Your Thoughts on EURO 08

[user1101]

Euro 2008 is almost over, with the conclusion to three fantastic weeks of football arriving in under 36 hours. Sunday will decide whether Germany will add to their already obese trophy cabinet, or Spain will end their 44 year wait for a major trophy. While the excitement and anticipation is still in the air, I wanted to see what others thought of the tournament, and I came up with the idea for this new topic.

From the 30 matches already played, share your views, opinions, and thoughts by answering these three questions;
Best player:
Best goal:
Best match:

I'll get the ball rolling...

Best player: Wesley Sneijder, but only just - if Schweinsteiger hadn't seen red, he would be player of the tournament
Best goal: Sneijders goal against Italy - fantastic team goal
Best match: Holland 4-1 France

[Rulezzz]

Best player: Im afraid Sneijder performed far too poorly against Russia to be player of the tournament for me. Im going to have to go for Marcos Senna, been consistently good in every game so far wont get the plaudits because of the role he plays but i have been mightely impressed.

Best goal: Pepe vs Turkey for me, brilliant passing and movement for the centre back to go and score that goal, was wonderful football.

Best match: Holland 3-0 Italy

I think this has been a brilliant tournament the standard of football in terms of the passing, the movement, the control the touches and everything has been fantastic. Despite the fact the England arent there i reckon it has contributed towards a better tournament, because we dont play football the right way and these teams do, they play it on the ground.

[Real_Zidane]

Best player: My boy Schweinsteiger. He went missing in most of the group stage, but really turned on the heat in the knockout rounds.

Best goal: Ballack's freekick. Simply amazing.

Best match: Czech Republic vs. Turkey. I didn't see the entire match. But WOW!!! Turkey were just absolutely brilliant. It was a night of magic for them and everyone watching.

This tournament has been so attack-minded (except the italians) it's crazy and makes for some football that isn't hard on the eyes any bit. I wish all major tournaments were this good because this has been a fabulous one, with small exceptions like the French and Italians.

[ratherton]

I have to disagree with Rulezz about it being a better tournament without England. A couple of the teams have been a joke. With England not being there, it means you can just sit back and relax a bit more. I've watched a couple of games but to me, the tournament has meant no more than the Copa America or the African Cup of Nations.

From what I have seen, I think the Russians played some excellent football after Arshavin was back in the team. Not really sure why they were so poor against Spain.

I haven't seen enough to nominate a player of the tournament but I understand Fabregas has been brilliant for virtually every minute he has played.

Of the goals I've seen (which isn't many), I was quite impressed with Nihat's 2nd goal against the Czech Republic.

[messi19]

Its been much better without England! Ratherton what are you on about! England are just boring when it comes to international football. I havnt thought once the whole tournament "I wish England were playing" The football is more exciting without England and I hope England dont qualify for world cup 2010.

[ratherton]

Its been much better without England! Ratherton what are you on about! England are just boring when it comes to international football. I havnt thought once the whole tournament "I wish England were playing" The football is more exciting without England and I hope England dont qualify for world cup 2010.

You are English, aren't you??

I really despair when I read posts like this from English people. Of course, we've been garbage for the last few years. Look at the idiots we've had in charge.

Football isn't always about being entertained. If you want guaranteed entertainment, go to the circus or cinema. You should support your country and that means taking the bad as well as the good. We've been awful and didn't deserve to qualify for the 2008 finals but don't tell me that we would have been less entertaining that Greece, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Not that I expect you to understand that. Its fair easy to pick a team that just happens to be entertaining at the moment and pretend to support them but I guess thats the face of the modern football supporter.

Let me ask you this, if we go to South Africa and win every game 1-0 playing even more boring football than Greece did in 2004, will you refuse to celebrate winning the World Cup because we weren't entertaining? Of course you won't - idiot !!!!

[messi19]

Im only half english, most of my family are Portuguese. Ive always supported Portugal but I live in England, so I sometimes follow the England national team.

[Collins91]

I think the tournament has been a great advert for European football. There has been great football played, only maybe 2 or 3 dull matches. A couple of new players have been discoverd as great and now have something else to live up to.
Better than the 04 one for me!

[Hugh]

Its been much better without England! Ratherton what are you on about! England are just boring when it comes to international football. I havnt thought once the whole tournament "I wish England were playing" The football is more exciting without England and I hope England dont qualify for world cup 2010.

You are English, aren't you??

I really despair when I read posts like this from English people. Of course, we've been garbage for the last few years. Look at the idiots we've had in charge.

Football isn't always about being entertained. If you want guaranteed entertainment, go to the circus or cinema. You should support your country and that means taking the bad as well as the good. We've been awful and didn't deserve to qualify for the 2008 finals but don't tell me that we would have been less entertaining that Greece, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Not that I expect you to understand that. Its fair easy to pick a team that just happens to be entertaining at the moment and pretend to support them but I guess thats the face of the modern football supporter.

Let me ask you this, if we go to South Africa and win every game 1-0 playing even more boring football than Greece did in 2004, will you refuse to celebrate winning the World Cup because we weren't entertaining? Of course you won't - idiot !!!!

I would add even, that even if you're supporting a team which doesn't play well it's still entertaining to cheer them on and go all moody and depressed when they inevitably don't win. That's most of the fun involved right there, because when you're supporting national teams you're pretty much forced into supporting 1 or 2 teams which is good because then you're not allowed to flip flop like most of the premier league fans.

Personally I agree with ratherton that the tournament was boring (for me) without England.

[Real_Zidane]

Regarding the England topic. I think England not being in this tournament has done absolutely nothing to lessen the passion and excitement of the tournament. I know a few englishmen that because of seeing this tournament didn't care they weren't in it because all the teams (with the exceptions of France and ITaly of course) were absolutely brilliant. Plus, there hasn't been much violence in this tournament at all. I can only recall one incident when a few people were jailed after a match. With England there, it could have been different. I don't have anything against Englishmen but they have some fans that do a lot of stupid things.

[ScottyBoy]

Im only half english, most of my family are Portuguese. Ive always supported Portugal but I live in England, so I sometimes follow the England national team.

you support portugal

yet you have a spain sig with "viva espana" are you kidding, if you dont support england you clearly support no one because you certainly have nothing to do with portugal i dont think portugal would want you

ive actually missed england at this tournament, i mean i turn on to the news and only find gordon browns competence being questioned, nothing about england fans playing volleyball with chairs with the police, and the joy of watching an england penalty shootout, cant beat it

tournaments always missing scotland, we bring that extra atmosphere, we might be sh*t when it comes to actually reaching the knockout phases (or qualifing these days) but the tartan army bring somthing else, not many people deny that

[Had2bHarry]

Overall, I thought it was a good clean tournament.

The refereeing was good, there werent too many mistakes by the refs, no wrestling, it was a good tournament.

I'm pretty disappointed England was'nt in it as well. I guess the tournament was'nt COMPLETELY complete without the nation that invented the game. I was disappointed they didnt qualify, but in the end they didnt really deserve to.

On the otherhand, Spain played brilliant football, and stayed consistent throughout the tournament. Its a well deserved trophy, and a great achievement.

[Croatianblood1]

Im only half english, most of my family are Portuguese. Ive always supported Portugal but I live in England, so I sometimes follow the England national team.

you support portugal

yet you have a spain sig with "viva espana" are you kidding, if you dont support england you clearly support no one because you certainly have nothing to do with portugal i dont think portugal would want you

He probably just supported Spain for this tournament since Portugal got knocked out and England didn't even qualify.

And scotty, what the hell are you doing with a Cristiano Ronaldo sig anyway?

[ScottyBoy]

And scotty, what the hell are you doing with a Cristiano Ronaldo sig anyway?

im sorry

who do you suggest i have as a sig... boss

[Croatianblood1]

And scotty, what the hell are you doing with a Cristiano Ronaldo sig anyway?

im sorry

who do you suggest i have as a sig... boss

Oh never mind. I thought you hated C.Ronaldo so thats why when I saw your sig and I was wondering why you would have one of C.Ronaldo. I never knew you liked him.