GK – Casillas (SP)

The Spanish captain, only just 27, played very well in the opening stages and then kept his team in the game, after a point blank save with his foot. He then proceeded to make 2 very good penalty saves to elevate Spain to their first Semi-finals for a long time.

Vienna tomorrow night, hopefully without a storm cutting out the power.

At last the Final is here and I’m gutted about it. I want this tournament to go on forever but on Monday morning, I’m going to be down in the doldrums on the way to work as if I’ve just been dumped by Cheryl Cole for a womanizing Chelsea defender. This Euros has been the most thrilling ever and in the Ernst Happel Stadion tomorrow, it’s going to be Goodnight Vienna with either Spain or Germany lifting the prize in the greatest Euros ever.

Outplayed and outclassed by a Turkish B team, a team with no chance of winning Euro 2008, average at best, the worst Ubermenschen for a long time, yet the Germans have some how managed to reach yet another final. Are they lucky or are they quite simply a tournament machine? These stats suggest the latter.

Friday 20th June

As there is a delay in my writing of these blogs by a couple of days it’s now Saturday and I’m sat on an Easyjet flight back to England. I really don’t feel like writing much as I’m so depressed over Friday nights events, so, if you don’t mind readers we’ll skip Thursday and move straight to Friday. Nothing much happened on Thursday anyway, bar the Germans knocking out Ronaldo and co which in itself was nice!

As with every major football summer tournament, there are plenty of previously unknown players making themselves heard and putting themselves in the shop window this summer. Premier League sides are on high alert as Euro 2008 comes to an end and players begin to return to their clubs. There’s set to be a real interest in the stars of Euro 2008 as the summer transfer activity kicks in.

As Turkey progress to the semi finals of Euro 2008 with the last kick of the game and a few penalties, they once again proved that a game of football is never over until it’s over. Just when it seems your side is cruising to victory and nothing in the world can prevent a win, things can suddenly turn around.

This leads me to the top ten comebacks of recent time as we look back on some truly memorable turn arounds (in no particular order)…

Saturday 21st June

I’m writing this article sat, post shower, in the room of our hotel by Vienna Airport. I still cannot comprehend how we’ve lost a game we dominated and scored in the final minute of. It does not make sense. It must be wrong, it is surely us in the semi final against Germany. Isn’t it?

So just 7 teams left after the Portugal dive school were sent home last night by Herr Ballack & Co in yet another pulsating tie! Let’s hope the remaining fixtures will live up to the previous fortnights feast of football. Let’s hope Fabio is taking it all in and moulding an England where attacking flair football conquers all and even-numbered summers of under-achievement and self-loathing blossom into the achievements of 66! Bloody hell, I must be still be dreaming!

Roll on August

It’s the day that every football fan around the country has a reason to be happy going into work or school or waking up earlier than usual on a day off. The fixtures for the new season were announced and the excitement begins here.

Tuesday 17th June

The day started slowly as we hadn’t actually get to bed until 4-30am. Thankfully we don’t need to get to the media centre until 1-30pm for the press conference so we can have a bit of a lie in. The first surprise of the day comes just as I return from the shower, I knock on the door of potting shed number one and instead of hearing drunkenness/arguing/snoring I walk in to find Atto and GZ sharing tips on moisturising. Oh how the world has changed!