Anyone want to jump on this one? Being Greek and all and being optomistic, i'll go out on a huge limb and say 1-1...only because AEK drew Real in Spain. And hopefully Ukraine will lose.
Difficult game... And I do not like our NT coach very much. I think his picks during the season were totally irrational sometimes. I hope that this time (this time his lineup sounds better) the team will do better. We certainly need to!
What kind of support does the national team have in Greece? With all the severe rivalries at the club level, does that get in the way of people supporting the national team? I was at the WC 94 match here in Chicago vs Bulgaria and there was great support there but that of course was from mostly Greek Americans. Guti for Spain is out for this one. I will also say 1-1. Spain is also still in season so maybe some of their players will be distracted.
I can't speak for Greeks in Greece because i've never seen the national team play in Greece...but I have seen them play here and the support from us Greek Amer. is just as patriotic, if not more so, than in Greece. I remember watching a friendly a few months back between Greece and Ireland and the stadium seemed quiet to me. I mean, it was a friendly but it's usually a little more vocal. I guess it's just my opinion.
Unfortunatelly, after many dissapointments and also as a result of generally declining attendances even in club level, the Greek NT did not have too much support latelly! The US World Cup experience was very traumatic for the fans too. Not because they do not stand by the team! But because they felt cheated and lied to when the people responsible for the team back then let down both players and the Greek fans by using the team as a touring show for the Greek Americans to pay their nice dollars to see them in social gatherings! Of course Greece returned with 3 defeats 4-0 , 4-0, 2-0 and since then our choices of coaches and the lack of support from the Greek FA and Teams led to even more disapointing attempts! We do have good players but the whole system is oriented towards the benefit of the clubs and the NT is looked after only when a game is up! IMHO! This is unacceptable! The NT should be put on top of our priorities and then the fans themselves will follow! They are not idiots! Anyway. I think that the important game is the one against Ukraine (home). The Spanish side is too strong! We have achance on a good day. We are not a bad side ourselves in terms of individual players! It is just that our NT coach does not yet seem able to blend them to a good team! Also Spain is now almost indiferent! We'll see. I just hope that we will come up with a good game when in matters! That is, against Ukraine!
Just like you were saying Dimitri...it's just the way Greeks are. They are greedy, lazy people that want everything handed to them. And it just doesn't work that way. I've been to Greece many times and there is a difference on many levels between Greece and any other country in the world. And this is also apparent on the football level as well. They don't care. Just as long as the greedy bastards make their money. Like my father has always said and probably realized it when he moved here to the United States, send over 10 American politicians and they will turn that country around. I say send over some new people to put in charge of Greek football, people who will not be corrupt and unjust and they will turn things around. And thats that. Anyway...I look for Greece to get a good result in Spain, hopefully a draw. But you are right when you say the more important of the two matches is against the Ukraine. They NEED that one. ELLADA...OMADARA!
I believe that the structure of the system helps people show their good or bad side. Of course people themselves setup the whole system after all. But it is not that simple. In football, and some other sectors of everyday life Greece (and Greeks) have created an irreversible, self deteriorating, backward situation. In other sectors we do better. But I travelled a lot my friend. I lived in the UK and Belgium for years I visited many countries including the US (more than once and visited many different states), and can now say that You can find Everything Everywhere, with some cultural and structural diffeences. But let us not depart from the subject in hand. Politics and Society are deep and complex issues we can be talking about for ages! Just try not to Label people, nations, areas etc so easily... In footballing terms, yes. Greece has a corrupt and uneliable infrastructure. This is te first year that I have seen an effort for change with some possiblity of success! Maybe it is because the situation declined to levels where even those in charge of this mess cant benefit fully, or it is thanks to the Olympics... Don't know. I just hope it is true and things will get beter soon. Let's hope for good results for the NT!
Bolton's Stelios Giannakopoulos (on the right) after scoring a great goal! Now the group is like that Spain 10pts Ukraine 9 Greece 9 and we play Ukraine at home on Wednesday! :clap: Its going to be a VERY interesting game!
Rush to see the goal in this link! http://www.sport.gr/fnat/euro2004/030607/espgre3.asp Rush, because I think that this web site shows it free only for the first day, and then it is only visible to their subscribers... Great goal! He also switched to the middle and left before taking the pass from Venetidis confusing the Spanish Defence and gaining space for the shot! Historic Win for Greece guys! But I will be hapier if we beat Ukraine on Wednesday to have a shot at the grous 2nd and (only after a miracle ) 1st place...
Greece vs Spain Greece beat Spain and hopefully win on Wednesday over the Ukraine, to take sole possesion of second place in the division standings.
And if Spain slip up (it'll take a miracle) against N. Ireland, we will be in first if we win. Go figure...