The Euro 2016 Thread

The long build up to Euro 2016 is already here and teams have begun to announce their squads for the tournament. Here are the final squads as they are announced:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36417368

Based on the odds, I have created a poll for the nine favourites for the competition. I feel France will win it but Germany and Spain should be in the mixer. I think the dark horses of the tournament (there is usually at least one) will be Austria.

Here are a selection of sites with the fixtures and group standings:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/european-championship/euro-2016/schedule/group-stage
http://www.skysports.com/football/competitions/euro-2016/fixtures
http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/standings/

If anyone is interested there is a Euro 2016 fantasy football competition: http://eurofantasy.uefa.com/en/fantasy16/create-team

 

Luke Shaw is ready.? Good luck with that one.

 

How could anyone take Luke Shaw to a major tournament when he isn't match fit?

 

I agree with both of you and Wilshere is also made of glass but I would not be surprised if he or Sturridge go. Surely Hodgson wont take too many risks :S

 

No, please take Luke, Wilshere and Sturridge. Please!

 

Hopefully Hodgson wont take too many risks....................or Hendersons........

 

Apparently, and sensibly, Hodgson has delayed naming his squad until after the final round of Premier League games this weekend, in order to better assess the fitness of players: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36262235

No new date has yet been announced.

 

He's just waiting on Hendo.

 

Which means he wants Jack to have another 60 minutes to justify selection. He'll probably get injured!

 

Morgan left out of the France squad. It was all going so well for him until he left us.

He is named as a reserve though.

 

Anyone got Steve Williams phone number. Same thing happened with him and England squad.

 

Well he hasn't played that much and when he has he has been poor.

 

The French coach told him in a recent phone call.
'Playing well in Manchester is not like playing well in Southampton.'

 

Talking about your hero, I've got to a good point in Clive Thomas's autobiography where he talks about Stevie Williams. Quite interesting. Shall I quote it for you.?

 

Yes, please - I was a big fan too

 

I think TSS has gone for his early night , Helen.

 

I missed the post. Quote me next time and I'll see it. It's rather late now, but the book's here and so am I. One last post, then the wooden hill gets climbed. So, FIFA Referee Clive Thomas on Steve Williams...

...is one of the really exciting players in today's game who may well be a driving force one day behind a revitalised England team. I have watched Steve Williams since his apprenticeship, I know that Lawrie McMenemy has worked on his fiery temperament and, as I write, there are certainly increasing signs of maturity. His position as captain should ensure steady growth.
I have worked on Steve's attitude to discipline for years. You name it, I've done it. I have chatted with him in a restaurant, explaining where he is going wrong on the field; I have spoken to him on the day of a match to give him guidance for the next ninety minutes; at kick-off I have threatened and cajoled him. I wonder sometimes if I am fighting a losing battle though, because I am still not satisfied that he gives one hundred per cent cooperation on the field. There have been times when I have been cautioning him while Lawrie has been trying to defuse the scene from the touchline. Will he ever achieve his potential - and captain the full England side? I know of no other manager, other than Lawrie - apart perhaps from Brian Clough, in view of what he was able to achieve with Kenny Burns - who could harness the talents and break in Steve Williams. He is a great player in prospect... and it will be a great shame if he's not more careful.

People who have no idea who Clive Thomas was [is - he's very much alive.!] will like to know that he refereed the 1976 FA Cup Final. In my opinion, he was one of the best ever refs [hence why I'm bothering with his autobiography], if rather controversial [another reason to read], and his opinions from the mid 1980's of FIFA, UEFA, the FA, the FL, the FAW, and the Ref's body at the time, the AFLRL, are pretty much smack on the nail. He even has a line on the youngish Sepp Blatter, and it's not complimentary either. The previous FIFA President Havelange, he really doesn't think much of.
However, Southampton FC come out of this book rather well, so far as I've read. We probably get as many mentions as any other club. His opinion of Lawrie could not be higher. I was actually surprised, and my opinion of Lawrie is pretty damn high too. He thought him capable of running things at much higher levels, like the FA.
His opinion of Leeds Utd, Don Revie, Billy Bremner and most of the Leeds team couldn't have been lower, frankly. It appears that all that Brian Clough said back then about Leeds Utd was 100% correct. Cloughie he respected hugely, as did I, and believes he should have been England manager, but for a pathetic FA. One surprise - he didn't like England manager Bobby Robson at all. Thought he was two-faced. As for Graham Taylor, he thought he was useless.

As a youngster Thomas was a very promising footballer and signed professional terms with Norwich City only to have a career ending injury early on. It was then that he decided to become a referee.

Are you beginning to warm to him.?

Clive Thomas - By The Book: Out of print, I believe, but available as a good condition used book from ebay UK, Amazon, and a few other places. It's not a bad read at all. Tom might like it although it is about things that happened before he was born. So he might not.

 

Yes please! I bet it's not too pleasant!

 

Ah, I should have read on. Thanks TSS. Great comments and I think I'll get this book.

Interesting that he was a young pro and then became one of the best referees..... Mmm I am sure I read recently some smart chap proposing that young pro footballers who don't make it, get converted to referees...

 

Oops. Wrong! He was spot on about Stevie Williams.