Four years ago Wales slumped to a humiliating 6-1 defeat away at Serbia. It was a humbling night. Where there should have been outrage and anger from the fans, there was only dejection. A whole nation had been embarrassed. Chris Coleman, the Welsh manager, sat alone in the airport, contemplating resignation. Yet, perversely, this was […]
euro 2016
Best XI of Euro 2016
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris only conceded five goals through seven games at Euro 2016, as well as picking up three clean sheets. What earned him his spot on the team is not just his record in keeping the ball out of the net at the tournament as other keepers conceded fewer goals (Neuer conceded three) but also […]
From failure to the final four
On the 25th March 2011, I went to my first ever football game. Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium was the venue and I was overwhelmed by the famous faces that I was seeing on the pitch. One of the faces I was most excited about seeing, however, was that of the late Gary Speed – the man […]
Euro 2016 – Final Preview
Portugal. There are two things that come to mind when you think of this side: the first is their star man Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the greatest footballers to grace the modern game; the second comes in the form of a question: how on Earth did they make it this far? This is a side […]
Abject failure: A review of England at Euro 2016
As Roy Hodgson walked into the conference room after England’s shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Iceland, everyone knew it was over. Delivering a pre-prepared statement, he spoke of his pride at a “fantastic journey” but in truth it has been far from that. One victory across the past two tournaments is a disgraceful […]
Ben Marvell’s Euro 2016 talking points
The Icelandic tackling technique There is an awful lot to love about Iceland. For a country that has never played in a major International football tournament before, they have acquitted themselves remarkably, playing to the final whistle and with a unity of purpose. If only England would take note. Apart from their underdog status that […]
Euro 2016 – Round of 16 Preview
Switzerland v Poland Saturday 25 June, 14:00 BST, Saint-Etienne. BBC1 The Round of 16 will get underway with two as-of-yet unbeaten teams at the Stade Geoffrey Guichard, with Group A runners-up Switzerland meeting their Group C counterparts, Poland. Switzerland have made it to this stage having taken three points against Albania and recording a draw […]
Euro 2016 Preview: Group D
Spain – Ollie Lund World Ranking: 6th Best Euro Finish: Champions (1964, 2008, 2012) The holders Spain go into the tournament as one of the favourites. A surprise defeat against Slovakia aside, they were superb in qualifying – picking up nine wins and eight clean sheets. The squad oozes quality with the likes of Sergio Ramos […]