For the second installment of The Panenka’s dirt digging experiment on the coaches of Euro 2016, we bring you Group B which contains a former-PE teacher, someone who fell out a tree trying to rescue a cat and someone who took a 7-month ban on the chin after a touchline punch up.
Wales last participated in a major tournament at the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden when a John Charles inspired team reached the quarter-finals. Despite delivering a plethora of top class talent like Ian Rush and Ryan Giggs Wales finally ended over half a century of waiting to participate on the big stage by qualifying for Euro 2016 in France.
Despite being one of the founding members of UEFA, Euro 2016 will be Albania’s first ever major tournament. The relative minnows have put together a savvy squad recruited from the diaspora of Albanian immigrants across Europe amassing a squad with players from leagues in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and France.
In a new series of posts The Panenka brings you a treasure trove of pub knowledge to use as ammo down the local boozer during the dullest of group games this Euro 2016.
In no particular order, first up is Group A, containing France, Romania, Albania and Switzerland.
After failing to defeat Croatia in a 2014 World Cup play-off Iceland were more determined that ever to make their mark on the international scene. So after navigating a tricky qualifying group they exorcised their play-off hoodoo to qualify for their first ever international tournament. As the smallest population to ever qualify for a major tournament (326,000) Group F might prove to be a little too much for them but they are certainly an international force on the up.
We really missed Sweden at the last World Cup in 2014 and no, it wasn’t because it meant that the cameraman was unable to pan to a row of Swedish twenty-somethings in the crowd. The Panenka is glad to welcome back the only host nation to be defeated in a World Cup final as there is always something about the Sweden team that threatens to do something special. OK they’ve never won a major tournament but always seem to find themselves in the group of death or on that betting slip as you proclaim them to be this years dark horses, but hey, they may not have a realistic chance of winning it, but it is the year of the underdog after all.
Turkey have a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde reputation in world football ranging from the magnificent achievements of finishing third at the 2002 World Cup and making it to the Semi-finals of Euro 2008 to not even qualifying at all. They’re up against some understandably high expectations given the caliber of both the players they produce and the improving level of the domestic league. Turkey also has the eyes of the world upon them for political reasons at the moment. The team and fans alike will be under pressure to give a good account of themselves at Euro 2016 because of the government’s pending application for EU membership.
Entering their third successive European championship after hosting the tournament in 2012, Poland have reasons to be optimistic. Despite not being able to reach the knockout in their last two attempts Poland are aiming to make it third time lucky with a squad who are currently plying their trade in the best leagues around Europe, the difference now is that there are no more excuses no to progress.
Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has suffered another knee injury that rules him out of the England squad for Euro 2016. Arsene Wenger revealed that the 22-year-old had “no chance” of being fit for the tournament having suffered a new problem that will sideline him for six to eight weeks.
The Panenka has made a quick review of the impact the former Southampton man has made since emerging a a 16-year-old talent at Saint Mary’s, as well the injures that have held back the robust winger from a promising career so far.
As part of The Soviet Union, Russia won the inaugural European Championship in 1960 and went onto put in impressive performances thereafter finishing as runners-up in 1964, 1972 and 1988. Since the break up of The Soviet Union Russia have qualified for every tournament except Euro 2000. Their best performance occurred when a Guus Hiddink inspired Russia reached the Semi-finals in 2008.
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