrote:  england got off lightly-ukraine,sweden and france
ireland got a very hard time of it-spain italy and croatia

ahh i wanted ireland to do well, i do think they can beat croatia and can certainly match italy but then spain had to be in the way. ireland could sneak it but its doutbful.

then there's england with a easy group, it looks easy but we said that with the 2010 world cup group and england just sneaked through

It could have been better, could have been worse for England. They'll be glad to avoid the Group of Death, which is undoubtedly Group B, but it's not a great draw logistically. Two of the games are in Donetsk, right over in eastern Ukraine, and the other one is in Kyiv, which is in the centre of the country. The team will have even more travelling to do as they're based in Kraków
The Polish reaction to their draw (Poland, Russia, Greece, Czech Republic) is that they have the Group of Dreams, and I'd say they're right.

Thats us out our first tournament in ages and we get the worst group cheers uefa damn french

England should just about squeak through that group. So, knocked out in the last 8 it is then. Hurrah!

There's no easy games in these championships, nor in any tournament, as England proved to us at the last World Cup. I expect it to be a real struggle, and the current ageing England side doesn't fill me with confidence.

Sweden have always had a hoodoo over England in major championships, Ukraine are hosts so thats always tough, and France will do us no favours. We're not good enough, the players won't do it despite the hype that will undoubtedly be thrown around and I won't be surprised to see another crap tournament campaign, just like it was in South Africa last year.

And if it is another collapse like in South Africa, Crapello needs to go, and the quicker the better.

England are never good at tournaments but the media build it up as always.

well whatever happens in Euro 2012, Crapello's going one way or another!!

(02-12-2011 19:43 )Regenerated Wrote:  There's no easy games in these championships, nor in any tournament, as England proved to us at the last World Cup.

That's because we were the easy game in the world cup

On the whole I don't think England can complain. If they want to be European Champions then they will have to beat anyone in their way. Obviously you can only beat what's in front of you but if they can't get out of the group stages regardless of the draw then they don't deserve to be champions.
I think they will get through anyway. The rest depends on the final squad he takes out with him. Hopefully he will bring the young players as well as some of the experience. If Capello wants to make a go of it then he needs to mix it up and get out his comfort zone.

The major problem, as Si already pointed out is the fact England will be based in Krakow with all their games being played in Ukraine. Cappelo has already said that moving bases isn't an option so hopefully the logistical side of things doesn't take it's toll on the squad.

I honestly believe we (Ireland) can get second place in the group. Spain will obviously top the group and will almost certainly be in the final with either Germany or Holland in my opinion. There's Croatia who are nowhere near as good as they were 3-4 years ago and i reckon we'll beat them. And then there's the Italians who were piss poor in the world cup last year and couldnt get out of their group, we beat them 2-0 in Italy in a friendly with a second string team a few months ago and drew home and away with them in qualification for last years world cup....Not to mention the world cup pool match at USA 1994 when Ray Houghton (again ) chipped Pagliuca and we beat them 1-0.... There's nothing to fear there.

It's quite possible that Ireland will get out of that group.