Archive for May, 2008
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Sotiris Ninis is only 18 years old, but despite his age, he will be part of UEFA EURO 2008!
The teenager was called up to Greece’s squad by coach Otto Rehhagel partly because of the fact that several important players will be forced to miss UEFA EURO 2008 due to club commitments. However, Ninis is a talented, highly-rated football player, who impressed a lot when Greece reached the final of 2007’s UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
Sotiris Ninis was very happy to be included in the squad for UEFA EURO 2008. “It’s a dream come true and an extra motivation to work even harder and improve myself. I’m very happy,” said Ninis.
Unfortunately, Greece’s football fans will have to watch their favorite team playing without a very famous “quartet”, as football players Antonios Nikopolidis, Vassilios Torosidis, Paraskevas Antzas and Christos Patsatzoglou will be all involved in the Greek Cup final.
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Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Poland’s squad for UEFA EURO 2008 will have to find its way without Arkadiusk Radomski, who asked coach Leo Bennhakker to remove him from his list of six reserves for Poland’s UEFA EURO 2008 party.
Arkadiusz Radomski is one of the six football players that were cut from the initial 31-man Croatian squad. However, the 30-year-old football player was forced to miss the UEFA EURO 2008 because of injury problems.
According to Croatia’s national football team’s spokesperson, it seems that “Radomski has informed the coach that he has dropped out of the reserve list of players,” because of older knee injuries.
During this season, Arkadiusz Radomski was also forced to play only for six times with his team FK Austria Wien.
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Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
22-year-old Nikola Pokrivac revealed recently that he learned of his inclusion in Croatia’s squad for UEFA EURO 2008 while he was surfing the Internet.
AS Monaco FC’s football player had been previously touted for a call-up to Croatia’s 23-man squad, but he didn’t want to celebrate until he received the confirmation. But his “dream come true”…
“There was talk saying I was on the list for EURO, but I didn’t want to celebrate before I saw it personally,” said Nikola Pokrivač. “I was connected to the Internet and was waiting for the happy news on the day when Bilić named the team. It’s the best thing that has happened in my career. My dream came true. I was hoping I could earn a call to the national team, but to be in the team for EURO…,” confessed Pokrivac, who hasn’t been capped before in Croatia’s squad.
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Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Although he is 38 years old, Ivica Vastic’s experience will play at UEFA EURO 2008. Austria’s squad’s coach Josef Hickersberger has always been impressed by Vastic’s performance and he decided to give him the chance to enjoy playing at UEFA EURO 2008 before retiring, especially that Austria will co-host the famous international football tournament.
Coach Josef Hickerberger has chosen mainly young players to play at this major tournament, but Ivica Vastic, also known as “Lynx”, has proved to be in great shape at LASK Linz this season and Hickerberger was pleased to recall Vastic to be part of Austria’s UEFA EURO 2008 squad too.
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Tuesday, May 20th, 2008
Diego Benaglio and his team are lucky that football is something beyond language barriers: Benaglio speaks Swiss-German, while his team-mates at VfL Wolfsburg speak high German.
However, despite of this language difficulty, the Swiss-Italian goalkeeper managed to have an extraordinary spring since joining VfL Wolfsburg in winter. “A determining factor in my transfer was definitely the fact that I had already worked with Felix Magath,” Diego Benaglio said, reminding the fact that Felix Magath coached him also between 2002 and 2005 at VfB Stuttgart.
“The three years at Stuttgart really shaped me and my game. The goalkeeper training was very good, but I matured as a person as well,” Benaglio also said.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
The youngster won’t play at UEFA EURO 2008! That’s the pact reached after Bojan Krkic admitted he suffered from fatigue.
The 17-year-old Spanish football player had an exhausting, highly competitive football year, so he had to eventually agree that Luis Aragones was right. He needs a break; after all, he is only 17 years old!
“I know what it is I’m missing out on but I’ve reached a point where I’m very tired,” said Bojan Krkic, who is also FC Barcelona’s player. “At no point did I ever say ‘no’ to the Spanish team. On the other hand, I want to be honest with the manager, the [Spanish Football] Federation and with myself,” added Krkic.
However, although he won’t play at UEFA EURO 2008, Bojan Krkic will remain fully committed to Spain. “My commitment to the Spanish set-up can’t be called into doubt when you consider that I have always played when I have been called upon to do so,” Krkic said, adding also: “I played at a [UEFA] European Championship and a [FIFA] World Cup at Under-17 level and took part in three or four games with the Under-21s. There are no personal problems, I’m just exhausted and I need to disconnect.”
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
Although four years ago Maniche shone at UEFA EURO, the FC Internazionale Milano midfielder is not among Portugal’s final 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2008. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari however included Maniche’s brother in his final 23-man squad for UEFA EURO 2008.
So, it seems that it will be Jorge Ribeiro’s turn to shine at UEFA EURO. Maniche’s brother is 26 years old and he plays at Boavista, for which he has scored eight goals in 26 Liga outings.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s squad is to convene in Viseu for a training camp that will last between 19 and 31 May.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
The Czech Republic’s football team’s coach, Karel Bruckner, has named recently a provisional 23-man finals squad for UEFA EURO 2008 and Pavel Nedved isn’t among these 23 players.
Although Pavel Nedved announced in the wake of the 2006 FIFA World Cup that he would retire from international football, he was said to return to the Czech squad to replace Tomas Rosicky. The latter had his knee under surgery and was this way ruled out of UEFA EURO 2008.
However, according to Pavel Nedved’s recent statements, he didn’t want to return to international football for UEFA EURO 2008.
Among the Czech squad’s players, Vaclav Sverkos is the only newcomer. He is 24 years old and represents the top scorer in the Czech league, as he has scored 15 goals during this season.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
Double-bad news for Turkey! The defensive pair Servet Cetin – Gokhan Gonul might put the country’s football team’s appearance at UEFA EURO 2008 in doubt! Unbelievable or what?
Both Servet Cetin and Gokhan Gonul suffer from severe injuries, leaving Turkey coach Fatih Terim to deal with serious concerns regarding his squad for UEFA EURO 2008. Servet Cetin got a groin injury during a final league game against Genclerbirligi Oftaspor and it seems that the injury is worse than previously imagined. However, coach Fatih Terim hasn’t ruled Servet Cetin out of this summer’s tournament and has put Emre Gungor on standby.
On the other hand, Fenerbahce SK’s player Gokhan Gonul has also missed training because of a foot injury and this has made Fatih Terim’s job even more difficult.
Excepting Servet Cetin and Gokhan Gonul, Terim has to deal also with goalkeeper Volkan Demirel’s absence.
“We are in Antalya to relax, not for training,” Fatih Terim said from the Turkish coastal resort. “However, it is sad to see my players getting injured before we even start training. Volkan Demirel and Servet Çetin’s groin injury were bad enough but Gökhan Gönül’s injury was a very unpleasant surprise,” he also added.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
Michael Ballack knows both the bitter taste of frustration and the sweet taste of success. And now he seems he enjoys success so much that he is ready for glory also at UEFA EURO 2008!
After he had failed to set the Premier League alight during his first year at Stamford Bridge, Michael Ballack, 31 years old, seemed unlucky enough to suffer also from a recurring problem at his ankle during the first half of the present campaign. However, Ballack is a fighter and starting December he has eventually returned to top form with Chelsea FC.
So, the recent period has encouraged the player enough to determine him to announce that he believes he can lead Germany’s squad to glory at UEFA EURO 2008.
“The expectations [in England] were huge and I couldn’t show people what I was capable of. I was distraught but I fought back and fortunately things are going well now. I’m back in the final of the Champions League and I’m in good form for EURO 2008,” Michael Ballack said in a statement.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
Although he knows how a player could feel to be dropped from the squad for EUFA EURO 2008, coach Raymond Domenech said that French football was more important that feelings in this case. “I know it’s not an easy position for a player, but the interests of French football must come first,” said Domenech, who has the tough duty to decide who will be part of the French squad for UEFA EURO 2008.
The coach is concerned about that fact that as many as 18 players of the squad will still be in action after 18 May, the deadline Domenech had given a few time ago. Thus, there will be a major threat of injuries and Raymond Domenech can’t take any chances.
“After 18 May there are still major games to be played such as the UEFA Champions League, Italian Cup and French Cup finals,” Domenech said in a statement. “There is a big risk that some of the players I call up could get injured, so it will be an extended list given many players are involved in these matches,” he also added.
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Friday, May 16th, 2008
Clarence Seedorf seems to have decided to shock both his mates and coach Marco van Basten, as the popular player asked on Monday to be withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for UEFA EURO 2008.
“I did not expect this at all,” said coach Marco van Basten. “I told Clarence I have a lot of respect for him as a person and as a football player, but his mind was already made up,” van Basten added.
AC Milan’s midfielder phoned van Basten on Monday night to announce his decision. However, the 32-year-old famous player won’t retire from international football. “It is a decision that comes after serious consideration and months of reflection. Since my return to the national team, the right conditions have not been created to let me perform at my best and to effectively excel as the team member I always strive to be,” Seedorf said in a statement trying to explain his unexpected announcement.
Clarence Seedorf has scored no less than 11 goals in 87 international appearances for the Netherlands squad. It’s been said that he may join the Oranje again after UEFA EURO 2008, when Bert van Marwijk takes over from van Basten.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
The Ernst Happel Stadion is Austria’s largest football stadium. It the home ground of Austria’s national football team, although usually only international competitions are being allowed to take place on this stadium.
Prater Stadium, as Ernst Happel Stadium was called till 1992, was built between 1929 and 1931 for the second Worker’s Olympiad. The German architect Otto Ernst Schweizer designed the stadium. In 1992, Prater Stadium was renamed after an important player and coach, Ernst Happel.
Although its current capacity of 49,844 the stadium was rated as one of UEFA’s Five Star Stadiums, which is normally awarded for 50,000+ capacity stadiums. However, for EURO 2008 the seating capacity will be expanded to 53,008.
On the Ernst Happel Stadion there are going to be hosted three group games, 2 quarter-finals, a semifinal and also the final.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
EM Stadion Wals-Siezenheim is located in Wals-Siezenheim, a suburb of the famous Austrian city of Salzburg. As it was officially opened in 2003, this stadium is a considered a new one. It represents also the home ground of Red Bull Salzburg.
The stadium’s current capacity is of 18,200 people. However, for EURO 2008 it is going to be expanded to 30,000 people.
This stadium is also the only one in the Austrian Bundesliga using artificial turf. This was installed in 2005.
EM Stadion Wals-Siezenheim will host three group matches of EURO 2008.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
Worthersee Stadion is located in Klagenfurt, Austria, and represents a multi-use stadium, although it has been currently used mainly for football matches.
Worthersee Stadion is also the home ground of FC Karnten. It holds only 11,500 people, but it is going to be expanded to 30,000 places for the EURO 2008 competitions.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
Tivoli-Neu Stadion is an Austrian multi-use stadium. It is located in Innsbruck and represents the home ground of FC Wacker Tirol.
Tivoli-Neu Stadion was built in 2000, having a capacity of 17,400 people. For EURO 2008 the stadium will be expanded to 30,000 people. On its ground there are going to be played three group matches.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
The Letzigrund stadium hadn’t been on the list to host EURO 2008’s matched, but when it appeared the Switzerland was not able to renovated Hardturm till 2008, UEFA approved the decision of renovating Letzigrund instead of Hardturm. Letzigrund should be ready in September 2007.
The stadium is located in Zurich and has a capacity of about 23,605.11,605 places have seats, out of which only 9,167 are covered, and the other 12,000 are just covered standing area.
Letzingrund is the home ground of FC Zurich. Till the reconstruction ends, the football team will be moving out to the Hardturm stadium, the home ground of Grasshopper-Club Zurich.
Letzingrund is one of the oldest stadiums from Switzerland, as it opened on the 22nd of February 1925. It was own till 1937 by FC Zurich and since then the city of Zurich became the owner. In 1947, 1958, 1973 and 1984 the stadium was renovated. In 1973 it was added lighting.
Letzingrund is also the place where the annual athletics Weltklasse Zurich meeting takes place.
The stadium will host three matches of Euro 2008.
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