Perpetual underachievers (Spanish National Football Team)

Member Name: thehud

Product:	Spanish National Football Team
Date:	22/06/04 (107 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Phenomenal skill

Disadvantages: Eternal bottlers

And so the legend of the perpetual underachievers and the football cliché continues unabated?

Spain, in order to progress to the next stage of the European Championships required only a draw against the anxious Portuguese, but contrived to bottle it as the hosts seemed to suffer from a significant inferiority complex. Peter Schmeichel?s comments at half time were in essence that Portugal didn?t have enough in their tanks to win the game and that the Spanish would sail through to the last eight. How wrong he was, and how badly he underestimated Spain?s inherent ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

Spain had beaten the Russians in a stuttering performance and then struggled to a draw against the unfancied Greeks, but were widely tipped to hold out for the point they needed in their final group game against Portugal.

They looked good in the first half, without ever really being particularly incisive, but started to become less and less interested in striking the killer blow and invited Portugal onto them as they chose to settle for what they had. Nuno Gomez contrived a brilliant opening for himself and fired home unerringly to raise the spirits of his home crowd and Spain were inexplicably waving bye bye once again, seemingly incapable of fulfilling their undoubted potential on the biggest stage.

For a country boasting the most exciting League in the world (no matter what the Premiership might claim) and some of the planet?s best talent, the Spanish international side simply refuse to rise to the challenge and have once again failed dismally.

It?s a shame for this football loving country and for a team which is undoubtedly attractive and exciting, but symptomatic of a long running malaise. Ah well, there?s always Germany in 2006?

Their squad lined up thus:

1 Santiago Canizares GK
2 Joan Capdevila Def
3 Carlos Marchena Def
4 David Albelda Mid
5 Carlos Puyol Def
6
Ivan Helguera Def
7 Raul Gonzalez For
8 Ruben Baraja Mid
9 Fernando Torres For
10 Fernando Morientes For
11 Albert Luque For
12 Garcia Gabri Def
13 Daniel Aranzubia GK
14 Vicente Rodriguez Mid
15 Raul Bravo Def
16 Xabi Alonso Mid
17 Joseba Etxeberria
18 Cesar Martin Def
19 Sanchez Joaquin Mid
20 Hernandez Xavi Mid
21 Juan Carlos Valeron Mid
22 Gutierrez Juanito Def
23 Iker Castillas GK

Now just tell me that this little lot doesn?t contain some of the world?s greatest talent. True enough, they?ve got their own fair share of dogs, and Luque looked to be a bit of a non entity against the Portuguese, but in Puyol, Casillas, Raul, Etxeberria and Morientes, they more than make up for their shortcomings.

However, knowledge that they lost against Greece in the qualifiers and required a play off against Norway to even make it to the finals, demonstrates that there is something wrong stopping them truly playing to their utmost.

Many have tried to fathom the unfathomable mystery of Spain, and many will in the years to come, but I?m not sure that they will find the answer.

Alternatively www.euro2004.com claims ?So Spain can now go all out to land their first major honour for 40 years, when they won the UEFA European Championship on home soil. Having only twice failed to reach the last eight in continental competition, Spain are out to continue that proud record ? as well as finally landing the trophy their talent deserves. At least they do not have far to travel.?

Yeah right, and Emile Heskey is a decent striker?.

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