Greece banned from international football

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=400310&CPID=219&clid=517&lid=2&title=Fifa+suspend+Greece

It doesnt really make it clear why but thats McLarens 1st game down the pan.

http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=400310&CPID=219&clid=517&lid=2&title=Fifa+suspend+Greece

It doesnt really make it clear why but thats McLarens 1st game down the pan.

This is a long running issue.It boils down to the Greek politicians trying to make the policies of the HFF even down to influencing player selections.FIFA has continually warned the Greek government to stay out of football making decisions.Seems they have not paid heed or made the required changes.

Wont be any great loss no disrespect to Greek football fans but they have to be the worst European champions in history.The Czechs or indeed Portuguese deserved the last title.

:biglaugh: The flash in the pan Greeks are suspended? I was hoping to play them again as it seems teams have figured out their defensive approach. Revenge!!!!!

Wont be any great loss no disrespect to Greek football fans but they have to be the worst European champions in history.The Czechs or indeed Portuguese deserved the last title.

Hard to believe Portugal deserved the title when they lost to Greece not once but twice.

Once can be a fluke. Twice? :teach:

Hard to believe Portugal deserved the title when they lost to Greece not once but twice.

Once can be a fluke. Twice? :teach:

Twice.
And at home.

It's funny how ppl call out Greece as the worst champs.
They played. They deserved to win, and they did.
They didn't qualify for the world cup not because they weren't good enough but because they played like Greeks. Meaning they thought way too highly of themselves and lost to Albania in the first game. Only that game would of put them in the knockout phase. This is without talking about both Ukraine games where Greece highly dominated the match but came out short.

Anyhow, who cares what people say.
People are just jealous Greece won.
Offence wins championships. Defence and teamwork wins championships.
That's it. That's all...

Deserves? Deserves doesn't have anything to do with it; you either win it all or you don't.

Regardless, they are probably not going to be around for Euro 2008. The article isn't clear, how long is this ban? Indefinite until FIFA gives the HFF the big "OK?"

It's funny how ppl call out Greece as the worst champs.


Why is that funny? Name one Eurocup with a worse champion? I haven't seem them all but I have a hard time believing there could be a worse.

Why is that funny? Name one Eurocup with a worse champion? I haven't seem them all but I have a hard time believing there could be a worse.

Do the Greeks care? They have the trophy because they earned it. Some people need to get over it.

Hard to believe Portugal deserved the title when they lost to Greece not once but twice.

Once can be a fluke. Twice? :teach:

One shot on net from there only corner in the game, if that ain't luck what is?

One shot on net from there only corner in the game, if that ain't luck what is?

Man give it a rest already.
You lost....suck it up!

Portugal did not deserve it more then Greece.I recall England getting a goal refused that was good against Portugal.

Greece won luck or not

Twice.
And at home.

It's funny how ppl call out Greece as the worst champs.
They played. They deserved to win, and they did.
They didn't qualify for the world cup not because they weren't good enough but because they played like Greeks. Meaning they thought way too highly of themselves and lost to Albania in the first game. Only that game would of put them in the knockout phase. This is without talking about both Ukraine games where Greece highly dominated the match but came out short.

Anyhow, who cares what people say.
People are just jealous Greece won.
Offence wins championships. Defence and teamwork wins championships.
That's it. That's all...


And thats why Italy will win this year!I hope!! Forza Italia

Portugal did not deserve it more then Greece.I recall England getting a goal refused that was good against Portugal.

Greece won luck or not

Ya the good old John Terry holds the goalie so Sol Campbell has the open net for the header. What's next body checking the goalie's into the net :sarcasm:

All you gotta do to Ricardo is sneeze on him to send him flying into the net.

Yet the penalty shootout balls sure weren't going in ;)

This is what is wrong with top flight football. OK so they the Greeks won.I've nothing against them at all. But the way they won it was a retrogade step for the so called beautiful game.

If I remember rightly the Czech Republic hit the woodwork twice in their game & dominated the game.

Its not a good advert for football when a team playing an ultra defensive style of football wins.Besides many of the top European players had been playing a long season that year & were fatigued so didnt sparkle.Everyone barring the Italians was delighted in 1970 when Brazil beat Italy 4-1 & their ultra catenaccio style with Fachetti & co.

Defending is an art form too hence Cannavaro is a god in the line of Scirea & Baresi & this Azzurri edition can play & they are my European team.But when its all about defence & as ATG says a corner headed in by Charisteas to win the title it doesnt say much about the level of the game.

People still admire the French 82 & 88 Dutch team for their stylish play.

I am entertained by the win column more than the style of play. It doesn't matter how you win. You use the resources you have to maximize your success. If Greece played an all-out attack, they'd have lost all 3 group stage matches in 2004.

Doesn't rhyme well with your whining about diving and faking injuries in the Portugal thread.

I am entertained by the win column more than the style of play. It doesn't matter how you win. You use the resources you have to maximize your success. If Greece played an all-out attack, they'd have lost all 3 group stage matches in 2004.

Van I can empathise with you to a degree as an Albiceleste.We played some pretty football & came out of it with zero.But thats why I support the team.I love this footballing style.

But whats happenend to the Dutch philosophy of total football ? Many times I have heard Johann Cruyff bemoaning the lack of attacking football .He is a winner but he likes to see winning with style.

Thank goodness there are artists still in the game like Zizou Riquelme(underperformed)Ronaldinho .Football would be a much poorer game if all the game was was to run as fast as you can just lump the ball into the box & hope it falls conveniently to 1 of your players rather than using ones brain & skills to manoeuvre & create an open chance.

And likewise if all teams decided better to be safer than sorry & stick 10 of your players behind the ball. From Euro2004 the Dutch Czech game was one of the best.
The defences werent great but we all saw some sparkling attacking football.

Why is that funny? Name one Eurocup with a worse champion? I haven't seem them all but I have a hard time believing there could be a worse.

And who exactly is in charge of determining if a team is "worth" winning a title? I know only one way, and that's on the field. You either win or you go home. Greece won, everybody else went home. End of story.

And who exactly is in charge of determining if a team is "worth" winning a title? I know only one way, and that's on the field. You either win or you go home. Greece won, everybody else went home. End of story.

I didn't say they weren't worth it, just saying that I can't think of a WORSE champion. There is an difference in that. Let's say Sweden won the WC while playing like Greece did, it would be fantastic for us swedes but it would be a sad day for football. At the end of the day, everyone wants to win no matter what but we can still complain about who did, that is our right as football-fans and I will surely complain about Greece winning until I am in my grave, one upset is fun, a whole set of upsets to win the whole thing is absurd.

I didn't say they weren't worth it, just saying that I can't think of a WORSE champion. There is an difference in that. Let's say Sweden won the WC while playing like Greece did, it would be fantastic for us swedes but it would be a sad day for football. At the end of the day, everyone wants to win no matter what but we can still complain about who did, that is our right as football-fans and I will surely complain about Greece winning until I am in my grave, one upset is fun, a whole set of upsets to win the whole thing is absurd.
If upsets are the criteria then Denmark is a worse champion. At least Greece won their qualifying group.

I am not a big fan of Greek soccer but they did deserve the win. They did make the most of their oppotunities, however minimal they were.

They did beat Portugal twice which does indicate the win wasn't a fluke. However, they were very boring to watch and the opponents carried the flow of the game and even dominated possesion. However, they won and it is all that matters.

And I really liked Dellas, he was the Cannavaro of the tourney.

If upsets are the criteria then Denmark is a worse champion. At least Greece won their qualifying group.

Upset + boring to watch, that is why I call them the worse champion atleast. I don't think people understand really, what is wrong with calling them a bad champion? It is not like people are saying they didn't deserve it, more like they can't think of a team that has been worse and won, most teams are atleast capable of carrying a game offensively when they win, like the four teams that were left in WC, most of them can win a game without being outplayed.

If I was a Greek, I wouldnt care how I won. The main thing is they won and in 20 years nobody will be asking how they won.

yea it was a "fluke"
that time against portugal and france and spain and the czechs and portugal again (both in portugal)
shut up and take it from a country with 10 million ppl who also beat dirk and germany to win the fiba in the same year

I didn't say they weren't worth it, just saying that I can't think of a WORSE champion. There is an difference in that. Let's say Sweden won the WC while playing like Greece did, it would be fantastic for us swedes but it would be a sad day for football. At the end of the day, everyone wants to win no matter what but we can still complain about who did, that is our right as football-fans and I will surely complain about Greece winning until I am in my grave, one upset is fun, a whole set of upsets to win the whole thing is absurd.

I don't see the difference. If you claim that they are the WORST champions, it means that in your eyes they are clearly not WORTH of being champions, because there were clearly teams that would make much better champions. So here comes my question again, what determines this magical WORTHINESS, other than the scoreboard?

I don't see the difference. If you claim that they are the WORST champions, it means that in your eyes they are clearly not WORTH of being champions, because there were clearly teams that would make much better champions. So here comes my question again, what determines this magical WORTHINESS, other than the scoreboard?

People usually equate worthiness with good/skilful players, ability to dominate your opponents and at least with an effort to be a "better" team than the others. And I personally agree with this.

That's the ideal situation, but of course I and I guess most others understand that a small country like Greece, Denmark etc. has very little chance of winning any championships if they will try to play like that. Therefore they usually go for the negative tactics and try to outrun/outbully/frustrate/outsmart, whatever you wanna call it, their opponents. They may unfortunately sometimes succeed, but for purists like me, they never really are worthy champions. It's an understandable approach for a smaller country and for sure their supporters are all for it, but it doesn't make it more acceptable or "worthy". Only worthy winners are those who do it with skill and style. Too bad there aren't always those kind of teams around or worse yet, they don't win. But that's part of the fascination of any sports, I guess.

Brazil and France of 1982 & 1986 WC's, Italia of 1990 WC or more recently Czechs in EC 2004 would have been better and more worthy winners in their respective championships than Greece in 2004. I also think than the Danish teams in the 1980's would have been more worthy winners than the one that won it in 1992.

It has necessarily nothing to do with what country it is or whether you like them or not. For example, I never liked Maradona the player and hoped Argentina would fail in 1986, but I will never say that they were not worthy winners nor that he wasn't an all time great player.

yea it was a "fluke"
that time against portugal and france and spain and the czechs and portugal again (both in portugal)
shut up and take it from a country with 10 million ppl who also beat dirk and germany to win the fiba in the same year

1) You didn't beat Spain
2) You lost to the Russians the worst team in the group
3) The current French team would kill you
4) One shot goals on your only attempted corner kick/shot of the match is a fluke

We will settle this at Euro 2008

I don't see the difference. If you claim that they are the WORST champions, it means that in your eyes they are clearly not WORTH of being champions, because there were clearly teams that would make much better champions. So here comes my question again, what determines this magical WORTHINESS, other than the scoreboard?

Basically what Gary said, I don't understand why people don't get this, often there is talk about the great finals and great teams that deserved to win for their dominating style, if you can say that one champion is better than another (like alot of people complain about Brazil 1994, maybe not here, dunno but heard it elsewhere + media), why can't one say that one champion is worse than the rest of them, it is all one persons opionon, nothing that counts. I would love to do what Greece did, just saying that I don't think the rest of the world would love to see Sweden win in that matter if they did, they didn't exactly play mindblowing football, but then again, which teams does anymore in big tournaments?

1) You didn't beat Spain
2) You lost to the Russians the worst team in the group
3) The current French team would kill you
4) One shot goals on your only attempted corner kick/shot of the match is a fluke

We will settle this at Euro 2008

first of we beat u twice 2-1 and 1-0 so dont talk about shot and scoring and we didnt beat russia but as i said before we beat u twice in ure homtown and as for the current french team their main players that got them to the finals were on the team back then and we beat the czechs who hadnt lost in like 23 straight international matches

first of we beat u twice 2-1 and 1-0 so dont talk about shot and scoring and we didnt beat russia but as i said before we beat u twice in ure homtown and as for the current french team their main players that got them to the finals were on the team back then and we beat the czechs who hadnt lost in like 23 straight international matches

If this Greek team is such a stalwart team like you say why didn't they make the World Cup or do anything at the confederations cup?

becuase of a game against ukraine in which we had 2 goals disallowed and if u guys r such a soccer superpower y does a small country like greeece own you?

becuase of a game against ukraine in which we had 2 goals disallowed and if u guys r such a soccer superpower y does a small country like greeece own you?


I wouldn't say own in alltime but yes, owned in Euro 2004.


Results:
1968 Greece 4-2 Portugal
1969 Portugal 2-2 Greece
1982 Greece 1-2 Portugal
1987 Portugal 1-1 Greece
1989 Greece 1-2 Portugal
1991 Greece 3-2 Portugal
1991 Portugal 1-0 Greece
1996 Portugal 1-0 Greece
1997 Greece 0-0 Portugal
2003 Portugal 1-1 Greece
12 June 2004 Euro 2004 Group A
Portugal 1-2 Greece
Final GRE 1 POR 0

Pretty even, but with the Euro, I would give Greece the slightest of edges. However, the domestic soccer is in huge trouble, I was in Thessaloniki and they can't (PAOK) compete with the usuals like Olympiakos and AEK. Fanbase is crazy but somehow no money to attract the big names. It's the same thing every year there.

Basically what Gary said, I don't understand why people don't get this, often there is talk about the great finals and great teams that deserved to win for their dominating style, if you can say that one champion is better than another (like alot of people complain about Brazil 1994, maybe not here, dunno but heard it elsewhere + media), why can't one say that one champion is worse than the rest of them, it is all one persons opionon, nothing that counts. I would love to do what Greece did, just saying that I don't think the rest of the world would love to see Sweden win in that matter if they did, they didn't exactly play mindblowing football, but then again, which teams does anymore in big tournaments?

Fair enough. I guess we agree to disagree. To me a champion is a champion, teams don't win tournaments such as WC or Euro by accident or pure luck, there has to be more than that. I think too many folks associate a champion's worthiness with past accomplishments or pretty play (Brazil- aaaa! Germany- oooo! Greece- meh). Obviously they didn't have the flair of the French or the Czechs, yet they kept advancing. They had to go through the exact same routine as the French in 2000 or Germany in 1996, so why are they worse than those two? Just because they didn't play pretty? Well, tough beans, it worked for them, so it just means that they chose the right tactics. Anyway, I probably just have perverted views :dunce:

Jeez...can the Portuguese give it up already??? It's not enough that they dove all over the pitch in Germany, but now we have to hear how they should have won EURO 04?

Let's put it this way...the Greeks won their qualifying group, beat the host nation twice, and defended in a way that would make the Italians proud.

Oh, and IIRC, they won all of their games legitimately. Not ONE match was won in penalties.

If they ran out onto the pitch and try to play Brazilian football, they wouldn't have won a single match. That's the beauty of football, there are so many formulas for success. Right collection of players at the right time. Very deserving champions.

BTW, Congrats Azzurri...4x WC champs:clap:

Hummmm...

Can't disagree with that.

I came up with a gameplan that is somewhat related to your statement: score at least one more goal than your opponent and you'll win a good chunk of your games. You don't have to thank me.

I think I'm starting to see the light.