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- Who will peak during Alpine Euros ?
Who will peak during Alpine Euros ?
- By Simon Barlow
- Published 04/17/2008
- Football Previews
- Unrated
Simon Barlow
Simon Barlow is a freelance football writer and commentator. He began broadcasting for TEAMtalk in 1997 and was part of the launch of the UK’s biggest independent football website a year later. As a Manchester United fan since childhood, he was delighted to be made that club’s TEAMtalk editor, before joining ProZone in 2002. After four years as a football statistician, he returned to broadcasting in 2006 and currently blogs on football and NFL.
View all articles by Simon Barlow
International football tournaments are always fascinating events to
punters and, despite the lack of home interest from Britain and
Ireland, Euro 2008 betting will be no exception as shrewd backers and layers take a view on the 16 competing teams.
All four semi-finalists from the last World Cup will be picking their route to glory under the shadows of the Alps in Austria and Switzerland, but it would not be a total surprise to see a new name engraved on the Henri Delaunay Trophy on Sunday June 29.
Holders Greece are back and they, along with the other lesser football powers, will cling to the belief that any of the 16 qualifiers can peak at the right time and make it to the summit.
The Low Slopes: Co-hosts Austria look to be the worst team in the competition on paper - so bad even their own fans were petitioning for them to be pulled out. Romania are arguably the unluckiest qualifier, having been pitched into the traditional 'Group of Death', while Poland have hit a poor patch of form just at the wrong time and Croatia now have a major goalscoring problem after the horrific injury to Eduardo.
The High Climbers: Turkey look well equipped to shock the big boys with a young team, entirely rebuilt from the squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. Switzerland will surprise many with their defensive steel
and will benefit from fervent home backing throughout. Holland
may not descend into in-fighting without Ruud van Nistelrooy, but can
they replace his guaranteed finishing prowess ?
The Peak Performers: Portugal are two pieces of the jigsaw away from being the complete side as they struggle to find a dependable left-back and a deady centre forward. Italy have it all - but how will coach Roberto Donadoni cope with the pressure of delivering to the most demanding of publics ? Spain always flatter to deveive, don't they ?
Over the course of the next few weeks I will preview the groups, teams and players I expect to produce the bulk of the entertainment at this summer's football festival. One consolation I can take from my team (England) being absent is that I can view the challengers from an entirely neutral perspective and concentrate on a single objective - finishing the month in profit. Whatever else happens, that could be the biggest cliffhanger!
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting and Premiership betting at Betfair.
All four semi-finalists from the last World Cup will be picking their route to glory under the shadows of the Alps in Austria and Switzerland, but it would not be a total surprise to see a new name engraved on the Henri Delaunay Trophy on Sunday June 29.
Holders Greece are back and they, along with the other lesser football powers, will cling to the belief that any of the 16 qualifiers can peak at the right time and make it to the summit.
The Low Slopes: Co-hosts Austria look to be the worst team in the competition on paper - so bad even their own fans were petitioning for them to be pulled out. Romania are arguably the unluckiest qualifier, having been pitched into the traditional 'Group of Death', while Poland have hit a poor patch of form just at the wrong time and Croatia now have a major goalscoring problem after the horrific injury to Eduardo.
The High Climbers: Turkey look well equipped to shock the big boys with a young team, entirely rebuilt from the squad which reached the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup. Switzerland will surprise many with their defensive steel
The Peak Performers: Portugal are two pieces of the jigsaw away from being the complete side as they struggle to find a dependable left-back and a deady centre forward. Italy have it all - but how will coach Roberto Donadoni cope with the pressure of delivering to the most demanding of publics ? Spain always flatter to deveive, don't they ?
Over the course of the next few weeks I will preview the groups, teams and players I expect to produce the bulk of the entertainment at this summer's football festival. One consolation I can take from my team (England) being absent is that I can view the challengers from an entirely neutral perspective and concentrate on a single objective - finishing the month in profit. Whatever else happens, that could be the biggest cliffhanger!
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about football betting and Premiership betting at Betfair.