EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Russia

Russia

Factsheet: 

Euro 2012 Group A: 08-06-12: Russia – Czech Republic, 12-06-12: Poland – Russia, 16-06-12: Greece - Russia

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 11

Previous European Championship Appearances: 1996, 2004, 2008

Qualifying record: 10+7=2-1 17-4

Interesting facts: Only Italy conceded fewer goals than Russia among the 51 nations competing for Euro 2012 participation.  

Only Pavel Pogrebnyak of Fulham does not represent a domestic club among all of the national team candidates.

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After being chosen to lead Russians when the Guus Hiddink era was over, Dick Advocaat, a usual substitute to Hiddink, shockingly gave away his job as Belgium coach and returned to Russia. Here he managed to qualify for a major competition on his first attempt. Something you can’t really satisfy the Russian fans with, but still, something that doesn’t happen every time. The team has been unbeaten in 11 matches now, conceding only 3 goals.

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Greece

Greece

Factsheet: 

Euro 2012 Group A: 08-06-12: Poland - Greece, 12-06-12: Greece – Czech Republic, 16-06-12: Greece - Russia

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 14

Previous European Championship Appearances: 1980, 2004, 2008

Qualifying record: 10+7=3-0 14-5

Interesting facts: Greece holds the record of the first team ever to beat both the hosts and defending champions in the same championship (2004).

Greece was the first defending European champion not to earn a single point in the next European Championship (2008).

Greece is the least scoring team that qualified for Euro 2012.

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For the first time since 1994 will the Greek team show up to a major competition without Otto Rehhagel in charge. Fernando Santos, as any of his successors, will constantly be compared with King Otto. The Portuguese started well: his side has only lost once in 19 games. Hellenic Football Federation has already offered a new contract to Santos, without waiting for the Euro 2012 outcome.

Piermario Morosini: The Unluckiest Man Ever

Only 25 years old was the talented Livorno and former Italy under 21 international Piermario Morosini.

He lost his mother, his father and his disabled brother, remaining alone with his disabled sister. Too much for a young heart to carry on. Rest In Peace, Piermario Morosini!

You fought until the end. Goodbye, Great "Moro"

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Poland

Poland

Factsheet: 

Euro 2012 Group A: 08-06-12: Poland - Greece, 12-06-12: Poland - Russia, 16-06-12: Czech Republic - Poland

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 65

Previous European Championship Appearances: 2008

Qualifying record: -

Interesting facts: 

Poland is the lowest ranked team participating in Euro 2012.

Poland has never won a single match at European Championships and scored only one goal.    

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The manager Franciszek Smuda, an influential representative of the local coaching elite of the last two decades, had to finally get this job. He declared to prepare a team targeted on the home Euro, though nothing can justify the catastrophic qualification for World Cup 2010, when his side finished the group in the 5^th place ahead of San Marino.

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Croatia

Croatia

Factsheet:


Euro 2012 Group C: 10-06-12: Rep. of Ireland - Croatia, 14-06-12: Italy - Croatia, 18-06-12: Spain - Croatia

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 10

Previous European Championship Appearances: 1996, 2004, 2008

Qualifying record: 12+8=2-2 21-7

Interesting facts: 

From 1993 to 1998 Croatia moved from 125th to 3^rd position in FIFA World Ranking, thus making the most volatile move in the Ranking history.

The manager Slaven Bilic plays in a local rock band.

Croatia did not lose a single game at the previous Euro, when they left the tournament after exceptionally bad after-match penalty shoot-outs in quarterfinals. This, as well as conceding only 2 goals in the tournament, is a European Championship all-time record.   

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This Balkan country succeeded to appear at six major tournaments out of eight attempts. Since representing an independent-from-Yugoslavia country Croatia has become an amazing part of any tournament. Always underestimated, they made it to quarterfinals twice and won the bronze once.

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Denmark

Denmark

Factsheet:

Euro 2012 Group B: 09-06-12: Netherlands - Denmark, 13-06-12: Denmark - Portugal, 17-06-12: Denmark - Germany

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 11

Previous European Championship Appearances: 1964, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004

Qualifying record: 8+6=1-1 15-6

Interesting facts: Denmark received a ticket to their golden European Championship in 1992 only 10 days before its kick-off, due to international sanctions against Yugoslavia.

Denmark is the least populated country to ever win the European Championship.

Christian Eriksen was the youngest player in the previous World Cup in South Africa.

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Comparisons with 1992 achievements are unavoidable every time Denmark earns the right to participate in a big tournament. Euro 2012 is not an exception. Can the Danish Dynamite explode again?

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Ukraine

Ukraine

Factsheet:

Euro 2012 Group D: 11-06-12: Ukraine - Sweden, 15-06-12: Ukraine - France, 19-06-12: England - Ukraine

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 49

Previous European Championship Appearances: -

Qualifying record: -

Interesting facts:With 603 700 sqkm Ukraine is the biggest country in Europe.

Ukraine has never won a single home match in the city of Donetsk, where France and England are going to meet the hosts.

Andriy Shevchenko holds the all-time record for the most scored goals for Ukraine. He has scored 46 times so far. Anatoliy Timoshchuk holds the all-time record for the most matches played for Ukraine. He has been a part of a match 114 times.

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After having trouble with finding a manager for the home Euro, the Ukrainian Football Federation decided to reappoint the World Cup 2006 manager Oleh Blokhin for the post. During three years of Blokhin’s absence the team saw three managers and, rumors say, almost signed Marcello Lippi. An absolute authority in the former Soviet Union football life, Blokhin is however not the fan-favorite. The dream of the Ukrainian province to take the Dynamo Kyiv shadow away from the national team does not seem realistic under the experienced coach. 8 out of 19 internationals called for the last friendly against Israel represented the Kyiv side, not talking about the Dynamo-related history of the managerial and administrative staff. 

EURO 2012: 16 under a loupe: Republic of Ireland

Only two and a half months left until the pleasant days of Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland. As every football fan, I am looking forward to the Championship, analyzing the opportunities of participants and making my predictions. From now on I will try to describe the teams from the angle I see them. 16 teams and 16 stories. Here we go!

Republic of Ireland

Factsheet: 

Euro 2012 Group C: 10-06-12: Rep. of Ireland - Croatia, 14-06-12: Spain - Rep. of Ireland, 18-06-12: Italy - Rep. of Ireland

FIFA/Coca Cola World Ranking: 19

Previous European Championship Appearances: 1988

Qualifying record: 12+7=4-1 20-8

Interesting facts:
There are no players from the Irish League standing close to the national team. The vast majority of the players have contracts with English teams. Only Aiden McGeady, Robbie Keane and Anthony Stokes represent other -than- English leagues – consequently Russian, US and Scottish. 

Robbie Keane holds the all-time record for the most scored goals for Ireland. He has scored 53 times so far.

Shay Given holds the all-time record for the most matches played for Ireland. He has been a part of a match 121 times so far. Both of the players are involved in Trapattoni’s current team.

73 year-old Giovanni Trapattoni will become the oldest ever coach at European Championships.  

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Ireland, not a very often guest at a big tournament, is back to European Championships after a 24-year break. Despite this fact, fans keep on criticizing Giovanni Trapattoni for his extremely result-oriented style, which has never been the main characteristic for The Boys in Green before. However, the wise Italian knows what he is doing: the team has not lost in its last 11 matches and conceded only in 3 of their 12 qualifying matches.

WHAT IS THE BEST WEAPON AGAINST MESSI?

The answer is ... time. Long time. The time required for him to retire.