Spain has qualified from the qualifying group stage of every European Championship bar two – 1972 and 1992. Seven times they have failed to progress past the last eight. In 1964 they won the European Championship and the two decades later they lost in the final to France. Four years ago they failed to qualify along with Russia in a group in which Portugal, and Greece moved on.
How they qualified Losses away to Sweden and Northern Ireland in the opening three games placed Spain firmly behind the eight-ball. However, they responded magnificently with eight wins and a draw away to Iceland the only blemish. Spain finished two points ahead of runners-up Sweden and eight ahead of Northern Ireland and Denmark. David Villa’s six goals for Spain all arrived in the first seven games of group play.
The Coach Describing Luis Aragones as controversial is a bit like saying Celtic and Rangers fans don’t often see eye-to-eye. If he isn’t feuding with players and the media, he is spouting inflammatory comments. At 70 years-old Aragones will be the oldest manager at the competition and he will step down at the conclusion of the tournament.
Key Players Last summer Fernando Torres’ move from Atletico Madrid to Liverpool was widely questioned given the money Liverpool paid and the fact that Torres had never scored twenty goals in a season.
Nearly twelve months later Torres has scored many more than twenty goals and is considered a bargain at $45m+. Valencia’s David Villa and Mallorca’s Daniel Guiza (top scorer in La Liga this past season) are also available and offer credible alternatives to Torres.
In goal Spain are very strong with Iker Casillas backed-up by Liverpool’s Pepe Reina and Sevilla’s Andres Palop. Sergio Ramos has developed into an outstanding defender for Real Madrid and this tournament might contribute to his growing reputation.
Great Euro Memory Spain won the European Championship in 1964 beating the Soviet Union 2-1. In the qualifying rounds Spain had beaten Romania and both of the Irelands.
The final was laced with politics as four years earlier the Fascist Spanish dictator General Francisco Franco had ordered Spain not to play the Soviet Union at the quarter final stage.
The Soviet’s then received a bye into the semis and eventually won the competition. However, in 1964 Franco could not resist the chance to demonstrate Spain’s superiority on the football field.
Spain beat a very good Hungary side 2-1 after extra time in the semi final while the Soviet Union dispatched Denmark 3-0. In the final Pereda gave Spain an early lead only for Khusainov to equalize before ten minutes was gone.
The score remained deadlocked until Marcelino (Real Zaragoza) scored from a header with only six minutes left. (The current Spanish squad recently met the 1964 team).
Synopsis Along with Russia, Spain is generally considered to be the consummate underachiever of world football. At so many major tournaments Spain has, on paper, a side capable of winning the whole enchilada.
But, games are not won on paper and we have become use to Spain starting a tournament like gangbusters only to fold like a cheap deckchair come the knock out rounds. They have the players – do they have the temperament and will they get a couple of fortunate breaks along the way?
Ironically Spain’s soft spot might be in midfield and that in turn may put the centre of defence under stress and strain. In midfield tidy passing types pervade but they may turn out to be lightweight over three weeks of competition. Ball possession may not be a problem but winning it and moving it quickly to the strikers could be.
Defensively in the middle of the park Marco Senna is the only specialty holding midfield player while the settlement of the feud between Valencia and gritty midfielder David Albelda came too late for his inclusion in the Spanish squad.
Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying Group 5 also consists of Turkey, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Armenia and Estonia.
Sweden has only competed at three previous European Championship finals. The first time was as host in 1992 when they reached the last four. They missed out in 1996 but qualified for the first time for the 2000 competition and appeared again four years later.
How they qualified Just under half of Sweden’s twenty-six points came from four consecutive wins to start Group F. With a six point gap with third place Northern Ireland it looks as if the Swede’s cruised through this group.
However, it needed a last round win against Latvia to secure the runners-up spot to Spain. A loss to Latvia and a win (all be it a shock one) by Northern Ireland in Spain would have meant the Irish traveling to Austria and Switzerland this summer. Old stand-by Marcus Allback scored six of Sweden’s twenty-three goals.
The Coach This will be the third trip to the European Championship finals for Lars Lagerback. Lagerback was initially appointed as the assistant to Tommy Soderberg 1998 before being appointed co-coach two years later. After Euro 2004 Soderberg stepped aside and Lagerback assumed sole control of the team.
Key Players Sweden will be heavily reliant on Inter’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic but the big striker has seen the edge go from his game since the turn of the year as he has battled a knee problem. Henrik Larsson has broken his international retirement again (more comebacks than Frank Sinatra) although his recall is more likely a sign of weakness in the squad than strength.
In attack John Elmander provides a big physical presence up front and he has scored at a respectable rate of one goal every three games for Sweden. He plays his club football for Toulouse has hit double figures in goals the last two seasons and is regularly mentioned in transfer talk. In midfield Kim Kallstrom has a prodigious work rate and an excellent left foot.
Great Euro Memory When Sweden hosted in 1992 they were drawn in a group with France, Denmark and England. Sweden drew the opener with France 1-1 and then proceeded to beat the eventual winners Denmark 1-0 courtesy of Leeds “legend” and Howard Wilkinson’s mate Thomas Brolin.
That set up a last round match against an England who in theory could have have qualified with a high scoring draw if the Denmark-France match had finished tied. In reality England really needed to win and going in at half time leading through an early David Platt goals things looked good for them. However, Jan Eriksson equalized just after half time and then a goal by Brolin was the final nail in England’s coffin.
In the semi-final Germany knocked Sweden out 3-2 although the score-line made the game seem closer than it actually was.
Synopsis Sweden regularly makes it to the World Cup finals but looks like a team that once it has hit the knock out stages is satisfied and ready to fly home. In Portugal four years ago Sweden played out a dreadful scoreless draw before losing to the Netherlands on penalties in a quarter final game. Competent but never a threat to win – that sums up Sweden.
Coming Up in World Cup Qualifying Drawn in Group 1 along with Portugal, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta.
Bufftvs – Now that Tevez looks like he can play in the EPL, where will he be next year? And who else from West Ham do you see moving on when they go down, as seems inevitable?
Bobby – I can’t see Tevez staying with West Ham or moving to another Premiership team. Spain or Italy would be likely destinations I suppose.
Henry14 - Do you see Wenger signing Eto'o if he is made available? As an Arsenal fan l feel we are probably an Eto'o like striker and a winger of Ribery's quality from challenging for the title and if Wenger does not have a trophy next season do you see him being told to go to the board of directors and stop coaching? Q2 looking at the remaining fixtures who has the advantage to win the title Chelsea or United?
Bobby – I don’t see Arsenal having the kind of money it would take to sign Eto’o. Plus I cannot see Barcelona making him available. As I see it he would be the last player that they would want to let go. Ribery is a more likely transfer target. As for Wenger being upstairs I don’t think that is going to happen either. A manager is moved for one primary reason – the board thinks that someone else could do a better job. Given that they have supported him in the youth movement I can’t see them giving up before it is complete.
United has the advantage in that they can afford at a minimum to lose to Chelsea and to one other team and still win the title because they have a much better goal difference – 16 goals is a lot to make up. In terms of the teams they each have to play it looks very even to me.
bigdave disaster - Is there anything more to read into Henrik Larsson, king of kings, leaving Man U than just his loyalty toward Helsingborgs? Man U prime to win the league and very much in contention for FA and more importantly Champions League it would seem the only person happy is Saha.
Bobby – Larsson showed when he left Celtic and Barcelona that he very much knows his own mind. From a Manchester United perspective I don’t think chasing Larsson would be a good message to send to the other forwards. He is 35 and is not one for the future. It has been fun watching him the last few weeks though. It has also been fun listening to the number of commentators who have suddenly realized what a great player he is/was.
wja425 - What are the consequences of relegation for a player? I have heard that contracts are often written such that they become null if a team is relegated. For a player who stays with a club on a contract negotiated while the team was in the Premier League, do their wages remain at their original level, or are there automatic pay cuts written in if the club is relegated?
Bobby – It depends on the contract. The North American comparison would be one-way or two-way contracts in hockey. Some players enjoy enough clout to negotiate a salary level no matter what happens; while others might have to accept a significant reduction should relegation happen. Lucas Neil is rumoured to have a “get-out” clause should/when West Ham are relegated. I assume that it would allow him to become a free agent.
Flashman - Enjoy watching the weekly EPL review you do Bobby, but after your review of West Ham-Spurs, you said 'You have to feel sorry for West Ham.' Really.
Their season of sel####estruction includes a bizarre pre-season of takeover speculation, signing players illegally(allegedly), players' gambling addiction problems, boardroom turmoil, a dysfunctional, clique-filled roster full of self-centred 'Bentley Babes', sideline punchups, sacking a manager who comes back to thrash them and a player charged with assault in a nightclub rhubarb who then leaves the country against club rules.
To that you can add, as the media report that the Upton Park stadium announcer made a series of inappropriate comments and an FA investigation that Spurs fans were racially taunted throughout Sunday's game.What exactly is there to feel sorry for with a club like this? Oh, sure, they have a history; just not sure they have a future to match it. Also, since they are often Spurs' feeder club, do you see anyone shifting over? They have some good players but this season really puts a stain on some reputations.
Bobby – The comment was made in the context of the game not in relation to West Ham’s history or off field antics. In order to have cracking game like that you need two sides going at it and that was the case on Sunday. In that sort of situation it is tough to see one team walk/limp away with nothing to show for their efforts. However, having said that football is often a cruel game.
I read that Marlon Harewood might be a Spurs target – I found that surprising. The Spurs left side is still a problem but I don’t see Paul Konchesky providing a solution or Matthew Etherington who Spurs gave up on previously. Luis Boa Morte perhaps?
Danny Gabbidon is a fine player who WHU have badly missed this season and Dean Ashton – if he recovers from the broken ankle – could play for any side in England.
ulsterson - All the recent articles the youth and future of the English game as well as a low murmuring about so few English players on EPL teams made me wonder what ever came of the laws FIFA seemed to be trying to pass a while back. If I remember correctly it had to do with a certain number or percentage of players being required to have come up through the youth system or at least in the league. I don't know how great that would be for the EPL but I would think it would help individual nations nurture their young talent to a greater degree and perhaps forge more of a bond between club and country. Any news on this or did I miss it?
Bobby – The proposal is still on the table but the big clubs are fighting it.
Gunner44 - I read this on BBC is it true and if it is how good is this guy? "Arsenal are weighing up a £6m summer swoop for Ajax winger Ryan Babel. (Daily Mirror)"
Bobby – The Daily Mirror is not all that reliable although Wenger has been linked with a bid for Babel before. I have not seen very much of him lately but he played for Holland in the FIFA Under 20s two seasons ago and looked very good. Being an Ajax product – there again so was Patrik Kluivert!! - £6m would seem to be a bargain but he has only scored three league goals this season so I am wondering if he has stalled out. Any Dutch league fans out there that can add anything?
verbal97 - Ahead of the build-up to the 2nd leg today, Liverpool's website asked who would you build your team around - Gerrard or Ronaldinho? Not surprisingly, Gerrard got 95.4% of the vote. But that got me thinking, if you were offered carte blanche to build a team right now, who would be your choice of player to build your team around and why?
I would choose Gerrard (as atleti rolls her eyes) because of leadership qualities and he's one of (if not the) best all-around players in the world. I would have to say my second choice would be John Terry for again, the leadership qualities, plus it's a nice luxury to have a central defender that can actually score a few goals.
Bobby – I would go for Peter Cech.
Thierry Henry - Where do you get CHAMPIONS LEAGUE in CANADA these days? TSN only shows CURLING... and we have no ESPN...
Bobby – I had the choice of Liverpool – Barcelona (RDS – the French language TSN) and Valencia – Inter on TLN. RDS was 15 minutes late in joining the game because of Canada Games curling. I switched back and forward during the first half then opted for Liverpool – Barcelona in the second half. My Dad called at half time (he has Shaw Cable) to say that he had found the Liverpool game with English commentary on channel 1 – no idea how that happened. Tomorrow I am hoping for a choice between Real Madrid/Bayern Munich and Milan/Celtic.
Gongatore - Now that Liverpool manhandled Barca out of the CL and rightfully advanced, who would you look FR (will he stay?) to buy for next season? Barca needs to regroup in order to compete next year. They will be very lucky to win La Liga at this juncture.
Bobby – FR may well move. There have been comments made about how he has strong man-management skills but tactically he is not top drawer. Before Barcelona decides who to buy they will first have to decide who to sell and no doubt the Ronaldinho to Milan stories will surface again. As I said earlier I can’t see Eto’o leaving and I would say the same about Messi. Ronaldinho might turn out to be more expendable than it might appear. I might come down to how quickly Giovanni dos Santos is maturing.
Jack “get your tickets here” Warner is in front of the FIFA Executive committee this week as he attempts to slither his way out of another in a long line of “misconduct” allegations. The November edition of “World Soccer” has an article by Lasana Liburd that details at length the ethically challenged Warner’s exploits over the years. Liburd points out that despite Warner’s initial threat to sue FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi and Ernst & Young – whose leaked report set off the investigation – no action has ever been taken.
It seems that threatening to sue is all part of the Warner act. He threatened to do the same to Andrew Jennings but nothing came of that either. No doubt Warner prefers to take his chances in front of stacked FIFA committees rather than a court of law.
Rob Hughes looks at the imminent arrival at Old Trafford of Henrik Larsson and the current problems of Thierry Henry.
With SAF’s loan capture of Henrik Larsson and the transfer window just around the corner I’m interested in finding out how you would go about strengthening your favourite team. What kind of player (just one) does your team need and who would it be?
After conceeding two early goals, having a player sent off in the first half and missing a second half penalty it is fair to say that Sweden has seen a better day than this.
Kudos the Germany - they hit Sweden with everything but the kitchen sink early on and deservedly scored twice.
The running and movement from Klose and Podolski was exceptional and the German midfield dominated large portions of the game. Frings has had an excellent tournament so far.
For Sweden a place in the last 16 is probably a fair outcome. It will probably be Henrik Larsson's last international appearance and it is a pity that such a fantastic player missed a penalty in his final game.
England needs to get a hold of the ball and play in the Swedish half for 5 minutes. It would be nice to see Sven take the initiative for once and put Aaron Lennon on to run at Sweden.
Joe Cole shows great patience and composure before finding Gerrard alone at the back post. That should do it for England now.
Another Swedish corner cleared but only for another Swedish corner.
Not so fast...only seconds left but Larsson equalizes. Time for England to hit the corners!!!
Whistle goes and England are through as group winners.
It almost seems that there are two different games to discuss. Engalnd looked so good in the first half and then we saw a second half slump that has become a common ocurrence.
I am the soccer analyst for the Fox Soccer Report and appear twice a week - every Monday and Friday at 10:00 EST. I have also been a regular contributor to the Fox Soccer Channel website since the summer of 2004. Over the last twenty years I have contributed to various radio and television programs throughout North America as well writing about the game for newspapers, magazines and websites.
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