Euro 2012 draw leaves most teams pleased

By Barry Whelan Dec 3, 2011, 11:01 GMT

Kiev - Most coaches were smiling as they left Kiev's National Palace of Arts, although some clearly needed to put a brave face on the hand they had been dealt at the Euro 2012 draw.

While holders Spain liked being kept away from Euro 2008 finalists Germany, the Germans were coming to terms with a group which pits the record European champions against old rivals the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark.

It is, according to Denmark coach Morten Olsen, a 'dynamite group,' while Germany's Joachim Loew, using the German 'hammer group' term for a tough draw, said it would be a 'hammer tournament.'

'Holland und Ronaldo! Jogi (Loew), hammer them away!' Bild online headlined.

The draw came too late for many German newspapers Saturday, but there was a feeling in the German camp late Friday that a difficult group could actually work in Germany's favour.

Loew said all the talk of Germany being one of the top favourites after a perfect record in qualifying may now die down a bit, while a tough tournament start might actually benefit the players.

Team manager Oliver Bierhoff, scorer of the golden goal winner for Germany in the Euro 1996 final against Czech Republic, agreed, saying: 'A group like this helps the players to know that it is going to be difficult right from the start.'

Germany also know that if they get to the quarter-finals they will play a team from group A, which looks the weakest of the four groups. The earliest they could play Spain would be the semi-finals, with the two sides potentially not meeting until the July 1 final in Kiev.

'The hammer group could even be an advantage for Germany,' Focus online wrote.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk also spoke of group B being the most difficult and 'a very big challenge.'

Although the Dutch won't need any motivation playing Germany in a major tournament - the defeat in the 1974 World Cup final will never be forgotten - Van Marwijk might like the fact that his side lost 3-0 to the Germans in a recent friendly, an additional reason for his players to perform well when the two meet in Kharkiv on June 13.

Although Spain must overcome Italy, coach Vicente del Bosque was a contented man after ending up in group C with Ireland and Croatia, a draw which has done nothing to alter the world champions' odds as tournament favourites.

Ireland manager Giovanne Trapattoni, who had raised the prospect of another Euro surprise after Greece's win in 2004, now knows if he can get past Spain and home country Italy then anything could be possible at the June 8-July 1 tournament.

England manager Fabio Capello was one of the happier managers after being drawn with France, co-hosts Ukraine and Sweden, and the British media was also of the view that it could have been far worse.

'England breathe sigh of relief at dodging big guns,' a Guardian online headline said.

'Capello relieved after avoiding brutal quartet,' said the Telegraph, while The Sun said, 'Fab joy at Euro 2012 draw,' adding that Capello 'breathed easy after avoiding a Euro 2012 Group of Death.'

Ukraine appear to have a harder task than co-hosts Poland, who are in with Russia, Greece and the Czech Republic, although Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko seemed pleased enough.

'Luckily we avoided stronger opponents, but we will need all the support that our fans will give us to be a success,' he said of Ukraine's games in Kiev against Sweden before two matches in Donetsk against France and England.

The Ukraine media were, however, less optimistic, with a commentator on the popular Dynamomania website saying coach Oleg Blokhin 'has to be in tears.'

'Well, it looks like we're guaranteed zero points in that group,' wrote the sport.ua website, while Artem Franko, a Ukrainian television commentator, said it was probably 'one of the worst possible outcomes there could have been.'