The managerial reversal campaign that is quickly coming to a close has been well received from those who have chosen to leave their feedback and with the European Championships only round the corner how better to celebrate such an event then to see how Football Manager will play it out. But going with the theme of the site, lets see how different this European Championships will be if the guys coaching the national sides will were changed.
Giving it much thought I have decided not to play the game out for Euro 2008 and instead give the managers in charge 4 years to put together the plans they need to put a real challenge in for Euro 2012. They have all been given contracts that end after the completion of the tournament in 2012, all will keep their current contracts at any club they may be employed by. making things a little bit fairer, all leagues that could possibly be played from the national sides that will be played have all been picked, hopefully some young talent will come through as the game goes on.
Whose Where?
First up Sir Alex Ferguson who joins up once again with the Scottish national side, Sir Alex has had a few years knocked off his age hopefully preventing him from retiring before the tournament. Wales will see the appointment to outspoken manager Jose Mourinho, Jose has become accustomed to winning silverware, with this Welsh side he may have to make do for not winning trophies. Arsene Wenger will take up the San Marino challenge and it will be an achievement for him if he can score a goal never mind win a game. Northern Ireland get themselves a former World Cup winner Marcelo Lippi and the Republic find themselves with their own World Cup winner and Luiz Felipe Scolari. France will have the first of the fairytale appointment with Zidane who will take up his first coaching position with he international side, Zinedene obviously has the experience of winning at international level when the French dominated each competition. The international wonder man who did wonders with the likes of Australia and Russia is Gus Hiddink he will see if he can do the same with Sweden. In Spain Bernad Schuster looks like he could be one of the most successful managers in recent times, not for winning La Liga, but just because he looks like he is going to keep his job at Real Madrid. We have recently seen what Paul Jewell likes to get up to in public, so I have given him the chance travel to a place where everything goes, Holland. A few of the Premiership managers have also taken up roles to play on the international scene, David Moyes and Juande Ramos will take control of Belarus and Belgium respectively. Back onto the fairytale appointments Italian wizard Zola has been put in place for his home nation, already knowing the players he is working with as he has been involved with that national side for sometime now in a coaching role. Finally, Roma coach Luciano Spalleti who will try his had with the Czechs. Fabio Capello, newly in post for England, I don’t see any reason to get rid of him and he will guide England to the next European Championships.
What has happened in four Year?
The first piece of news was the sacking of Arsene Wenger who didn’t even see out 2007 and as predicted struggled to even score a goal, I don’t know why the sacking came about so early but obviously the FA would rather see an San Marian in post rather then the Frenchman.
Euro 2008
The real test for the teams came at Euro 2008, only six of our teams were in action, Holland, Sweden, Spain, Czech Republic, France and Italy. Sweden and Holland were drawn together and both sides were able to to qualify easily from their group that also held Romania and Austria. Spain had a poor group stage grabbing one of each a win, loss and draw, as Switzerland stormed the group. Spalleti and the Czech’s finished bottom of their group only claiming a win against Spain. France finished with a perfect record in arguably the toughest group with Turkey, Portugal and Serbia and Italy also finished top giving the two novices a real boost going in the knock outs.
We then lost the majority of our sides in the final eight, Spain and Holland were drawn against each other and Schuster found form and Raul scored a hatrick to send them through. Switzerland continued their good form and knocked out Sweden. France did well in their game against Germany, but they let it go down to penalties, a big mistake against a side that in their history has won over 80% of their shoot-outs. Italy were the final side to go through Rossi scored the only goal against Scolari’s former side Portugal. In the semi-finals we were certain of a side in the final as Spain and Italy came up against each other. It was Schuster that came out on top winning 2-1 to meet Germany in the final which Spain won rather easily 4-0, I don’t think Germany even turned up for this game.
South African World Cup 2010
Next up was the World Cup in South Africa, doing a little better this time with England, Republic of Ireland, France, Sweden, Spain, Holland, Czech Republic and Italy all qualifying for the finals.
Belrus didn’t do to well only managing to finish 5th in their qualifying group which Sweden topped and Wales as well really failing to set the world alight and finished with only 6 points. A few of our sides though did get through to the play-off stages. Alex Ferguson was so close to an international competition beating Romania 3-0 at home, but it all went wrong when they travelled to Eastern Europe losing 4-0. Belgium and Ireland were they drawn together for their play-off meaning that one wouldn’t make it Ramos vs Scolari. In a close two ties Ireland came out top Robbie Keane and Kevin Doyle putting themselves in the history books as they scored to secure a World Cup place.
In South Africa their wasn’t too many surprises in the groups, Italy did a white was to finish top of their table and Spain once again not favouring the group stages losing to the Ivory Coast to settle for 2nd which was similar to Holland position who lost to Russia. Zidane’s France dominated their group which also contained Sweden who finished 2nd, but it was close as they beat Cameroon which was the reason they got through. Ireland, England and the Czech’s all failed to get past their groups which saw Capello leave his post, to be replaced by former Liverpool coach Rafa Benetiez.
In the second round Italy were the first out against African eagles Nigeria, Mikel was the difference between the two sides to knock them out. Holland battled against Ivory Coast with Stekelenburg being the hero on the night, and from that you can predict that it was a match that Holland got battered in, but Ivory Coast failed to score and it went down to penalties. Where Stekelenburg once again proved his weight in gold saving Toure’s fifth penalty to send his country through. Spain went up against Russia, who managed to keep the game 1-1 for 90 minutes, but in extra time Torres completed a hatrick to send the European Champions through. Sweden went up against World Cup experts Argentina, a fantastic game ensued, Kim Kallstrom scoring first before Tevez levelled the game. It was surprising Ibrahimovic who scored the winner in the 117th minute that sent Sweden through, not bad for a player who fails at the top level. France secured a 2-1 win against Mexico to be the last of our sides to go through.
The quarter finals was a wonderful draw as non of our sides met each other meaning we would have the chance to see all four in the semi finals. Spain dominated Nigeria in a tense game which David Villa settled in extra time. Holland faced old foes Germany and this time penalties wasn’t good enough for the Germans and Holland took the crown once again winning a shoot out to go through. Sweden scored 6 goals against Ecuador two hatricks on the night, Man of the Match Ibrahimovic took the first three and then Rosenburg. France made sure that all four teams were in the semi finals by beating Portugal 3-2 in extra time.
Now here was the real test of how far these sides have come in only two years, Spain would play France and Holland would take 
on Sweden. Schuster’s team kicked off first in a tight game which at half time was 1-1. But in the second half Fabregas and David Villa hit two goals and put Bernd into his second consecutive final. Sweden were the surprise package to follow, Gus Hiddink was able to make the Swedes into a force of a side, reaching the final.
The final was a fantastic game which Spain lead through the majority of the game but two late goals in the space of 5 minutes from Zlatan gave Sweden hope and forced extra time. But Spain was too strong and Xabi Alonso and David Villa scored in the extra time to give Bernd a second trophy.
Now we reach what all this has been leading up to, the managers have been given 4 years and two competitions to get to know their sides and to really strieve for the big goal of Euro 2012 which will be held in Poland and Ukraine. Can any of these sides end the dominance of Spain who will be going into the competition surely as favourites. Can Gus Hiddink take his Swedish side that much further to win a competition, or will their be a surprise with Alex Ferguson taking an unlikely nation to European success?