So then who to follow next summer?

eirebhoy · 22-11-2007 12:58AM

I'll probably be backing France or, god forbid, Spain, so one of those 2.

nlgbbbblth · 22-11-2007 01:02AM

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

He obviously assumes that club rivalry transfers to the international scene. Only the small minded do that.

It does to a certain extent.

Booing Rangers/ex Rangers players playing for their country etc.

Eirebear · 22-11-2007 01:05AM

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

It does to a certain extent.

Booing Rangers/ex Rangers players playing for their country etc.

hehe...only when they get the right ones!:p

estebancambias · 22-11-2007 01:15AM

Either Russia or Sweden..I love Italy but I have really no reason to 'support' them, even though I was so emotional when I watch Italy play in previous cups, but now since they are succesful the love is not there. My infactuation with Italy is more to do with the culture.

Russia as it is closest to the Ukraine(in my opinion, the old heritage kicks in) as well as my Great Grandparents being of Scottish/Swede origin.

An Citeog · 22-11-2007 01:18AM

Spain for me aswell. This can be explained in 3 words: Fabregas, Xavi, Iniesta! :cool: Add the likes of Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Torres and Villa and it doesn't half make you drool!

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 01:20AM

Yea right, ya just love Torres and Alonso, admit it! Closet liverpool fan

An Citeog · 22-11-2007 01:31AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

Yea right, ya just love Torres and Alonso, admit it! Closet liverpool fan

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth!

Btw, I actually like both of them. In fact, they're the only 2 (ok 3 with Steve Finnan) Liverpool players I can tolerate. But Xavi>Alonso and Spain will go crashing out in the quarters as they always do.

I thought you might appreciate a couple of pictures I took in Athens in May!

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 01:34AM

thanks, they're lovely. Are you a Milan fan? i thought you were a Utd fan?

shane86 · 22-11-2007 01:37AM

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

Look at how many Rangers players started for Scotland last weekend.
Four. Plus two on the bench.

Would have thought that would prevent a lot of people here cheering for them.

Before i went on a trip to Glasgow i wondered how teams with such a hate could support each others lads on the national team (of course, until McFaddens unreal goal I pretty much forgot to check up on the Scots, Im ashamed now, I love em second only to the boys in green

). We had the odd moment which we thought might turn dodgy when, in clubs after a load of drink we got chattin to Scots and upon hearin the accent we were always asked "who do ya support?". Always answered Celtic. Half of them cheered, half of them said "ah for **** sake layke mahn!" but it was 100% good natured, everyone got on with each other and it wasnt anything like i thought it might be. The only people we got negativity off was some aul ones we asked for directions.

Truth is, its all about colours. They work with each other and drink with each other. Go to the match and sing either Black and Tans or Fathers Sash. That night, go drinking with each other and good naturely argue over the match. It seems to be a tiny minority who hate the Irish/hate the Protestants, everyone treats it as a bit of craic.

AnCapaillMor · 22-11-2007 01:38AM

Spain because they've promised so much for so long and screwed up every tournament.

Peyton Manning · 22-11-2007 01:38AM

Portugal for me.

NotWormBoy · 22-11-2007 01:39AM

Like someone earlier... Holland and Spain. Because ... they're sexy. Doomed to fail, but look good all the same.

shane86 · 22-11-2007 01:40AM

Im often a minnow backer, as with Ghana and Australia last year and Greece in 2004. Obviously before the tradgedy of last weekend I was backing the Scots. But afaik its a regulars affair, no punchers above weight are there?

After tonight, I wanna see Croatia take her

Lets ebay the oul jerseys now......

Id reckon Germany will win it.

for a laugh can anyone link me a Croatia team skin for bebo?

Couldnt find anything on google.

estebancambias · 22-11-2007 01:43AM

What would be the odds on a Romanian victory? They remind me of Bulgaria in Euro 2004, I put 15 euro on them as I thought they would be a 'dark horse' but in the end they ended up bottom of their group with zilch points and kicking the Danes around the place.

An Citeog · 22-11-2007 01:56AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

thanks, they're lovely. Are you a Milan fan? i thought you were a Utd fan?

United, FC Köln and Barça in that order. I'm a football fan in general aswell though and wasn't going to turn down the opportunity to go to the Champions League final, all booked months in advance!

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 01:58AM

you being able to get a ticket for that match sums up everything wrong with Uefa and football in general.
I really dont know wat sort of Utd fan would go and watch their biggest rivals in the CL final either tbh.

goodnight sir!

cson · 22-11-2007 02:03AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

you being able to get a ticket for that match sums up everything wrong with Uefa and football in general.
I really dont know wat sort of Utd fan would go and watch their biggest rivals in the CL final either tbh.

goodnight sir!

What's wrong with wanting to be at the biggest occaision of the club footballing calendar?

Peyton Manning · 22-11-2007 02:03AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

you being able to get a ticket for that match sums up everything wrong with Uefa and football in general.
I really dont know wat sort of Utd fan would go and watch their biggest rivals in the CL final either tbh.

goodnight sir!

Dont know about you but Id love to go and watch our biggest rival get stuffed in a match they were so confident of winning.

shane86 · 22-11-2007 02:04AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

you being able to get a ticket for that match sums up everything wrong with Uefa and football in general.
I really dont know wat sort of Utd fan would go and watch their biggest rivals in the CL final either tbh.

Someone who, like me, has a loose but existant allegiance to an English football team 100s of miles from home, and doesnt let it get in the way of reality?

The only people entitled to treat Man U and Liverpool games as life and death as opposed to entertainment/a way to rip the piss out of fans of the main rival are people born/from in Manchester and Liverpool. I like Liverpool. I dont give them 3% of the attention I give Ireland though. And I can easily switch to an ABU once L`Pool chances are gone in the season. If truth be told the main reason I ever backed Liverpool was to annoy my Man U mates. I like the pool, I like to see them do well, but no more than I like to see anyone who deserves a shot do well.

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 02:23AM

cson wrote: »

What's wrong with wanting to be at the biggest occaision of the club footballing calendar?

i was in Athens, talking to men who had been to every final Liverpool have been in over the last 20-30 years, and they were unable to get near tickets for this one. As i said, thats wats wrong with Uefa and football in general now, no one seems to give a **** about the real fans. A "Utd" fan had a seat at the game though? Sorry that annoys the ****e out of me. He should only have been able to get one if their was excess tickets available imo.

Archimedes wrote: »

Dont know about you but Id love to go and watch our biggest rival get stuffed in a match they were so confident of winning.

see above. plus going to watch us is probably the closest u lot will get to a european final for some time anyway!

shane86 wrote: »

Someone who, like me, has a loose but existant allegiance to an English football team 100s of miles from home, and doesnt let it get in the way of reality?

The only people entitled to treat Man U and Liverpool games as life and death as opposed to entertainment/a way to rip the piss out of fans of the main rival are people born/from in Manchester and Liverpool. I like Liverpool. I dont give them 3% of the attention I give Ireland though. And I can easily switch to an ABU once L`Pool chances are gone in the season. If truth be told the main reason I ever backed Liverpool was to annoy my Man U mates. I like the pool, I like to see them do well, but no more than I like to see anyone who deserves a shot do well.

Dont wanna open a can of worms here.

cson · 22-11-2007 02:28AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

i was in Athens, talking to men who had been to every final Liverpool have been in over the last 20-30 years, and they were unable to get near tickets for this one. As i said, thats wats wrong with Uefa and football in general now, no one seems to give a **** about the real fans. A "Utd" fan had a seat at the game though? Sorry that annoys the ****e out of me. He should only have been able to get one if their was excess tickets available imo.

Like I said the European Cup Final is the biggest occaision in the club football calendar. I would not turn down a ticket for the final even if the tiny tots were playing. To get the chance to go to a Champions League final is not to be sniffed at, no matter who you support.

And thousands of people will have been disappointed by not getting tickets to go to last years final, and you know what? Thousands will be disappointed this year too. Such is life. I for one would not for a second begrudge a football fan of any team their ticket.

cson · 22-11-2007 02:35AM

On topic, Spain has to be the purists choice this summer.

An Citeog · 22-11-2007 02:35AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

you being able to get a ticket for that match sums up everything wrong with Uefa and football in general.
I really dont know wat sort of Utd fan would go and watch their biggest rivals in the CL final either tbh.

goodnight sir!

1. I put my name in the draw for the 8,000 neutral tickets in February and was lucky enough to get 2 tickets.

2. The lad I went with has been a Milan fan all his life.

3. Athens is an absolutely class city and I went for the whole week to see the sights and enjoy myself, rather than stand around Syntagma square getting pissed all day and throw stuff at each other.

4. I'd booked all this way in advance when United were still in the competition.

5. I managed to get a fairly good deal, with return flights for €150 and a half decent hotel near the city centre for €20 a night.

6. I'm not a tout and would never sell a ticket for above face value, even if it was to a Liverpool fan!

I didn't exactly fancy losing the money I had already paid for flights or wait until after the semis to book it.

Need I go on?

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 02:37AM

An Citeog wrote: »

1. I put my name in the draw for the 8,000 neutral tickets in February and was lucky enough to get 2 tickets.

and thats the problem.

17000 for Liverpool.
17000 for Milan.
20000 for corporate sponsors.
9000 for neutrals.

_blank_ · 22-11-2007 02:39AM

Holland for me.

Go Oranje.

An Citeog · 22-11-2007 02:44AM

Mr Alan wrote: »

and thats the problem.

I don't disagree with you there but I certainly wasn't going to turn down the chance.

cson · 22-11-2007 02:47AM

If you're a betting man;

Euro 2008
Germany 9/2
Italy 5/1
France 6/1
Spain 13/2
Holland 8/1
Portugal 10/1
Croatia 16/1
Czech Rep 16/1
Switzerland 20/1
Russia 25/1
Sweden 25/1
Romania 25/1
Turkey 33/1
Greece 33/1
Poland 40/1
Austria 66/1

Courtesy of Patrick Power Dot Com. Having read through the list of nations I'm gonna get me arse of the fence and stick it on Spain e/w (i.e. To reach the final @13/2).

And Germany favourites? Am I missing something?

Mr Alan · 22-11-2007 02:51AM

Portugal at 10/1 aint a bad shout

Nunu · 22-11-2007 02:52AM

I'd make Germany favourites. Nothing between them and the other top nations but the fact it's right on their doorstep, you just know they are going to perform.
Surprised the bookies agree with me though because I was hoping to get better odds on them...it's no fun backing the faves:(

I'm putting €100 on Germany and €50 on Switzerland

Xavi6 · 22-11-2007 02:53AM

Next summer I'll be following Xavi and Quaresma

So then who to follow next summer?

Comments