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Qualification Failure Leaves More Jobs Vacant

Failure to qualify for Euro 2008 has already seen Steve McClaren sacked from the English job, Alex McLeish jump ship to the Premier League and of course Steve Staunton sacked from the Irish post before the qualifying campaign had even ended. Today it was announced that Oleg Blokhin has resigned from his post as Ukraine manager and Javier Clemente has been relieved of his duties as Serbia manager.

Blokhin had guided the Ukraine to a quarter final appearance at the 2006 World Cup in Germany but was well off the pace for Euro 2008, finishing in fourth place their qualifying group, with Italy and France finishing first and second respectively. Blokhin’s resignation takes with him all of his national team assistants as well.

Qualification for Serbia would have sealed a two-year contract extension for Javier Clemente, but finishing third in their qualifying group behind Poland and Portugal ultimately sealed the Spaniard’s fate. Radomir Antic looks to be good money at this stage to get the Serbian job, with a decision expected in January.

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Bojan Krkic Won’t Be A Theo Walcott

I’m delighted to see that Luis Aragones has declared he won’t be bringing Bojan Krkic to Euro 2008.

When Sven Eriksson announced the inclusion of Theo Walcott in his World Cup squad for 2006 I thought he’d actually lost the plot. Sure enough, Walcott was the subject of a big money transfer but he was no way near the level needed to compete on the international stage, on the World Cup stage. Likewise is the situation with Krkic.

The Barcelona 17 year old is considered to be one of the hottest prospects in Spanish football and a surefire prospect for the national team in the future. Though he might be disappointed, at least he won’t be dragged along like it’s a school tour, standing on the sidelines while the big boys get stuck in. That and the fact that he hasn’t made his senior Spanish debut yet. Give the chap a few friendlies first!

Krkic is good at what he does. Joint top scorer last summer in the U17 championships, he’s represented Spain at both U17 and U21 level. He’s got a bright future ahead of him, already having made his full Barcelona debut and scoring for the senior team in La Liga this season (youngest Barcelona player ever to do so) and while he might be disappointed I think he’ll actually benefit more from not being involved than heading off to Austria.

One thing is for certain though, if he keeps going the way he is at present, he’s likely to be making a Spanish appearance at the 2010 World Cup.

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Dudek Still Seeking Euro 2008 Spot

Jerzy Dudek has said he “would like to Madrid” if it means he’ll get to play in Euro 2008. True enough, he’s going to need the regular football to prove match fitness, something he won’t get in La Liga playing behind Iker Casillas but he knew the score once he left Liverpool. He wasn’t getting regular football there so moved off to Madrid, happy to play second fiddle in a warm country with a big pay check. The move won’t guarantee him a place in the Polish national team for June and all that only comes to light if Madrid decide to let him go.

Talking to Spanish sports paper yesterday, Marca, Dudek is quoted as saying

“I’ve got a three-year contract with Real Madrid but I want to look at the possibility of leaving; Poland have qualified for the European championship for the first time and I have received an important call from the coach Leo Beenhakker who told me that if I played regularly I would be his keeper at Euro 2008. I want to play at the European championship because it will be a historic moment for our country and I haven’t played at all in Madrid. I think the best thing now is that we sit down and talk.”

Like many others going into Euro 2008, this is likely to be Dudek’s last chance at a major tournament, unlikely that he’ll still be around the game in four years time when Poland host the tournament with Ukraine.

A loan deal might be an option as I can’t imagine any team committing to signing a 34 year old goalkeeper who hasn’t played competitive club football in months. With Celtic having advanced in the Champions League and doing well at home I can’t see any problem in Artur Boruc being Beenhakker’s first choice keeper come June. At that rate, Tomasz Kuszczak has as much a chance of a call-up as Dudek and he’s likely to see more action with Man United before the season is out.

Best of luck to Jerzy in his quest.

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Van Basten Will Quit After Euro 2008

I mentioned earlier today that Marco Van Basten’s future would be decidedafter a meeting with the KNVB - and now it has.

Going into the meeting with the Dutch FA this afternoon, Van Basten had already said he had his mind made up about his future but he wouldn’t be going public until discussing his plans with his employers. Come the end of Euro 2008 next June, Marco Van Basten will no longer be head coach of the Netherlands senior team. Van Basten’s assistant, John van’t Schip, is also leaving his role with the Dutch side.

Van Basten is calling it “time for a change of scene”, the former AC Milan man having been in the job four years come the end of next summer’s tournament.

Credit to him, it was likely a tough decision to make, moreso if the Netherlands advance out of Group C into the knockout stages of the competition. A lot of talk has been aired on radio lately too in relation to the length of contracts on offer to international managers - look at Steve Staunton on a four year contract, booted out after two. Steve McClaren booted from England after less than a year in the job yet these nations are looking for long term solutions, going four years and beyond.

While it was likely a tough decision for Van Basten to make I view it as the right one. He’s enjoyed a good run with the national side but after four years, successful or not, it is time for a change. Bring in a new coach with new ideas, connections to new players and developing squads.

What are the odds of Gus Hiddink getting a phone call from the KNVB to step into the fray and lead the Netherlands to South Africa in 2010? I reckon club football beckons for Van Basten…

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German Coach Dislikes Small Stadiums

Germany manager Joachim Loew has spoken out over the small-sizes stadiums being used for Euro 2008, including the 32,000 capacity Wörthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt which plays host to Germany’s games against Croatia and Poland.

As it stands, the German FA have been given a ticket supply of just 6,000 for both games and Loew anticipates “tens of thousands” of German fans will be crossing into Austria to see their country in action on the pitch.

It is not good that some stadiums for this European Championships have a small capacity.

You would think that after hosting the World Cup in 2006 that Germany would be in no position to complain, but complain they will. The two biggest stadiums in the competition, the Ernst Happel Stadion (Vienna) and the upgraded St. Jakob-Park (Basle) will be used by Austra and Switzerland for their group games as well as sharing the quarter finals, semi finals and final (Vienna).

What’s the saying about a good work man not blaming his tools?

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Van Basten’s Dutch Future Decided Today?

Netherlands coach Marco Van Basten’s managerial future will be made a bit clearer today with the former AC Milan player set for showdown talks with the KNVB (Dutch Football Association) this afternoon. According to Van Basten, he has already made up his mind about his future but will wait until talks conclude with the KNVB before going public with his decision.

Van Basten guided the Netherlands through their qualifying campaign only to land in the “group of death” alongside Italy, France and Romania. The Dutch FA have already hinted that regardless of what happens at Euro 2008 they want Van Basten as the man to lead the national side to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Whatever happens, he’s still under contract and will be around to see the Netherlands through their Euro 2008 campaign, though we’ll know more clearly this evening whether Van Basten is in it for the long haul or changing jobs in July.

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Raul Set For Euro 2008 Inclusion

Despite Luis Aragones overlooking the inclusion of Raul in the Spanish team since their early Euro 2008 qualifiers, the Madrid forward who is currently top of the goal scoring charts in La Liga (eight goals) has not been ruled out of a place in the Spanish squad for their Group D encounters with Greece, Russia and Sweden in the summer.

The fact that he is currently joint top scorer in the league may well have boosted his chances for a recall in June. Raul faces stiff competition from the likes of Raul Tamudo, David Villa and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres who is currently on fire for Liverpool with 11 goals so far for the club this season, especially considering he’s not starting every game.

The bottom line from Aragones is that if Raul plays well, then like every one else he’s got a chance of making the squad. The Real Madrid man turns 31 during the competition next summer so it could be his last major competition to feature with Spain.

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Patrick Mueller Ruled Out For Switzerland?

Euro 2008 hosts Switzerland will likely count Patrick Mueller out of the running for their squad next summer with the Lyon full back having ruptured his ACL in his right knee. The recovery process alone should take him about six months.

Mueller was involved in a reserve game for Lyon over the weekend but was taken off in the first half, team doctors later revealing a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Mueller himself has been quoted as saying “I have written off this competition”, which in all honesty is true given Euro 2008 is not far over six months away.

It will likely mean an end too to Mueller’s involvement with Ligue 1 football in France this season with no announcement made yet from the club as to whether or not they’ll keep him on past this summer, his contract expiring at the end of the season.

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More Money For Euro 2008 Hopefuls

UEFA announced over the weekend that they’re boosting the prize money pool for Euro 2008 to €184m, up €55m from the €129 distributed amongst the finalists in Portugal in 2004. Lord knows the FAI could have done with the money.

How The Money Breaks Down

• €7.5m per team for gaining entry into the competition
• €1m per team for a win in the group stage
• €500k per team for a draw in the group stage
• €2m per team for reaching the quarter finals
• €3m per team for reaching the semi finals
• €4.5m for the runner up
• €7.5m for the winners of Euro 2008

If the winner goes through the group stage undefeated, they will pocket a cool €23m for their efforts throughout June.

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Euro 2008 Groups Drawn

The groups have been drawn for the 2008 European Football Championships to be held between Switzerland and Austria next June. They are as follows

Group A

• Switzerland (Co-Host)
• Czech Republic
• Portugal
• Turkey

Group B

• Austria
• Croatia
• Germany
• Poland

Group C

• Netherlands
• Italy
• Romania
• France

Group D

• Greece
• Sweden
• Spain
• Russia

From the draw it’s obvious (to me anyway) that all eyes will be on group C with three of Europe’s heavyweights in reigning World Champions Italy, France and Netherlands all pitted against one another.

The competition kicks off on June 7th with Switzerland taking on Czech Republic in Group A at St. Jakob-Park stadium in Basel. The final will be held in the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna on June 30th.

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