bluejock
Boss coat aficionado
Manager - Fernando Santos
Squad
Goalkeepers - Kostas Chalkias (PAOK FC), Michalis Sifakis (Aris Thessaloniki FC), Alexandros Tzorvas (US Città di Palermo)
Defenders - Vassilis Torossidis (Olympiacos FC), Kyriakos Papadopoulos (FC Schalke 04), Sokratis Papastathopoulos (SV Werder Bremen), Avraam Papadopoulos (Olympiacos FC), José Holebas (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Tzavellas (AS Monaco FC), Stelios Malezas (PAOK FC)
Midfielders - Kostas Katsouranis (Panathinaikos FC), Giorgos Karagounis (Panathinaikos FC), Giannis Maniatis (Olympiacos FC), Giorgos Fotakis (PAOK FC), Grigoris Makos (AEK Athens FC), Giannis Fetfatzidis (Olympiacos FC), Sotiris Ninis (Panathinaikos FC), Kostas Fortounis (1. FC Kaiserslautern)
Forwards - Dimitris Salpingidis (PAOK FC), Giorgos Samaras (Celtic FC), Fanis Gekas (Samsunspor), Nikos Liberopoulos (AEK Athens FC), Kostas Mitroglou (Atromitos FC)
Oh bloody Hellas. Where to start with this one? An unbeaten qualification campaign saw Fernando Santos's (that's the only name I know is spelt correctly) progress as group winners ahead of Croatia. They started off with a rather uninspiring 1-1 draw at home to Georgia, relying on a late equaliser from Spiropoulos somebody or other. Three players notched two goals each, please don't ask me to name them as it'll mean nothing to either of us.
Of course, Greece won this title in Portugal back in 2004, beating the hosts 1-0 in the final. Before the tournament they were given odds of 150-1 to win, and judging by the current financial plight in the country, you can tell nobody had a tenner on it. So, judging by that, anyone has a shot at glory this summer. But don't bank on it being the Greeks again. I'm still fuming they weren't drawn in a group with Spain, Ireland and Portugal to make up the first ever "Group of Debt."
This summer's squad is populated by 22 names I've never heard of and one big lump who we'll come to in due course. Of the 23, only 6 ply their trade outside of Greece. One of those, 19 year old Kostas Fortounis, has just two caps to his name by all accounts but the Kaiserslauten winger(apparently) is one to watch for the future. I'm really very soory, I'd love to give you an in depth analysis of the Greek threats and weaknesses but I have'nt got a clue and I don't believe in plagarism so you can make do with mystique instead.
Jock's player to watch is Georgis Samaras. Not because he's a talented, free scoring forward, but because he's mince, runs like an incontinent grandmother and seems devoid of any footballing skill whatsoever, except when he plays against Rangers as he always seems to score in Old Firm games. So watch, giggle, and enjoy the Bambi-on-ice styling's of Greece's hero.
Prediction
Group stage. Lightning very seldom strikes twice and it certainly doesn't look likely this summer. Three defeats is a distinct possibility.
