I shan't have a second team as such, or at least until the competition gets going. As usual I'll be half-heartedly following England 'till their inevitable (and usually amusing) demise. After that I'll just take each game as it comes; unless Italy or Ireland are involved...

I'm edging towards France on account of that handsome M. Cabaye; it will take the definite inclusion of M. Ben Arfa to fully convince me.

Probably the only Newcastle players to get a look in, barring an unexpected Dutch keeper crisis.

This being OTF, there are plenty of people who don't even have a first team in this tourney.

Which gives me an idea. More later.

blamelesz wrote:


I don't.

For this, depends on what team excites me (ah, that brief spell where I loved Russia and Turkey in 2008). I do have a group of teams I usually like seeing win (Spain, Netherlands). Germany have also creeped up in my affections lately.

I don't have a first team.

I don't know anything much about football, either, really. So, going on gut prejudice about countries:

France
Spain
Portugal (ok, Ronaldo, really)
Greece (plus it was hilarious when they won it and everyone whined)
Netherlands (all that rowing is great)
Germany
Sweden
Ireland
Czech Republic
Denmark
Italy
Poland
Russia
Croatia
Ukraine
England (Der Hauptfeind steht im eigenen Land!)

My support for England is kind of contingent on John Terry falling down the stairs in the company of a piano before the first game.

Beyond that, Ireland are my second team as usual, or perhaps my first, I dunno.

If Germany or Spain win I'll be happy enough.

Likeable outsiders - the Czechs, Greece (dour, defensiveness and all - up yours austerity merchants!) Sweden.

Can't even get the normal head of steam up to dislike Italy like I normally do.

Oi ref, I played the fooking keys first.


I'm in the not having a first team to support in the tournament camp too. I have accepted that Scotland will never qualify for any tournament again and there's an upside to that, it actually makes the thing a lot more relaxing.

The only other nation I actually support is Argentina which is irrelevant here. I've always liked Italy too of course, but they are a shambolic disaster area at the moment and I'm surprised so many people have tipped them to win this time around.

So generally I'm pretty neutral and am really quite happy to have anyone win who deserves it. I'd even put England in this category, if somehow they can triumph in this tournament with the players they have then they deserve bountiful praise for that achievement. I've not found the English media especially insuferable this time round either.

All of this excludes Ireland of course who I want to crash and burn regardless of how well they play.

Netherlands and Portugal for me. The former for (possibly outdated, I concede) footballing reasons and the latter because I like the actual country so much (and for sterling ABE service in prior campaigns).

Even a usually staunch Italiaphile like me isn't going for them this time around, though if Balotelli starts going ballistic I will enjoy it.

So, how are we doing so far:

Group 1 - I want them to win

France - drew
Spain - drew
Portugal - lost
Greece - drew
Netherlands - lost

Group 2 - I want them to draw

Germany - won
Sweden - lost
Ireland - lost
Czech Republic - lost
Denmark - won
Italy - drew

Group 3 I want them to lose

Poland - drew
Russia - won
Croatia - won
Ukraine - won
England - drew

It's a bad tournament so far.

Beltrano Carpinteiro wrote:


Actually, if the Azzurri (oh, how I wish Spearmint Rhino was around to upset with that. I miss his contributions to the board even more in a tournament) continue as they were against Spain I might be back in the camp.

England.

It's finally happened, I'm getting sick of ABEism. At least in football.

Italy and Poland for me.

My number 2 team is whoever is playing Italy.

France, if someone's holding a gun to my head. It's the only other European country that I have seen a lot of football in, although this current lot are hard to love. Other than that, the outsiders, I guess.

I thought by now I'd know. Usually it becomes apparent after a game each, but this time round, I still haven't worked it out. Traditionally it would be Portugal, but there's that Ronaldo thing to contend with. It used to be Spain, but I just see that all ending in tears this time round. Italy perhaps. Honestly I don't really mind who wins and who loses as long as they entertain me in some way. I even found myself warming to England yesterday until the second half and the utter paucity of any sign of invention and creativity.

El Tel wrote:


Bump, lets see how those bandwagon's are coming along.
Well, a Spain v Portugal semi guarantees me one team in the final, so I have someone to support in the final come what may.

Now, of the 4 remaining teams what is your order of preference? Mine:
1. Spain
2. Portugal
3. Italy
4. Germany

I'm happy with any of them.

I'd like to see Spain make it three in a row. Failing that, Germany are due one. Ronaldo getting a trophy would not be a bad thing. Italy probably haven't done enough but this time in 2006 they hadn't either.

Whoever deserves it for me. At least the tournament is a meritocracy now, there only have been five decent teams participating and four of them have made the semis (Croatia being the odd ones out).

satchmo76 wrote:


Speaking of which you just jogged my memory Satchmo, I hope the Germany-Italy game is even half as exciting as their semi final match in 2006. That game was an absolute classic.

dalliance, good sentiments there. Given the remaining field whoever wins the tourament will surely have earned their title.

Gangster Octopus wrote:

Well who'da thunk how things change...