Marco van Basten has announced the first cut of his squad (of his own choice); Maduro, Emanuelson, Jaliens and Koevermans have all been eliminated from the original selection.
Spain, due to announce a squad yesterday have postponed their announcement until tomorrow as a mark of respect to their chief doctor, Genaro Borrás, who died yesterday, after a long battle with cancer.

Spain's squad has just been announced. No Raul, as expected.

GK: Casillas, Palop, Reina

D: Albiol, Arbeloa, Capdevila, Juanito, Marchena, Fernando Navarro, Puyol, Ramos

M: Alonso, Cazorla, Cesc, De la Red, Iniesta, Senna, Silva, Xavi

F: Guiza, Sergio Garcia, Torres, Villa

5 players who have never played a minute for Spain (Palop, Navarro, De la Red, Cazorla, Sergio Garcia) seems to be rather a lot.

Spain will be quite good, but will ultimately be caught out in quarter- or semi-finals, principally because of their rash and slightly dodgy defence.

To follow up rowdy's previous post on Romania, here is the preliminary squad with current clubs:

Players based outside Romania - joining the squad this week:
Cosmin Contra (Getafe CF), Gabriel Tamaş (AJ Auxerre), Ştefan Radu (SS Lazio), Răzvan Raţ (FC Şahtior Doneţk), Florentin Petre (TSKA Sofia), Paul Codrea (AC Siena), Răzvan Cociş (FC Lokomotiv Moscova), Cristian Chivu (Internazionale Milano FC), Adrian Mutu (Forentina), Ciprian Marica (VfB Stuttgart), Daniel Niculae (AJ Auxerre) şi Marius Niculae (Inverness).

Romania based players:
Bogdan Lobonţ (FC Dinamo Bucureşti), Dănuţ Coman (FC Rapid Bucureşti), Marius Popa (FC Politehnica 1921 Ştiinţa Timişoara), Cristian Săpunaru (FC Rapid), Dorin Goian, Sorin Ghionea (ambii, FC Steaua), Cosmin Moţi (FC Dinamo), Mirel Rădoi, Ovidiu Petre, Nicolae Dică, Bănel Nicoliţă (toţi, FC Steaua), Adrian Cristea, Florin Bratu (ambii, FC Dinamo) şi Ciprian Deac (CFR 1907 Cluj).

As Deac is one of the three players likely to be cut from the final squad, that means the league champions (and cup winners) will not have a single representative in the squad.

Oh for fuck's sake. What is it with fireboard and diacritical marks?

It doesn't like 'em. Wait until we get to the Czechs.

Is Lobont going to be the number 1? That would seem to me to be "your" weak spot (assuming that Mutu and Chivu are taking this seriously).

Yes, and yes. The goalkeeping slot and the midfield are likely to be the seriously weak areas (indeed Piturca generally plays Chivu in midfield to shore that up a bit since he has a fair few defenders to choose from.)

Mancini was doing the same at Inter in the wake of the rash of injuries in his midfield, though as we've discussed before, Chivu was not at his best this year no matter where he played.

Romania's real problem is their group, I'm afraid.

I had Romania down as this year's dark horse, but considering the group they're in.

If they reach the quarters, everything's possible.

Strange things going on down here.

Donadoni was expected to name his "pre-selection" of 28 today, but has instead named just 24 players (i.e., one more than the Euro limit). And he's included Cassano among the 24 (the other surprise being Montolovio of Fiorentina). Here is the complete list:

Goalkeepers: Buffon, Amelia, De Sanctis
Defenders: Barzagli, Cannavaro, Chiellini, Grosso, Materazzi, Panucci , Zambrotta.
Midfielders: Ambrosini, Gattuso, Aquilani, Camoranesi, De Rossi, Perrotta, Montolivo e Pirlo
Forwards: Toni, Borriello, Del Piero, Di Natale, Quagliarella, Cassano.

God, I just know this lot would beat us should that be the final.

Well, they did it once already . . .

Though it isn't at all hard to see a team with Materazzi, Cassano and De Rossi finishing a match against Germany with less than 11 players.

They'd have an easy job in provoking Kuranyi and Podolski. Frings would be a good target too.

And that's before we get to Herr Jones or Senor Camoranesi . . .

It could be the first final to finish with 16 players.

I'd just like to point out that the Czech squad that rowdy posted up last week is only provisional. Bruckner might make changes yet.

One has switched. Daniel Pudil (who was only in in the first place because Radek Sirl isn't fully fit) has dropped out. Rudi Skacel has been called up as a replacement.

Lehmann
Enke - crap
Adler - crap

Mertesacker - crap
Metzelder
Westermann - really crap
Friedrich - crap
Jansen - crap
Lahm - crap

Fritz - really crap
Borowski - crap
Frings - crap
Hitzlsperger - crap
Schweinsteiger - crap
Ballack
Rolfes - crap
Jones - crap
Odonkor
Trochowski - crap
Marin - who the fuck?

Neuville
Helmes - really crap
Podolski - crap
Kuranyi - the worst German international I have ever seen
Gomez - crap, and, presumably Mexican
Klose

I can't wait.

Where's Bernd Schneider?

Huh? Man wrote:

QUOTE:

Gomez - crap, and, presumably Mexican

Hmm...