Liverpool FC Forum

by **account deleted by request** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 7:55 pm

Rafa's Euro 2008 Column in EL MUNDO

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Welcome to Euro 2008 and welcome to this column. As you may already know, fortunately, my professional obligations don’t allow me contributions of this type during the football season. Therefore, I will take advantage of this opportunity that EL MUNDO is offering me to share across some of my ideas about football in general and this Euro Cup in particular.

In the first place, I will let you know that my idea of good football and my concept of a good team relies on team order, balance on defense and cutting-edge on attack. To accomplish this you need players who are able to read the game well, who know when it’s time to play short or long passes, when you need to attack through the middle or down the flank, when it’s time to keep posession of the ball or when you need to start a quick counter-attack. I’m talking about real footballers, who will take advantage of their abilities to help the team win by playing as well as possible, who will be able to adapt when needed, who will try to impose their style of play, but who can also vary that style for the benefit of the team and to help it win games.

In today’s football, cutting-edge in attack is becoming more and more of a collective or tactical effort, depends more on a group of players or positioning on the pitch than on a single player. This is why a skillfull player tends to draw our attention more often, but we must be able to distinguish between the skillfull player and the cutting-edge player.

The first will dribble or dwell on the ball showing his technical ability; the second wins matches, is a constant threat to opposing teams and the solution for his team-mates when they can’t find their way. With a single touch he can find an open team-mate, he can find an open space when and where he should, makes an effort to do things the right way and always tries to do what will benefit his team the most. In other words, he will play good football in order to win matches, not just for show.

After this explanation, I will give you my views on this competition as an active manager, something that will give you a different perspective on this Euro Cup. I think that for a group of footballers who’ve played so many games during the season – 59 in the case of Liverpool players- , there are too many games in the qualifying stages.

In order to give an opportunity to all the national teams, there are many games that, beforehand, don’t create a lot of interest. As a player or a manager it doesn’t make much sense to coming into a match thinking how many goals they will score on me and leave happy if it’s not more than three. And as a fan it’s not fun when they opposing team’s level is not the adequate. Besides, this accumulation of effort during the season increases the risk of injury. Ryan Babel just got injured for five or six weeks, Cannavaro won’t be able to play the Euro as well. And that’s just scratching the surface.

In terms of the chances for the different teams, I believe that we are all betting on the same teams with little variation. Portugal has the potential and a favourable draw. Germany looks the strongest on their group, not forgetting Croatia. Group C, by far, is the most difficult since the likes of France, Holland or Italy are capable of topping the group. The strength on that group will eventually be bad for Spain, which is the team that most of us are interested in, because if they are able to go through, which they will, they will have to face a very strong team regardless of which one it is.

Despite all this we are all confident that this will finally be the year that at last we take advantage of all the talent and potential that we possess and that we can achieve that sought –after title that we all been waiting for. Good luck and good football.

Source: Anotherspanishfan from RAWK

by **dawson99** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:15 pm

that pepe portugese player is decent, seems a complete tw@t, but a decent player

by **metalhead** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:44 pm

dawson99 wrote:that pepe portugese player is decent, seems a complete tw@t, but a decent player

He is quality mate, top center half.

He and carvalho today were superb!

and this Jaou Moutinho fella, looks like a really good player indeed.

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 9:51 pm

Good first day.

Both Portugal goals were great.

by **Kharhaz** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:03 pm

dawson99 wrote:that pepe portugese player is decent, seems a complete tw@t, but a decent player

I thought the same. Really good performance from pepe. Managed to watch the match without the constant "I want to marry ronaldo" comments from the bloody commentators getting to me (well not too much anyway). And gary neville christ his croak like drone goes right through me.

by **metalhead** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:57 pm

SKYSPORT'S LOVE FOR RONALDO

Seriously, wtf?! it gets on my nerves, Ronaldo was decent and wasn't spectacular like carvalho, pepe and moutinho!

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:09 pm

Was Manhattan the only one who thought that ITV's coverage of the Portugal/Turkey game to be one long blowjob towards Ronaldo?

Also, I'm :censored:

off by the BBC's coverage. Gary Lineker in particular looks bored out of his mind. It's as if he's saying "England aren't in it, so I don't care".

If he doesn't care, he should fook off.

by **Ciggy** » Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:19 pm

The Manhattan Project wrote:[b]Was Manhattan the only one who thought that ITV's coverage of the Portugal/Turkey game to be one long blowjob towards Ronaldo?

Gary Neville has to be the most boring person known to mankind, WTF was he doing there

by **Dundalk** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:13 am

The Manhattan Project wrote:Was Manhattan the only one who thought that ITV's coverage of the Portugal/Turkey game to be one long blowjob towards Ronaldo?

Also, I'm off by the BBC's coverage. Gary Lineker in particular looks bored out of his mind. It's as if he's saying "England aren't in it, so I don't care".

If he doesn't care, he should fook off.

You should check out RTE, feckin hilarious tonight. Johnny Giles said Ronaldo is like Marilyn Monroe. She wasnt the best actress but she was the biggest star.............classic

by **red37** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:13 am

At least he was off the streets...the tw@t-headed gargoyle.

by **JoeTerp** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 2:36 am

metalhead wrote:
dawson99 wrote:that pepe portugese player is decent, seems a complete tw@t, but a decent player

He is quality mate, top center half.

He and carvalho today were superb!

and this Jaou Moutinho fella, looks like a really good player indeed.

been talking about Mountinho for months, only 21 and he is the captain of SPorting Lisbon. Great play at the end of the game to set up the goal.

by **metalhead** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:07 am

He was excellent Joe, I thought he did very well and he showed great touch and passing.

If we do need to get a replacement for Alonso, I would check Moutinho out (although he is more attacking minded he would be great)

by **Toffeehater** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 6:36 pm

Weren't the mancs interested in him? If i recall him and veloso

by **The Manhattan Project** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:40 pm

If the Germans get too aggressive with Poland in the second half, the FA have announced that they may declare a match against Germany.

by **metalhead** » Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:45 pm

Arsene is an analyst on Al Jazeera sports in this comptition! I can't wait to see his moaning and whiningh on the ref tommorow when france play romania

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