European Championship 2008

Matra1

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Euro 2008 starts this Saturday (June 7) at noon EST when co-hosts Switzerland take on the Czech Republic. (The other host Austria play Croatia on Sunday).

This tournament is without doubt the biggest sporting event of the year - including the Olympics - as far as the people of Europe are concerned. Many soccer fans prefer this tournament to the World Cup as the latter tournament often includes minnows who only got in because their qualifying group was weak. (Though that is not as big a problem today as it used to be). With the possible exception of one of the hosts, Austria, there should not be any weak teams at Euro '08.

Here are the latest odds from European bookies.

To win the tournament outright:

Germany 4/1

Spain 5/1

Portugal and Italy both 7/1

France 8/1

Holland and Croatia 12/1

Czech Republic 16/1

Of the top eight favourites I'd say (all white!) Italy at 7 to 1 is the best value for the punter.

Here are the groups:

A) Switzerland, Czech Rep., Portugal, Turkey

B) Austria, Croatia, germany, Poland

C) Romania, France, Holland, Italy (The group of death?)

D) Spain, Russia, Greece, Sweden

The top two teams from each group then advance to the knock-out stage with the final being played Sunday 29 June.

ESPN channels are providing US coverage in the USA except for one quarter final match and the final, both of which will be on ABC.

Here is the ESPN schedule.
 

guest301

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I will be watching most of those games. Very disappointed that England, Ireland and Scotland didn't make it in. But I will be pulling for Germany, Poland, Croatia, Romania and Greece. As long as it's not the largely black dominated France.
 

Angelcynn

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Seeing as no home nations qualified (England, Wales, Scotland, N.Irlend) I'm going to root for Sweden because I've always liked their national team, kit, and their women are the best looking in the world. Pure Nordic. Sweden won't win it though.

It's anyone's guess as to who does win it, I just hope France don't win it! But I don't think they will. It's between Italy, Spain, Holland and Germany for me.
 

guest301

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Czech over Switzerland 1-0 in the opening game. I also noticed the black singer singing the Swiss National Anthem. She was singing it in German since there are four different main languages spoken in Switzerland and they were playing the match in a German speaking region of Switzerland. Looking forward to the Germany-Poland matchup tommorrow and the friendly between the USA and Argentina tommorrow night. Hopefully Landon Donovan will be healthy for that one.
 
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It seems that a good portion of the Swiss team was born in other countries. Portugal won 2-0 over Turkey. It looks like the Czechs have a good chance of advancing.
 

Iron

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i wonder how many European teams will start a Black player or contain them in their squads.Poland,Spain,Italy,Sweden,Switzerland,Ireland and Germany in recent years have started at least one Black player.Not too mention France,Holland,Portugal and England who've on a number of occasions have fielded as many as half or more Black starting outfield players for a number of years now.This is a disaster for Europeans and nothing saps the spirit more as that represents a true visual manifestation of the African mans colonisation on a world stage.On a lighter note though,i'll be rooting for Italy,Spain,Germany,Russia,Croatia and the Czechs who all look to start white lineups.
 
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I know that Italy has one mixed player with them now and a Ghanahian born, Italian adopted striker who isn't on the team now but could be with them for a very long time if he chooses to play with the Italian side. It would change the look of the team completely. Spain is playing a Brazilian with African features. Germany's Ghanaian born player did not make the team this year. Russia is all white though I think that there may have been a player or two with Mongolian like features on the bench. Croatia has a Brazilian born striker with minute African features as a striker but will miss Euro because of injury. The Czechs are white as far as I know.
 

Matra1

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So much for Italy being a good bet! They were walloped 3-0 by a mostly white Dutch team that was lethal going forward. (In the 90s the Dutch team were at least half non-white). The good news for Italy is that some times the team that wins these tournaments gets off to a slow start - including Italy at World Cup 1982. Other good news is that the French team looked poor against Romania. Of course, the French looked awful in the group stage of World Cup 2006 but got better.

Spain, perennial dark horses who always disappoint, play a much improved Russian team tomorrow.
 

guest301

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Matra1 said:
So much for Italy being a good bet! They were walloped 3-0 by a mostly white Dutch team that was lethal going forward. (In the 90s the Dutch team were at least half non-white). The good news for Italy is that some times the team that wins these tournaments gets off to a slow start - including Italy at World Cup 1982. Other good news is that the French team looked poor against Romania. Of course, the French looked awful in the group stage of World Cup 2006 but got better.

Spain, perennial dark horses who always disappoint, play a much improved Russian team tomorrow.

Matra, I missed the France/Romania game because of work. Who dominated the run of play in that match, time of possession, scoring opportunities?
 

Matra1

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guest301 said:
Matra1 said:
So much for Italy being a good bet! They were walloped 3-0 by a mostly white Dutch team that was lethal going forward. (In the 90s the Dutch team were at least half non-white). The good news for Italy is that some times the team that wins these tournaments gets off to a slow start - including Italy at World Cup 1982. Other good news is that the French team looked poor against Romania. Of course, the French looked awful in the group stage of World Cup 2006 but got better.

Spain, perennial dark horses who always disappoint, play a much improved Russian team tomorrow.

Matra, I missed the France/Romania game because of work. Who dominated the run of play in that match, time of possession, scoring opportunities?

The French were sluggish in the first half but picked it up somewhat during the second but never really looked like a threat to Romania. France had more possession but it is not unusual for Romania to play a counter-attack game. I recall the 1994 World Cup when most teams played with a 4-4-2 (2 up front 4 in the mid-field and at the back) Romania played something like a 4-6-0 choosing to defend and clog up the middle of the pitch then rely on catching their opponents out on a quick counter-attack. In fact the longer today's match went on the more I thought something like that might happen.

The French looked better than Romania but the underdogs did what they had to do: they went out out there to frustrate the French, not allow them to develop a rhythm, and prevent them from scoring. The French seemed to be missing a spark up front and at times they looked painfully slow, especially in the first half when they looked barely interested in the match. At no time in the match did I think France was likely to penetrate the yellow wall of Romanian defenders.

All in all it was almost a repeat of the 2006 World Cup when France only just squeezed into the knock-out stage after looking woeful in their opening games. But back then they had Zidane and a fit Thiery Henry. (Their captain Patrick Viera is also injured). Also in 2006 they only had to beat Togo and South Korea. In Euro 08 they have to play the Netherlands and a now desperate Italian team.
 

waterbed

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Holland started end ended with 7 whites because a white and a berber were replaced by such.they played whole match with 7 whites 2 mulatto's 1 berber and 1 mixed white with asian.Total a lot more than 7 whites
smiley36.gif

And that is white enough for me and the non whites(or part non white)played also good.As long as they don't start with a team like french I am happy.
 

guest301

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Matra1 said:
guest301 said:
Matra1 said:
So much for Italy being a good bet! They were walloped 3-0 by a mostly white Dutch team that was lethal going forward. (In the 90s the Dutch team were at least half non-white). The good news for Italy is that some times the team that wins these tournaments gets off to a slow start - including Italy at World Cup 1982. Other good news is that the French team looked poor against Romania. Of course, the French looked awful in the group stage of World Cup 2006 but got better.

Spain, perennial dark horses who always disappoint, play a much improved Russian team tomorrow.

Matra, I missed the France/Romania game because of work. Who dominated the run of play in that match, time of possession, scoring opportunities?

The French were sluggish in the first half but picked it up somewhat during the second but never really looked like a threat to Romania. France had more possession but it is not unusual for Romania to play a counter-attack game. I recall the 1994 World Cup when most teams played with a 4-4-2 (2 up front 4 in the mid-field and at the back) Romania played something like a 4-6-0 choosing to defend and clog up the middle of the pitch then rely on catching their opponents out on a quick counter-attack. In fact the longer today's match went on the more I thought something like that might happen.

The French looked better than Romania but the underdogs did what they had to do: they went out out there to frustrate the French, not allow them to develop a rhythm, and prevent them from scoring. The French seemed to be missing a spark up front and at times they looked painfully slow, especially in the first half when they looked barely interested in the match. At no time in the match did I think France was likely to penetrate the yellow wall of Romanian defenders.

All in all it was almost a repeat of the 2006 World Cup when France only just squeezed into the knock-out stage after looking woeful in their opening games. But back then they had Zidane and a fit Thiery Henry. (Their captain Patrick Viera is also injured). Also in 2006 they only had to beat Togo and South Korea. In Euro 08 they have to play the Netherlands and a now desperate Italian team.

Thanks, Matra.
 

waterbed

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Today i did read a very caste interview in the VI the most populair football magazine here.They say that the dutch team can not make goals against french because they are so psychicall strong the name them bears(like big winnie the poeh: )I dont know if that is the good word but that animal.The Weak dutch players are on average 79.7 kilo=176 lbs.the average of the white players is 82.5 kilo+182 lbs.average height is overall little bit under 6 feet=182.8 the whites little bit over 6 feet 183.8.That is under average because average white man in netherlands is 186.8 cm 6.1.5 feet.Than the french psychical super strong players they are on average 170 lbs is 77 kilo.Maybe the weak dutch players have to use their bodymass advantage against the strong animals of the french
smiley5.gif
smiley4.gif


also the say french is ideal meting pot and they can use the psychicall strongness of the africans with the french type of play.
 
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The Dutch just ran all over France and had their way. They won 4-1 and scored amazing goals. Italy drew with Romania 1-1. The Dutch have advanced and won the group of death with 6 pts. Romania is second with 2 points. Both Italy and France have 1 point with the same goal differencial, goals scored and goals given up. Should be interesting. France vs. Italy and Romania vs. Holland. If Romainia wins they advance. If they tie or lose that will let the winner of Italy/France advance. Hopefully France will lose.
smiley36.gif
 

Liverlips

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Good tourny so far. France starts 7 blacks and 4 whites and has not won a game (drew with all-white Romania and lost to Netherlands (8 whites, 2 mulattoes, 1 Arab).

The final 8 should be all-white or mostly-white teams with only Portugal and Netherlands starting more than 1 black.

Side note, anyone take a lok at the team icture of the 1984 French side that won the European championships? ALL WHITE!!!! What a disaster that took place in only a decade where they went to almost all-black!!! Had to be planned!
 

Iron

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I think the Arab your refering to Liverlips is Van Bronkhurst[sp?].He's partially Asian,white father,Asian mother.He's not a first teamer and neither is one of the mulatto midfielders so really the Dutch team should be even stronger and Whiter if not for injuries.This was a great result as they completly outplayed France who started if i'm not mistaken 8 out out of 10 Black outfield players.
 

Liverlips

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Iron,

The Arab I was talking about is named Bouhlabez or something. Seems mostly white like Zidane (probably a Berber). The pic I saw of the French side had Ribary, Sagnol, the goalie and one other whitey.

So glad they lost to Netherlands as I don't really mind Arabs playing. Not too many of them and the Caste System is all about blacks -- not Asians, Hispanics or Arabs - getting ahead of more talented whites.
 

guest301

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I watched the whole Holland/France game yesterday and France played a very lethargic and uninspired game.Perhaps playing for their country doesn't mean all that much to that majority black team. But I could be wrong about that, maybe they are just overrated.
 

Angelcynn

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It was excellent seeing Holland destroy France, I really enjoyed it. I tipped Holland before the tournement started despite the media saying they are not as good as they have been in the past, but looking at their squad they have so much class and depth.
 

blue_mentos

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The game of the tournament so far has to be the turkey v czech game today. i had to leave at half-time and was astonished by the final score and highlights. a lot of heart shown by the turkish side to battle back from behind in this tournament twice now. i look for them to make things difficult for croatia and the teams beyond if they win.
 

Liverlips

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Incredible letdown by the Czech Republic. Up 2-0 with less than 20 mins to play and they lose 3-2.
 

Matra1

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When they were 2-0 up I said the Czechs should take off Jan Kohler as he was running on fumes. I don't understand why they kept him on. But that said Cech made a hash of things on the second goal and the Czechs were just hanging on for much of the second half. This Czech team had a poor tournament and I don't think anyone outside of the Czech Republic itself will miss them. I don't like Turkey (Go Croatia!) but credit where it is due - the Turks did well to come back.

I actually didn't think the French were all that bad against Holland! They created quite a few opportunities - Henry didn't have a good match despite scoring a goal. The Dutch were just simply superb. As to Giovanni van Bronckhorst he has started both Holland's matches and played well.
 

Magellan

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Hello guys !

i m a french from the suburb of Paris. I m living in a neighbourghood full up with african immigrants (last night their childs were running and beating themselves as a game...) and I AM VERY, VERY, VERY HAPPY WITH THE ITALIAN VICTORY TONIGHT !

God ! In 2004, I was already praying for the greeks against the so-called "french" (??? where ???)

In 2006 i was glad for italian victory, of course

and now... what an humiliation for our colonized team

i am impressed that you americans are following minutely the european soccer and especially the french "national" team

let me say something :

1 - after the 1998 "french" victory (and, by then, a majority of the team was in fact white), some politicians and so-called leftist "intellectuals" that were previously despising soccer began yelling that our team won because of its "black-white-arab" melting-pot... they said, in fact, that we had a superior race of african players, in a way

2 - so, you are right in your forum about the "caste system". You should know that our trainer, Raymond Domenech, is politically oriented toward far-left. And that he indeed, to my opinion, discriminated french white players. For instance, it did not take Philippe Mexes (!!!), nor Giuly (in 2006), nor Pires, nor Squillaci (never played), but instead he chose black players, near to retirement or excluded from the playground in their teams... he must think that blacks are superior athletes and he do not understand that soccer is more subtle than just muscles...

3 - there is, in France, a lot of hypocrisy about soccer, and immigration on the whole... We are the most colonized country in Europe (and I know that : i live in that !). No one dare talking about the topic : only between friends and good accointances. We have, from the judicial point of view, no freedom of speech. But, indeed, a lot of french think like me, and we understand each other without having to say it...

To sum up : I m proud of this white victory tonight !!! the EUROPEAN championship can really begin, since the african team is eliminated

during the pre-championship training games, i was stoned to see that even the Paraguay has a whiter team than us...
 
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