EURO 2004.

[da_cowman]

Who else is following this years European Championships? It's the second biggest sporting event in the world, second behind the only other Football world event, being the World Cup.
Basically, I'm asking what you think of the tournament so far. Who you think will win it, and the players of the tournament.
So far, its been impossible to pick anything. Czech Reublic being the only team to win all 3 games, and with Spain, Italy and Germany all out in the Group stages its been thrown wide open. England, France and the Czech's are looking the strongest at the moment in my view. Portugal and the Netherlands also have a chance.
As for the Players of the Tournament. So far, it has to be Wayne Rooney. This guy is on fire, and only 18! =highest goal scorer, tied with van Nistelrooy, after the group stage.

Look forward to your replies, and the game tomorrow morning which will result in a 3-2 win for England.

Later Da Cowman!

 

[luke]

Hey cow i thik that france may be in for for a win. it has been intrresting to watch

 

[BT]

Much to my DISAPPOINTMENT...

Portugal has Defeated England 6-5 in penalties after drawing 2-2 after extra time


This has thrown it wide open now!!!, GO THE DANES

 

[micky_macca]

Yeh what a dissapointment

Im backing Portugal or the Czechs to bring it home now, go the underdogs!

 

[LinchPin]

yes, i heard they are changing the movie title Bend It Like Beckham to


Blow It Like Beckham :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Ev]

euro 2004

Didn't the poms miss roonaldo when he got injured...spewing they lost, although noone ever expected them to reply with a late equaliser in extra time.

Anyway, I did want England to win, but there goes that idea down the toilet - go Czechs - Pavel is the man.

da_cowman - Rooney has torn everyone apart...Ruud's only there because of the penalties he's scored, true?

Sweden-Holland will be a cracker of a game to watch.

Here's a copy of David Beckham's latest book:

 

[da_cowman]

Dissapointing that England had to go.
True that Ruud has scored penalties, but as the superb David Beckham has demonstrated, you still gotta hit the back of the net for it to count.
Ahh well, what can you do. GO NETHERLANDS!

Later Da Cowman!

 

[BT]

AFTER VIEWING THE REPLAY...

That disallowed goal was a load of BS!!!

i cant understand it... the goal keeper flung himself on the player


its all over now

 

[CHOC #1]

everyone forgot about da greeks go the greek gods wooooooohooooooo

 

[tiffany_jade]

well it was an upset to a lot of ppl......but the greeks played well...and good luck to them, wouldnt mind seeing them go further..... probably bout time the french had their heads pulled in!!!

 

[Porto]

Portugal all the way Euro 2004 Champions!!!!

Porto

 

[pebbles]

GO THE GREEK!!! for once they can do something right!!! better late than never!!! :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x :x

 

[Craiggles]

The Greeks have actually not surprised me in this tournament, they are very under-estimated. The French have been rubbish through the whole tournament so why are people shocked? The match simply ran to the form guides, and Greece were much more convincing than France in the group stages.

Portugal haven't been entirely convincing, and I feel they got a home town decision against England, but some people will feel it was justified as they played more positively through the match, but its true.

Czech Republic have a very good chance to win Euro 2004 because they have been the most consistent. As long as they continue to score as much as they have, they will have every chance of going all the way. Holland and Portugal also have a chance to win, but the Dutch defence is far too soft and Portugal doesn't have enough strike power, and apart from Ronaldo and maybe Deco, don't have any great wingers to supply those strikers, anyway.

 

[willey]

The second biggest tournament in the World,after the World Soccer Cup? What a load of rubbish,you guy's have been mesmerised by the media.It's only the biggest event for people sitting on thier "BUM'S".The biggest Women's tournament in the World, participation wise, is the WIBC bowling tournament in the USA,and if the Nationals in the USA is not the biggest tournament in the World,participation wise, I would like someone to tell me what it is.
willey.

 

[Ev]

euro 2004

willey,

I think da_cowman's talking in terms of prestige. The world cup is the biggest prize in football, and next are the euro championships.

As I recall in the football rulebook, I'm pretty sure you're only allowed to have 11 players in a team on the pitch at one time. This makes it kind of hard for every man and his dog in each european country to participate.

Evert

 

[da_cowman]

Willey, Ev's statement was pretty much what I was talking about. The World Cup has more contries competeting for it then what there are countries in the United Nations. There were some 2 BILLION PLUS viewers watching the World Cup 2002 held in Korea and Japan. Soccer has a bigger participation rate then bowling in the USA. Nothing is more important in many South American countries, while in the European and African its by the biggest sport and it's booming in Asia thanks to the World Cups' Success. More people watch Euro 2004 then any other event, besides the World Cup, then any other event in the World, yes even the Olympics and WIBC Bowling tournament in the USA.
Soccer is the World Game, all these other World Cups are nothing in comparison in relation to viewers and world interest.
As Ev said, anyone can rock up to Nationals in America, only the top 25 players make the cut for the national team. So lets look at it like this. EURO 2004=Final Masters cut in US Nationals. Now, if every person that players soccer in any nation in the world, with a European background, is down for nationals. But I'll just stcik with Europe right now. The total population of Europe in 2003 was 726,000,000. We should halve that to take out the ladies that can't compete. we get 363,000,000. If only 1% of the male Population in Europe plays soccer, only 1%, then thats 3,630,000 people still playing, and technially eligible for Euro 2004. only the top 400 players get a to make it. Thats a BIG CUT. Still sure that the USA Nationals is bigger? Please dont make me do the WORLD CUP eligibility total.

GO NETHERLANDS!!!!

Later Da Cowman!

 

[Ev]

EURO 2004

my my my...how did the Czechs lose?

Greece should just cancel the Olympics if they win Euro!

My bet is that the Portuguese won't stuff up like they did in the first game of the tournament. Ronaldo will take off his earrings for this one rather than tape up his ears - what is up with that anyway? Figo will be "OLE'ing" all the way to the podium with the cup in his hands, and Roman Abramovich will be on his knees, begging Deco to join Chelsea.

Will we be eating souvlakis or Nando's for breakfast on Monday morning?

Evert

 

[Craiggles]

Portugal have the best chance because they have started to play as if they don't have a big chip on their shoulder. They've got progressively better as the tournament has gone on, and genuinely deserved to beat the Dutch in the semi's. I mean they even scored all the goals!

The Greeks beat Portugal in the group stage, and that in itself gives the fans hope that the Greeks can achieve the almost unthinkable in the final. However, I think they will need to step up a further level to repeat that result, because its unlikely that Portugal will be playing as badly as they did before. Heck, if even Figo is doing well, then that's a good sign for the hosts!

 

[CHOC #1]

Go the greeks! so much 4 them big name strikers from portugal that couldnt find the back ov the net against the 80/1 pops at the start ov euro and the ports with there 400 atempts at goal with greeks having not one wat defence it was priceless with my heart in my throat till the very and god bless them superstars OLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pebbles]

GO THE GREEKS!!!!!! It about time they won!!! To do the unthinkable and win.... i had my parents who are in greece on holidays, ring in the morning and say everyone was going nuts when that final whistle went!!! They'll be lots of ouzo and dancing for days to come... and they'll probably party hard till the olympics..... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: