c.topfer
05 Jul 2004, 08:34 AM
Does this really need an "R"? I mean, on which planet do you have to live not to have heard about last night´s final...
Anyway, a big thumps up to Scolari. With his reactions and his statements after the match he showed he is a true sportsman.
Maybe some of the whiners can take him for an example. Greece just did what they were best at, and they did that just brilliantly. If you are a supposedly "good offensive" team, you simply have to find a way to break a team like Greece. If you can´t, then you´re probably not that good after all...
Congrats to Greece!
Here is what Scolari has to say:
But Portugal boss Luis Felipe Scolari insists the Greeks should be hailed for their Euro 2004 triumph — not condemned for a negative approach.
Big Phil — who bossed Brazil to their 2002 World Cup triumph in Japan — insisted: “I do not think Greece winning is a backwards step for football.
“They play that way and it’s up to the rest of us to find a way to combat it.
“Greece have a wonderful defence and they prey on the mistakes of their opponents.
“They have played like this from the beginning of the tournament and they are very good at what they do.
“Winners should be able to play against any style and we found ourselves unable to do it.
“Tonight they have had one corner and scored the only goal — so we have to congratulate them on that.
"We were the better team for most of the game but they scored and we didn’t. So it’s up to the more attacking teams to find a way to beat their system.”
Scolari also refused to blame referee Markus Merk for turning down two penalty claims.
He said: “I think the referee has done mainly good work. He made some mistakes in the last 10 minutes but I would prefer to congratulate the Greek team.
“It’s time football stopped complaining about referees.”
(Hello England!)
Anyway, a big thumps up to Scolari. With his reactions and his statements after the match he showed he is a true sportsman.
Maybe some of the whiners can take him for an example. Greece just did what they were best at, and they did that just brilliantly. If you are a supposedly "good offensive" team, you simply have to find a way to break a team like Greece. If you can´t, then you´re probably not that good after all...
Congrats to Greece!
Here is what Scolari has to say:
But Portugal boss Luis Felipe Scolari insists the Greeks should be hailed for their Euro 2004 triumph — not condemned for a negative approach.
Big Phil — who bossed Brazil to their 2002 World Cup triumph in Japan — insisted: “I do not think Greece winning is a backwards step for football.
“They play that way and it’s up to the rest of us to find a way to combat it.
“Greece have a wonderful defence and they prey on the mistakes of their opponents.
“They have played like this from the beginning of the tournament and they are very good at what they do.
“Winners should be able to play against any style and we found ourselves unable to do it.
“Tonight they have had one corner and scored the only goal — so we have to congratulate them on that.
"We were the better team for most of the game but they scored and we didn’t. So it’s up to the more attacking teams to find a way to beat their system.”
Scolari also refused to blame referee Markus Merk for turning down two penalty claims.
He said: “I think the referee has done mainly good work. He made some mistakes in the last 10 minutes but I would prefer to congratulate the Greek team.
“It’s time football stopped complaining about referees.”
(Hello England!)