Has anybody been watching Wales? We're ace. I have a good feeling about this year.
If Bale raises his game up a level and Ramsey stays healthy then I can see Wales as a land mine for favourites. The group is not that tough cause Turkey is awful, and Switzerland has not shown much either. I don't even think that we can say that Italy is such a great team as their results would suggest, with Turkey and Switzerland being such lousy teams at the moment. I won't even be convinced if they were to beat Wales easily. I think that both France and Belgium are level up, with England, Spain and Germany being at least on par with them. Netherlands although playing nice football and and having talented players is in my opinion level down from all mentioned teams. Wales will have a great test against Italy. Honestly I don't see Wales going very far. They have number of great players but have not convinced me that they could reach last phase of tournament (semi final or final).
Scotland has a great chance now but it will be tough cause they have to get a win and I still see Croatia as better side. Croatia is undergoing generation shift and will be very competitive in next world cup. If we hire some good selector after this championship. Dalic is simply not good enough. His tactic against England with Luka Modric as attacking midfielder and Kovacic and Brozovic as playmakers was awful. Same today against Czech. First half Czechs dominated cause Dalic made a wrong decision regarding first team and tactics (although he did bring Modric back on his natural position). When he finally put Petkovic and Vlasic in the game changed and Croatia become more dominant.
Didn't you have like a golden generation or something?
If you are asking about Croatia we had two great generation with one in which main players were Suker, Boban, Boksic, Bilic and Prosinecki being better grneration, although they finished 3rd in 1998. WC in France. This generation that is starting to descend (Modric, Perisic, Brozovic, Rakitic - not playing anymore , Mandzukic - not playing anymore) is/was not that strong but they had some luck in Russia and went all the way to finals (beaten by Feance same as in 1998. semi final). I think Croatia has a bright future in football as Gvardiol, Vlasic, Biuk (remember this name), Ivanusec, Livakovic...are all great potentials and even great players now while still young or very young. Dinamo Zagreb turned around 2:0 in second leg of this years UEFA Ligue and was stopped by Villareal in quarter finals. All this from a country of 4 millions and without colonies (when I see France playing I am more inclined to say that it is "All Africa Team", with Griezman, Pavard, Hernandes and Rabiot being Frances cherry on the top).
I'm particularly bad at live football games, I just don't have a good cheer, I think, it's both intonation/loudness/and what to say tbh. Anyone that can relate?
I stopped going to football matches at age 15 and I am not seeing that as a deficit. Here in Croatia the atmosphere, when stadium is full there is a culture of group singing and whole stadium breathing as one. We have some good football virus within us.
With all that said France is looking as a top favourite the way they are playing.
Wow, this was a rant.
