Greece
Feeling champion
When Greece coach Otto Rehhagel was asked at a recent press conference what had changed for his side since the start of Euro 2004, he said: “Then, the team were 61st in the FIFA rankings; now, they are 10th. In Portugal we were the complete outsiders, but not now in Austria/Switzerland.”
The mastermind of the Greeks’ surprise triumph four years ago thus neatly summed up his side’s remarkable progress. Although they missed out on the last World Cup, Greece go into the defence of their European crown as one of the favourites, having gained more points in qualification (31) than any other side. And this in a competition that no country has ever won twice running.
The Greeks were certainly unheralded before their Euro 2004 win, even having reached the Final. According to Rehhagel, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo said before the game that he did not know the names of any of the Greek players. The coach recalled: “I was angry and I gathered the players together and told them: ‘Show them what you are worth so they can remember you,’ and that’s what they did. I’m sure after the match Ronaldo asked to find out the biographies of my players.”
Defensive tactics?
So now that everyone knows to beware of the Greeks, what has Rehhagel got up his sleeve? Will Greece stick to defensive tactics, as they did at Euro 2004?
“I know it is weak to use only one tactic, even in playing chess,” says the 69-year-old German, who has just signed a contract extension until 2010. “To win you must avoid monotony and to surprise your opponents. This is what we hope to do. I want Greece to be in first place at Euro 2008, just as we were in Portugal. We have to see every match separately,
starting with Sweden.”
Greece also play Russia and Spain in the group.
Rehhagel, who took charge in 2001 and is the longest-serving Greece boss, has been criticised for sticking with a number of veteran players. But he continues to believe in them, not least because they have got results.
One positive change is that the Greeks have a stronger squad than four years ago. “We have more depth and many more solutions,” says midfielder Giorgos Karagounis. “If I had to name a weakness, it would be not creating enough scoring chances. This is not only a problem for our forwards, but the entire team.”
Karagounis did his bit in the recent friendly against Portugal, a rematch of the Euro 2004 Final, by scoring both goals in the 2-1 win. That took Greece’s record to 10 victories in 12 games, and confidence is high within the camp.
Striker Fanis Gekas says: “Many believe that it will be impossible for Greece to repeat their success of four years ago. But we have an outstanding team and Otto Rehhagel has proved that he can work miracles. We can beat any team. Why shouldn’t I believe then that if we play to our capabilities we can repeat the success of 2004?”
Midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos claims the current side “is the best Greece has ever had. We work well together. When a player makes a mistake, his colleague tries to correct the situation right away. Any team that wants to beat us really has to sweat. There is much competition for starting places, and this is a good headache for our coach.”
Interview with Greece coach Otto Rehhagel
Interview with Greece's Georgios Samaras
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