270 replies to this topic

[Saracen21stC]

Vote for the team(s), and participate if you can!

[Nightingale]

I have to support my partial home country of Ireland to get through the group, even if it is a little difficult. That being said, I think that Germany is going to be my choice to win it this year. Just thinking based off their form and style of play. I know I would like to see them win it, I kinda hope it is anyone but Spain really. But that's my opinion.

[Nile_Salafy]

Excellent thread !! and I am sure it will be longer than the UEFA one .. I wont vote for now .. I need a couple of days to do that, but I know the spanish players are doing a great job in clubs all across Europe

[Saracen21stC]

I see that someone has voted for Poland to be the Euro winner. I wonder why though. Anyway, let us see what the Polish can do at their own home!

[Saracen21stC]

An interesting thing I have noticed while checking out the Euro 2012 players is that there are patterns of names very often seen among the squad. For example, Bulgarian players' names seem to end with V very often.

BULGARIA SQUAD: GOALKEEPERS

• Plamen Iliev
  Levski Sofia
  1 Caps, 0 Goals
• Stoyan Kolev
  Chernomorets Burgas
  15 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Cvorovic
  Minyor Pernik
  1 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: DEFENDERS

• Stanislav Manolev
  PSV Eindhoven
  22 Caps, 0 Goals
• Valentin Iliev
  Steaua Bucuresti
  23 Caps, 0 Goals
• Petar Zanev
  Litex Lovech
  18 Caps, 0 Goals
• Nikolay Bodurov
  Litex Lovech
  10 Caps, 0 Goals
• Yordan Minev
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  2 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Bandalovski
  CSKA Sofia
  7 Caps, 0 Goals
• Vesselin Minev
  Antalyaspor
  10 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Ivanov
  Partizan
  24 Caps, 1 Goals
• Aleksandar Aleksandrov
  Cherno More Varna
  0 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: MIDFIELDERS

• Georgi Milanov
  Litex Lovech
  3 Caps, 0 Goals
• Vladimir Gadzhev
  Levski Sofia
  8 Caps, 0 Goals
• Svetoslav Dyakov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  3 Caps, 0 Goals
• Hristo Zlatinski
  Lokomotiv Plovdiv
  4 Caps, 0 Goals
• Emil Gargorov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  13 Caps, 1 Goals
• Aleksander Tonev
  Lech Poznan
  4 Caps, 0 Goals
• Boris Galchev
  CSKA Sofia
  1 Caps, 0 Goals
• Stefan Velev
  Beroe
  1 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: FORWARDS

• Ivan Stoyanov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  11 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivelin Popov
  Gaziantepspor
  31 Caps, 6 Goals
• Valeri Bojinov
  Lecce
  38 Caps, 6 Goals

[ParadiseLost]

I think lots of names from eastern languages like russian also end in V. I think you can guess which team I voted for ..just hoping lol

[Nightingale]

I think with the news coming out of Italy this week will cause issues for the Italian national team. Considering that police were arresting Italian players during the national team practice this week...I see that having a negative effect.

Which does help Ireland if that is the case.

[Saracen21stC]

I think lots of names from eastern languages like russian also end in V. I think you can guess which team I voted for ..just hoping lol

Nothing wrong with dreaming about this. lol. If they can pass the group stage that should be applauded. Anyway, sister, u haven't voted for Group B and D. Please vote for these two groups as well. I mean two teams from each of these group. :p

[ParadiseLost]

Nothing wrong with dreaming about this. lol. If they can pass the group stage that should be applauded. Anyway, sister, u haven't voted for Group B and D. Please vote for these two groups as well. I mean two teams from each of these group.

I didnt have that option - only three questions showed up on the poll for me

[ala'adin]

Sorry to break the news to Ireland fans... it just aint gonna happen

I think while germany has one of the most solid teams, Spain will go on to win it. Simply because the core team plays together at Barca so their understading is second to none...

All the while I will root for England.... with no expectation so maybe this year I will be pleased with their performance!

[ParadiseLost]

There is always hope !

[Nightingale]

Sorry to break the news to Ireland fans... it just aint gonna happen

I think while germany has one of the most solid teams, Spain will go on to win it. Simply because the core team plays together at Barca so their understading is second to none...

All the while I will root for England.... with no expectation so maybe this year I will be pleased with their performance!

Well, they probably aren't going to win it, though one can hope. But I do feel strongly that they have a very good chance to get out of the group now, considering the fact that Italy has once more been rocked by match fixing scandals, which includes a good number of their regular national team apparently. That hurts Italy and frankly I think the Irish are better than the Croatians right now. So I do see Spain and Ireland out of that group.

As for England, it all hinges on their gelling as a team really. Hart is a tremendous goalkeeper (though this is his first major tournament as a starter). If they can get through the group and Rooney comes back available, they have a good shot. No mistaking that he can be a lightning rod.

[Saracen21stC]

I didnt have that option - only three questions showed up on the poll for me

The first two questions contain two groups each.

The first one contains Group A (on the left side) and B (on right side starting with dotted line)

The second one contains Group C (on the left side) and D (on right side starting with dotted line)

[Saracen21stC]

These are the 12 referees at the Euro 2012.
T
Source: goal.com



EURO 2012 Poland/Ukraine .:. Referees
Name born Country M. Cüneyt Çakır 23/11/1976 0 Jonas Eriksson 28/03/1974 0 Viktor Kassai 10/09/1975 0 Björn Kuipers 28/03/1973 0 Stéphane Lannoy 18/09/1969 0 Pedro Proença 03/11/1970 0 Nicola Rizzoli 05/10/1971 0 Damir Skomina 05/08/1976 0 Wolfgang Stark 20/11/1969 0 Craig Thomson 20/06/1972 0 Carlos Velasco Carballo 16/03/1971 0 Howard Webb 14/07/1971 0

[Saracen21stC]

Excellent thread !! and I am sure it will be longer than the UEFA one .. I wont vote for now .. I need a couple of days to do that, but I know the spanish players are doing a great job in clubs all across Europe

Come on Man! Vote Quickly. Only 1 more day to go........................................

[Nightingale]

LOL...considering the changes at the top of the FIFA rankings and everything now, what team(s) do you see surprisingly crashing out in the first round?

As I said, I see Italy crashing out. They've lost 3 in a row and are reeling it looks like. Portugal, despite having C. Ronaldo is another I see crashing out honestly. Why Portugal? Well, they got put into a group where all four teams are in the Top 10 in the world. Germany at #3, Netherlands at #4, Denmark at #9 and Portugal at #10. Tell me how that happened???

[Saracen21stC]

An interesting thing I have noticed while checking out the Euro 2012 players is that there are patterns of names very often seen among the squad. For example, Bulgarian players' names seem to end with V very often.

BULGARIA SQUAD: GOALKEEPERS

• Plamen Iliev
  Levski Sofia
  1 Caps, 0 Goals
• Stoyan Kolev
  Chernomorets Burgas
  15 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Cvorovic
  Minyor Pernik
  1 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: DEFENDERS

• Stanislav Manolev
  PSV Eindhoven
  22 Caps, 0 Goals
• Valentin Iliev
  Steaua Bucuresti
  23 Caps, 0 Goals
• Petar Zanev
  Litex Lovech
  18 Caps, 0 Goals
• Nikolay Bodurov
  Litex Lovech
  10 Caps, 0 Goals
• Yordan Minev
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  2 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Bandalovski
  CSKA Sofia
  7 Caps, 0 Goals
• Vesselin Minev
  Antalyaspor
  10 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivan Ivanov
  Partizan
  24 Caps, 1 Goals
• Aleksandar Aleksandrov
  Cherno More Varna
  0 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: MIDFIELDERS

• Georgi Milanov
  Litex Lovech
  3 Caps, 0 Goals
• Vladimir Gadzhev
  Levski Sofia
  8 Caps, 0 Goals
• Svetoslav Dyakov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  3 Caps, 0 Goals
• Hristo Zlatinski
  Lokomotiv Plovdiv
  4 Caps, 0 Goals
• Emil Gargorov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  13 Caps, 1 Goals
• Aleksander Tonev
  Lech Poznan
  4 Caps, 0 Goals
• Boris Galchev
  CSKA Sofia
  1 Caps, 0 Goals
• Stefan Velev
  Beroe
  1 Caps, 0 Goals

BULGARIA SQUAD: FORWARDS

• Ivan Stoyanov
  Ludogorets Razgrad
  11 Caps, 0 Goals
• Ivelin Popov
  Gaziantepspor
  31 Caps, 6 Goals
• Valeri Bojinov
  Lecce
  38 Caps, 6 Goals

I found something similar for a country named Iceland. They are not participating in EURO. But still interesting. Icelandic players' names almost always end with '(s)son'
1 GK Gunnleifur Gunnleifsson 12 GK Hannes Þór Halldórsson 3 DF Hjörtur Logi Valgarðsson 4 DF Sölvi Ottesen (captain) 5 DF Ragnar Sigurðsson 13 DF Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson 15 DF Hallgrímur Jónasson 2 MF Eggert Gunnþór Jónsson 6 MF Helgi Valur Daníelsson 7 MF Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson 8 MF Birkir Bjarnason 10 MF Gylfi Sigurðsson 11 MF Rúrik Gíslason 14 MF Kári Árnason 16 MF Eyjólfur Héðinsson 17 MF Aron Gunnarsson 20 MF Ari Freyr Skúlason 9 FW Kolbeinn Sigþórsson 18 FW Alfreð Finnbogason

[Nightingale]

I remember studying about naming conventions in school, and Iceland of course draws very heavily from their Viking forebears. Which is why so many of them have son in their last names, originally it was to signify that they were the 'son of x'. Consequently, Iceland also is one of the few places where girls will carry the last name suffix dotir or dottir (for daughter of x).

[Saracen21stC]

LOL...considering the changes at the top of the FIFA rankings and everything now, what team(s) do you see surprisingly crashing out in the first round?

As I said, I see Italy crashing out. They've lost 3 in a row and are reeling it looks like. Portugal, despite having C. Ronaldo is another I see crashing out honestly. Why Portugal? Well, they got put into a group where all four teams are in the Top 10 in the world. Germany at #3, Netherlands at #4, Denmark at #9 and Portugal at #10. Tell me how that happened???

I agree with you. Portugal are in Danger. Italy also have a tough test awaiting. Another team I think may exit early is England.

And EURO is always competitive. I mean all the Groups seem like 'Group of death' to me. But Group B surely has the most high profile teams.

[Saracen21stC]

I remember studying about naming conventions in school, and Iceland of course draws very heavily from their Viking forebears. Which is why so many of them have son in their last names, originally it was to signify that they were the 'son of x'. Consequently, Iceland also is one of the few places where girls will carry the last name suffix dotir or dottir (for daughter of x).

Thank you for this wonderful Input. Here are the names from Iceland women's soccer/football team.

I remember studying about naming conventions in school, and Iceland of course draws very heavily from their Viking forebears. Which is why so many of them have son in their last names, originally it was to signify that they were the 'son of x'. Consequently, Iceland also is one of the few places where girls will carry the last name suffix dotir or dottir (for daughter of x).

Thank you for this wonderful Input. Here are the names from Iceland women's soccer/football team. Lots of Dottirrs

Current squad
No. Pos. Player GK Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir 1 GK Þóra Björg Helgadóttir DF Sif Atladóttir 18 DF Mist Edvarsdóttir 17 DF Thelma Björk Einarsdóttir 4 DF Hallbera Guðný Gísladóttir 3 DF Rakel Hönnudóttir 8 DF Katrín Jónsdóttir DF Þórunn Helga Jónsdóttir 20 DF Elísa Viðarsdóttir MF Katrín Ásbjörnsdóttir 7 MF Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir 19 MF Gunnhildur Yrsa Jónsdóttir 10 MF Dóra María Lárusdóttir 6 MF Hólmfríður Magnúsdóttir 5 MF Guðný Björk Óðinsdóttir 11 MF Orange County Waves 13 MF Greta Mjöll Samúelsdóttir 14 FW Fanndís Friðriksdóttir 15 FW Harpa Þorsteinsdóttir 9 FW Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir