The Football list: Five things you need for the EURO 2012

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With less than a week to the EURO 2012, Great Dane Football Blog provides you with a list of five things you need to get the live experiences into your living room.  You can also show it to your girlfriend and use it as an excuse to why you need to improve her decoration of your home. If you dare...

  
1.  Eye Candy
   
You have been thinking about buying a new TV for the last six months, and now is the time to do it. Panasonic TC-P55VT30 will bring the match to your living room. The television provides a 55’’ HD and 3D screen with 600Hz refresh rate – what’s not to like? Perhaps the price, $2,150, but then you almost feel as your on the pitch. 

Buy it here 


2.  Your seat at the stadium

We all love the sound of a cheering stadium, so why not bring it with you home? The Sound Egg Chair comes with 5.1 Personal Surround Sound system and a 10” subwoofer under the seat. The national anthem directly to you through the television… LIKE! Furthermore, the chair can be produces in almost any color! Go buy an egg! 

Buy it here 



3.  Show your color

Girls hate them, boys love them… football shirts! Buy the country you support’s shirt right away, or wait for next week when Great Dane Football Blog will have a fashion writer ranking which five shirts are the most fashionable. 

Meanwhile you can take a look at the shirts or but them here


4.  Keep it cold 

The Husky Refrigerator has a capacity of 49L, enough to keep you supplied with beers throughout the match. The fridge comes in different beer logos, and there is even an England design. With this cooler, you only have to leave your seat when the beer is waiting to come out of your system. If your fast you’ll get a £10 discount here.






5.  Fill the fridge

Beer, Beer, Beer, Sandwich, Beer, Beer, Beer, Cola, Beer, Beer, Beer, Bacon, Beer... No need to continue... 
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Follow up: Nicklas Helenius - Five shot shootout

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In relation to last weeks talent profile, Nicklas Helenius answers 5 questions from the twelve yard spot.

What is your favorite team?My favorite team is Arsenal. Before I became a fan of Arsenal I supported many teams, and where especially a fan of David Beckham. But then I saw Arsenal play, I think it was in 2000, where they won against Manchester United at home and Henry scores an incredible goal. The way they played back then, their style and speed in the team, attracted me, and I have been a fan ever since.

Who is your biggest idol?Once it was Henry, when he was in Arsenal. He was a fantastic player, but right now it is Robin van Persie. He is a top player and a great finisher.

What is your greatest experience?There have been a lot of great experiences, but the greatest is when I scored a hattrick against Silkeborg. It was cool to try it.

Where is Nicklas Helenius in ten years?Then I have been in Holland and had success and perhaps in Germany. The ultimate dream is to play in Arsenal. In twelve to thirteen years from now, I could see myself back in the Danish Superliga.

Who, from Aalborg BK, should the European clubs keep an eye on?We have Lukas [Edit: Andersen], who has a great future. He still has a lot to learn, but he has the talent. Our goalkeeper Nicolai [Edit: Larsen] can also become a great player. He has the talents that are needed.
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Ready for the EURO 2012? Group C

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Great Dane Football Blog will go through the EURO 2012 groups and the squads. Today we take a look at Group C, where Spain, Italy, the Republic of Ireland and Croatia will meet.










 
Group C
Spain
Italy
Republic of Ireland
Croatia

The four teams will be listed after the position Great Dane Football Blog believes the teams will have after the group matches.


1.    Spain

FIFA World Ranking: 1

Del Bosque has announced a strong squad for the EURO, with Barcelona as the main provider of players. It is going to be a Spanish team as we know them with Iker Casillas on goal, Gerard Pique in the defends, Fabregas on the midfield and Fernando Torres in front. One of the key questions will be, if Torres can return as the goal scorer he used to be.

Spain had a fairly easy way to the EURO 2012 with the Czech Republic as the hardest opponent in the Qualification. The team is one of the favorites, if not THE favorite, to win the competition, and we should expect them to reach the final.

The Profile

It is hard to pick just one profile on the Spanish team, but Iker Casillas has been a strong goal keeper for both Real Madrid and the national team throughout his career, and he is expected to play a good EURO, as well.
Keep an eye on

Fernando Llorente has been a strong factor in Athletic Bilbao’s European success this season. It is going to be interesting if he can keep up the good form during the EURO 2012. As I see it, he deserves to be in the starting XI instead of Fernando Torres.



2.    Italy

FIFA World Ranking: 11

Cesare Prandelli has so far announced a provisional squad for the EURO 2012, with most of the players from the Italian Serie A. In fact, only four players is not to be found in the domestic league. The squad is a mix of older players with routine and a couple of young players ready for their breakthrough. Prandelli has also made two controversial selections in Antonio Cassano and Mario Ballotelli who, both has been surrounded by negativity this season.

Italy won their Qualification group with ten points between them and Estonia on the second place. The Italian national team has had problems in the competitions since their 2010 World Cup win, and it is going to be interesting whether this should be another failing final for the country.

The Profile

Antonio De Natale has played a great season for Udinese, scoring 23 goals. He will be one of the key attackers for Italy together with Barlotelli and Cassano. The thirty four year old striker might be playing his last season for the national team, and he will do whatever he can, to leave a good impression.



Keep an eye on 

Roma striker Fabio Borini has had twenty-six mathes for his club and scored ten goals. This has resulted in a selection for the natioal team. It is worth keeping an eye on the twenty-one year old attacker, as he looks like the future for Italy.

3.    Croatia

FIFA World Ranking: 8

Slaven Bilic has announced a preliminary squad with Luca Modric as the most prominent name. The squad has a good mix of domestic league players and players from European clubs. The attack looks very dangerous for the opponents defends, with players as Eduardo, Ivica Olic and Nikica Jelavic. However, most of the pressure will be on Modric to create results for the team.

Croatia ended as number two in the Qualification group, two points after Greece. Croatia will be able to cause problems for Italy and Spain with their hard playing style, as well as their high level of technique. However, I still believe that they will end as number three in the group stages.

The Profile

Luka Modric is one of the hottest names in England right now and will have a key role for Croatia this summer. There will be a lot of pressure on him to succeed, but I believe that he will be one of the profiles in the competition.

Keep an eye on

Nikola Kalinić plays for Dnipro in the Ukraine League. He has had a past in Blackburn where he made seven goals in 44 appearances. The striker, now stands in front of his breakthrough on the national team where he so far has had 6 matches and scored two goals.





4.    Republic of Ireland

FIFA World Ranking: 18

Giovanni Trapattoni has announced his preliminary squad with some English Premier League names included. The Italian has only found space for the veteran Robbie Kean, who will be a safe starter for the team. The midfield seems strong with players as Darren Gibson and Aiden McGeady. However, compared to the other squads in the group, Ireland are clearly the underdogs.

Republic of Ireland qualified to the EURO 2012 as number two in Group B, two points after Russia. However, with teams as Andorra, Armenia, Slovakia and FYROM in the group Ireland had an easy way to the EURO. I don’t see them winning anything in this group, but they can surprise.

The Profile

Robbie Kean might be a veteran, but he still knows where the goal is. He will be an important player for Ireland in their try to compete with the rest of the teams.


Keep an eye on

Simon Cox has been an important player for West Bromwich in the Premier League, as well for the Irish national team in the group stages, and will stand in front of his first finals ever. It is going to be interesting to see if he can keep up the steam.









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What's Worth Watching this Week? Week 22

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Great Dane Football Blog - UK Edition gives a view on what's worth watching in football. With the national leagues coming to an end, this week features International friendlies - The last match before EURO 2012!










Ukraine - Estonia
International Friendly
Kufstein Arena
 28-05-2012 at 18.00 BST

Head-to-head:

Ukraine: 1 victory / 2 goals

   Draw: 0

Estonia: 0

This will be Ukraine manager, Oleh Blokhin’s last and only chance to test his team’s form before the EURO 2012. Estonia lost  by 3-1 against Croatia in the weekend, and they will be keen on showing their fans that they are able to win against Ukraine. The two teams match each other well, and it will be a close combat, but I believe we will see Ukraine as a better team. It is worth keeping an eye on the veteran-striker Andriy Shevchenko. The Ukraine is playing his last EURO 2012, and it will be interesting to see if he still knows where the goal is.

Sweden - Iceland
International Friendly
Nya Gamla Ullevi
30-05-2012 at 19.45 BST

Head-to-head (last 5 matches):

 Sweden: 4 victories / 15 goals

   Draw: 0 

Iceland: 1 victory / 5 goals


Sweden has a good history against Iceland, and the last meeting ended with a 5-0 win. Sweden and Iceland have both produced some profiles for the bigger European leagues, and we can expect to see a few of them in this match. We can expect some goals from both teams, but given the current form Sweden will pull out of this as a winner. Keep an eye on Twente’s Emir Bajrami in this match. The midfielder has had a great year in Holland, as is capable of making the most spectacular goals.





USA - Brazil
International Friendly
FedEX Field
31-05-2012 at 01.00 BST

Head-to-head (last 7 matches):

   USA: 0 victory / 6 goals

  Draw: 1

Brazil: 6 victories / 16 goals


Given the individual form, it looks like a sure victory for Brazil against USA. Both teams are on a streak with five wins in a row. USA won 5-1 against Scotland in the weekend, while Brazil beat Denmark by 3-1. This meeting will not only be a meeting between two of the great football nations overseas, but also a meeting between USA’s European style football and Brazil’s samba football. Brazil is going to win, but USA has something to say in the match, as well. Keep an eye on Juan Agudelo. The young Columbian-American striker plays for Chivas USA in the MLS, and is one of the greatest talents in America, and will be interesting for European clubs in a couple of years.


France - Serbia
International Friendly
Stade Auguste Delaune
31-05-2012 at 20.00 BST

Head-to-head (last 3 matches):

France: 2 victory / 6 goals

  Draw: 1

Serbia: 0 victories / 2 goal

France has had some problems in International football the last couple of years, while Serbia is a growing football nation. However, the French seems to have found their old form and are also favorites for this one. I am especially looking forward to see how the French forwards will do against Serbia's strong defense. The back four from Serbia is some hard tackling players and can cause serious injuries to the French squad before the EURO 2012. Keep an eye on Neven Subotic in this match. The defender from Dortmund has shown impressive form this season and will be one of the leading figures against an attacking French team.

Denmark - Australia
International Friendly
Parken
02-06-2012 at 16.00 BST

Head-to-head (last 2 matches):

  Denmark: 1 victory / 3 goals

     Draw: 0 

Australia: 1 victory / 2 goal

Both Denmark and Australia is developing players for the English Premier League, and some of the will be playing on Saturday. Denmark lost 3-1 against Brazil last in the weekend, mainly because of personal mistakes. This can’t happen again against Australia, as they will punish the Danes right away. Australia has won the last four out of five matches and is in great form. They will be able to beat Denmark, and we can expect a tight match. Keep an eye on Denmarks Jores Okore. The Ivory Coast Danish player has just won the Danish Superliga with FC Nordsjælland as is one of the exciting young players for the future of Denmark.
 

 
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Keep an eye on: Nicklas Helenius

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Keep an eye on: Nicklas Helenius
               

               Age: 21 (08.05.1991)
          Position: Striker
              Club: Aalborg BK
             Debut: 16-08-2010
                    against HB Køge
International caps: Denmark U21:
                    7 match(es)
                    3 goal(s)
                    Denmark U20:
                    2 match(es)
                    1 goal(s)
             Value: £625.000
                    (transfermarkt.co.uk)

This week’s profile scored 14 goals in this season, which makes him number two on the top scorer list in Denmark. Keep an eye on Aalborg BK’s Nichlas Helenius.

The twenty-one year old striker is not unfamiliar with goals scoring, as he was top scorer for his clubs U19 team with 22 goals. The young talent is aware of his qualities:
“My strengths are my finishing and making my way to the chances. I also believe that I have a good speed, considering my height.”

The impressing statistic resulted in a four year contract and a promotion to the Superliga squad in 2010. While 2010 was a terrible year for AaB and their fans, Helenius had his debut against HB Køge and later scored his first goal against AC Horsens. The striker experienced personal success with 5 goals in four matches, making him the clubs top scorer in a season where they just managed to stay in the best Danish league.

“It was a frustrating season for the club, and especially for us younger players. We had no experience with playing in the Superliga, and then we were a part of the fight against relegation. There were tensions around the club, both from fans and people around the club, but we made it and I think we deserved to stay in the league.”

The personal success was followed up by a selection for the Danish U21 team’s match against Quatar, where Helenius had his debut.

Helenius started the just ended season with a dry period of goal scoring, with almost 1000 minutes without putting the ball in the back of the net. However, this changed when he scored two goals in two matches, and goals started coming in his direction. Manager in Aalborg, describes the attackers journey as:

“He has gone from being a talented young player, to a stabile goal scorer in about a year to a year and a half. He has made great development and has proved in this season that he can score and that he is one of the best strikers in the league.”

The German top club Dortmund was scouting the player, and Director of Sports in AaB, Lynge Jakobsen acknowledge that it could be difficult to keep the young attacker in the club. The interest did not become any smaller when Helenius was selected for the yearly national team of Superliga players, taking part in the King’s Cup in Thailand. Danish media announced that Dutch Roda had made an offer worth 5m Danish kroner (£540.000). However, this was found to be untrue.

The interest from bigger European leagues, is something that gives Helenius an extra boost, he revealed. Perhaps it was this “extra boost” he used when he scored his first hattrick, including an impressing goal, for Aalborg against Silkeborg IF, after the being behind by one, The hattrick impressed European clubs, and not only Roda and Dortmund was reported interested, but also Twente, Feyenoord and Club Brugge was watching him from the stands. Helenius acknowledge the interest but is not hesitating to go abroad:

“The club, my agent and I are agreeing that I will only change club, if it is right for me and  AaB. The club has agreed that they will not sell me, just to get money.”

Manager Kent Nielsen says about the interest that “Helenius is not a bigger name, than he can play in Aalborg next season as well”, but he is also aware that the player might not be in the club when the next season starts:
 
“I hope he stays, but I know as well that the offers to Nicklas or to the club can be too good to say no to.”

Helenius’ next assignment is the U21 friendly against Scotland. The summer will show, if Helenius will be scoring goals in Denmark next season, or if we will see him in a European top club.
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