Euro 2008 - UEFA

[FurnaceFace]

He was also born in Poland to add fuel to your fire.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by FurnaceFace

He was also born in Poland to add fuel to your fire.

grew up in germany though.

[SebC]

Man what a game by Podolski. 11 goals in 11 Euro games? Crazy. Loved watching him at the 2006 World Cup, and he seems to have picked up right where he left off as far as major international tournaments go. Strange as it may seem, Germany is becoming a fun team to watch.

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

.....is it me, or would Polish people have a legtimate right to be peeved about a German with that name scoring against them!

Heck, Podolski was born in Poland. Him and Klose both speak Polish as well. Sometimes they use it as a 'secret language' playing together in the Bundesliga.

[jammies]

I was hoping the Poles could somehow pull out a tie, but the Germans looked scary good - in the 2nd half every time they took the ball forward, they got a chance on goal and made some great creative plays (although on the goal they were rather lucky, but you get that many chances and you WILL score).

I didn't see any diving, either... what a refreshing change. So much for the theory that "everyone does it".

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by SebC

Heck, Podolski was born in Poland. Him and Klose both speak Polish as well. Sometimes they use it as a 'secret language' playing together in the Bundesliga.

Also Klose was born in Poland.

Good game by Germany though, I think they played the best out of all teams so far.

Croatia was very dissapointing in the second half, Austrians were squeezing them like a lemon.

[Flame Of Liberty]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Ollic played a strong game, but good god, he's an embelisher. Anyone who watched the Portugal game and the Croatia game cannot tell me that this Ollic chap is not a bigger diver than anyone on the Portugal squad. The one in the first half was ridiculous. He was fouled, but fell to the ground, then thru his hips up in there and then proceeded to roll two times. That was pathetic. He should have been carded for that. Then he had another ridiculous embelishment in the second half.

It was embarassing no doubt, but lets face it, he is no Cristiano Ronaldo

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Flame Of Liberty

It was embarassing no doubt, but lets face it, he is no Cristiano Ronaldo

CR may dive once in awhile, but I have never seen him fall to the ground, throw his hips in the air and proceed to bounce off the grass and give it two barrell rolls. What Ollic did was laughable.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by jammies

I was hoping the Poles could somehow pull out a tie, but the Germans looked scary good - in the 2nd half every time they took the ball forward, they got a chance on goal and made some great creative plays (although on the goal they were rather lucky, but you get that many chances and you WILL score).

I didn't see any diving, either... what a refreshing change. So much for the theory that "everyone does it".

Thats my team!!

The Germans play a hard nosed style, they take their hits and they dole them out.

They were ridiculously dominant in that game, it wasnt a game where Lehman was sipping tea and reading the news or anything, but the good chances for the Poles came from German defensive errors, the Poles created very little on their own.

Mario Gomez is going to get cut from the team if he cant hit the net though. Germany is deep in every position, they can bench Gomez, give Klose his preferred strike-partner in Podolski and put Schweinsteiger in the Midfield spot Podolski was playing.

[troutman]

Poland 2 - Poland 0

[Locke]

Originally Posted by troutman

Poland 2 - Poland 0

On that note, I think FIFA really should tighten up their rules regarding national play. I have no problem with Podolski playing for Germany, he was born in Poland, but left when he was 2.

Where I have a problem is with countries just nationalizing players who have played there for a while, this happens especially with Brazilians. Its getting ridiculous.

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by Locke

On that note, I think FIFA really should tighten up their rules regarding national play. I have no problem with Podolski playing for Germany, he was born in Poland, but left when he was 2.

Where I have a problem is with countries just nationalizing players who have played there for a while, this happens especially with Brazilians. Its getting ridiculous.

Where do you draw the line?? I've never liked the naturalisation of players(although god bless Pepe and Deco) but I don't see how you can draw a line on something like this. Either you let people do it or you don't.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Locke

On that note, I think FIFA really should tighten up their rules regarding national play. I have no problem with Podolski playing for Germany, he was born in Poland, but left when he was 2.

Where I have a problem is with countries just nationalizing players who have played there for a while, this happens especially with Brazilians. Its getting ridiculous.

Or Hargreaves playing for England, because his third cousin once spent an afternoon in London.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Where do you draw the line??

Shouldn't be hard to do - where did you grow up and play most of your minor soccer?

[vodafone_b]

I would also want to state that almost half of the french team is not of a natural french descent...... but i digress =)

here's kick off to a great day of soccer.... i have a feeling all matches today in this amazing group will be end up in ties

note: robben has been rule out of the dutch team today due to a groin injury.... have you guys noticed that soccer players have really weak groins? haha

[VANFLAMESFAN]

Originally Posted by troutman

Shouldn't be hard to do - where did you grow up and play most of your minor soccer?

Yeah, but then you have to decipher what age constitutes "grow up". No matter how they do it, there will always be a grey area in this.

[JohnnyO]

Anyone know of a good site to watch a streaming feed of today's games. I am stuck at work.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by JohnnyO

Anyone know of a good site to watch a streaming feed of today's games. I am stuck at work.

Live Streaming is PPV only ($10):

http://euro08.sportsnet.tsn.ca/

I forgot to record today, so will have to watch the replays later.

10:00 PM EURO 2008 Soccer: Romania vs. France

1:00 AM EURO 2008 Soccer: Netherlands vs. Italy

[JohnnyO]

Yah I saw the $10 Charge on TSN. Must be a UEFA thing to charge for this. TSN is usually pretty good about streamming.

Maybe a late lunch at a pub is the way to go.

I did remember to PVR the Italy vs Neth. game however. The games on the weekend looked pretty wicked in HD.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

Yeah, but then you have to decipher what age constitutes "grow up". No matter how they do it, there will always be a grey area in this.

Yeah, but Portugal just nationalised Deco and Pepe because they played for Portuguese professional teams for a while and their chances of making Brazil's team were slim.

Same with the Alex who plays for Japan, he played there for a couple years, got a citizenship and plays for their national team. It would at least reduce the problem.

[Thunderball]

I think its too easy for foreign players to be nationalized somewhere else. I find it rather comical to see Boumsong and Vieira playing for France, or Alex for Japan.

To me, the criteria should be simple:
1. You were born in that country or lived there for more than 10 years
2. One of your Parents were born in that country
3. One of your Grandparents were born in that country


Immigration is a funny thing, sure someone may have moved to that country, but it opens up a lot of room for foul play.

I have no problem with situations like Trezeguet (French-Argentine) and Camoranesi (Italian-Argentine) where they can trace ancestry back to the county they play for within 2 generations.

Sure, it means countries get a boost (Deco/Pepe for Portugal, Amauri for Italy (not at this tourney though), Alex for Japan), and often those who don't need it... but it often robs countries of players they need to be competitive (Hargreaves and De Guzman for Canada come to mind)