England? You have got to be kidding!

Bonjourno!

I have just read an article from a highly respected Sports Journalist Martin Lipton about England’s chances in the upcoming Euro 2012 tournament. He has dented his credibility by trying to hype England’s chances of winning the tournament by saying the hardest part of the competition will be the distance of 6000 miles travel to the final and not the prospect of facing teams like Italy and Germany.

I'm sorry but people who read this and genuinely think that England are going all the way to the final are absolutely on a different planet. They are probably the same people who think the Premier League is the best league in the world.

England will be lucky to get out of the group stage with the teams they have been drawn against. Yes, England qualified well, just as they did for the World Cup. BUT when they played teams of a more equal standard like Tunisia and USA they were found wanting. As for Germany...

Martin Lipton and anybody else who agrees with this obviously need to go on a 6000 mile walk themselves and walk this nonsense out of their system and accept that Spain or Germany are going to win this. If England reach the knock out stage then they have over achieved.

Here is a link to the most over the top piece of Pro England Propaganda I have ever read.

http://twitpic.com/7n97e3

Forza Italy!

The papers are always going to hype England's chances though. I think we will qualify out of the group (just) but the quarters is as far as we will go.

ps. The Premier League is the best in the world.

The link is only a picture of thebackpage, not the entire story.

I haven't read the stoy, but I'd hope that it focused more on Fabio refusing to move England's base to Ukraine. Hopefully it looks into the problem some England fans will have finding accomodation near the games and talk about the lack of quality there.

I'm pretty sure the headline is just sensationalised to draw the attention of the type of people that read The Mirror.

First of all, the Premier League IS the best in the world, simple as. La Liga just behind.

Secondly, England will win Euro 2012. 'Nuff said.

Ridiculous the amount of travelling England and the fans are going to have to endure throughout the tournament. Being more environmentally friendly should be a key issue that FIFA and the competing nations should be considering in a time when climate change is at the forefront of global issues. The unnecessary 'enhanced' carbon footprint that teams will produce, in particular England, will be huge and damaging.

In terms of the football, I love how the media are stating this is an easy group and the matches against Ukraine and Sweden will be negotiated with relative ease. Delusional comes to mind, especially when you think this England struggled to beat Ghana, Montenegro and only narrowly beat Sweden. Ukraine with home support will be an extremely hostile atmosphere and I can remember the last time we played Ukraine and you guessed it........we lost 1-0. I also remember France coming to Wembley when French football was in a 'crisis' a year ago and you guessed it they played us off the park and won.......0-2. They have subsequently gone seventeen games unbeaten.

John, that game finished 2-1 IIRC and if you look at the team we played, it's nothing like what will go to the Euros. Gibbs, Warnock, Foster, Crouch and Henderson all played a part.

We had our best teams out for the Ghana & Montenegro games. I'm sure Gomez, Klose, Podolski, Ozil, Gotze, Muller, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Neuer & Lahm are pooping their pants at this very minute over facing England again!

Ghana wasn't our strongest team (IIRC) and Rooney was sent off against Montenegro which changed the game slightly.

I'm not saying that England are going to be feared by the top teams, but a nice way of twisting my point. I'm simply saying that the group isn't as tough as some people are making out. It'll be tricky against France and Ukraine, but with our strongest team we should beat Sweden.

There are no easy games in the Euros, I think that France will finish top with England possibly sneaking second, but if they do and it will be only just, Sweden and Ukraine will not be push overs and its not far fetched to say that England could come away with 0 points from the group, not likely but a real possiblity.

La Liga 2nd to the Premier League? La Liga has 2 teams worth watching. Real and Barca. The rest of the league is a joke. The Premier League has about 7 teams tops worth watching. The rest of the league falls well below standard.

The German and Itallian leagues provide a better playing field that has a very close league. Look at the Premier League. Its over. City have won. Just like the SPL. Is this what people want from their leagues?

The EPL has ruined the England National team.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote:The EPL has ruined the England National team.

I'd love to see your justification for this. Since the creation of the Premier League, the national team have qualified for 4/5 of the following World Cups (Compared to 3/5 previous to the formation) and our record in the Euros is much better since the creation of the national team.

Your statement is one thrown about by so many people but with no real substance.

And how many honours have England come close winning since the EPL?

The EPL was supposed to improve the National team. Instead it has shrunk the pool of National players that great managers like Fabio and Sven can pick from.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote:And how many honours have England come close winning since the EPL?

How many before the formation of the Premier League?

It's probably about equal before and after, and before has about 90 years more time.

In the Euros we've reached a semi and quarter, losing on penalties both times. In the World Cup we've reached 2 quarter finals and 2 last 16s, out on penalties twice out of those four instances.

Our record is just as good, if not slightly better, since the Premier League. Yes, the percentage of HG players playing in the top league may hve dropped, but I'm pretty sure it's dropped in other top leagues as well (Albeit not as dramatically). But with this drop has came a massive increase in revenue created for English clubs that has been distributed into community projects for football and other causes.

Alessandro Ciambella wrote: Look at the Premier League. Its over. City have won. Is this what people want from their leagues?

1. To say Manchester City have already won it is ridiculous, we have seen larger points margins been caught up to. It's only November, we haven't even had half the games yet.
2. It's not all about who wins, it's exciting watching the games to see who is relegated, which is always unpredictable and who will finish 2-20 is always interesting, it's not always about who wins.

To say that England have a better chance of winning the Euro's ahead of Spain, Holland, Germany, Italy, or France is so laughable it's untrue.

Englands level is similar to that of Sweden, Denamrk, Portugal (if you're lucky) and Croatia.
Even if they manage to qualify from their very tough group, they're going to face Spain or Italy. It couldn't be much tougher. A QF exit would be a pretty successful campaign.

After that draw, I don't think England will........well put it this way, Rooney won't be getting a game.

Super, no one's said that we have a better chance than any of those teams?