Timurovision 2012: Group C Preview

Group C

Timurovision Rating: 1

Marc Crosas, Crosas he’s better than…well, he wasn’t but the Bhoy surely can tweet and wind up R*ngers(IA) fans. Is that a reason to fall in love with a national side, which lets face it, have been the best in the world in the last 6 years? It’s not as if Broto or Fernandez did anything to mean more to us than an annual two week holiday on the Costas, sunburn and stuffed donkeys.

Flippant View that will lose me money:

As we seen first hand Spain are better than most teams. Scoring 26 and losing just 6 goals in an undefeated qualifying campaign. They have been masters of all they’ve surveyed but the majority of their main players haven’t had a break for over 4 seasons now.

Inesta and Xavi were found wanting for Barca this season – ok, not found wanting but not at their imperious best – the injury to Villa shaves of them of their talisman and do we really need to discuss Torres?

There is a reason that no team has ever won back to back Euros with a World Cup inbetween. Fatigue (both mentally & physically), age, loss of that air of invincibility – in this case due to the Spanish FA pimping the team out -, players losing form, injuries and the Germans are the reason it won’t happen this time.

Italy

Timurovision Rating: 1

Our list of recent Italians reads, Paulo Di Canio, Enricco Annoni & Mo Donati apart from Donati, who has a record number of Italian under 21 caps, the others never threatened a major squad, which is probably quite right as to someone my age decent Italians play on Channel 4 and for Italian teams. If your a crap Italian you get sent out the country in disgust that you don’t measure up to the God Of Catenaccio.

Plus there has really never been a footballing reason for the average Celtic fan to back the Italians…..

Flippant View that will lose me money:

The Italians don’t like this competition. Winners once – in Italy – only got out the groups 4 times and their record is littered with so many non qualifications that Scotland look on enviously.

Cesare Prandelli has turned them into a more forward thinking outfit though in qualification they proved that out habits die hard with the best defensive record (only lost two goals). With 17 goals they hardly reached the Dutch (37) or German (34) levels though but were only 2nd to Spain in possession stats.

A recipe to bore to death but they rely on Antionio Cassano & Mario Balotelli to provide their attacking threat. That’s as risky as throwing a lit matches at a box of fireworks and guarantees to be entertaining. Plus, there is always the chance that they have had a bet on the game…..

Out the group and could be surprise semi finalists.

Croatia

Timurovision Rating: 4

We once signed a bemoth that was Marko Viduka from Croatia Zagreb who promptly dropped the O and went on holiday citing mental stress. It was a move that bemused at the time because Viduka played for a Zagreb side that total played out classed us in a Champions League qualifier and he readily joined us knowing we were a bit pants.

His reasons became clear when he disappeared to the EPL when the opportunity first arose.

I remember some fellow Celt’s jumping on the Croatian bandwagon in Euro 1996 stating they were the good guys in the Yugoslavian Civil War. I never bought that but seeing them calling Dado Prso a traitor when he signed for R*ngers warmed the cockles of my stone cold heart.

Flippant View that will lose me money:

Slaven Bilic had the world at his feet and seemed to have the choice of jobs in 2007/08 after qualifying ahead of England for Euro 2008. A crushing penalties defeat to Turkey that summer, a batshit attempt to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 and qualification via the play off’s for this summer sees this being his swansong before he nips off to try and revive Locomotive Moscow.

They scored 21 goals in qualifying and lost 7. They put the emphasis on attack though they have a bizarre reliance on the seldom used Bayern player Ivica Olic while ignoring Jelavic and Eduardo. They seem a complete mish mash of individual style over team cohesion.

Still, a win against Ireland in their opening game could see them confident enough to take the game to Italy in their second and spring a surprise.

Ireland

Timurovision Rating: a big 10

C’mon? Have you seen their squad. Nearly all have been linked with us, Given, Keane & McGeady have played for us and Darren O’Dea is listed as a Celtic player though he has not kicked a competitive ball for us under our current manager.

Add all that to the historical importance of Ireland to us means that we all want them to do well.

Flippant View that will lose me money:

We want them to do well but they will be the most Italian side in this group. With only 2 defeats in 24 competitive games they are hard to beat but this nullifies creative spirit and puts the onus on perspiration. The rest of the group should have too much quality for them but I will be putting a cheeky we wager on that they will draw with Croatia and Italy.

Prediction Time

I hoping that Mario Balotelli threatening to kill racists is not the only thing we should be looking forward to in this group. Italy & Croatia will be looking at 2nd spot as achievable and as I have said the Irish can make it difficult for them. But…Spain, Italy, Croatia and Ireland.