Preview: The unofficial weekend football focus series is back, before the author of the blog takes a temporary break ahead of the (dreaded) exams. And so she turns her attention to the Euro 2008 draw. So England is the biggest casualty to not qualify for the trip to Austria and Switzerland, but she is not really downhearted. As someone who had been supporting Germany as well since the 2006 World Cup, she is definitely looking out for the 'Nationalelf'. And also closely followed by France, for some reason. But that is if those two nations get kind draws this Sunday from Lucerne, Switzerland...
Okay, enough. I don't need any more reminders that England is not part of the Euro 2008 tournament. At times I looked around, there seemed to be faint reminders about it. Can I get down to things proper? I am not one of those so-called narrow-minded Singaporeans (as being described by The New Paper lately on asking on whom we will be supporting after England's exit) who only read about England's qualification journey (which well, ended up short) and don't really care a hoot about the other national teams which are fighting their way to be in Austria and Switzerland (that is except the co-hosts themselves).
I know we were once a former British colony but, it's not as if I am blind to whatever is happening to the qualifiers. There is the Internet and the Teletext. If not, how I will know how Germany is doing? Really, sometimes we have to wake up. As much as it's time to find out what really went wrong for England this time (theories still keep popping up here and there all the time), the truth just hurts and prepare for the world to laugh. It's times like this...I am embarrassed to say that we were once a British colony for some reason (if I want to say why England is one of those national teams I follow). If I say 'support'...it's becoming a sensitive word now.
Maybe that is the thing about football. If one of those national team one support is not going to be part of a major tournament, one just hope the other gets in. That was what I found out after England did not make it after losing to Croatia at the Wembley on the final day of qualification (more on this entry - Feeling...gutted). Germany might had been the first from the continent to qualify (and me happy about it), but in the end...it was not meant to be for England.
The New Paper over here had recently did an online poll for its readers asking which national team they will be looking out for and majority are saying Spain and Portugal (I don't know is it partly due to Premier League connections or something with people like Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal who plays for Spain) and Italy, France and Germany are tied second. Had I known earlier, I would had voted in the poll. I was not aware of it till reading the last Sunday edition, on Wednesday.
While I feel like howling in protest over what was being described of Germany coach Joachim Loew as 'respected but largely unknown coach who seamlessly replaced former boss Jurgen Klinsmann' (is thinking: Excuse me? Unknown? Okay, maybe I also support Germany as well but he was seen as the real force behind Klinsmann in the World Cup last year.), at least there's one more who feel that Germany will be among the favourites for the Euro 2008 title. Wales coach John Toshack. Having seen his side fought with the Germans till a goalless draw in Frankfurt in the final qualifier for both sides, he is able to see it for himself. Okay, the two nations will face other again in the same 2010 World Cup qualifying group, but I will see how things go after Euro 2008 is done with.
The last Sunday edition was when it introduced the 16 nations (plus the two co-hosts) with brief information on each national team (coach, star player, the road to qualification, past best tournament record and the chance at Euro 2008) . Maybe good for those who had been only following England's eventual dismal qualifying campaign, but for me, I almost howled in protest on the info of Germany (I had said it in the previous paragraph). I am also vaguely aware at the rest but, in the case of the Czech Republic (same qualifying group with Germany), Croatia and Russia...more aware of it. England were in the same qualifying group with the last two I said. And by the way, the Czechs are in the same pot with Croatia ahead of the draw.
Don't ask me how the seedings of Euro 2008 were done. It's kind of bizarre and complicated. But one wants a full explanation, Wikipedia had a guide to it - Euro 2008 - Seeding. While one may think the world rankings as according to FIFA can be used as a guide, it's not the case. Because if it is, Austria and Switzerland will not be in the first pot but somewhere else instead (and Germany will be there). But the co-hosts are. So the talk of a potential 'Group of Death' had popped out. And looking how it's being arranged, there could be more than one upset when the tournament starts in June next year.
Like how I used to say before, I am wary of the 'curse of the favourites tag'. The favourites tag had found its way to Germany in view of their performance in the qualifiers. Nice but, once if it works against Germany (I don't want to jinx it), then it will be a different story altogether and everyone will be wondering what is going on. So getting a kind draw in their favour in Lucerne will be good enough. But with the potential of one of the big guns exiting at the group stages next year...there is a possibility.
As for France, for some reason, I am also interested in how the Les Bleus will be doing. Maybe it's because on the number of up and coming young French footballers who are making their way into the national side. Coach Raymond Domenech might had been the sort of coach one loves to hate given of his personality, but he still manage to get away with it most of the time. As for France winning Euro 2008? The last time it happened for the Les Bleus was in 2000. France may have kind of stuttered in their qualification route (especially their home and away losses to Scotland) but, they still managed to get there with a little bit of luck in which the Italians don't like the fact they helped the French after beating the Scots in Glasgow. The equation for the Les Bleus back then is that as long as Scotland lose to Italy (which it happened, which is now a pity to think of it given how Scotland had performed in the qualifiers), they will go through.
I may have my so-called dream draw in mind but, I don't want to jinx both Germany and France. Those are not in the same pot so...yeah.
Being the unofficial person in the house who has to turn the calendars, I was turning one of those the moment the clock strikes 12 midnight. A new month. And if there is a sign for me that I was already kind of looking forward to the draw - in one of the calendars I was turning (there's more than one in the house), there was a photo which says 'Heiligenblut, Austria' (it's a series of 12 images from around the world). I know Lucerne (which is in Switzerland) will be the centre of attention on Sunday but, Austria is one of the two co-hosts.
Speaking of that, UEFA's website has compiled together some of the notable footballing history in both Austria and Switzerland ahead of the draw in Lucerne - Friendly neighbours. Pretty interesting stuff for me. Anyhow, if anyone can't wait, that will be something to tide over first ahead of the draw (that is if your team is not England all along).
