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Turkish fans get behind their team - but are you finding it easy to adopt?
Euro 2008 has kicked off with the co-hosts both losing their tournament openers but we want to know if you're getting into the spirit of things.
Early indications are TV viewing figures are low for the opening games but are you waiting for the big guns to play before getting behind your adopted teams?
Have you got any parties or events planned to celebrate this festival of football or is the absence of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland proving too much to take?
Will an outstanding match rekindle your interest or are you looking more towards Wimbledon and the Open for your sporting entertainment this summer?
Join the debate using the form below.
Comments
Alec Mccormick (Liverpool fan) says...
To say that England will be missed, would be a lye. As every English person and no's we wouldnt have added nothing to that tornament with the plain boring football england play. Still there is something that gets to me is how were are own biggest critics, you wouldnt catch the french slandering the country the way we do, well not in public. This is part of the reason the national team are so poor. We expect to much from a team that consists of granted gd players, But in my eyes only 3 Very Gd players being rooney, gerrard and John Terry . Look at the best teams in Europe they have bags. Italy: Toni, Canavaro, Buffon, Gattuso, Pirlo, Del Piero, Totti ect. Spain: Torres, Villa, Fabregas, Silva, Sergio Ramos, Puyol, Cassillas ect. Germany: Ballack, Klose, Lahm, Scheweinster France: Ribery, Henry, Nasri, Govou, Evra, Gallas Ill finish my rant by saying there are so many other teams with talent portugal, holland and others. One last point the english kid hu is playin for turkey has had a blinder for them, if the england team played with the same mentality as he has all tournement then maybe it would have been us and not Ruissa in the Semi-Final tonight.
Posted 10:27 26th June 2008
Sam Hope (Manchester United fan) says...
It has been a refreshing 2008. While Englands name might be missed their game wasn't. It was extreemly nice to see new nations and great upsets. Name of the game is excitement. The checs, Croatia,Russia and Turkey, all exciting and full of twists proving the bal is round. Specially Turkey not only when they winn but also when they lost it was dramatic. I for one would love to see them in future years with unpredictable results.
Posted 03:13 26th June 2008
Adam Dawson (Bolton Wanderers fan) says...
There are two types of England 'fan' who will never be missed by anyone; 1) Inbred swine thugs using football as an excuse to have a row. 2) Prawn sandwich brigade who spend 85+ minutes of the game mincing about in a corporate box. Then there are the rest of us who have loved the game all our lives and just want to see some flair, passion and a bit of magic. As for the team, England players need to find out how to enjoy playing the game like the Russians seem to be doing. People perform at their best in anything when they enjoy what they're doing.
Posted 09:57 25th June 2008
Garry Johnson (Bristol City fan) says...
I don't think the Euro 'misses us' there has been some great football from various teams that I think has been able to entertain neutral supporters. I think the English team has one major problem - wearing the England shirt bares too much responsibility, I think if the team gains some confidence when in the England shirt then we have a very good chance of doing well. English players play better at their clubs because they have the confidence to do so. I don't think there is any argument that England don't have talented players, because we do! Hopefully Fabio Capello can give the team the confidence they need, then I think that we can start making progress in international tournaments.
Posted 15:33 24th June 2008
Kam in athens Kam (Brighton and Hove Albion fan) says...
The feeling here in Greece right from the beginning of the tournament is that England should have been there. Both players and, yes, fans are missed as they are considered to be a major part of the atmosphere. As one Greek commentator stated "Euro 2008 without England is like a pub without beer!"
Posted 12:26 23rd June 2008
Wajid Gouche (Arsenal fan) says...
England are not being missed in Euro 2008, if England had qualified Russia would not be in this tournament. Instead of seeing England get knocked out of Quarter Final stage (as usual) we have seen a very good Russia team reach the Semis.
Posted 12:25 23rd June 2008
Morag Allan (Inverness Caledonian Thistle fan) says...
I think the home nations are being missed......slightly!!! Well the scottish are gutted not to be there especially when france have now played so bad!!! And the scots are gutted the english aren`t there so we have no one to laugh at when they get knocked out in the group stages!! the poor newapapers are struggling to get a story!!
Posted 00:27 19th June 2008
Ben Hjelle (Charlton Athletic fan) says...
Having spent a load of time speaking with Europeans on the subject, the general view is that, while they miss the English team, they don't miss the English fans and the violence they--rightfully or wrongfully--associate with them. Nonetheless, as a Yank, it's difficult to get involved without a single Home Nation involved. Too bad Scotland didn't make it, England were absolute pants in the first qualifiers.
Posted 18:16 18th June 2008
Jamie Carragher (Liverpool fan) says...
I seriously doubt that we will be missed at all . one of the reasons i quit the team was out of pure frustration with the lack of quality football being played . People can say that the team could only do it at club level and had trouble tranfering that style of play to the international stage , but the truth is , is that our individual player only play like that at club level is because they are surrounded by quality forgeiners who make them play like that . We didnt become worse player when we put on an England shirt , we just became surrounded by worse players . The sort of football we played in the last world cup produced some of the most boring matches of the whole competition and I have no doubt that if the current squad some how managed to qualify then the whole counrty would have been embarresed once again by our teams inablilty to string a couple of passes together . I for one am enjoying this tournament , there have been some quality matches so far , and without englands invovlment , there should be a few more .
Posted 16:49 18th June 2008
James Fontaine (Manchester United fan) says...
I love the Premier League but the fact of the matter is that England and English players are just not good enough to play against better and more technically gifted players from the continent and specially the South Americans. Not until the english game wakes up to its self and stops playing the long ball and start to develop individual skills you won't win a thing. In short your not missed at all.
Posted 12:58 18th June 2008
Leon Saracini (Manchester United fan) says...
Of course England will be missed, all these tournaments seem empty if England is not involved. Football fans around the world also want to see Rooney (the master and future world best player), Hargreaves, Gerard, Rio, Jo Cole and all the other players competing with the others. They would have been at the tournament if Mclaren had picked the right team on the night. We all know that the Premier league is the best and in addition when you look at the Champions league final there were more than half of the players from England so no one can say Engalnd does not have GOOD players, it is just a problem of the manager who fails to motivate them before matches. Despite all the mistakes during the qualification, I think it is Mclaren failure to include Hargreaves during the Croatia match the reason why England lost the match. This is the team which can win the world cup: Hart (Foster, James) Brown-Ferdinand-Woodgate (Terry)-A. Cole Bentley-Hargreaves-Gerard-J.Cole Rooney in partnership with: (Defoe, Harewood, Owen, Crouch). If Capello picks this team (those within brackets as substitutes), then I am confident it will be a success. Finally, all England fans should be aware that England has many many fans abroad, and we, the true football fans hate the fact that England is not there. Since I expected that my country will not qualify (give us another couple of years), I was looking forward to support England during the Euros, but then the man under the umbrella failed to pick the right team. I also think that England players should stick it in their minds that they MUST NEVER LOSE at Wembley, that should be a fortress that no one can break.
Posted 09:21 18th June 2008
Lee Brownlie (Everton fan) says...
Of course these Finals don't miss us like we miss them!! We all know how much the England players & Maclaren let the country down, but I nevertheless hate to see/hear English people putting down their own country at the first opportunity and saying how they don't miss our team in such a big competition. I hear these same 'fans' at the pub shouting at our players on the screen, slagging off England whenever and whoever we play, as soon as anything at all isn't goin our way.. sorry, but what were you doing even watching the game if that was your feeling? Yeah, realism: as a team we simply aren't good enough, but we have the players, and as an Englishman I'll ALWAYS follow my country, (WITHOUT the too easily used hindsight "I knew it! We're crap!!")... too many fair-weather friends, ie, guess who'll be there wearing their England tops and waving their flags next time we actually get somewhere... well out of order, you turncoats!!...
Posted 07:59 18th June 2008
Stephen Wood (Hull City fan) says...
I think I only cheered once during McClaren's reign as England manager - that was when I picked up a paper to read that he'd been sacked! That was how utterly embarassing and boring he'd somehow managed to turn our "superstar" players during the qualifying! We don't deserve to be there, the players had no passion (and probably still don't, though I'm hoping Capello can sort that out!) and no determination - their only drive (with the exception of one or two) is money... look at the way Lampard & Terry play for Chelsea then compare that to their England performances - they're like different players! I think the whole topic of this debate sums up the English attitude to the national team and its unrealistic expectations - we (the english) miss the euros, the euros do not miss us!! Besides, even if we had been lucky enough to make it, its getting to the end of the group stages now - we'd be on our way home, and everybody would be questionning why we've failed to live up to expectations... again!
Posted 02:40 17th June 2008
Keighlan Coe (Swindon Town fan) says...
I cannot watch the Euros without getting an annoying tingly feeling in my heart, this feeling is hurt pride and annoyance that England did not make it to the Euros. I will follow England and support them no matter what, even if they end up being as highly rated as Latvia. I'd say no tournament is the same without England and the English. The Germans and the English have a friendly (now) rivalry, and its always interesting to see the two teams play each other, and to hear the electric atmosphere. Deuuuutscchlllaaand, and ENG-ER-LAND are both great chants, sadly, EN-GER-LAND shall not be heard. At the world cup the English and Gemans even had chant-offs, to see which fans could outchant each other. This was friendly, and afterwards they all sat down and had a beer with each other, or played a good ol game of football. Why England did not qualify is a mystery. Contrary to belief i think the England team is amazing, but at certain times the players cannot produce the goods. Perhaps the Germans placed a curse on us after we beat them in 66, i don't really know. Regardless, i don't think any tournament is the same without us, and we always make it very interesting, with Beckhams dodgy haircut and ''Die zexy Wags Ja'', we are sure to be missed.
Posted 22:59 16th June 2008
Dave Griffiths says...
just look at the pubs, cars and vans without any flags on them, of course its not the same as us being there. We havn't had one big night out watching football because nobody is really interested. Our local lanlords are gutted they have lost thousands!
Posted 21:56 16th June 2008
David Richardson (Manchester United fan) says...
England missed?? Of course they havent been missed. Its like saying have Belgium been missed, well no one would think they have been missed apart from people from Belgium. Same with England. And for all those of you out there that think they have been missed, well you tell me one thing that England would have brought to Euro 2008!? Sorry but no one has missed uninventive, tactically naive, uninspired and technically inferiour football that ends in a second round or quarter final whimper. Eng-er-land!!
Posted 17:01 16th June 2008
Gary Payne (Arsenal fan) says...
Over rated and over paid England Stars, like Rooney and Lampard MISSED I don't Think so, now we can watch talented footballers play a good game of football, well if you put aside Poland greece and germany LOL, England do not deserve a place in the Euro I for one don't Miss them at all, COME ON SPAIN OR HOLLAND
Posted 17:01 16th June 2008
Michael Howell (Liverpool fan) says...
I have just got back from Vienna, Austria as me and my friend booked the holiday before the final qualifying game, DOH!! Its really good out there with fantastic fan zones and massive screens but the austrians are not really into it. Had England and the other home countries qualified it would be that much better as we travel en masse. I entertained the other nations as i made a large england flag with the words "wish we were here" on it much to the amusement of the croatian fans!! There was no fighting or bad feeling out there just a sense that we should've been there. Come on England!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 16:37 16th June 2008
Stephen Jameson says...
I don't think we are missed. The other countries probably think that it's a breath of fresh air that England are not in the tournament. But I think the England coaches could do no wrong in having a look at how the likes of Germany and Holland play. On paper I think that England have better individuals, but Holland and Germany are so well organised and their respective managers pick the team on not just how good the players are, but how well they work as a unit. If that means putting some of your best players on the bench then so be it. For instance, we all know that Gerrard and Lampard cannot play in the same team, but one can play instead of the other, which I favour Gerrard. And as for the front two, we need someone strong and able to hold the ball up and distribute it to others to score the goals, like Heskey about 5 or so years ago, but Crouch would be better suited. So what if he doesn't play enough for his club, but he is good at what he does and that's what England needs. Jan Koller is nearly 40 but it is quite evident what impact he has on his team and the opposition. I think that England need to play well.... more english like.
Posted 14:58 16th June 2008
Lee Graham says...
All these people who go on about England football fans have probably not attended a match abroad so do not appreciate that every country has a small minority of fans who want to fight (germany vs poland?). The trouble is hooliganism was created by English fans and the media love to rub it in if some idiots kick off. As for England not making it I am in a state of depression at the moment and can`t wait for the season to start. It still annoys me that we can win euro club trophies but no internationals even though we have english players in the club teams. I think Cappello is right to employ Barry over Lampard and all we need is Ashton/Rooney to form a partnership and we will rise from the ashes.....
Posted 14:04 11th June 2008
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