I know it is a long way off but the draw for the qualifications was this morning. Here they are

Group A: Germany, Turkey, Austria, Belgium, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan

Group B: Russia, Slovakia, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, FYR Macedonia, Armenia, Andorra

Group C: Italy, Serbia, NORTHERN IRELAND Slovenia, Estonia, Faroe Islands

Group D: France, Romania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Belarus, Albania, Luxembourg

Group E: Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Moldova, San Marino

Group F: Croatia, Greece, Israel, Latvia, Georgia, Malta

Group G: ENGLAND, Switzerland, Bulgaria, WALES, Montenegro

Group H: Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Iceland

Group I: Spain, Czech Republic, SCOTLAND Lithuania, Liechtenstein

Obviously no actual fixtures or dates have been set yet but I believe the first games will probably be played Oct-Nov time.

Going to walk the qualifying. Hopefully get some tickets for the Welsh game.

After we win the World Cup (), we're going to dominate group F.

Go Greece!

Croatia is your biggest threat in that group. Are you hoping for a repeat of 2004 then? I was in Greece at the time, on holiday in Lardos, Rhodes.

Most people will tell you that 2004 was a one-time thing. A miracle. I simply say, never say never.
Prior to 2004, nobody, and I mean nobody, expected us to win.

As long as they give it all they got, I'm happy.

Actually after watching your first game I was telling people "don't underestimate the Greeks, they're going to cause some upsets in this tournament". People thought I was mad and it ended up being understatement of the year.

I wish I had put money on it...

I so wish I had too!!!

I'll give you an example of what me and my friends expected in 2004. We each picked a different team to support during the tournament, because we didn't expect Greece to make it past the group stage and wanted to at least have some fun watching the games.

When we were playing against Portugal, in the group stage, I was actually playing FM and had the TV muted.
I got a call from the only one of my friends who was actually watching the game, screaming that we scored. That's when I decided to actually support my own national team and watch our games.

Hypocritical, I know, but our expectations really were that low.

About 80% of all greeks, went through the same experience.

I remember being at a café with some friends, completely unaware about the game, when we heard some people shouting and screaming when Greece scored. From there on I started too supporting our team. But who can blame us, with the way things went back in 94 and how heartbreaking our national team had been until then.

Fixtures for the qualifying rounds are now available.

Groups A & B



Groups C & D



Groups E & F



Groups G, H, I

One game has already been played (Estonia 2 - 1 Faroe islands). Why was that one so much earlier than the others?

Anyway, for the rest of us first games to be played over the course of next weekend and into early next week.


Thursday 02nd September 2010

European Championship Qualifying Group F
Israel v Malta 19.15

Friday 03rd September 20100

European Championship Qualifying Group A
Belgium v Germany 19.45
Kazakhstan v Turkey 17.00

European Championship Qualifying Group B
Andorra v Russia 17.30
Armenia v Rep of Ireland 16.00
Slovakia v FYR Macedonia 19.30

European Championship Qualifying Group C
Estonia v Italy 19.30
Faroe Islands v Serbia 18.00
Slovenia v Northern Ireland 19.45

European Championship Qualifying Group D
France v Belarus 20.00
Luxembourg v Bosnia-Herzegovina 19.15
Romania v Albania 19.00

European Championship Qualifying Group E
Moldova v Finland 17.30
San Marino v Holland 19.45
Sweden v Hungary 19.00

European Championship Qualifying Group F
Greece v Georgia 19.45
Latvia v Croatia 19.00

European Championship Qualifying Group G
England v Bulgaria 20.00
Montenegro v Wales 18.30

European Championship Qualifying Group H
Iceland v Norway 20.00
Portugal v Cyprus 20.45

European Championship Qualifying Group I
Liechtenstein v Spain 19.45
Lithuania v Scotland 19.15

Tuesday 07th September 2010

European Championship Qualifying Group A
Austria v Kazakhstan 19.30
Germany v Azerbaijan 19.45
Turkey v Belgium 19.00

European Championship Qualifying Group B
FYR Macedonia v Armenia 19.00
Rep of Ireland v Andorra 19.45
Russia v Slovakia 16.00

European Championship Qualifying Group C
Italy v Faroe Islands 19.50
Serbia v Slovenia 19.30

European Championship Qualifying Group D
Albania v Luxembourg 19.15
Belarus v Romania 18.30
Bosnia-Herzegovina v France 20.00

European Championship Qualifying Group E
Holland v Finland 19.30
Hungary v Moldova 19.30
Sweden v San Marino 19.00

European Championship Qualifying Group F
Croatia v Greece 19.30
Georgia v Israel 18.00
Malta v Latvia 18.30

European Championship Qualifying Group G
Bulgaria v Montenegro 18.30
Switzerland v England 19.45

European Championship Qualifying Group H
Denmark v Iceland 19.15
Norway v Portugal 19.30

European Championship Qualifying Group I
Czech Republic v Lithuania 19.15
Scotland v Liechtenstein 20.00

What are we doing playing games on a Friday?

No idea why they are doing it that way. Is it perhaps to give an extra day for the league games at the end of the following week (as we are playing two games with the second the following Tuesday)?

Probably something like that.

Sweden - Hungary 2-0

Ibrahimovic was awesome
and with the new coach
(finally) and a younger
team this should be very
entertaining - even if we
don't qualify.

Group A
Poland
Greece
Russia
Czech Republic

Group B
Netherlands
Denmark
Germany
Portugal

Group C
Spain
Italy
Rep.Ireland
Croatia

Group D
Ukraine
Sweden
France
England


Some fantastic looking games. Would say this is going to be way better then the World Cup.

It wouldn't take much given that the most exciting thing to happen in last year's World Cup was the vuvuzela.

But I agree. In some ways Euros are even harder to win than the World Cup because although there is one less knockout stage there are no joker teams like New Zealand or North Korea in your group. Apart from Brazil and Argentina all the best football teams are from Europe anyway.

With our players history, they are going to be for the taking with that distraction.

More adventurous than the England team, then.

and that's just John terry

#

Whythankyouverymuch.

New Zealand didn't Lose a Game in Last World Cup!?!



Hmm, for me that's just an Old Saying now, I don't think there's more than maybe 3 teams in Europe that could easily beat the national teams of Uruguay or Chile to mention some teams from the Conmebol, besides, sometimes it gets harder to play against teams with a different Style of game than the ones ur used to face in your Region. *Note when i say Maybe..

In anycase i agree with the level of competition being Stronger in the Euro anyways.

P.D: I'm from Venezuela and we're not Missing the Next WC

Probably far too late to do this now, but The Sun are doing a Euro 2012 version of their free dreamteam. Teams have to be entered within the next 2hrs though

http://www.dreamteamfc.com/fantasyfootball/euro2012

forgot all about this until someone in work mentioned it this afternoon

It worked.

Have I mentioned that we are through




And we hold the lot of Europe by the balls with our current elections .

I hope if Denmark doesn't win, that Greece wins the whole fucking thing

Pull a 2004 eh? Hope so.

Both games at the moment (Holland - Portugal , Germany - Denmark) are on 1-1 .

Can't believe Holland will finish rock bottom of their group.

They have top class players but they suck as a team.

Funny it becomes "a necessity" when a decision goes in favour of England.
Sebs dislike for the English hasn't floundered.
If the goal was to have stood it would have been offside too which the officals also missed.

Got a feeling this is going to be a long night

He's got a dislike for the British in general. He's the fuckwit that decided that the Republic of Ireland can claim players born in Northern Ireland even though they are 2 completely different countries. We've now lost about 7 players to them, the most notable being Darron Gibson from Everton and James McClean from Sunderland

3 minutes till penaltys

Shoot out time *gulp*

Out on penalties again

Fucking Yes!

Pirlo~!~!

This Sucks. England would have been much easier than Italy

That's Spain in the final.
Torres might get himself a 3rd plastic medal for the season.

Decent first half. Fell off a cliff after half time. Spain were second best against Italy. Croatia should've taken them. Did fuck all against France. Were shit tonight. I don't think I can stomach them winning it. Come on Germany!

LMAO @ Ronaldo.

You know, that's usually true. I'm a huge supporter of the Italia & give my heart out to the Azzurri w/every match. BUT I will be honest w/ya in saying that this 2012 Italia Nat'l team are not showing that spectacular defense they're usually known 4 having. Not just thruout the 'Euro' but pretty much this entire yr leading up 2 it. Yes, I know there hasn't been many goals allowed against 'em so far thruout group and knockout stages BUT from watching almost every match they've played whether its tournament and/or friendly within (let's say) only just this last yr, one could tell u that they've been playing sloppy and getting very lucky in being where they're at vs. the Germans here in tomorrow's semifinals.

^you were saying lmao


Lets go Italia

Let's hope Italy go at Spain like they did the Germans to give us a decent game.

Yup. Or like they did in the group game.

I watched the last two games and will watch sunday, was damned enjoyable enough to me.

How can I follow more football when this is over [I wouldn't be interesting in say the MLS of course], Mario on Italy reminds me of a Terrell Owens type ego, I kinda liked him lol.

He's either a massive twat or massive legend, depending on how your bread's buttered.

The English Premier League starts 18th August.
Don't know where you're from but if you can't watch on tv there are a ton of streaming sites that show games.

Looks like Spain turned up tonight.

This Spanish team is pretty much invincible right now. Portugal got a lot closer than Italy did tonight.

The Italians didn't have a chance when they went down to 10 men but they were out of it before then.
Oddly at 81 mins the possession was 50/50 (BBC stat).

Worst Golden Boot winner evAr.