Euro 96

[Bjornebye]

What a tournament it was. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gruntfuttock]

If only Gazza's legs were abit longer...

 

 

[lifetime fan]

Between Italia 90 and euro 96 I’d got to the point I didn’t like England. 
 

Was a decent tournament though. 

[manwiththestick]

I remember it well, great summer all round, the country was just buzzing. Remember watching the England/Scotland at my mates sisters house, loads of people there, massive bbq, telly wheeled outside, that Gazza goal and then off into town after it.

[Bjornebye]

 

 

 

 

[chrisbonnie]

i was only 15 and on holidays in Butlins on North Wales when England lost to Germany.

 

Myself and 3 friends, all from Dublin jumped up and cheered when Southgate missed. There must have been a thousand people in the big hall watching it, and needless to say we where the only ones happy.

 

looking back on it, it was beyond petty. But i was a child, and you tend to be a bit of a daft cunt in your mid teens. 

 

Gazza was awesome though, that goal against Scotland was pure class, and in fairness to England they where fantastic to watch. I couldnt believe they drummed the Dutch the way they did. Arguably their greatest performance in a major tournament in recent memory. 

 

Crap final though wasnt it, Bierhoff with the golden goal right?  

[Bjornebye]

Yeah. Bierhoff golden goal. Decent striker him. 

 

Czech Republic were fucking great that tournament. Madness that they didn't qualify for France 98. Ranked 3rd in the world too. 

[HolyHank]

The thing about Gazza...yeah, he was and is a fruitcake, but unlike a lot of English players over the years, he actually delivered in the championships he played in (90 and 96). 

 

Obviously not quite there physically in 96, but Ince and Platt did a lot of the running for him, and he gave what he had. Magnificent natural talent.

[Harry Squatter]

Won tickets for Czech republic V Russia at Anfield and was gutted because I wanted Italy V Germany.

 

Wasnt disappointed as it was a great game 3-3. The place was half full though as was with most games.

 

Missed the semi final and the final as I was doing Camp America and there was literally no football coverage on any channel as the Olympics were on in Altanta with very biased US coverage.

 

Had to phone my Dad and tell all the other Europeans on the camp who were into footy. Was also an early version of an ITK breaking transfer stories to them on top of footy results. 

[Trumo]

It was probably the last time I really wanted England to win, and I was gutted when they were knocked out. I hated Andy Moller and his smug postering at the time, but once I'd wisened up and begun to recognise that the England national team was for xenophobic drunken wankers from the arse-end of nowhere, I started to really respect Andy Moller for putting England in their place.

 

I went to Anfield to watch the France v Holland quarter final. I can't remember how we managed to get tickets but I wasn't complaining as it was my first ever visit to my club's home ground. We were sat in that section in the Lower King Kenny beneath where the scoreboard and announcer's room are, and most of the fans around us were France supporters. There was still a smattering of orange around us and there was no trouble at all. It wasn't a great game and it went to penalties after a goalless draw, which France won. They got knocked out after a goalless draw and penalties by the Czechs in the semi final.

 

England were excellent against the Dutch and the Germans, and very good in the second half against Scotland when Redknapp came on as a sub and took control of the game. England were mediocre against Switzerland and very very fortunate against Spain.

 

I actually thought Italy were unlucky to get knocked out in the group stage, because they were a lot better than the spawny and tired-looking team that had reached the World Cup final two years earlier. They went out though, and their manager Sacchi was sacked a few months later.

 

Croatia were impressive and had some real quality. Suker, Boban, Boksic, Prosinecki, Asanovic...

 

The Czechs were generally solid and unspectacular, and a bit spawny truth be told. In these tournaments, there's always one side that loses their opening game and seems out of it, only to rally and ride their luck to reach the latter stages. In Euro 96, that was the Czechs. Nedved and Paddy became stars in that tournament.

 

The Dutch were a disappointment when you consider they had the bulk of Van Gaal's brilliant Ajax side plus the likes of Bergkamp. Loads of infighting in the camp, and they soon looked like a team that didn't fancy it.

 

I'd bought one of those pre-tournament guides and in it, they were saying that Zidane was capable of being the player of the tournament, and France were again a side to look out for. He didn't really do much, but Djorkaeff and Lizarazu (two players I hadn't heard of) were outstanding. The bulk of that side went on to win the World Cup in 1998.

 

Germany were Germany. Solid, organised and efficient, and clinical when they needed to be. It was a much younger squad than the one they'd picked for the 1994 World Cup.

 

Apart from a couple of England's games at Wembley, the best matches all seemed to be at Anfield.

[Bjornebye]

I went the Italy v Russia game at Anfield. Belter of a game. I sat in the main stand and it was weird seeing the Kop with different colours. 

[aRdja]

15 minutes ago, Trumo said:

 

I'd bought one of those pre-tournament guides and in it, they were saying that Zidane was capable of being the player of the tournament, and France were again a side to look out for. He didn't really do much, but Djorkaeff and Lizarazu (two players I hadn't heard of) were outstanding. The bulk of that side went on to win the World Cup in 1998.

A really underrated player IMO. A lovely footballer. Shame he picked Bolton over us.

[Bjornebye]

I remember being gutted for Scotland when Holland made it 4:1. Scotland would have got out the group if it stayed 4 nil. I think. 

[Strontium]

Went to the Czech Republic-Russia game at Anfield, I was in the main stand near the Kop end. Scenes when Smicer scored that late equaliser. Still have my Ceska Republika scarf.

 

England were superb in that tournament and should have won it.

[niallers]

Dunno if I should put this into amnesty thread but I liked simply reds official song. Was totally overshadowed by football's coming home though,but I liked it anyways.

[aRdja]

I remember watching some WC94 games but this was the first big tournament that I properly followed. Germany intrigued me with their two playmakers (Möller and Hässler/Scholl) and Mathias Sammer playing the libero role masterfully. A number of great goals were scored... Suker’s goal against Denmark is probably my favourite. He looked an excellent technical striker, but probably wasn’t equipped to succeed in the PL, as his stint at Arsenal showed. 

 

[chrisbonnie]

10 hours ago, Trumo said:

Redknapp came on as a sub and took control of the game.

Isn't that the game where redknapp did his ankle and subsequently his whole career? 

 

He was fairly riddled with injuries there after I believe. Shame, great player. 

[deiseach]

I remember telling my wife how much I celebrated when Andreas Moller scored that penalty.

 

*long period of silence*

 

"It's probably for the best that you told me that after we got married."

[Bjornebye]

55 minutes ago, chrisbonnie said:

Isn't that the game where redknapp did his ankle and subsequently his whole career? 

 

He was fairly riddled with injuries there after I believe. Shame, great player. 

Might be wrong but I’m sure he broke his leg in a friendly against someone like Switzerland before the tournament. He got injured every time he went to England. Bastards 

[Tj hooker]

11 hours ago, Bjornebye said:

I went the Italy v Russia game at Anfield. Belter of a game. I sat in the main stand and it was weird seeing the Kop with different colours. 

I was at that match had to use my Aunties address in Kirkdale to get the tickets as being in Wales we were classed as a foreign country hahaha 

[Bjornebye]

4 hours ago, Tj hooker said:

I was at that match had to use my Aunties address in Kirkdale to get the tickets as being in Wales we were classed as a foreign country hahaha 

Haha, you are !!!! 

[Tony Moanero]

I watched a lot of the games but barely remember anything about this tournament. Always much preferred the World Cup.

[Bjornebye]

I was only 12. I remember all the host city flags going into town. It was a proper hot summer as well. My mum and dad broke up mid tournament as well which added to the drama. 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Football was better at Euro 2000.

[Arnaud]

1986, the greatest WC, and Euro 2000 was high level. 

 

Zidane had a car accident before the competition in 1997 I think , and he did not play well at all because of if, but the French coach decided to play him  anyway to get experience when he had a tremendous player on the bench you have probably never heard of, Corentin Martins ! Well Nunavut lad might know because that guy win the double that year with Auxerre.