Bring on Euro 2008 - it's much less predictable than the Manchester United-Chelsea cartel!

Matt Genner
Sportingo.com
Saturday, May 10 2008

Most European leagues are decided by spending power but this summer's tournament in Austria and Switzerland depends on skill and tactical acumen. And with up to six teams in with a realistic chance, it promises to be a cracker.

'It promises to be one of the most open tournaments in history, and unpredictability is what makes sport so exciting'With the football season in Britain coming to an end, and none of the ‘home nations’ competing in this summer’s European Championships, fans are maybe contemplating a spell without the beautiful game.

Euro 2008, however, will be a fantastic tournament for British football supporters to watch, offering solace from the mundane domestic leagues. Every week our papers are full of biased coverage, hyperbole and unobjective analysis. This time, with no ‘golden generation’ of England stars to build up and shoot down, journalists will head to the continent having to focus on the games without the aid of their rose-tinted sunglasses. Television pundits can spend half-time making observations about the continent's best players, instead of crowing for the introduction of Shaun Wright-Phillips, or lamenting over the manager’s failure to give David Beckham a chance from the start.

As money becomes the ever-increasing driver of sporting success, international football is one of a few areas where good management and hard work can make the difference. The teams who have spent the most money are sitting top of the English, Spanish, Italian, German and French leagues; money, however, is not a luxury international managers can rely on. Instead, they must draw on inspired selections, clever tactics, galvanising team spirit and the ability to get the most out of their players. This makes international football unpredictable and more exciting.

Anyone could tell you that Real Madrid or Barcelona will win La Liga next year or that Manchester United or Chelsea will win the Premier League. I will stick my neck on the line, too, and risk saying that Bayern Munich will finish top of next year's Bundesliga. Conversely, it was hard enough guessing who would qualify for Euro 2008 and picking a winner is even more difficult. Spain, France, Italy, Holland and Germany all have good chances of lifting the trophy on June 29. Add to that the likes of Portugal, Croatia and the Czech Republic and it promises to be one of the most open tournaments in history, and unpredictability is what makes sport so exciting.

On the face of it this summer should be one of regrets. If only England had beaten Croatia. If only Scotland had built on their great victory over France. If only Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland had …. okay, some hopes are too far fetched.

At the time, the only positive for England fans was that failure meant the end of Steve McClaren. However, if you want to watch some really talented players in a tournament where more money does not mean more success, with a wide range of possible winners then Euro 2008 is just what you need