So... it's finally here. Who do you guys tip for the trophy? Personally, I reckon England have no chance and Spain will claim the glory. How negative of me!

I think England have every chance winning it. We have a great record in competitive matches, especially against the biggest clubs; Germany, Turkey, Argentina. Obviously we were very poor against Brazil, but that was only one game. I'm looking forward to this one...

i'd put money on portugal. strong team and home advantage. im not a football fan, but i am addicted to championship manager. i need rehab to get clean, its like a drug.

alex

I've spent most of the day playing Champ Man. and it's not the ideal way to take advantage of my sick time off work, there are far more pressing matters to attend to!

Just for the record I'm in the Champions League final with Rushden againt Milan...they've beat me twice before so hopefully it's my turn...

Euro 2004; England will bow out in heartbreaking fashion in the semi-final.

That all sounds horribly familiar! Fortunately (?) my laptop won't run it, so I have to find something else to do with my time.

Euro 2004: England are certainly one of the possible winners, but I'm not sure whether they actually believe they can win it. France have too much expectation on them. Spain always crumble. Germany? Nah, can't see it. Portugal - maybe. But my money (not that I have any) is on Italy.

we'll get to the semi's (hopefully) then fall apart. Its always the way. Still, it's a young squad we've got so theres plenty of time.

I drew France in the work sweepstake. Divided loyalties ahoy!

I'm going for [COLOR=orange]Holland[COLOR]

rushden! blimey thats impressive.

im rangers, have the best squad in the world, in 8 years won champions league 4 times and uefa cup 3. quite good for rangers!

help me, please help me. my laptop wont run it but im home, and the pc is so fast and new. makes playing it so easy. HELP!

alex

i don't know enough about football to alk about these things, i just hope we get some exciting matches never mind the teams :D

i was impressed with greeces' perfomance - though they where an outsider choice, they were the kind of outsider that had quite a good chance :D

i thought russias' defence and keeper was/is impressively solid - pity the striker (yes, not strikers till the last 20 minutes) didn't match. you could tell it was just a matter of time before spain got lucky - and it was a very long amount of time before they did.

overall, i enjoyed 180 minutes of football today - which surprised me enourmously. *though* you could argue i was only avoiding revision :P

What's even more impressive is my star player is the same guy it was when I was in the Conference, he's won my supporters player of the year for 14 years in a row, Premiership Player of the Year 5 or 6 times, European Player of the Year twice and been my top scorer in virtually every season. I've won the Premiership 7 years in a row but am yet to win the Champions League (6 times runner up!). I'm in the final again now so hopefully 7th time lucky!

That players name? Lorenzo Tramarin, he was from Serie C side Triestina. The version I play is 99/00 so may be a bit outdated now...


I've decided I'd like Holland to win Euro 2004 if England don't, so they'll be my tip. On On The Ball today, out of about 15 ITV pundits Terry Venables was the only one to predict an England win.

wonder why? i hope im proved wrong in a few hours but....

and

well, i lied. had you all fooled though didnt i! haha!

alex

Sorry, I meant an England tournament win.

Portugal still have as good a chance as anybody!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGH! That wasn't funny.

(for the sake of posterity, the England/ France match just ended)

No. Not funny at all. :angry:

Ow. Owwww!!!!! Why does that always happen?

And Rushden in the Champions League? How did you manage that?

Panic over, everybody! B)

Woooooo!!! Rooney!!! Rooney!!!


Anyone up far a pub brawl? I've got some plastic chairs that are going to waste.

Leave that to the human being substitutes they call 'Big Brother contestants'. I don't watch it, but I do watch the news and it was pretty unavoidable today!

Amazing how a few minutes of good play suddenly make commentators revise their opinion of the entire match. Suddenly England weren't crap for the first 70 minutes. Hmmm. Still, I guess it was a relief - firstly for the result and secondly because Rooney has managed not to get sent off yet.

I always thought the Lincoln Imp, sat on high in Lincoln Cathedral, was a dead ringer for Paul Gascoigne, but when I saw Wayne Rooney on the news last night...............

The boy Rooney may have weightier things on his mind at the moment, but surely he's missing out on a trick by not getting involved in promotions for Shrek 2?

Mark Radcliffe played James - You're a Star, Lemonheads - Mrs. Robinson & Jr. Walker - Roadrunner and asked for the connection last night.

Nice one, apart from the divvy doing the answering!

(Yes, late night closet Radio 2 listener. He also had three live songs by John Prine, someone who makes truly evocative music)

Still think England will need to play as well as (ironically) they did in the France game, if they're to keep going. But at least England games are actually entertaining even for neutrals to watch at the minute - and how often can you say that?

Still, they havnt lost the nail-bitingly-tense nature. One minute we're clear cut winners of the game, the next they play awfully. At least rooney and neville havn't put a foot wrong yet.

Baddiel and Skinner have been pretty good of late. Especially their "Adventures of Cristiano Ronaldo".

As for England, I'm not getting my hopes up yet. They've hurt me so many times in the past!

Basic Instinct was the best one! Phoenix from the Flames is good aswell.

Shame they won't be on once it finishes, what with ITV losing the football.

And Greavsies Gaffs! "I've seen good times and bad, but mate am I glad, to be brewing up for star names!"

Portugal tonight. I'm glad France won their final group game :o I know, but it means England play on Thursday, not Friday, and I work Friday nights!

Sweden are looking good. I hope we don't have to play them.

I think we did very well against the 12 men side. Every time the English players put any pressure on the referee to make a decision he gave it portugals way.

As for that goal, pfft. Still, that was the way that England always seem to go out, and portugal definately played better.


Holland to win!!

:(

I like the picture!

It was like an exact replica of Argentina '98, wasn't it?

Sweden to win!

Normally at this stage I'd start supporting Holland, as they play the game the right way. But not this time - I have an irrational hatred of Ruud van Nisteldive.

Sorry, didn't mean that. My hatred is entirely rational! :P

France are gone. Good riddance. Greece deserved it.

Its seems Greece are the dark horses of the tournament, I've changed my mind again, I want either them or the Czech to win. That'd be different.

From the looks of things, I'd say that the Czech Republic now look like favourites to win the whole thing - especially the way that their 2nd team dealt with Germany.

I agree. The Czechs to win. This tournament and the last World Cup seem to have been a changing of the guard in world football. All the 'big' nations have fallen relatively early, while smaller nations progress.

The Czechs are indeed the bookies favorites, and in my best impression of that bearded bloke, with the silly hats from channel 4 here the odds come:

Czech Rep 13/8
Portugal 12/5
Holland 45/16
Greece 21/2


Not that I understand any of that, of course.

Statto! Statto! Statto! Ahem.

Portugal anyone? My wife's had a quid on them in the office sweepstake since they started, and after last night's stuffing of Holland, I hope she collects.

what a goal. WHAT A GOAL!!!

I'm sick of Portugal. Ruud Van Nistelrooy was right. It seems the referees need any excuse to help the hosts on their way.

That's TWO teams who have been robbed. Come on the Czechs!!!

Oh come on, portugal deserved to win with THAT goal, and also the effort from Figo which hit the post. In the first half they dominated, also the ref was equally negative, and didnt award anywhere near enough free kicks