Euro 2012

[BobHelm]

Both Germany & Holland have announced their provisional squad for the finals in the summer.
The German squad is 27 and must be trimmed to 23 players by the end of May..
The Dutch have a larger 35 man provisional team that must lose 12 players by 29th. May

Provisional Germany squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron Robert Zieler (Hannover), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, Philipp Lahm (all Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer (both Borussia Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal)

Midfielders: Sven Bender, Mario Gotze, Ilkay Gundogan (all Borussia Dortmund), Lars Bender, Andre Schuerrle (both Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller, Bastian Schweinsteiger (all Bayern Munich), Sami Khedira, Mesut Ozil (both Real Madrid), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach)

Forwards: Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Cacau (Stuttgart), Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio)

Provisional Netherlands squad for Euro 2012

Goalkeepers: Maarten Stekelenburg (Roma), Tim Krul (Newcastle United), Michel Vorm (Swansea City), Erwin Mulder (Feyenoord), Jasper Cillissen (Ajax)

Defenders: Vurnon Anita, Gregory van der Wiel (both Ajax), Khalid Boulahrouz (Stuttgart), Wilfred Bouma, Erik Pieters, Jetro Willems (all PSV Eindhoven), Urby Emanuelson (AC Milan), John Heitinga (Everton), Hedwiges Maduro (Valencia), Joris Mathijsen (Malaga), Nick Viergever (AZ Alkmaar), Ron Vlaar, Stefan de Vrij (both Feyenoord)

Midfielders: Ibrahim Afellay (Barcelona), Mark van Bommel (AC Milan), Nigel de Jong (Manchester City), Adam Maher (AZ Alkmaar), Stijn Schaars (Sporting), Wesley Sneijder (Inter Milan), Kevin Strootman, Georginio Wijnaldum (both PSV Eindhoven), Rafael van der Vaart (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Schalke), Ola John, Luuk de Jong (both Twente), Siem de Jong (Ajax), Dirk Kuyt (Liverpool), Jeremain Lens (PSV Eindhoven), Luciano Narsingh (Heerenveen), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich)

[pienmash]

I think the 2 teams you have highligthed Bob are the 2 strongest and one of these will lift the trophy . Not alot between them but they are both by far the best sides in the comp .......sorry to all the Spanish n English supporters both have got little chance of winning it.

mash

[BobHelm]

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has just plumped straight away for a final 23 man squad...with 5 stand by players also named.
The Republic will continue their preparations for this summer's tournament in Poland and Ukraine by playing friendlies against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Saturday 26 May and Denmark two days later, so it is sensible that he has coverage for any injuries that may result from those games..

Republic of Ireland squad for Euro 2012:

Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall); John O'Shea (Sunderland), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa), Sean St Ledger (Leicester), Darren O'Dea (Leeds), Kevin Foley (Wolves); Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Keith Andrews (West Brom), Keith Fahey (Birmingham), Darron Gibson (Everton), Damien Duff (Fulham), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), Stephen Hunt (Wolves), James McClean (Sunderland); Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Shane Long, Simon Cox (both West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke).

Stand-by: Darren Randolph (Motherwell), Paul McShane (Crystal Palace), Paul Green (Unattached), Seamus Coleman (Everton), Andy Keogh (Millwall).

[BobHelm]

I think Spain will probably figure as well Jon. They rather got over their continual failure at tournaments with the win in the last World Cup. I think the Dutch have a lot to prove after getting all the way to that final & then rather losing the plot on the day. Germany will have only improved since the World Cup where they were playing with a very untested & young squad. They slaughtered England in South Africa & if England actually manage to make it through to face any one of these 3 then I don't see a better result this time around either!!

I will be very interested in what squad England actually do put together for the competition though....

[Prenders88]

[quote="BobHelm"]
I will be very interested in what squad England actually do put together for the competition though...

22 Donkeys borrowed from Blackpool Beach.
An organ grinders monkey, and a goat as stand-ins.

[pienmash]

Agree P88 England are very poor at the mo ,, Woy has really got his work cut out ,,, and how many more times are we gonna hear things will be different (for Brazil) haha if they get tuff group they wont even qualify ,,, BTW if England win the Euro champs i will strip nakes and ride me Lambretta around udon for an hour !!wearing only a flat cap.,,, and thats a plomit.

[mathusalah80]

Come on Bob, you already know the way he, (and JT, of course), is going to shock the footballing world with his suprise selections, to herald a new era in English football!!!!!!

His preferred first team choice: Hart, G.Johnson, Ferdinand, Terry, A.Cole; Gerrard, Barry, Lampard, Rooney; Crouch & Bent.

His second choice alternatives subs : Milner, Downing, Micah Richards, Ashley Young, Lescott, Walcott, Lennon, Adam Johnson, Kylie Walker & Defoe. Possibly Cahill may be invited to once again join the squad as an 'interested onlooker', despite heated objections from Terry.

The one selection certain NOT to be made, is of the EPL's best performing English, still world class midfielder, Paul Scholes.

Outstanding Question: What title and justification are the FA going to come up with for Beckham's upocomng inclusion in the England party.

Stop Press: Upon hearing of Hodgson appointment, it is understood that David Seaman, Beckham, Heskey, Wright-Phillips, and Alan Shearer, all went into intensive training!

EC Winners? For me , finally, HOLLAND or Spain. England? ha! ha! ha! or boo-hoo! boo-hoo! boo-hoo!, depending upon your nationality.
Stop Press: Understand Beckham, David Seaman,

[BobHelm]

[quote]Portugal squad

Goalkeepers: Rui Patricio (Sporting), Eduardo (Benfica), Beto (Cluj)
Defenders: Joao Pereira (Sporting), Bruno Alves (Zenit St Petersburg), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid), Pepe (Real Madrid), Ricardo Costa (Valencia), Rolando (Porto), Miguel Lopes (Braga)
Midfielders: Carlos Martins (Granada), Joao Moutinho (Porto), Miguel Veloso (Genoa), Raul Meireles (Chelsea), Ruben Micael (Zaragoza), Custodio (Braga)
Strikers: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Hugo Almeida (Besiktas), Helder Postiga (Zaragoza), Nani (Manchester United), Nelson Oliveira (Benfica), Ricardo Quaresma (Besiktas), Silvestre Varela (Porto)
[/quote]

Any team that has Ronaldo in it has a chance....going on this seasons' form any side that has Nani in it has NO chance.

16 of the named 23 either play their football at home or just across the border in Spain..

[BobHelm]

SWEDEN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (PSV Eindhoven), Johan Wiland, (FC Copenhagen, Pär Hansson (Helsingborg)
Defenders: Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Olof Mellberg(Olympiakos), Andreas Granqvist (Genoa), Martin Olsson, (Blackburn), Jonas Olsson (West Bromwich), Behrang Safari (Anderlecht), Mikael Antonsson (Bologna)
Midfielders: Rasmus Elm (AZ Alkmaar), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Kim Kallstrom (Lyon), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow), Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB), Emir Bajrami (Twente), Christian Wilhelmsson (al-Hilal)
Strikers: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (AC Milan), Johan Elmander (Galatasaray), Tobias Hysen (IFK Gothenburg), Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven), Marcus Rosenberg (Werder Bremen).

I must admit that even though they are in England's group I know very little about most of the Swedish players.
Ibrahimovic s probably the most famous but he has always looked a bit of a 'camel' a la Heskey mode to me.
The one thing that past Swedish sides always tend to have are great fitness & energy & a real desire to compete in the game.
They probably entertain quite high hopes of qualification out of the group stage!!!!

[BobHelm]

England squad:

Goalkeepers - Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy.

Defenders - Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry.

Midfielders - Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young.

Strikers - Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck.

Standby - Jack Butland, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, Daniel Sturridge.

Some of the choices have been made for Roy, but I wish that he had bitten the bullet on some of the opportunities that he had.
I question if either John Terry or Ashley Cole deserve a place on the form that they have both shown in the last season. Personally I would not have taken either.
Stewart Downing would have not got a place in my squad & it would have been given to Adam Johnson. Johnson has hardly had an exhausting season playing for Citi but when ever he has been on the pitch he has never been outshone by the array of stars that Citi possess. Downing has failed to shine in a Liverpool squad where 'ordinary' is a compliment.
I think Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner & Gareth Barry is a VERY defense minded midfield & personally would have been happier if one of the 4 would have been dropped even if the only alternative was Jordan Henderson.
Up front I would not have taken Wayne Rooney. It is unfair to take a player that can only play in the last of the group matches. He is, arguably, the best England player of his type but if England are to get through the group stage (a huge IF I think) then they will have done it without Rooney for the majority of the matches. England need to set up a formation that will win without Rooney. It will be unfair to disrupt that by dropping someone just because Rooney is available for the last game.

[Zidane]

Too many midfielders in that squad and not enough strikers......and,possibly defenders.
Sturridge should be in for Milner......agree Johnson should be in for the appalling Downing (that should be commonsense,Roy )
Micah Richards should be include in the defence.....maybe at the expense of another midfielder.....Barry ??
Ruddy hell......lets hope Joe Hart doesnt get injured,eh !

[pienmash]

This selection does make me abit worried ,,, the other countries must be kakkin themselves at facing such a line up ... my advice to England fans travelling to watch the team ,,,,,,ONLY BOOK ONE WEEKS HOTEL !!

mash

[mathusalah80]

Between you, Bob & Zidine, you have summarised the overall situation perfectly.
Some of peripheral comments.
Other than the selection of Ruddy, anyone of us could have named Hodgson's squad.
At his press conference Hodgson must have stated seven/eight times that the omission of Ferdinand was based "entirely upon footballing grounds". Presumably that was his way of confirming that Terry was still ruling the roost!
I stick my neck right out and state that, approximately two years later, some of England's opponents (notably Spain, Holland, Germany & Ronaldo), are going to embarass Terry to an even greater extent than that suffered by him at the World Cup. Only consolation is Cahill should finally receive the opportunity to demonstrate the fine player that he is. I think, and also hope, Leighton Baines will prove he is of true international status.

Rhetorical Question: Who, within the squad named and on this season's form, can begin to compare with the qualities, skills and experience of Paul Scholes. So why isn't he in the squad!

[BobHelm]

I understand that Mr. Scholes has not gone back on his decision not to play for England again. A decision that he said was based on his desire to extend his playing career at Old Trafford. A perfectly understandable decision for someone approaching the end of their career but now, in effect, he has actually ended his career maybe he could have been made to think again..
I understand that he will turn out for United for next season but that is it. A perfect opportunity to have one last hurrah in an England shirt I would have thought..

What does he bring to the side??
Well, judging by his United performances not actually a great deal, but exceedingly well.
Spain has a midfield full of players who pass & look for space to take a pass.
The England squad don't have one.
Mr. Scholes was that man. Playing for United this season he has the greatest percentage of completed passes in the Premiership - over 92%. Simple...pass only to a player in space, move into space to be available to accept a pass. That is all Xavi, Iniesta, Messi & Javi García do for 95% of their time on the pitch....not sure if Paul can contribute what they do in the other 5% now though!!
United without Scholes were a pretty pitiful sight. Midfielders too often attempting that impossible pass that only works one time in twenty or centre halves left with little choice but to hoof the ball upfield for a lottery bounce of the ball. He brought back to the side another option of simplicity.
As he is obviously not going England have to think about who will offer that simplistic approach to the game instead. The most likely character out of the midfielders is Scott Parker. Unfortunately it looks doubtful as to whether he will even make it onto the plane out there.
Gerrard is captain & will obviously take the role in the same manner as he does at Liverpool - try to win the game on his own, despite the efforts of his colleagues.
I think the only hope is if someone can convince Gareth Barry to do the job & then he can actually get onto the pitch to put it into action...

[harmonyudon]

@Bob,
You posted the player's name only. I think more crucial is who the national coach is.
Dont know how it works in other countries,but in NL Bert van Marwijk the national coach selects
the players. In 2010 he was also the national coach/trainer and that NL-team reached the finals
of the woldcup.

Selection+coach would be welcome.