Euro 2012 Team Previews: Denmark
By · CommentsDenmark are possibly the ultimate enigma in European football, going from ridiculous to sublime and then back again, but for a lot of people their 1992 victory was one of the great footballing moments. Having failed to qualify for the tournament in Sweden, the Danes were given a berth just ten days before it began due to international sanctions against Yugoslavia, and the team of Peter Schmeichel and Brian Laudrup went on to win in a shock not equalled until Greece in 2004.
In qualification Denmark were drawn with, among others, Portugal and Norway, meaning there were both challenging and highly-charged games, but they eventually finished as group winners, something which will give them some confidence given their group. Drawn alongside Germany, Holland and Portugal in the competition proper, the Danes will at least be pleased to know they have come out on top over the team of Ronaldo and co, and may only need to draw with either Germany or Holland to go through if they can beat the Portuguese.
The men to watch for Denmark are young and this tournament could come a little early for them, but Christian Eriksen in particular has become one of the hottest properties in Europe for his performances with Ajax in the last couple of years. Liverpool’s Daniel Agger will partner Simon Kjaer in defence, the latter back on track after a difficult spell in Germany, and the pair have the potential to be world-class.
After going from 16th to 8th in Euro 2000 and 2004 respectively the improvement seemed to stall with a failure to qualify for 2008, which will have hurt the fans a lot. It is worth noting that teams like Denmark, who are not always given a great draw are more susceptible to missing out, especially when a 16-team tournament has two positions taken by hosts, but it was still a bitter blow. This time around it is pretty certain the Danes will be cast as whipping-boys in Group B, with both Germany and Holland to deal with.
In terms of outsiders for this cup Denmark are right there with the Republic of Ireland as 100/1 with VictorChandler, and for some of the best members of the squad this will be competition aimed at learning more than achievement. With qualification being so tough, if they do make it out of the group the Danes will be in great spirit and could trouble their quarter-final opponenets.
Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide
Euro 2012 Team Previews: Denmark
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Euro 2012 Team Previews: Germany
By · CommentsThe German side, as either Germany or West Germany is one of the greatest in terms of achievement, and the European Championship has been a happy historical hunting ground with three victories. They last won the competition in 1996, having won it in 1980 and 1972 before that, and the current team has a lot of German fans wondering if they could be looking at another group of potential champions this year.
Their qualification group was made to look absurdly easy as they finished with ten wins from ten games, only conceding seven goals in the process and scoring 34 along the way, and you have to go back more than 40 years for the last time they failed to get to the finals. One thing worth noting is that the presence of Bayern Munich in the Champions League final could have an impact on their preparation if injuries or fatigue become an issue.
The squad is laden with stars, but Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil is undoubtedly a key man in the current setup, and has the ability to unlock any side with his passing and vision. Alongside him the experience of Bastian Schweinsteiger will also be a big factor, while new Arsenal signing Lukas Podolski will want to add to his incredible 90-something caps at the tender age of 26. The likes of Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze are young stars who could end up as a big part of this campaign, but German fans seem to think a lot will rest on the form of their keeper, Manuel Neuer.
Last time out they reached the final, only to come up against the might of Spain, and for any team wishing to win it will be necessary to beat some very good sides. That starts early for the Germans, and although they are favourites to qualify from the group dubbed death I’m guessing the manager, Joachim Low would have preferred and easier set of teams at the beginning of the tournament.
Their fate in Group B is not all that important, as it turns out, as provided they qualify the Germans are not likely to struggle to beat either the winners or runners-up of Group A. After that injuries, fatigue and luck will be deciding factors, but the 10/3 PaddyPower have on the Germans to win the tournament shows just what a force they are likely to be at the sharp end of Euro 2012.
Originally written by Bet123.net, an online Betting Guide
Euro 2012 Team Previews: Germany
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