Within hours of Fabio Capello speaking of his plans for England’s future,
Holland effectively raised the bar on Friday night, trouncing France in
Berne with a stellar performance that evoked fond memories of their Total
Football of the 1970s.
Holland were mightily impressive and it’s difficult to disagree with Dutch
winger Arjen Robben, who said: “This was called the Group of Death - and
it’s us who are doing all the killing.”
The Dutch were at their kaleidoscopic best, embarrassing opponents who were
World Cup finalists only two years ago with the quality of their passing and
the purposeful intelligence of their movement, both on and off the ball. Les
Bleus were given a masterclass in the athleticism and geometry of the modern
game, and their thirtysomethings suddenly had the hangdog look of
yesterday’s men, appearing to age before our eyes.
Some excellent football is being played at Euro 2008, of a standard to which
John Terry and company can only aspire. Frankly, for the moment at least,
matching it is beyond their capabilities. England failed to qualify for this
tournament, and now we are reminded why. So many other teams are better.
It will be small consolation, but they are in distinguished company in their
inadequacy. It was expected that the two host nations, Austria and
Switzerland, would struggle, but what of Italy and France, World Cup winners
and runners-up respectively as recently as 2006? How the mighty are fallen.
For two ageing teams it would seem to be a tournament too far and either, or
quite possibly both, could well be on their way home after they meet in
Zurich on Tuesday. Holland, with six points, are already assured of their
place in the last eight, and will be tempted to field their reserves against
Romania in Berne the same night, in which event a Romanian win - and
remember, they were good enough to draw with France and Italy - would see
them through to the quarter-finals alongside the Dutch. It is an intriguing
scenario, the outcome of which could leave the vaunted Azzurri facing
a repeat of the rough treatment they received after their elimination by
North Korea at the 1966 World Cup, when they were pelted with rotten fruit
upon their return home.
Much was expected of them here as world champions, yet they were completely
outplayed by Holland last Monday, and they would have lost to Romania in
Zurich on Friday had not Gianluigi Buffon saved Adrian Mutu’s penalty.
Roberto Donadoni, Italy’s coach, apologised for their poor results in the
first two games, but insisted they had been the better team. “Some players
did not play at the level expected,” he said, then claimed Italy’s shortage
of goals was of no great concern.
“Before the tournament, when people evaluated [Alessandro] Del Piero and
[Luca] Toni they expected them to score all the time, but it doesn’t work
like that. It’s not the first, nor the last time, they will have to wait for
goals.”
Of the France match, he said: “It’s going to be decisive and the way we start
is going to be key. We have to make sure that we use the adrenaline that has
been built up beforehand.”
That Italy are a team past their best is self-evident. Del Piero is nearing
34, Christian Panucci is 35, and even the much-invoked Fabio Cannavaro,
absent injured, will be 35 in September. A lot of the others are past 30,
and an invigorating dose of rejuvenation is required, and soon.
Much the same can be said of France, for whom the warning signs were there
when they were comfortably held goalless by the Romanians in their first
match. Even for those of us who witnessed their sterility that night,
however, the magnitude of the beating they took from the men in orange four
days later came as a real shock. Claude Makelele (35) and Lilian Thuram (36)
had the weary appearance of men who have been to the well once too often.
Thierry Henry scored his 45th goal in 101 internationals, but he will be 31
soon and is increasingly prone to injury. He also looked to be lacking in
confidence.
France, like Italy, are overdue a transfusion of new blood, and must hope that
the likes of Samir Nasri, who is joining Arsenal for £12.5m, and Karim
Benzema of Lyons, who is coveted by Man-chester United, among others, can
step up to the plate.
On the other side of the euro, there is much to admire and enjoy in the way
that Spain, Holland and Portugal are all promising to atone for wasted years
of underachievement.
Wesley Sneijder, the young midfielder from Real Madrid, has scored two of the
best goals to date for the Dutch, who also have Ruud van Nistelrooy in
irrepressible form. They came here fearing the worst after a troubled
qualifying campaign, and it would be entirely in keeping with that quirky
character of theirs to leave as the best.
Spain are also looking good, with David Villa and Fernando Torres as dangerous
as strikers come, and Portugal are enriching the tournament with the sublime
skills of Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Of the others, Croatia’s progress into the quarter-finals, as victors over
Germany last Thursday, will have given Capello, who was there in Klagenfurt,
much food for thought. It would be no surprise if Niko Kranjcar, Luka Modric
et al were to derail England again in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Plenty of time for that, though. For the time being, let’s just sit back and
enjoy Europe’s finest.
Paper talk: where did it all go wrong?
The French press reflected the despair of a nation yesterday with Aujourd’hui,
saying ‘The Blues KO’ and L’Equipe telling its readers ‘It only remains to
pray’.
The Italian press, partial to a conspiracy theory, were more aggressive,
expressing anger at Friday’s referee, Norwegian Tom Henning Oevreboe. ‘If
Italy were a club team, we’d say there was a plot going on among officials,’
said Corriere della Sera. The Italians’ fear is that Holland and Romania
will carve up Group C. ‘Surely it can’t always be Denmark v Sweden?’ said
Gazzetta dello Sport, referring to the Scandinavian mutual assistance that
saw the Azzurri crash out of Euro 2004.
GROUP A FIXTURES
Today
Switzerland v Portugal, Basel, ITV4 7.30, kick-off 7.45, highlights BBC1
Turkey v Czech Republic, Geneva, ITV1 7.30, kick-off 7.45, highlights BBC1
What next? Portugal have won their group. The winners of the Czech
Republic-Turkey game will join them. Should the match end in a draw, they
will have a penalty shoot-out, the first of its kind in the European
Championships
GROUP B FIXTURES
Tomorrow
Austria v Germany, Vienna BBC 1, 7.30pm, kick-off 7.45
Poland v Croatia, Klagenfurt BBC 3, 7.30pm, kick-off 7.45
What next? Croatia have won the group. Germany need a draw against
Austria to join them. If Austria and Poland win, goal difference will be the
decider, unless both teams end with the same goal difference. The coefficient
for the 2006 World Cup will be the deciding factor as Austria did not
qualify for Euro 2008. Poland would go through because they finished above
Austria in England’s Group 6
GROUP C FIXTURES
Tuesday
Holland v Romania, Berne BBC3, 7pm, kick-off 7.45
France v Italy , Zurich BBC1, 7.30pm, kick-off 7.45
What next? Holland have won the group. Romania will go through if they
beat Holland or draw, and if France draw with Italy. If Romania lose while
France and Italy draw, all three teams will have two points, which means
Italy will go through if their match is a score draw. If Italy and France
draw 0-0, Romania will go through provided they don’t lose by more than two
goals against Holland
GROUP D FIXTURES
Wednesday
Greece v Spain, Salzburg ITV1, 7.30, kick-off 7.45
Russia v Sweden, Innsbruck ITV4, 7pm, kick-off 7.45
What next? Spain have qualified for the quarter finals
Thursday June 19 QF1
Portugal v runner-up Group B (Basel) ITV1, 7.30, kick-off 7.45 Highlights BBC1
11.35pm
Friday June 20 QF2
Croatia v runner-up Group A (Vienna), BBC1, 7.30, kick-off 7.45
Saturday June 21 QF3
Holland v runner-up Group D (Basel) BBC1/ITV tbc, kick-off 7.45
Sunday June 22 QF4
winner Group D v runner-up Group C (Vienna) BBC1/ITV tbc, kick-off 7.45pm
Wednesday June 25 Semifinal 1
Winner QF1 v winner QF2 (Basel) BBC1/ITV tbc, kick-off 7.45pm
Thursday June 26 Semifinal 2
Winner QF3 v winner QF4 (Vienna) BBC1/ITV tbc, kick-off 7.45pm
Sunday June 29
Final (Vienna), BBC1, 7.45pm
