Now it is time to for the big prize, the managers will earning their money, striving for success and fighting for new contracts as this could potentially be the last tournament for many of our managers international careers. In group A, Zola’s Italy was first to qualify in unstoppable form. Through the whole group Buffon has not picked the ball out of his net throughout, the only blip in the season was against neighbours San Marino who held Italy to a 0-0 draw. In the same group Wales finished 3rd, Jose Mourinho’s side looked good to qualify but missed out by a point, a loss to Serbia proving vital in the grand scheme.
France were in Group B along with Ireland, Zinedine Zidane once again qualified easily for a competition losing only one game. Ireland weren’t so fortunate and couldn’t repeat what they did two years ago. North of the Border Northern Ireland didn’t do too well either and failed to make any impact to their group.
The hottest group was Group D which contained the two World Cup finalist Spain and Sweden along with David Moyes of Belarus and Ramos’ Belgium. The latter two didn’t really put up much of a fight from their group Belarus only managing 9 points, Belgium finished higher up but no pressure was placed on Sweden or Spain who finished as the top two on equal points.
Benitez took control of his first competition and done all that the fans could ask, topping the group comfortably which again contained Russia. Paul Jewell and Spalleti were another two sides drawn together and the two sides ran riot in an easy group, Paul Jewell’s Holland winning all 12 games. Scotland themselves had a tough group and it showed as the difference between qualifying and not was one points, the unlucky side not to go through was Portugal as Scotland topped the group equal with Turkey.
Qualfiers
Italy - Gianfranco Zola
France - Zinedine Zidane
Spain - Bernd Schuster
Sweden - Gus Hiddink
England - Rafa Benitez
Holland - Paul Jewell
Czech Republic - Luciano Spalleti
Scotland - Sir Alex Ferguson
The Groups
Group A
Switzerland
Poland
France
Turkey
It is a pretty tough group I think for France, but nothing that Zidane can’t contend to, Turkey and Switzerland can be surprise packages and France will have to be cautious of the sides. Poland will be home soil though, will that give them the advantage needed to get through to the next round?
Group B
Sweden
Scotland
Germany
Ukraine
Scotland and Sweden are the surprise packages so far in this whole experiment, it will be hard to see them both go through when they have to come up against Germany who have been doing well in tournaments over the past couple of years. But Alex Ferguson knows what his players need to win and Sweden have already proved they have what it takes.
Group C
Holland
Czech Republic
Italy
Serbia
Group C holds the most of our teams with three out of the four. But that also means that one of the sides will not make it to the last eight, my money would be on Holland and Italy to get themselves through.
Group D
Greece
England
Croatia
Spain
Spain always seem to do just enough when it comes to the group stages, could this attitude cost them? It looks a group that holders and World Champions Spain could easily get passed and our beloved England should also take them through, but will Rafa be able to face his countrymen with pride?