Much of a Muchness

Congratulations to Spain in there victory in Sunday European Championship Final against Germany. It wasn't the best week for me in terms of predictions and it finished off with a right hash up on Sunday. I had backed Germany from the beginning to win the tournament and I was no less confident going into Sunday's final. I had predicted Spain going out in each other there knock-out games which they went on to win and still backed against them in the final, the reason, I simply don't think there a very good side. I think this tournament has shown how poor the level of Football is in Europe currently, that a pretty poor side like Spain can go all the way. Now i hear you cry weren't Greece the same. No they weren't they beat decent sides to progress, France, Czech Republic and Portugal, who were all playing well and at some sort of peak, the sides who have entered this year are at the end of there Golden generation. Spain beat an ageing Italian side without there two best players on the lottery of penalties and Russia, who despite there brilliant performance are no world beating nation. They never took on a side who were brilliant played best they could and Spain outclassed them. For me it was a tournament of 16 indifferent teams, but my God it made for one hell of a tournament!!!

I'm going to try and put together a team of the tournament and then go through my favourite and not to favourite moments of the tournament and pick out the players who shouldn't have even bothered.

Team of the Tournament:

Goalkeeper- Authur Boruc: An odd choice i know but only because i seemed stuck with who else to go for, however Boruc was solid for an otherwise ordinary Polish side. His string of saves against Austrian was his proudest monment and how he kept out the Germans in there opening game was commendable, it was a shame how the rest of his team didn't show the same bravery that there keeper did.


Right Back- Sergio Ramos: I have a huge dislike for full backs who clearly don't know how much to attack and defend and get caught out doing to much of one. Ramos has got the mix just right. Good in the air, quick, strong, young, athletic great features for a full back to have. He has the physicality to later on in his career to become a centre back but while he still has a few yards of pace he plays at right back at has helped lead Spain to there first title since 1964.

Centre Back- Giorgio Chillini: Was due to be partnering Fabio Cannavaro at these championships and you hardly noticed he wasn't there. This man defended with the astute awareness usually left for the Italy captain and helped out the floundering back four. His performance in particular against Spain was one of the best of the tournament. A great centre back who if and when Cannavaro returns will form an excellent partnership together.

Centre Back- Pepe: Even though he only played part of the tournament his presence was felt has he held together an dodgy looking Portuguese defence. Te 23 million rated defender scored his team's opening goal of the tournament and looked right at home in the centre back position, if only his team mates could say the same as they were played so far out of position they were in the stands. A great individual performance let down by his team.

Left Back- Yuri Zhirkov: Possibly my player of the tournament simply because of his consistent performances and his brilliant both ends of the pitch. His pace was frightening and his willingness to get forward was relentless. His calmness at the back helped a at times leaky Russian defence. His pace helped create many Russian attacks and he certainly played his part in the humiliation of Holland in the quarter-finals, certainly his finest moment of the three weeks.

Right Wing- Bastian Swiensteger: Lets aviod the debatable sending off and concentrate on his excellent performances. if this man didn't turn up in the group stage he certainly did the knock-out stages where he scored his teams opening goals in both matches and helped his side all the way to the final, always drifting in the from the right to join in with play, was one of the driving forces in his team.

Centre Midfield- Csec Fabregas: The Arsenal man only started two game in the tournament, but I'm pretty sure he would have liked the final one he did start in. The injury to David Villa was a blessing as Fabregas inspired his side to a 3-0 win in the semi-final and garenteed himself a starting place in the final. That performance alone gets him into this team along with his winning penalty against Italy and his impact from the bench in the group stage. A brilliant player sure to get better come the World Cup in South Africa.

Centre Midfield-Marcos Senna: Only Zhirkov comes close to this man for me, and if ever a man could drive there team to a final it would be this man. Playing as the holding player in a sometimes five man midfield he looked well at home. The Villareal man really shone through in this tournament beyond the likes of Torres and Villa.

Left Midfield-Wesley Sneijder: If he had had longer in the tournament to make his impact him sure he would have been picking up his own individual award for player of the tournament. This man lived and breathed Holland in the group stage, two goals from him against Italy and France both marvellous in there own individual way. he spearheaded that magnificent Dutch attack which had shades of '88.

Striker-Roman Pavlyuchenko: Very difficult choice upfront but I've gone for the player who played five games and not three. He was always a threat upfront making the single man upfront look like three. Although he missed a few chances the one's he took were brilliant and he hugely deserved more than the three goals he did get. England were lucky only to concede two goals against this man, a real star for the future, let the bidding war commence.

Striker- Ruud Van Nistelrooy: The best striker in the world Fabio Capello called him, and he's totally right. This man's hold up play was always good, but now he's bringing more players into the game and becoming a more complete footballer, and is it me or has he got a yard more pace? Still scoring poachers goals as always like he showed against Italy and Russia.

I no there will be arguments there so do feel free to add your own team of the tournament of add your own substitutions. Not putting player of the tournament Xavi in you might say. I'll be honest who on earth chose him as player of the tournament, were the men at UEFA even watching the tournament? Torres and Villa for me didn't do enough than score goals in to games for me. They looked off the pace for me, although credit to Torres for his winning goal in the final, I thought he took it brilliantly and played very well.

So now to my best and worst moments of the tournament, some sensible, some not so sensible.

Goal of the Tournament: Wesley Sneijder vs. Italy- One of the first goals of the tournament and what a goal. The ball travels the length of the pitch after Italy have the ball cleared off the line, Durk Kuyt heads the ball across from a Van Bronkhorst cross and theres Sneijder to put the ball away beyond the despairing Buffon, a truly brilliant goal.

Game of the Tournament: Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic- One of the most amazing matches I have ever experienced and a turn around I haven't seen in some time. The Czech's go two nil up through Jan Koller and Plasil. Polak then hits the post with fifteen minutes remaining. Turan makes it 2-1 with Turkey still having much to do. But a goal-keeping error by Petr Cech with 89 minutes gone allowed Nihat to turn the ball into an empty net before the striker scored a stunning goal seconds later crashing the ball in off the bar. Even with a minute left there is still time for more action as Turkey's keeper Demirel is sent off for pushing Koller and with all three substitutes made Tuncay has to go in goal for the final seconds. Phew!!

Worst Game of the Tournament: Romania vs. France- In the group of death the opening game bought a match that wanted everyone watching to want to die. France looked 4 fours past there peak, playing players who clearly aren't international quality and are more legible for a pension rather than a transfer. Romania paid the French to much respect and expected more of a barrage than they got, they never wanted to win the game either. I'm surprised I've been able to write this much about it.

Worst Player of the Tournament: Florent Malouda- The normal development of a human being is after learning how to walk you learn how to run. Malouda has obviously not followed this pattern and is still at the walk stage. One of the few players in the tournament to have consistency the whole way through, to be so ineffectual its embarrassing. Why Chelsea even gave him a chance at the Bridge I don't know.

Best call of the tournament: The Austrian director of the TV coverage always picking out the hottest female fan he could find and zooming in until he absolutely had to cut to the football match that was happening at the time. Also Alan Hansen leballing the Romania-France game 'the worst game he had ever seen in his life'

Worst Call of the tournament: BBC Radio Five Live having Steve McLaren as there main summariser for the Championship. One of the worst decisions since England appointed........ oh wait.


Gaff of the Tournament: It's a toss up between Gomez's miss against Austria, or Howard Webb awarding Austria a penalty in there game with Poland.

So there we have it another European Championship is over. One of the best we've seen in years not just because of the quality of football however. For the first time in a long time there seemed to be an overwhelming respect for both players, supporters and referee's. There were just two sending' off in the entire tournament which is very encouraging to see, just one booking for simulation in the tournament and even more encouraging a seemingly bigger respect for the players towards each other. No petty fouls or niggling tussles, just good old football. If this tournament has shown us anything it has made us see that the sport his heading in the right direction and that it's cleaning up its act once and for all.