Now that Euro 2004 is concluded, FWIW, here are MB19's grading of the teams.....
Greece: Grade - A. The Greeks are champs and they did it with organization, efficiency and were not afraid to win ugly. They did exactly what they needed to do, and got the results they needed, even though they dropped their final group game against Russia.
Portugal: Grade - A. Superbly organized tournament by all accounts. Picked themselves up off of the ground after losing the opener to Greece. Played better and better as the tournament went along. Didn't play very well in the final though. "A" for running a great tournament, would have been an A+ had they won it.
Czech Rep.: Grade - A-. Rampant throughout tournament. Wasted chances to put away the Greeks in the semis and paid dearly. Solid nucleus gives them a shot at being among the favorites in the next World Cup.
Latvia: Grade - A-. A small country with a population less than Houston. Did a tremendous job with basically no talent compared to everyone else. Draw against Germany ensured a heros return home following first round elimination.
Sweden: Grade - B+. Arguably best team amongst the losing quarterfinalists. Great start against Bulgaria, but tapered off. Not the most talented bunch, but they may have given Portugal more to handle than Holland did in the semis had they not lost in the shootout.
Denmark: Grade - B. Solid and organized, but not the "Danish Dynamite" that once surged up and down the field against their opponents. They had one bad 17 minute spell against the Czechs went sent them packing. Their talent level appeared to me to be somewhat down. Manager Morton Olson will be high on many clubs and federations list for their next head coach.
England: Grade - C+. If not for the goal scoring touch of Wayne Rooney, England would have gone out in the first round. They made the mistake of trying to defend leads and paid for it. They lead in every match. When they went for the kill, they won. When they tried to defend a lead, they lost. It appeared to me that the sum of the parts didn't equal individual talent.
Holland: Grade - C. Overall a mediocre Dutch side that never could find itself. Lots of great individual talent though that never seemed to mesh. Won only one game outright, and still advanced to the semis. Laid to rest the ghosts of past shootout failures.
Russia: Grade - C-. Finally played well after elimination. Beat the Greeks in final group match. The Russians have talent, but like the Dutch, it doesn't seem to mesh for whatever reason.
Italy: Grade - C-. The "should have been" team for my money. Incredible talent. Wasted so many scoring chances against Sweden that it boggles the mind. It cost them in the end. When the Italians come out and play, they can be a joy to watch. They do have the frustrating habit of closing up shop when they have the lead. It's tradition with them.
Croatia: Grade C-. A team rebuilding and in transition. Played well in spurts.
Switzerland: Grade - D. Most of their players aren't even starters for their club sides, so what else was to be expected out of them? Co-hosts for the next Euro.
France: Grade - D. Sure they won their group and made it to the quarterfinals. But they are missing something from the mix. They didn't play very well in any game. Enormous, but a lot of aging talent-12 men over age 30. Look for a major overhaul when the next manager is appointed. One of the most disappointing teams in Portugal.
Germany: Grade - D. Similar boat to France in that they have a problem with aging players and for some reason, the talent level may be hitting a dry patch. That said, I suspect they will field a formidable team in the next World Cup. For the 2nd Euro in a row, they were eliminated in the first round, which is odd for the Germans.
Spain: Grade - F. The underachievers of major tournaments. The national team is often as talented as anyone's and yet they do less then anyone with it. The national team is usually a distant second with the Spanish public who tend to get behind their club sides in a rabid fashion.
Bulgaria: Grade - F. Worst team here, which is historically the case when they show up to the finals of a major tournament. Scored one goal and gave up nine.
Greece: Grade - A. The Greeks are champs and they did it with organization, efficiency and were not afraid to win ugly. They did exactly what they needed to do, and got the results they needed, even though they dropped their final group game against Russia.
Portugal: Grade - A. Superbly organized tournament by all accounts. Picked themselves up off of the ground after losing the opener to Greece. Played better and better as the tournament went along. Didn't play very well in the final though. "A" for running a great tournament, would have been an A+ had they won it.
Czech Rep.: Grade - A-. Rampant throughout tournament. Wasted chances to put away the Greeks in the semis and paid dearly. Solid nucleus gives them a shot at being among the favorites in the next World Cup.
Latvia: Grade - A-. A small country with a population less than Houston. Did a tremendous job with basically no talent compared to everyone else. Draw against Germany ensured a heros return home following first round elimination.
Sweden: Grade - B+. Arguably best team amongst the losing quarterfinalists. Great start against Bulgaria, but tapered off. Not the most talented bunch, but they may have given Portugal more to handle than Holland did in the semis had they not lost in the shootout.
Denmark: Grade - B. Solid and organized, but not the "Danish Dynamite" that once surged up and down the field against their opponents. They had one bad 17 minute spell against the Czechs went sent them packing. Their talent level appeared to me to be somewhat down. Manager Morton Olson will be high on many clubs and federations list for their next head coach.
England: Grade - C+. If not for the goal scoring touch of Wayne Rooney, England would have gone out in the first round. They made the mistake of trying to defend leads and paid for it. They lead in every match. When they went for the kill, they won. When they tried to defend a lead, they lost. It appeared to me that the sum of the parts didn't equal individual talent.
Holland: Grade - C. Overall a mediocre Dutch side that never could find itself. Lots of great individual talent though that never seemed to mesh. Won only one game outright, and still advanced to the semis. Laid to rest the ghosts of past shootout failures.
Russia: Grade - C-. Finally played well after elimination. Beat the Greeks in final group match. The Russians have talent, but like the Dutch, it doesn't seem to mesh for whatever reason.
Italy: Grade - C-. The "should have been" team for my money. Incredible talent. Wasted so many scoring chances against Sweden that it boggles the mind. It cost them in the end. When the Italians come out and play, they can be a joy to watch. They do have the frustrating habit of closing up shop when they have the lead. It's tradition with them.
Croatia: Grade C-. A team rebuilding and in transition. Played well in spurts.
Switzerland: Grade - D. Most of their players aren't even starters for their club sides, so what else was to be expected out of them? Co-hosts for the next Euro.
France: Grade - D. Sure they won their group and made it to the quarterfinals. But they are missing something from the mix. They didn't play very well in any game. Enormous, but a lot of aging talent-12 men over age 30. Look for a major overhaul when the next manager is appointed. One of the most disappointing teams in Portugal.
Germany: Grade - D. Similar boat to France in that they have a problem with aging players and for some reason, the talent level may be hitting a dry patch. That said, I suspect they will field a formidable team in the next World Cup. For the 2nd Euro in a row, they were eliminated in the first round, which is odd for the Germans.
Spain: Grade - F. The underachievers of major tournaments. The national team is often as talented as anyone's and yet they do less then anyone with it. The national team is usually a distant second with the Spanish public who tend to get behind their club sides in a rabid fashion.
Bulgaria: Grade - F. Worst team here, which is historically the case when they show up to the finals of a major tournament. Scored one goal and gave up nine.
