UEFA EURO 2016 France / Tournament schedule in 1. post

[ss4_goku]

I don't think there's a rule that says players cannot stand up in the technical area. It is just not common. Players are always by the sidelines warming up and running up and down the sides anyways.

I see no fault with Ronaldo doing what he did at the side to motivate his teammates and to urge them to continue. As long as he didn't interfere with the actual play, then it is fine. There's also no rule that states a player cannot be a coach or a manager...

 

[Lami]

I didn't like it when Ronaldo was on the bench line, that's not professional, that area is reserved for, and should be ruled by the coach only. I understand Ronaldo's enthusiasm, but a captain doesn't do that.

I was very surprised that he wasn't booked at all. At times he was even out of the Portuguese technical zone. The need of attention of this guy is incredible, but what's shocking is that no one told him anything and he could freely do what he wanted.

By the way, I think that Eder totally changed the match, he was the key player in the final, and not because of the goal, but the way he single-handedly earned space and time for his mates. I'm very impressed by how bad was the reading of the match by Deschamps at that point.

C'mon guys. The guy was crying his eye balls out and didn't want to leave the pitch after he's finally reached the final and the cup is only minutes away. They scored and he was too passionate running up and down the sideline. He truly wanted it and did his best from the sidelines because he couldn't do anything else. That was pure explosive passion and wanting that cup coming out. Give the guy some credit.

 

[gerd]

After this tournament, one could ask uestions about the relevance of international football.
A team like Sevilla could have easily won this EC, club teams are always better than national teams, but this years' edition was very, very poor.

I blame it on the format.
We should go back to 16 teams. It should not be possible that the third in a group progresses (Portugal would have been out of it after the group stages).

I also think that national teams don't atrract the best coaches. Conte was a class apart in this tournament. What he achievedwith a very mediocre team was fantastic. I remember seeing Italy demolished by Belgium in a friendly. Conte learned a lesson from that match and our national team really had no chance against Italy.

It's nice to have sympathy with underdogs like Iceland or Northern Ireland, and they performed fantastic, but did they play attractive football? No they didn't.

Unfortunately there still is a future for this kind of tournament. I fear for the next WC in the country that has the biggest hooligan problem in the world and that is known for cheating in a systematical way (athletics is a good example).

The next WC should not be held in Russia...

 

[ss4_goku]

The next two World Cups should be rearranged...and changed asap!

Or how about this for a 24 team Euro Cup? Where the 3rd placed team is eliminated and the knock-out rounds will work a little like the NBA Playoffs. The best four first placed teams will get a bye in the 1st round where the 5th and 6th First Placed Team will play against the 5th and 6th 2nd placed teams. The other 4 second placed teams will compete against each other (1v4, 2v3) and in the 2nd round, they will all meet with the best 4 first placed teams where the BEST will play against winner of (2v3), 2nd Best will play against winner of (1v4), and 3rd best will play against the winner of the 6th first placed team match, and 4th best will play against the winner of the 5th first placed team.

So like this (1st placed teams = 1,2,3,4,5,6. 2nd placed teams = a,b,c,d,e,f. All ranked according the points, goal diff, goal scored, etc)

1 v bye-----|

c v d-------|---------|

4 v bye-----|

5 v f-------|---------|--------|---------|

2 v bye-----|

a v b-------|---------|--------|

3 v bye-----|

6 v e-------|---------|


This format will reward teams to win/score so they can get a bye in the first round and enter the quarter finals already. Yes, this format will lead to teams in the same group meeting too early for a repetitive match again, but if they aren't that great of a team in attack, then they don't deserve to be rewarded.

 

[gerd]

That is a good idea!

 

[Lami]

I don't know why all this complication. Imo, since this is a prestigious tournament, where the best are playing against each other, then only the best should always play. No 2nds, no 3rds. Just 1sts. Eight groups, 1st of each group into knockout. Done. Every team has had enough chances in the group stage and that should be enough. Champions go through.

 

[drekkard]

Any of those 2 proposals are fine, I would prefer them a thousand times over what we had. Allowing 3rd teams into knockout stages to me is a terrible idea, it means that you can go on with 3 draws, which is a terrible way to reward mediocrity.

 

[sonoman]

After this tournament, one could ask uestions about the relevance of international football.
A team like Sevilla could have easily won this EC, club teams are always better than national teams, but this years' edition was very, very poor.

I blame it on the format.
We should go back to 16 teams. It should not be possible that the third in a group progresses (Portugal would have been out of it after the group stages).

I also think that national teams don't atrract the best coaches. Conte was a class apart in this tournament. What he achievedwith a very mediocre team was fantastic. I remember seeing Italy demolished by Belgium in a friendly. Conte learned a lesson from that match and our national team really had no chance against Italy.

It's nice to have sympathy with underdogs like Iceland or Northern Ireland, and they performed fantastic, but did they play attractive football? No they didn't.

Unfortunately there still is a future for this kind of tournament. I fear for the next WC in the country that has the biggest hooligan problem in the world and that is known for cheating in a systematical way (athletics is a good example).

The next WC should not be held in Russia...

that is so bitter, im a little sad for you my friend

 

[mota10]

After this tournament, one could ask uestions about the relevance of international football.
A team like Sevilla could have easily won this EC, club teams are always better than national teams, but this years' edition was very, very poor.

I blame it on the format.
We should go back to 16 teams. It should not be possible that the third in a group progresses (Portugal would have been out of it after the group stages).

I also think that national teams don't atrract the best coaches. Conte was a class apart in this tournament. What he achievedwith a very mediocre team was fantastic. I remember seeing Italy demolished by Belgium in a friendly. Conte learned a lesson from that match and our national team really had no chance against Italy.

It's nice to have sympathy with underdogs like Iceland or Northern Ireland, and they performed fantastic, but did they play attractive football? No they didn't.

Unfortunately there still is a future for this kind of tournament. I fear for the next WC in the country that has the biggest hooligan problem in the world and that is known for cheating in a systematical way (athletics is a good example).

The next WC should not be held in Russia...

Italy mediocre team? ...... jesus......

They are not the best Italy but, they are far to be mediocre, just because they dont have players in Barcelona or Real Madrid doesn't mean that the players don't have quality...... they have top player and amazing players, they just dont have much options in the bench.

And its Italy, a big name in football, never underestimate the big ones.

And Conte was not a class apart, Low, Del Bosque, Nawalka, Storck, Lagerback, for me, are great managers.

About the WC in Russia, well, looks like that all the russia "hysteria" from the occidental mainstream media is getting results, unfortunately....

And yes, it should be back to 16 format, this one don't make any sense. Is more difficult be last in the group..... thats why the group stage was boring, why risk being surprised, getting yellow cards, probably injuries and making the players tired, when with one win can be enough?

I think in this aspect Fernando Santos was intelligent in his approach to the group stage......

 

[ss4_goku]

The problem with only having the 1st in each group go through is that you'd not have enough games. if 8 groups and 24 teams, then each team only plays 2 games before they reach the knockout phase. Group phase adds a little consistency onto the tournament where a knock-out phase just rewards good tactical play and luck in that match...

Also, the draw for the groups would be complex and then you'd end up with some dead groups and groups that are so tight you'd miss out on having an entertaining knock-out phase.

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

Even if the third place team didnt go through 3 draws might be enough to send you through in the top 2.

At the last major tournament in France, the 98 World Cup, Chile went through with 3 group stage draws (Italy, Austria and Cameroon were the other teams and Italy beat the latter 2). Belgium also had three draws that competition (vs Holland, Mexico and South Korea), but went out as all the other teams beat Korea. If you get 3 draws at a WC (or any other tournament where the top 2 go through) you need to have a very strong other team in the group (who beats everyone else except you), like Chile had (with Italy) in 1998. And you definitely don't want a very weak team (who everyone else beats, except you), like Belgium had in 1998 (with South Korea).

Also three draws and third place might be enough to qualify in a 24 team Euros, but you are dependent on other results. If you look at Portugal, if any two of the following had happened:

- Turkey either lost to the Czech Republic, or had still won but scored 2 more goals
- Albania either lost to the Romania, or had still won but scored 2 more goals
- Northern Ireland draw with Germany

Then Portugal wouldn't have got through with three draws.

Overall I thought it was an average tournament. There were some very exciting games, Italy vs Spain and Germany, Ireland v France, any of Croatia's games, Wales v Russia and Belgium. There were some games which were not too exciting, especially at the group stage (France v Switzerland, most Austria games), but I think you can get this at any tournament. Sweden's games were pretty turgid at Euro 2012 - at a lot of these tournaments you need a shock in the group stage to get the match going - e.g. Spain losing to Holland - it opened up that group, or Costa Rica beating Uruguay.

 

[Godotelli]

Team of the Tournament, imo:

-----------------Patricio
Sagna----Bonucci---Chiellini--Guerreiro
------------Kroos-----Ramsey
----Bale------------------------Payet
--------Griezmann----Ronaldo