Euro 2012 – Top Scorer

Buckle up and get set, we’re now only a few short days away from the beginning of Euro 2012. Pretty much everything has been covered on this thorough blog, from the stadia to potential star players to things to do to schedules and more but there’s one key subject that has been saved until last, potential top scorers and their odds.

Euro 2012 is a high-class competition, some of the finest players in the world come and play here and there are some pretty illustrious previous winners, with a list including the likes of Alan Shearer (5 goals), Marco Van Basten (5), Gerd Muller (4) and Michel Platini (9!).

There are some real form players going into June’s competition, so the battle for the Golden Boot is sure to be an exhilarating one.

Starting with the bookies’ favourite to take the mantle, Mario Gomez. The German striker is a strange choice in my opinion, while he has of course bagged a huge amount of strikes for Munich over the last few years, he’s been shown up by stronger opposition and has displayed a tendency to miss some glaringly good chances. With the creativity of the German midfield behind him, there’s a good chance Gomez could end up Euro 2012’s leading scorer but I don’t see it, I think he’ll have a hard time getting starts considering the reputation of captain, Klose.

Robin Van Persie has been given odds of 9/1, very good indeed and there’s a real chance the current Arsenal forward could end up on top. The Dutchman appears to have shaken his injury demons and he will be the focus of Dutch attacks, with his confidence I’d say he’s a proverbial horse worth backing.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the next favourite with a rate of 14/1 but I don’t think this would be a wise bet to make. The Portuguese have been performing poorly for a while now, Ronaldo simply doesn’t have the same impact on the international stage due to his team mate’s not being able to support him the same way his club colleagues do and the system isn’t as well suited to his talents. A massively capable player but I can’t see CRonaldo winning the individual stakes this time.

Karim Benzema is a player that should be given some of your attention, he’s a striker playing ahead of some extremely creative midfielders (Nasri, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Menez) and has netted a lot of goals over the last year for his club, Real Madrid. Odds of 14/1 are reasonable indeed. The best odds for anyone though, have to go to German veteran, Miroslav Klose, the epitome of a tournament player with his excellent record in tournaments like this, there’s a fantastic chance he’ll take the golden prize and at the brilliant price of 18/1.

There are some other top odds for players: The ever-green Antonio Di Natale at 40/1 is a potential steal after the season he’s had and don’t forget the likes of Rooney (40/1 although he will miss some games), Podolski (28/1), Lewandowski (20/1), Huntelaar (18/1) and Torres and Llorente (16/1). It’s rare to have so many in-form strikers and attacking midfielders to be at one tournament but that’s what makes Euro 2012 so potentially special. Sit back, enjoy the goals and entertainment and don’t forget to place your bets with some help from Euro 2012 Tips!

Euro 2012 Groups

With June being a matter of days away now and Euro 2012 now consequently being a few weeks in the future it’s probably a good time to mention the competition’s groups with a little preview as to how I think they’ll pan out.

The way it works is this, there are 16 teams at the tournament this year and they’re divided up equally, so for you maths boffs that means there’ll be 4 groups. Now, the draw for said groups was made a fair few months ago so it’s been common knowledge for a while who’ll be playing who (at first) and who could meet at subsequent stages. That’s enough of an explanation now, let’s begin!

The best place to start is naturally, Group A. Overall this group is probably the worst in terms of quality but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be exciting, in fact it will most likely mean the opposite and there are of course some great players in there.

This one involves one of Euro 2012’s co-hosts, Poland. The Polish are a solid outfit and stand a decent chance of progressing through to the next round. Their star players are from Germany, both part of the Borussia Dortmund revelation with midfielder and captain Jakub Blaszczykowski and forward, Robert Lewandowski. Home advantage should play a part in their potential progression.

I’d say that this group is really evenly matched in general, with all teams having a fair crack at getting past the competition’s group stages. The other 3 teams are Russia, Greece and the Czech Republic.

Starting with Russia, they’re probably deemed as the favourites of A. They have one player in particular that has gotten some attention on this very blog, Alan Dzogaev. The attacking midfielder has had a growing reputation over the last couple of years, with some sublime vision and technique, he also has the advantage of having team-mates with more well-known reputations so the pressure is off him in various senses. Said players are Andrei Arshavin and Aleksandr Kerzhakov, the former has gone downhill over the last 18 months but the latter’s rep as a good all-round forward mean he will garner some attention from opposition. Overall Russia are fairly strong and I think they’ll make it out of this group.

We then come to Greece and the Czech Republic. Greece are the latest champions in Group A, dramatically winning Euro 2004 and they’ve kept the same (boring) principles that won them that title, defend. It’s been fruitful and nobody can really complain but they’re not as impenetrable as they once were, I don’t see them getting through here.

Finally, the Czechs. As mentioned above, they’re strong too with a talented collection of players. It’s not the greatest generation of Czech players but anything can happen, with a rejuvenated Tomas Rosicky leading the team there’s a good chance of progression but I think they’ll just fall short.

Moving on to B then, which will be competed by: Denmark, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands. This is a really tough one, particularly for Denmark who are talented but don’t have the same level players as the other 3. That could play in the Danes’ favour however, with the pressure off they can just go there and enjoy the experience.

Portugal aren’t that far ahead of Denmark, as a collective they’re worse (or so qualifying suggests) but they have some big players, none more so than one of the best in the world, Cristiano Ronaldo. That may not count for a lot but when it comes to bigger games he can be the difference. I still don’t think the Portuguese will go through however, the quality isn’t even all over the park.

Germany and the Netherlands are teams in their pomp, Germany have a young but immensely talented squad and look to have some real potential as winners. The Dutch have been strong in recent competitions and can adapt their game to different situations, such is the level of ability they have. I think both of these sides will qualify and progress.

Group C is to be contested by Croatia, Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Spain. Italy and Spain are the titans of the 4, the Azzurri having great history with big competitions (and a squad brimming with aged talent) and the Spanish hogging recent success. Recent form suggests Spain could miss out here (nor progressing but winning the thing), their forward line is seriously lacking in goals with the loss of Villa and that was an issue that seemed it could be problematic in 2010, their World Cup win was around a lot of fine margins. Italy have been more exciting per se, with their national game seemingly improving after a rotten slump. I think both teams will go through, having such strong squads.

Croatia are similar to many of the sides of Group A, generally good in each position but just lacking that real edge to make them a really great team. I think it’s a 3rd place finish for the Croats. The Republic of Ireland did brilliantly to get to Euro 2012 through the playoffs, it’s a hard journey and this will be a great experience for them, despite having some good players available and a manager that while negative, knows the tricks of the trade, I think this will be as far as the Greens go.

Finally, we come to Group D. With England, France, Sweden and other co-hosts Ukraine battling it out for the 2 progressing spots. England have looked in dire shape for some years now but have a habit of finding the required results to get past this particular stage of a big, international competition. France have been on a good run since the disastrous 2010 they had, while they’ve proven to be unpredictable in the past I think they’re shoe-ins to progress here. A very good group of players are available, the question is, can they play like a team and show the required discipline to be eventual winners? The 3 lions will be scared for England France.

Sweden are always in the same group as the English and it usually goes the same way when the 2 meet. Their star player, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been in sensational form with Milan this year but he’s never quite been able to replicate for the national side, even in his best years. I don’t think the Swedish team will be progressing as they fall just a little short of France and England. The Ukraine are similar, they have some home advantage and on top of that some very good players too but I just feel that they just come up short in terms of what’s required and they won’t progress.

So that’s Euro 2012’s groups and how I think they’ll pan out as the Euros grumble on. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading, until next week.

Euro 2012 Fixtures

If you’ve been a keen follower of this blog over the last couple of months, you’ll have noticed that I’ve done a few pieces that have been related to planning for persons that may be thinking or simply going to Euro 2012. In said posts, I’ve covered the ticket costs and competition schedule and now I think it’s time I unleash actual match-ups.

Of course, I can’t tell you who’s playing who after the group stages as I’d then be involved in along the lines of a gambling circle and that would be a slightly precarious circumstance. Anyway, on with the show!

A fairly natural place to start would of course be Group A and in a scintillating manner i’ll reel off each groups’ games (that are available).

Group A

Kicking the competition off in Warsaw at 5 p.m Polish time on June 8th will be co-hosts Poland vs. Greece. The other first-day teams are Russia and Czech Republic, they’ll be playing in Wroclaw at 19.45.

The second round of A’s matches are 12th June with Wroclaw and Warsaw again playing the hosting stadia to Greece vs. Czech Republic (17.00) and Poland vs. Russia (19.45) respectively.

The final round will be played out on 16th June (can you see the pattern emerging?) with the exact venues (in the same order as the post above) having Czech Republic vs. Poland and Greece vs. Russia. A curveball’s been thrown here though, both matches are at 19.45.

Group B

On to the famed group of death this year, involving some of the biggest teams on the continent fighting it out for 2 spots, this should be the neutral’s watch for drama.

B kicks off on the 9th June, with the Netherlands playing Denmark (17.00) and Germany vs. Portugal (19.45) on the cards. These fixtures won’t hit Polish soil though, with the Ukraine stadia making their debuts. The first of the above fixtures will be in Kharkiv, the later of the 2 matches will be in Lviv.

Round 2 for B follows the formula of 4 days later, so 13th June here. Portugal vs. Denmark (17.00) and Germany vs. Netherlands (19.45) will be at Lviv and Kharkiv respectively.

June 17th is the date for the triumvirate of the rounds. Like Group A and the rest, these two games will be played at 19.45 to avoid bias and the like. At Kharkiv it’s Germany vs. Portugal and in Lviv, it’s going to be Denmark battling Germany.

Group C

We’re back over to Poland here for the third group, with Gdansk and Poznan the selected venues.

2 giants come toe to toe on the 10th of June with Spain and Italy scheduled to go at it in Gdansk at 17.00. A home nation make their debut to this article, it’s the Republic of Ireland vs. Croatia in Poznan at quarter to 8 (local time if that needs to be said).

On 14th June, Italy play Croatia in Poznan at 17.00 and the Republic of Ireland will be in Gdansk playing Spain, a tough test at the late kick-off time.

Group C ends on June 18th, it’s Croatia vs. Spain in Gdansk, while it’ll be Italy against Ireland in Poznan, both are the later kick off times.

Group D

We end with the last of the 4 groups, which happens to contain the three lions.

England spark off Euro 2012 against rivals, France. The game will be played in Donetsk at 5 o’clock local time on June 11th. On the same day but in Kiev and later on in the evening, it’s co-hosts Ukraine vs. Sweden.

The second set of matches will take place on the 15th of June. It’s that match that always seems to happen with Sweden vs. England in Kiev for the earlier time. Ukraine vs. France is on a bit later in Donetsk.

The last of the group stages will be staged on June 19th. In Donetsk England play the hosts, Ukraine and Kiev’s stadium will see Sweden vs. France.

And that just about concludes this little segment for you travelling rascals. Like I said, there’s no further I can go, for that, you’ll have to refer to my Euro 2012 Results Schedule for further dates, which I’m sure you’ve all read. Same time, next week?

Euro 2012 England – The Likely Lads – Forwards

There’s an impending announcement today and it’s the naming of England’s 23 man squad for Euros, so I’ve decided to get my skates on and go with my final 23 prediction today and this week’s feature will of course be on the attacking unit.

As I’ve mentioned in previous entries, Hodgson is a big fan of 4-4-2, he likes the balance of it and sees massive benefits in the relationships players can build playing such a system. However, he does have a bit of a conundrum here which could tweak but not drastically change how he plays things this June. Wayne Rooney is the country’s best player and because of that, I can see a slight shift when it comes to the 2 up top. Instead, for the matches that Rooney is available in, I think the striker will be moved down a little to play the role of a trequartista and it will be Danny Welbeck who is put ahead of the talisman.

The 2 mentioned above have been good for Manchester United this year, Welbeck isn’t hugely prolific but works well in a system and ultimately provides balance with his work ethic. In my opinion, those 2 already have starting slots, which just leaves the rest. Daniel Sturridge I feel will be there and while the youngster hasn’t had what you might call a stellar season, he’s a big threat and can be excellent when played as an out-and-out striker, which hasn’t happened enough this campaign. His competition would have been Darren Bent but he’s out through injury and I don’t think Defoe has the rapport anymore to force his way in.

That’s 3 slots filled and I have a feeling that this option, will be the battle of the lanky boys as Hodgson will have a back-up alternate to make opposition think. It’s between Andy Carroll (the youngster who’s had his fair share of downs) and Peter Crouch (another of the ‘Golden Generation’, had his time but has had a generally OK year for Stoke. Carroll isn’t as established as a footballer but has looked dangerous in more recent games, with Crouch it’s a case of you know what you get. I think the boss will side with the harder worker and more physical of the 2, and that’s Carroll. What epitomises the issues with English football is the fact that these 2 are being discussed, neither have been good compared to the exploits of the lesser-known Danny Graham and Grant Holt. If selections were based on performance through the season, those 2 should have a real shot but they won’t have had a look in when it came to what the manager was thinking.

So that concludes my thoughts on who will (not who I want) go to Euro 2012 live this summer.

To recap:

Goalkeepers – Joe Hart, Scott Carson and Been Foster.

 

Defenders – Micah Richards, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Gary Cahill, Joleon Lescott, Phil Jones, Leighton Baines and Ashley Cole.

 

Midfielders – Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Scott Parker, Gareth Barry, James Milner, Stewart Downing, Ashley Young and Theo Walcott.

 

Forwards – Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll and Daniel Sturridge.

Keep on the look out at 1 in the afternoon, London time to see who officially makes the grade, rumours are rife! Apologies that this effort is a little slap-dash but time moves fast! Until next time.

Euro 2012 England – The Likely Lads – Midfield

Last week, I wrote a feature on the players that are likely to make the trip to Poland/Ukraine but I placed a bit of a Red Herring as it was only the defensive positions I posted about. So this week, I return with a similar feature and in what might be described as an obvious move, I’m now focusing on the more coveted midfield spaces.

So, let’s kick off! No pun intended.

Now the last of the middle of the park players to make a squad were as follows: Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, James Milner, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young, Scott Parker and Adam Johnson, what’s important to remember here though, is that this was under a different gaffer.

Roy Hodgson has a highly stylised, err, style of management when it comes to setting his teams up. He has a huge emphasis on defence, a solid platform to build off and let the more offensively minded do their thing, basically not conceding is the primary objective (which is sensible in the current climate). It’s difficult to see who will go as a consequence, it’s interesting really that Roy places a strong influence on a balanced 4-4-2 which, in my opinion, would rule out 4-3-3 and therefore Adam Johnson as a winger (and he’s not a hard enough worker) and there’s always an emphasis on one defensive sitter and one worker. Well, it’s a little more orthodox than that, take Hodgson’s Fulham team with Danny Murphy and Etuhu for example. Both were fairly mobile and box-to-box footballers to differing extents and had some stamina but there were defined roles there. Etuhu sat more, protecting defence while Murphy preferred to dictate play a little higher up the pitch, they were both hybrids though.

With this in mind, I feel that an entirely predictable set of midfielders will go. With Roy being in the job for so little time, I think he’s going to plump for experience here and go with the same old names. It’s not what I’d prefer but it fits his mantra, so the familiar mugs of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Scott Parker and Gareth Barry will all be on their way to Euro 2012 Tips. It’s testament to the general lack of options that that’s who I’d largely take too, despite feeling that most of those players are finished as international footballers. While I’m no huge fan of Scott Parker, he needs to be there as in all likelihood it’s going to be 4-4-2 over the more modern and fluid 4-3-3 and going off this season, Frank Lampard should be starting alongside his fellow cockney barrow boy. While it’s been a poor season for Frank in reality, nobody’s really performed that much better bar Scholes (who’s retired and seemingly doesn’t want to go) and Carrick, who I don’t think Hodgson will feel is mobile enough to fit his strategy. Gareth Barry has been OK for City this season but is horribly limited and while Gerrard’s been continuously struck down by injury, he’ll be there via his illustrious reputation. They’re not my choices but then again I’m of the opinion that long-term building is needed now, there’s no chance of England winning Euro 2012. If I had it my way, Lampard, Parker, Carrick and Scholes would make the grade, players that can pass a ball and have some real form. It’s a massive shame Jack Wilshere couldn’t get fit in time, England’s one true hope in that area.

Anyway, that’s done so let’s head on over to the wings. England haven’t had a proper left footed winger in yonks, literally and it’s STILL an area lacking quality. Adam Johnson is a good technical footballer but has barely played for City in 2011/2012 and doesn’t work hard enough to play in a Hodgson team. Stewart Downing is the only viable left footer I can see, despite being completely woeful at club level all year. I wouldn’t be surprised if James Milner also goes, again he’s not had a stellar season and is a hugely limited player but runs, is versatile and is of a good age, that’s the pre-requisites all checked off. That leaves 2 more spots and I think Walcott will be prime candidate for the right side and while he has his flaws, I’d be happy to see him there, he makes good runs and forces teams back with his searing pace, an actual attacking weapon with a modicum of intelligence. Another guaranteed starter in my mind is Ashley Young, a good albeit (less) limited player, he’ll fill that left-wing spot well enough in my opinion. Similarly to the central positions, this selection is about right in my mind for the 2 starters (Walcott and Young) but there are better options as back up, like the pace-fuelled pair Aaron Lennon and Nathan Dyer. There’s also the only veteran that’s probably made a real case to make his way to Poland/Ukraine, Joe Cole. The most naturally gifted Englishman of the Golden Generation, he’s taken the brave step of plying his trade abroad and he’s been a success, he’s earned the right to make it in the 23 but I just don’t see it happening, his rep is just too far gone back home. But if there was one player I’d almost certainly take along, it would be Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. A technical player who’s shown some truly bright sparks, I don’t think he’ll be seen as ‘ready’ yet but he should go as a substitute, he’s a real impact footballer and the experience could do him the world of good.

And that’s about it for this week, in predictable fashion my next blog will focus on England’s attack but that may be coming a little sooner than usual. Until the near future.

Euro 2012 England – The Likely Lads – Defence

The European Championships 2012 are drawing closer and closer and it’s about that time when preliminary squads start to be announced. With the new boss now at the helm, Roy Hodgson, rumours are rife as to who’s going to make the cut. At the minute, nobody knows Hodgson’s strategy, is he a form guy? Or more of a reputation based manager? Will he go with more able players? Or ones who he believes fit a system? His track record suggests that he’s a man of systems over individuals but this is THE England job, a supposed poisoned chalice that would send any totally normal man insane with the pressure. Sometimes, outer influences do infiltrate the big man’s brain.

So going off such little evidence, I’m going to take some wild stabs in the dark as to who Roy will be choosing, starting with the defensive positions…

Now, in my mind, the goalkeeper part of this is already sorted. Joe Hart is comfortably the safest pair of hands in the country and he’s pretty much a guaranteed starter as long as injury doesn’t strike. This is one position that the 3 lions can really be proud of in all honesty, Hart’s one of the best around. In terms of his back up? Robinson’s out of the equation but I’m thinking the 2 spots are between Carson, Green and Foster. The latter is definitely a dark horse for this going by recent squads but this a new bloke in charge. My picks for reserves keeps are: Carson and Foster.

On to the next line of formation, defence. One guy that had no luck with Capello was Micah Richards and I think Roy’s going to draft him in. He was included in Pearce’s last picking, showing he is rated but what will Hodgson do? Going off form, the Manchester City right back has had a good year, his team are close to the top of the table and the young full back has played some part in that success. In terms of cover for defence, there’s not a huge array of specialised talent, only Glen Johnson really fits the mould but he’s a perhaps unwanted member of the old guard. One thing the English do have in their current crop, is versatility and both Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have shown they can do good jobs in those roles.

Moving over to the 2 centre back positions and here comes one of the big questions that’s seemingly been answered. The new manager has stated his intention to get Rio Ferdinand and John Terry on good terms again, showing he wants them in Poland/Ukraine this summer. Lescott seems a likely candidate to take a cover spot, as does Cahill, they are the next best things in all honesty but I’m expecting Jones and Smalling to be named too.

At left back it’s all about Leighton Baines and Ashley Cole, they have that fully covered in my opinion, unless there’s an injury of course.

So that’s who I think is going to be named in the defensive part of the squad for England in the lead up to Euro 2012, stay tuned to see who I think’s going to make it in attack.

Euro 2012 England – The New Boss/Manager/Gaffer

So England have finally gotten themselves a new man at the helm of the national team and unfortunately for the media, it’s not Harry Redknapp. Instead, step forward, Roy Hodgson. While the Englishman may not have been everyone’s choice what he is is: Smart, dignified and disciplined and he is someone that the national English game has needed for quite some time, someone to change the whole ethos.

The three lions have been more akin to 3 toothless cubs for about 10 years, the much famed Golden Generation have failed badly when the going has gotten that little bit tougher and they seem to have believed in their own hype far too much. Similarly to the Chelsea situation, the players seem to have a huge level of influence and it’s been noticeable that previous managers have been scared to drop the older guard for the younger players but if the country ever expects to progress out of the footballing hole they’ve been in for the last decade, a change of strategy is necessary.

The likes of Terry, Lampard, Gerrard and the rest are declining, their legs are getting slower and weaker but they still sit in the England XI, time after time. The young English stars like Sturridge, Smalling, Oxlade-Chamberlain and more don’t get much of a look in but they need to, experience needs to be built up and that has to happen. England have a tiny chance of winning Euro 2012, the quality just isn’t there in all honesty but a foundation should be placed, on working hard and showing fight, it’s vital to success, simple talent isn’t enough. The aforementioned characteristics will be demanded from Hodgson, he’s a coach that relies on organisation and tactical discipline, a basis to build attacking play from, he also operates with honesty and will hopefully pick players based on form, rather than reputation.

That last bit is key, it’s vital that the message ‘working’ for your place is put in to practice, while the Spanish, Dutch and Germans may be full of technique, they all work exceptionally hard and that is something that is often overlooked for their more attractive features but it shouldn’t be, it’s the biggest part of their success. The other half of it, is having players who respect and believe in their coach, they follow the game plan and put their all into it, they also know their limitations and understand that they’re not bigger than the team, something English footballers can be lambasted for over recent years.

While the media might be blubbering that king Harry Redknapp hasn’t made it to the promised land in time for Euro 2012, they shouldn’t be, the FA have employed a far more experienced and proven man and one that actually has some true tactical versatility. What Redknapp is, is a motivator but when it comes to out-thinking the opposition, it’s not something he’s too good at and it’s quite remarkable that he’s getting such backing from people, when he’s only really been particularly successful at one club and even then, it’s just been a Champions League forray. From this article it’s pretty clear where my allegiance and opinion lies but it’s something I’m confident I will be proven right on. Roy Hodgson is a good Englishman, he’s not a dodgy wheeler-dealer, he has some class about him and will hopefully rid the English game of the ‘bling-bling’ attitude it’s had for far too long. Good luck and show them who’s boss. Until next time.

Euro 2012 Schedule

A couple of weeks ago, aka a little scroll down this page and you’ll find a highly entertaining article concerning Euro 2012 tickets. Now as a bit of a follow-up on that piece, it was all a bit useless if I didn’t let you know the competition’s schedule. The whole point of this blog is of course, to help you.

So, let’s get on with it.

This year’s European Championships are kicking off in June, the 8th of the sixth month to be exact. It’s pretty much customary for a host to open proceedings in one of their flagship stadia, a sort of extension of an opening ceremony so-to-speak. It must have been slightly difficult to draw between Poland and the Ukraine as to who would play the first game but it’s the Poles that won, so they have a match against Greece in Warsaw, the wicker basket arena. Group games dominate the majority of the competition’s fixtures and between the 8th and 19th (of June), there are matches every day, sprinkled between the 2 countries and 8 venues.

As a good warning, I will definitely mention the days that there are no football on, just so a calamitous error is not made! For the group stages, there are 2 matches each day (plenty to choose from) but between the group phase and the quarters, there is a small break of one day, this is June 20th, so don’t plan on going to see a game then.

The 21st sees the start of the real knockout phase and winners and runners-up of their groups all start to play each other in what is seemingly a complicated mess. From the 21st to the 24th, matches will be played in Warsaw, Gdansk, Donetsk and Kiev respectively and after the quarters are over, there’s a 2 day break (25th and 26th), after which, the semis will (obviously) be played.

In the same vein as the rest of the format, matches are in side-by-side chunks, so the penultimate parts of the competition will be played one day after the other, which in this case is the 27th and 28th. The jazziest stadia of all isn’t used in this phase but the next best are, aka the Cardiff equivalent – the Millenium Stadium.

To the most important fixture of all, the final, which following tradition is going to be played on a Sunday and in this year’s case, it’s the 1st of July. There is, once again, sorry to repeat, a 2 day break (see the pattern here?) between the semi-finals and Euro 2012’s finale and the host of one of the biggest sporting events of the decade? Kiev’s Olympic Stadium, the grandest out of the selection of 8.

And that concludes this week’s blog entry, while not the most entertaining it’s still vital information for you to know for when summer time rolls around. Till next time.

Euro 2012 Kits

Right then, on with another delightful Euro 2012 topic and this week, we’re taking a more fashionable look at this summer’s competition, with a peek at the kits that will be on show.

Now there’s very little point in going into the colour schemes and whatnot because well, it’s national jerseys and the colours tend to stay true to the flag, that’s just the general rule. There are 16 teams that will be present in June and it’s pretty customary, thanks to commercialism taking over football, for a national team to release a new strip every year. It’s a little bit unnecessary during years where there’s not much in terms of actual competition going on but hey, I don’t make the rules!

So there’s not a huge amount I can really say about the Euro 2012 kits, they will of course be the latest and greatest in terms of design and more importantly for the management, technology. While it seems a fairly innocuous thing to target, the weight and ‘breathability’ of strips is becoming more and more important in an era of the sport, where science, stats and technology are really taking a grip. Managers are increasingly insistent on getting any physical advantage, it all started when lighter and more varied boots came about, the attitude from that side of the game has diffused itself into other apparel. Shirts these days are wafer thin and usually come customised with undershirts (sorry for buyers) that are designed for specific weather types. You can get baggier tops, which are more traditional or the newer style, which is skin-tight and meant to help player movement.

There will be 4 kitmakers at Euro 2012. The 2 giants, Adidas and Nike were givens considering how much they dominate the aesthetics of football but Umbro and Puma are making appearances too. We’ve seen some really jazzy numbers (not literal shirt numbers) come and go and now, it seems there’s a classy theme for 2012, no ‘out there’ shapes or splatterings of neon, just simple designs with even simpler colour schemes and that’s how I like it personally.

So, I’ve stretched that one out enough and being the social schemer that I am, I’ve gone and added a poll to see which ones you like best. Textbook blogging. If you do happen to buy a shirt (online) make sure you give me a mention, I could do with some extra dough! Kidding. Till next week.

Take a browse of each team’s shirt here and make sure to read the captions, there’s some humorous ones thrown in there, happy voting!

The French effort, go on the frogs.

It's tight, it's white and it looks old, got to be England's.

With their classic yellow and blue, Sweden.

Another of the yellow-ish brigade, step forward co-hosts, Ukraine.

They probably won't see the competition's chequered flag but still, need I say it? Croatia.

3's the magic number for the (luck of the) Irish but I don't think they'll get the rub of the green to win this year. Nice shirt though.

That classic, ever-recognisable blue. Sleek and simple, no skin tights this time around, it's Italy.

Fit for a matador's cloth/cape/thing, red is apparently the colour of winners, true story. Spain.

Red, green and Portugal.

Simple, white, defined and efficient, it's got Germany written all over.

Looks Danish, it is.

Unlucky for ginger Dutch fans, walking Wotsit. This one's obvious but just in case, Netherlands.

Qualification? Czech. Squad? Czech. Shirt? Czech Republic.

Bold, red, Russian.

Another of the Adidas clan, Greece.

Poland going for the polished look. Pun intended.

Euro 2012 Tickets

With Euro 2012 looming ever closer, some of you may be interested to know how much it’s going to set you back, if you want to attend a match or two. With UEFA sticking to their true colours, it’s not going to be cheap if you want to attend something with some prestige attached but overall, the cost of tickets seem relatively decent.

The final is of course the most expensive of all but we’ll naturally head there last, for starters we’re going to kick off with the Opening Match.

Now, there are categories within categories but this is relatively normal for modern football, complications for the classes. Category 1 seats are for use of a better word ‘snazzy’. They have the optimum view of the pitch and usually come with nice padding for comfort, maybe even a box with service? This of course comes at a heavy price and be prepared for your wallet to take a tidy little hit, what are you waiting for? Get savin’!

Category 2 tickets are more neutral ground, a good view of the pitch and in the normal seats. Obviously not as cushty as category 1 but far less costly, seen as a good medium, hence the middle 2.

The last is… can you guess? That’s right, 3. The cheapest of all categories, some of the prices here can be very reasonable indeed, just don’t complain if you’re plonked in front of a pole (I’m joking, the design of each stadium assures no poles, well Polish people of course, you get my drift though).

For Euro 2012‘s opener, it’ll make your wallet a load lighter for an A grade seat, €250 to be exact but you’ll of course be a witness to a good show. If you’re a little too frugal to fork that out but are still looking for a guaranteed quality position within the stadium, 2 is more your game, a cool €140 is all that’s required. Ticket category 3, your savings’ best friend, is much, much less, you’re looking at a relatively good €45.

Group Matches aren’t done by discriminated pricing, which is great for supporters so a match between 2 poorer teams is just as dear/cheap (depends if you’re a half full/empty kind of person) as a titanic clash. These games are the least prestigious in terms of tournament progression but on the other hand, most likely to produce great football matches historically speaking. I recommend trying to catch one of these fixtures if you can, a great balance. 1 – €120, 2 – €70 and 3 – €30.

After the Group Stages come the Quarters and there is an obvious boost in money. This is again another good medium when it comes to a quality to money ratio though. A category 1 position is €150, for 2 it’s €80 and for a 3rd €40.

Going to the semis and things start to get dearer once again. 1 – €270, 2 – €150, 3 – €45.

The final of course, is where the money really is. First class tickets are hot property, a small €600 will get you one of the most popular tickets in town. Second class ones are just above half, €330 and category 3s are a surprisingly reasonable €50, not bad for one of sports’ greatest shows.

All in all, it’s not too bad a selection in terms of money. While tickets are of course not the same as your average Premier League match, they’re not too much more and well worth a trip.