As European domestic campaigns start to wrap up, the footballing world is starting to turn its focus to the upcoming Euro 2012 campaign in Ukraine and Poland. With the first game less than two months away on June 8th, through to the final on July 1st, some of the leading players and teams will be on show in eastern Europe, with Euro 2012 bets sure to increase in coming weeks.

Whether you are planning to travel to follow your team or have an action-packed football-fest from the comfort of your living room, it pays to be organised so that you don’t miss a second of the tournament. Here is a breakdown of the leading and most exciting games of the competition, and where to see them.

EURO 2012 UK TV SCHEDULE

Group A – Poland, Greece, Czech Republic and Russia

Group A: Poland v Greece – the opening game of the tournament, hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide will tune in to see Euro 2012 commence.
Match date and kickoff time: June 8th, CET – 19:00, GMT – 17:00, EST – 12:00
Watching it in person: National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – BBC

Group B – Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and Portugal

Group B: Netherlands v Germany – Two of the tournament favourites have been drawn together in the ‘group of death’; the winner of this will be a shoe-in for qualification.
Match date and kickoff time: June 13th, CET – 21:45, GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: Metalist Stadium, Kharkiv, Ukraine
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – BBC

Group C – Spain, Italy, Republic of Ireland and Croatia

Group C: Spain v Republic of Ireland – The Irish side have a really tough group, with the fixture against the world champions sure to test their resolve.
Match date and kickoff time: June 14th, CET – 21:45 GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: PGE Arena, Gdansk, Poland
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – ITV

Group D – England, France, Ukraine and Sweden

Group D: France v England – The old enemies and favourites for Group D meet in the first game of the pool, with pride and progression at stake.
Match date and kickoff time: June 11th, CET – 19:00, GMT – 17:00, EST – 12:00
Watching it in person: Donbass Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – ITV

Quarter finals

Winner Group C v Runner Up Group D: Potentially Spain vs England – The Three Lions will look to win their pool to avoid favourites Spain, but could well face Vicente Del Bosque’s men in the knockout rounds.
Match date and kickoff time: June 23rd, CET – 21:45, GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: Donbass Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – ITV

Semi finals

If all pans out as Soccerlens predicts, the semi finals could well see Netherlands play Spain, and Germany face Croatia.

Semi Final 1: Potentially Netherlands vs Spain – A replay of the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, these sides are sure to be amongst the frontrunners for the competition.
Match date and kickoff time: June 27rd, CET – 21:45, GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: Donbass Arena, Donetsk, Ukraine
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – BBC

Semi Final 2: Potentially Germany v Croatia – The Germans are entering the competition in ominous form, and with a blend of experience and promise, will take some stopping.
Match date and kickoff time: June 28rd, CET – 21:45, GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – BBC

Final: Potentially Spain v Germany: The holders against a perennial superpower, this game would be a worthy climax to what is set to be an excellent tournament.
Match date and kickoff time: July 1st, CET – 21:45, GMT – 19:45, EST – 14:45
Watching it in person: Olympic Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine
Watching it on TV: USA – ESPN / UK – BBC and ITV

EURO 2012 USA TV SCHEDULE

UEFA EURO 2012

Friday, June 8:

EURO 2012 Group A, Poland v Greece, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group A, Russia v Czech Republic, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Saturday, June 9:

EURO 2012 Group B, Netherlands v Denmark, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group B, Germany v Portugal, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Sunday, June 10:

EURO 2012 Group C, Spain v Italy, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group C, Ireland v Croatia, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Monday, June 11:

EURO 2012 Group D, France v England, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group D, Ukraine v Sweden, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Tuesday, June 12:

EURO 2012 Group A, Greece v Czech Republic, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group A, Poland v Russia, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Wednesday, June 13:

EURO 2012 Group B, Denmark v Portugal, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group B, Netherlands v Germany, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Thursday, June 14:

EURO 2012 Group C, Italy v Croatia, 12pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group C, Spain v Ireland, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Friday, June 15:

EURO 2012 Group D, Sweden v England, 12pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group D, Ukraine v France, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Saturday, June 16:

EURO 2012 Group A, Czech Republic v Poland, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group A, Greece v Russia, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm

Sunday, June 17:

EURO 2012 Group B, Portugal v Netherlands, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group B, Denmark v Germany, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm

Monday, June 18:

EURO 2012 Group C, Croatia v Spain, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group C, Italy v Ireland, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm

Tuesday, June 19:

EURO 2012 Group D, England v Ukraine, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

EURO 2012 Group D, Sweden v France, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm

——-

Thursday, June 21:

Euro 2012 quarterfinal I, winner of group A v runner-up group B, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Friday, June 22:

Euro 2012 quarterfinal II, winner of group B v runner-up group A, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Saturday, June 23:

Euro 2012 quarterfinal III, winner of group C v runner-up group D, 2:45 pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Sunday, June 24:

Euro 2012 quarterfinal IV, winner of group D v runner-up group C, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

——-

Wednesday, June 27:

Euro 2012 semifinal I, winner of quarterfinal I v winner of quarterfinal III, 2:45 pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Thursday, June 28:

Euro 2012 semifinal II, winner of quarterfinal II v winner of quarterfinal IV, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

——-

Sunday, July 1:

Euro 2012 final, semifinal winners, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Soccer is and always will be one of the most participated sports in the world. You have fans from all corners of the globe supporting different clubs and national teams and it doesn’t matter what color your skin is, what culture you believe in or what language you speak, people can always talk to each other in a universal language which is soccer. If you are a player, manager, media or even a fan down the pub, everyone will always have a specific memory of why and how they fell in love with the game.

For me, the love for soccer has probably been there since the day I was born. I was born in a family full of football crazies, or at least on my father’s side. I was born in 1989 and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark. At three years old, I became a European champion, or at least that was what my father called me when Denmark won the 1992 European Championships. I don’t remember much from that time, but one thing I do remember was looking at the TV screen and seeing a tall, blonde goalkeeper named Peter Schmeichel. My father used to point at the screen saying; “Look son, that’s the best team in Europe.” I, of course, didn’t understand a word as I was more interested in playing with my toys. However, already then I think I was influenced by my father to love the sport of soccer. My father himself used to play for Odense’s (OB) reserve team when he was younger, never having the chance to get into the first team as he dislocated his knee at the age of 18. Furthermore I just found out last year, when Odense played Fulham in the Europa League, that my granddad used to play for Odense’s first team and played European games back in the 1950s. So the soccer gene has always been in me without me even knowing it until recently.

It was not until around 1998 when my love for soccer really took off. It was the 1998 World Cup in France and I was sitting in my grandmother’s summerhouse, watching the World Cup, properly for the first time. I remember it was the first time that the group stages were expanded from 24 to 32 teams, giving more national teams the chance to participate. Teams like Croatia, Jamaica, Japan and South Africa got their chance to partake for the first time. When watching matches, I got especially fascinated by African teams, and I remember a young 17 year old Samuel Eto’o playing for Cameroon. When I saw his first game I knew he was going to become a world class attacker, but this was not the reason why I fell in love with the sport.

My major influence was the Danish national team and one player in particular who I just couldn’t stop watching. This player was Michael Laudrup, who I believe was one of the most underrated players of all time. It was Laudrup’s last World Cup as a player and he was determined to get Denmark as far as possible in the competition. One game particularly got stuck in my mind. With Denmark qualifying from their group second with four points, they met an unexpected but well playing Nigeria, who had even beaten the mighty Spain in the group stages. Nigeria had players like Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha but lost 4-1 to Denmark and it was Michael Laudrup who stole the show with his amazing assist to Ebbe Sand, which I will never forget. While looking the other way, Laudrup chipped the ball above the defenders straight to Sand who then headed past a defender before converting a great finish. It was recorded as the fastest goal ever scored by a substitute at a World Cup at that time. Denmark then later met Brazil in the quarter finals in a great game which unfortunately they lost 3-2.

I conclude with the biggest reason why I love the beautiful game so much, and that’s down to one man and one man only. Of course there were many players who inspired me at the France ’98 World Cup other than Laudrup. Players such as Batistuta, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Bergkamp, Davids, Kluivert, Suker, Hagi and Shearer, just to name a few. But there was one player who I still to this day believe was the main reason why I fell in love with soccer. His name is Zinedine Zidane. Not only was he a great passer, great dribbler, great shooter and decent defender, but his understanding and ability to read the game was incredible. He was a born leader and he took his French team all the way to the final. Yes of course he played in an amazing French team with players such as Desailly, Blanc, Deschamps, Djorkaeff and Henry, but when France played you only saw Zidane in the spotlight. He was French football and he was my Idol.

I recall after the final against Brazil when France won 3-0 with goals from Petit and Zidane, I asked my mother if she could find me a local football club to join. A few weeks later I was playing for a small Copenhagen club thinking I was Zinedine Zidane. Now years later I found out that I wasn’t, but my passion for soccer has never changed and it will probably never change. Every person who loves soccer can go back and remember a player or a tournament that they cherish as a key influential factor why they love football. So take a second and think back. What was your reason?

Out of the countless nationalities to have been represented in English football, France has arguably been the most successful exporter. Here we take a look at a potential top ten of those imports.

10. Patrice Evra

Signed for Manchester United after starring in Monaco’s surprise run to the European cup final, Evra struggled initially with the pace of the league as he played understudy to Gabriel Henize. Starred as Manchester United, wrestled the premier league title away from Mourinho’s Chelsea and went on to capture multiple titles with the club regularly playing 50 plus games a season to rave reviews. Holds the unenviable record of having played in four European cup finals winning only once.

9. Nicolas Anelka

Regarded as one of Arsene Wenger’s greatest signings when he was signed from PSG for less than £1 million before moving to Real Madrid for £22 million a couple of seasons later having already won a league and cup double at Arsenal. After struggling at Madrid and back at PSG, Anelka shone briefly on loan at Liverpool before permanently signing with Manchester City, where he blew hot and cold before heading to Turkey. Returned to England with Bolton where after a couple of excellent seasons he earned a move to Chelsea, capturing his second league championship before falling out of favour and heading to China at the beginning of the year.

8. Emmanuel Petit

Arrived from Monaco with little fan fair before forming one of the most impressive midfield tandems in English football history with Patrick Vieira as Arsenal won the double in 1998. Forced his way out of the club to Barcelona alongside Marc Overmars but faired little better than his Dutch college at the Nou Camp before returned to England with a moderately successful spell at Chelsea

7. David Ginola

Shone brightly as a key part of Kevin Keegan’s ultra cavalier Newcastle side of the mid nineties as a flamboyant two-footed winger before moving on to Tottenham. Captured the 1999 player of the year award for his stunning form at white hart lane before beginning to fade at the turn of the century. After an unhappy spell at Aston Villa left England with just a league cup medal to show for his efforts.

6. Marcel Desailly

The double European cup winner was surprisingly allowed to leave Milan in 1998 to join Chelsea where he proved he still had a great deal of quality to offer. A powerful and pacey centre half with real ability on the ball. Only one of two on this list never to win the league title in England but still regarded as one of the finest centre half’s the Premier league has witnessed.

5. Robert Pires

Arrived at Arsenal from Marseille with a reputation as an unfulfilled talent and started slowly in England as he struggled to adapt to the increased pace and physicality of the league. After finding his feet became a huge star winning multiply trophies with the Gunners and a footballer of the year crown before moving to Spain as the tempo of the English league began to catch up with him. After a successful time at Villarreal, a brief return to the league at Aston Villa sadly didn’t work out.

4. Claude Makelele

Signed by Claudio Ranieri from Real Madrid with the first wave of Roman Abramovich’s millions and after enduring unfair criticism in the English press for his form soon became regarded as the worlds finest holding midfield player (perfecting a position often referred to as the Makelele role as a tribute to his mastery of the position) Captured two league titles before retiring, leaving a hole Chelsea have been unable to fill since.

3. Patrick Vieira

Arsene Wenger surprised many when he made the unknown French teenager his first big money signing (£4 million was a substantial sum in 1996) from Milan. The tall, languid midfielder quickly won over the doubters with a series of stunning displays. Won every major title in England establishing himself as one of the leagues finest ever midfielders along the way. Departed for Juventus after a decade of service to Arsenal, returning to England briefly with Manchester city before retiring and taking up a behind the scenes role at the club.

2. Thierry Henry

Bought by Arsenal after a brief, unhappy spell at Juventus after rising to prominence at Monaco. After flattering to deceive on the wing in his first season Wenger moved Henry upfront where he finally showed his real form, establishing himself as one of the world’s premier strikers and capturing multiple titles. Left for Barcelona to challenge for the champions league, which despite not showing his best form for the Catalans he captured in 2009 before moving to the USA. Showed a few flashes of the old magic during a short loan back at Arsenal earlier this year.

1. Eric Cantona

Arrived in England after discipline problems had dogged him in France, quickly captured the final league one championship with Leeds United. Controversially signed for rivals Manchester United the following year where he is regarded as the catalyst for their first league title in 26 years, went on to win two doubles and a further league title dictating Manchester United’s attacks from the number ten position with wonderful flair and vision. Retired prematurely in 1997 with a reputation as one of the greatest players in Manchester United and English football history.

There are words and phrases that have become all too familiar for fans of the English national team. “Almost”. “Not quite there”. “Promising”. It’s no surprise that England fans, despite having their team listed as dark horses in the Euro 2012 betting odds, have no serious expectations from the national team going in the Euros this summer.

For over a decade now the England squad has been the also-rans of international football. They are the team that could beat anyone on their day, but quite simply they have never “been on their day” when it has truly mattered. Famous and well discussed examples include the quarter-final exit to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup; the penalty shoot-out defeat against the Portuguese in 2006; and the shattering 4-1 loss to Germany in South Africa two years ago. Last week, England seemed to have salvaged something from their match against the Netherlands by scoring two goals in the final five minutes, but a lapse of concentration at the back and a moment of class from Arjen Robben (albeit from a helpful deflection) handed the Dutch a deserved victory. The final score-line of 3-2 hints at a tight game. However, the gap in quality between the two teams was very noticeable.

In all fairness to England, this was an experimental line up and a chance for some youngsters and certain players to prove their worth ahead of the European Championship Finals this June. Micah Richards was brought back into the fold after being frozen out by Fabio Capello during his four year stint. Chris Smalling and Gary Cahill represented an untested centre back pairing, whilst Danny Welbeck was handed the task of leading the English frontline in only his 3rd international appearance. Added to that were the likes of Leighton Baines and Adam Johnson; talented club players but unproven at international level. Regardless, reading the team sheet before the game, i failed to recognise a single player that could be described as (to use a worn-out football cliché) a ‘match winner’. There was no player of such quality that he could grab the game by the scruff of the neck and force his team over the line. Steven Gerrard was that man up to about two years, certainly for his club at least.

Gareth Barry is the epitome of what is wrong with the England set up today: decent enough, but bland and uninspiring. Why Michael Carrick is not selected above Barry is a mystery, but even he doesn’t offer that class you need to win trophies. Look all around Europe at the nations with a chance of success at this summer’s Euros and they all possess an individual(s) who can provide that extra bit of quality to win a major tournament. Spain seems to have half a dozen of these players; Germany has Mesut Ozil and Bastian Schweinsteiger; last night’s opposition, Holland, have Robin Van Persie, Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben.  National teams at a level below that top tier also possess match winners. An obvious example is Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo. England certainly fits into this class but the one player you’d suggest possesses genuine quality is Wayne Rooney.  However, he will miss the first two vital group matches this summer, and the question of how to get the best out of Wayne Rooney at national level seems to have no answer. Sven and Fabio have both failed with this task, and that’s before we get into the debacle that was Steve McClaren’s reign

Over the next decade, the same questions will keep popping up. As it stands, it seems that only Jack Wilshere will have that stand out quality that is required to achieve success. It will be he who will carry the burden of expectation on his shoulders during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2016 Euro’s in France. Phil Jones is a candidate, but his immaturity at the highest level shows and that may be the case for a couple of years at least. Danny Welbeck may well be Manchester United’s front man for years to come, but he is a long way from being the seasoned, all-round goal- scorer United fans will hope he’ll be. The same goes for Daniel Sturridge at Chelsea. The clock is ticking on the international careers of John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard; the so called ‘golden generation’ of the noughties. Replacing those men will be a tough ask for the next England manager. Let us hope that he can fashion England into a ‘team’ akin to club football that Spain, Holland and Germany have been so successful at achieving.

If the press is to be believed, then should the FA put the decision of the next England manager to public vote then the result would be unanimous. The name ‘Harry Redknapp’ would be read out by the announcer and the crowd would go wild while a video segment of his career highlights would play in the background.

The England fans, England players and the boys working down Fleet Street have made little secret of their chosen man, but with every headline that’s printed, and tweet that is tweeted, a section of fans is becoming more and more irate. But should Spurs supporters feel aggrieved if ‘Arry ups and leaves?

Redknapp’s apparent longing to add ‘England manager’ to his CV has been the elephant in the room for the Tottenham faithful since Fabio Capello made the ill-timed announcement that he’d be finding something better to do with his spare time once England had been eliminated, prematurely no doubt, from Euro 2012. You can’t open a newspaper without reading about all of the compelling reasons for Redknapp to take the role as national manager and numerous quotes describing England as a dream job and one that no Englishman could turn down.

Undoubtedly Tottenham Hotspur would not stand in Redknapp’s way should he decide to leave at the end of the season. He would be thanked for the job that he’d done, Spurs had two points from eight games when Redknapp took over incase you didn’t know(!), but shouldn’t there be more to come?

He took Spurs from despair to Champions League quarter-finalists, from paupers to princes, but this year things have changed. At the end of last season Spurs were arguably playing above themselves and fans were simply enjoying the ride, but now the bar has risen even further and title aspirations have been triggered some by astounding, entertaining football. From a Spurs point of view, had the England job arisen last summer then Redknapp would simply have left them, should he take it this summer then he would arguably be turning his back on them.

There is certainly a case to say that it was Spurs who put Redknapp on the radar. Before taking over at White Hart Lane, Redknapp had spent seven at the helm of West Ham before alternating between two bitter south-coast rivals. Tottenham gave him his first big chance to manage a big team, to prove that he could mix it with the top teams and emerge victorious. Redknapp took it and made more of a success of the Spurs job than anyone could have dared hope, but the offer of a bigger job has put his future in question – sound familiar Portsmouth fans? Had this speculation been for any other job then Spurs fans would be crying bloody murder, why should the England job be any different? It would be nationally frowned upon if Harry was linked with a club side, and players from that club publically pleaded for him to take over and unsettled him in his current role.

Redknapp is a footballing traditionalist to whom the England position is the most coveted of them all, it is his dream job and this will be his last chance to get it. But to many football fans nowadays England represents the impossible job and why anybody would want it beggars belief. If I were a gambling man then my money would be on Redknapp guiding to Spurs to a third place finish as a goodbye present. But quite what the fallout will be, and how he will be viewed by Spurs fans in the future, may depend both on where Spurs finish and what the team looks like in August.

I know that this is a bit of a bold statement to make about a man who has kept his side at the summit of the Premier league table practically since it kicked off back in August. But watching City huff and puff against Liverpool in the League Cup semi final poking at them with the imagination and creative spark of a spineless hedgehog it was plainly obvious that Mancini, the manager, has nothing up sleeve. It is fast coming to light that he is no tactical magician to compete with the likes of Guardiola or Mourinho and there is no doubt that the miserable git is no motivational speaker like Sir Alex Ferguson. The Liverpool match was not the only game in recent weeks where City have been found wanting. A 0-0 draw with West Brom and defeats to Sunderland and Chelsea all followed a similar pattern. City kept the ball well without creating too much before relying heavily on knocking the ball to Aguero in the hope that he can conjure something special. But if their league form has been dismal of late then their Champions League campaign was a total disaster and one that simply underlines my point, Mancini is not a great manager.

Yes Mancini’s side look fantastic on occasions but when you have spent 1 billion or whatever it is on top notch players you would expect them to click and be able to perform, but it is when things are not quite going to plan that you need your manager to work his magic and it is here that Mancini falls short as he seems to be very limited when it comes to making quick, sharp tactical decisions. Chelsea had a similar problem when Roman Abramovich took over the club. They had Italian tinker man Claudio Ranieri at the helm and the Russian billionaire gave him all of the money he needed to bring success to Stamford Bridge. But it was soon clear that Ranieri lacked what was needed to make the team gel and Abramovich wielded the now infamous axe and brought in Jose Mourinho instead and we all know what happened next.

Roberto’s man management skills also have to be called in to question. A number of stars including Craig Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebyour and Carlos Tevez have left questioning his methods, his personality and his attitude.

Now all you City fans out there can sit up on your high horses and start singing “Who is top of the league,” at me, and yes I agree with you that City will probably win the Premiership this season, but lets take a look at the other contenders. Manchester Utd’s squad is paper thin, Chelsea have become distinctly average, Arsenal are re-building and although Liverpool have the best defence in the league goals are proving harder to come by than a sober Irishman for the Merseyside club especially with the 35 million flop Andy Carroll leading the line. In fact City’s main challengers might end up being Tottenham Hotspur, but again only if they can stay clear of injuries.

City are a good team no doubt about it but I feel that last season’s FA Cup win only papered over the fact that Roberto Mancini is not the man to lead them to greatness. If City’s super rich board really do want to compete with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid then the tough decision to sack the Italian will have to be made and sooner rather than later.

The football world is still trying, and failing, to come to terms with the loss of a legend.

The shocking news on the sudden death of Wales manager Gary Speed brought the country to a stand-still. Since the announcement there has been an endless amount of tributes for the 42 year old husband and father, showing just how much he meant to not only football, but the UK itself.

For me it was an honour to support a team of which Speed gave six years of his career to. After signing for Newcastle from Everton in 1998 Speed was integral in the Magpies’ rise from the relegation zone to the Champions League under Sir Bobby Robson.

His performances under Robson not only epitomised everything that specific Newcastle team were about, he was also the perfect advert for the English game as a whole. With a fantastic left foot he was composed on the ball, a physical presence, had an eye for goal and was always one of the biggest aerial threats from set pieces.

It was a pleasure to watch him. It seemed he loved Newcastle and we loved him.

Not only was he a leader on the pitch but it’s clear he was a mentor off it. Under Robson Newcastle had a core of experienced players in the form of Speed, Alan Shearer and Shay Given. All three taught Robson’s self-named ‘young guns’ how to conduct themselves as footballers but also as individuals, and for that players like Shola Ameobi, Jermaine Jenas and Hugo Viana will be eternally grateful.

After avidly supporting Speed whilst in the stands at St James’ Park, it was an absolute honour to meet him on a professional level during his time as Sheffield United manager. I was in the awaiting press room following his side’s 1-0 win at Millwall in November last season. Calm, polite and well-spoken, he was a man clearly admired by a press pack who had presumably met him on numerous occasions before.

However, for all the media attention this devastating news has brought, it must also be remembered a family is deeply suffering and their privacy must be respected.

We all know the demands of editors for the best scoop on a country’s main headline, but in this devastating instance human nature should surely out-weigh the need to sell newspapers.

The country is mourning a footballing legend, but a family is mourning a loved one. Please allow them to greave in peace whilst Gary Speed sadly rests in peace.

In a few weeks’ time, the focus in the football world will turn away from the club scene to the international arena. Fans around the world will be hoping that the stars of their favorite clubs all return from international duty in one piece, but while they sweat it out, they’ll be getting the treat of seeing the worldís top national teams in action, some of them against one another.

With the Euro 2012 playoffs, World Cup qualifiers in South America, and some must-see international friendlies, November’s international calendar is filled with matches of high interest and importance.

International Friendlies

England v Spain, 12 November

In the most attention-grabbing friendly on next monthís calendar, England host reigning European and world champions Spain at Wembley Stadium in London.

Despite their lofty ranking, England haven’t fared too well against the world’s best in recent times, with their last real marquee win being a 2-1 away win against Germany almost three years ago. And there’s no better opportunity to prove that they can take on and beat the world’s best than this match, considering how dominant Spain have been over the last few years and how likely it is that Spain will field an extremely strong lineup.

England manager Fabio Capello has already stated that Wayne Rooney will not play against Spain, which would appear to deal a real blow to England’s chances. But with Rooney set to miss the entire Euro 2012 group stage through suspension, this tie is a chance for potential replacements to state their case and for the team to show that they can get on just fine without him.

Rooney may be not be on the pitch, but that doesn’t take the luster off of what should be a fantastic match. If you want to catch the action at Wembley, England v Spain tickets are available at TicketBis from £89.44.

Italy v Uruguay, 14 November

In another matchup pitting two of the worldís top-ranked teams, Italy take on reigning Copa America champions Uruguay at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

After following up their thrilling 2006 World Cup win by going out in the quarterfinals at Euro 2008 and exiting at the group stage at the 2010 World Cup, Italy have made a resurgence under Cesare Prandelli. The Azzurri went unbeaten in Euro 2012 qualifying, recording eight clean sheets and allowing only two goals in ten matches.

While Italy’s resurgence is certainly noteworthy, Uruguay have made quite a rise recently. They surprised many by finishing fourth at the 2010 World Cup, with Golden Ball winner Diego Forlan leading the way. They kept the momentum going this past summer with their Copa America run, which saw them defeat hosts and favorites Argentina in the quarterfinals.

Germany v Netherlands, 15 November

Germany and the Netherlands, who sit third and second respectively in the latest FIFA world ranking, are set to face off in Hamburg in a showdown we could well see at Euro 2012. While England v Spain might garner the most attention, this is the pick of next month’s friendlies, especially if youíre a fan of attacking football.

Germany won all ten of their Euro 2012 qualifiers, and many of those wins came in convincing fashion thanks to their prolific attack. In their perfect run, Joachim Low’s side scored 34 goals, and theyíve notched 24 goals in their last eight overall international matches.

However, their goal total in qualifying didnít top the charts, as that honor went to the Netherlands. The Netherlands won their first nine qualifiers before losing away to Sweden in their final qualifier, and a big reason why is the astounding 37 goals that they scored in qualifying.

Euro 2012 Qualifying Playoffs

Bosnia v. Portugal, 11 & 15 November

In a rematch of from the 2010 World Cup qualifying playoffs, Bosnia and Portugal face off in the top tie of the Euro 2012 playoff round.

When they met in the World Cup playoffs, there wasnít much separating the sides over the two legs. Portugal nabbed a 1-0 win on home soil in the first leg, and they repeated the feat in the second leg to claim a 2-0 aggregate win. With Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United star Nani in their ranks, Portugal have to be considered favorites, but it should once again be a hotly contested matchup.

Both Bosnia and Portugal agonizingly missed out on automatic qualification to Euro 2012 on the final day of group matches, so the loser of this matchup will certainly be wondering what could’ve been.

Turkey v. Croatia, 11 & 14 November

When last these two sides met, it was in a Euro 2008 quarterfinal with a wild, memorable finish that saw Croatia go from being moments away from the semifinals to dealing with the agony of penalty heartbreak.

It’s safe to say that this meeting has quite a lot to live up to then, but as it looks to be a pretty even matchup, it could very well go beyond 180 minutes, or perhaps even 210.

Turkey were up and down throughout qualifying, but a 1-0 win over Azerbaijan on the final day of matches saw them pip Belgium to second behind Germany in Group A. Turkey will fancy their chances to break Croatian hearts once again, especially if midfielder Nuri Sahin, who has just returned to training with Real Madrid after being out for the last few months with a knee injury, is able to take part.

However, Croatia, who were edged out by Greece for top spot in Group F, will fancy their own chances with the great amount of talent and experience they have. And several players who were a part of that Euro 2008 defeat to Turkey will take part next month, which will provide extra incentive and inspiration, though a place in Euro 2012 is more than enough to be inspired about, right?

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Euro 2012 qualifying began in August 2010, with 51 nations vying to be part of next Juneís tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Of course, only about half of those teams entered with realistic hopes of qualifying or making the playoffs, and less than half of those teams have a legitimate chance to make a serious run at the title.

But there were several examples in qualifying that proved that fortune doesn’t always favor the fancied or that impressive football statistics or squad lists matter as much as the luck of the draw can sometimes. In fact, Montenegro, who finished with a goal differential of zero, will be taking part in the playoffs, whereas Armenia, who finished with a goal differential of +12, will not.

Now, after more than a yearís worth of twists, turns, and results expected and unexpected, we now know who 12 of the 16 Euro 2012 participants are. The last four spots will be determined by next monthís two-legged playoffs, and after all that transpired during the group phase of qualifying, thereís a lot to look forward to in the playoffs. Hereís a group-by-group look at how we got to this point.

Group A

Group A was dominated from the word go by Euro 2008 finalists Germany, with Belgium and Turkey left to battle it out for a distant second.

Germany started with a narrow 1-0 win away to Austria, but that proved to be one of their few tough matches in a dominant run to automatic qualification. Joachim Lowís side accomplished the rare feat of going unbeaten and untied in qualifying, and in winning all ten of their qualifiers, they scored an astounding 34 goals and conceded only seven, with the still-firing Miroslav Klose leading the way with nine.

As for that race for second? It came down to the final day of matches, with Turkeyís 1-0 home win over Azerbaijan, combined with Germanyís 3-1 home win over Belgium, sending Turkey into the playoffs, two points ahead of Belgium but a distant 13 behind the unmatched Germans.

Group B

As expected, Russia and Ireland claimed first and second in Group B. Russia, with 22 points, topped the group, while Ireland finished a single point behind, relegating them to the playoffs.

However, the real story of Group B was Armenia. Thatís right, Armenia. After reaching the round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup, it appeared that Russia and Irelandís opposition for a top-two spot would come from Slovakia. Instead, it came from Armenia, who went from being perennial doormats to entering the final match day still seriously in contention for second.

In the end though, Ireland beat Armenia 2-1 in Dublin to claim second, four points ahead of Armenia, who led the group in goals scored with 22 and, were it not for Russiaís 5-0 win over Andorra on the final matchday, would have led the group in goal difference as well.

Group C

As surprising as Armeniaís near-miss in Group B was, there was an even bigger surprise in Group C. There wasnít a surprise in regards to top spot, as the group was Italyís to lose from early on.

Cesare Prandelli took over as Italy coach after the Azzurriís disappointing 2010 World Cup, and he presided over a qualifying campaign that was by no means pretty but somehow ended up being an unbeaten one. Italy drew eight and won two, and four of those wins were by a one-goal margin.

The surprise came in the race for second, as Estonia, who had finished no better than fourth in four previous European Championship qualifying campaigns, edged out 2010 World Cup participants Serbia and Slovenia for second and an unlikely place in the playoffs against Ireland. Estonia recorded only seven points from their first seven matches, but following a 2-0 away defeat against the Faroe Islands, Estonia finished qualifying with three consecutive wins. And with Serbia picking up only four points and Slovenia three in that same span, Estonia wound up finishing one point ahead of Serbia and two ahead of Slovenia.

Group D

France and Bosnia were undoubtedly the two best teams in Group D, and they would battle it out for top spot in the group until the very end.

Franceís first competitive match under Laurent Blanc was a shock 1-0 home defeat to Belarus, but perhaps that was a wake-up call, as they won their next four qualifiers and went 6-2-0 in their next eight overall. However, Bosnia remained hot on their heels throughout, and it all came down to a meeting between the two at Stade de France.

Bosnia stunningly took the lead through Edin Dzeko shortly before halftime, and they were less than a quarter of an hour away from a famous win and an automatic place in Euro 2012. However, Samir Nasri slotted home a penalty in the 78th minute, and the match finished 1-1, which saw France dramatically edge out Bosnia by a single point.

Group E

Even though the final Group E standings show the Netherlands finishing only three points clear of second-placed Sweden, it can be said that there was never any real doubt about who would win the group.

The Netherlands put their World Cup final disappointment behind them and thoroughly dominated Group E, scoring a total of 37 goals, the most by any team in qualifying, with 12 of those by qualifying top scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. They also very nearly joined Germany and Spain in the unbeaten and untied club, but Sweden came back in the second half for a 3-2 win in their final qualifier in Solna.

Sweden did their best to keep pace with the Netherlands, but while their best wasnít good enough to challenge for the group until the end, it was good enough to finish five points clear of Hungary for second and an automatic place in Euro 2012 as the best second-placed team. It’s only fair though, as Sweden were quite prolific in qualifying as well, scoring 31 goals, which ranks third behind Germany and the Netherlands. It is worth noting though that Group E was home to minnow of minnows San Marino, who lost all ten of their qualifiers and were outscored 53-0 in the process.

Group F

Group F was a tight two-horse race, as the final round of matches determined the order in which Greece and Croatia finished in the group.

After draws in their first two matches, Greece caught fire, going 7-1-0 in their last eight matches, finishing up with a 2-0 win over Croatia and a comeback 2-1 away win against Georgia. That saw them finish two points ahead of Croatia, who finished with seven wins just as Greece did but drew once and lost twice. Greece got the points where it counted, taking four off of Croatia and four off of Georgia, who Croatia drew and lost to. And they did so with excellent defending, as they allowed only five goals in their ten matches.

For Croatia, not being able to close out the group is no doubt disappointing, but there is the nice consolation prize of a playoff tilt against Turkey, which is a rematch of a wild and memorable Euro 2008 quarterfinal, which Turkey won on penalties.

Group G

Group G perhaps drew more attention than any of the other groups, given the media microscope England are always under and how they spectacularly missed out on Euro 2008.

There were no such issues this time, as Fabio Capelloís side won five and drew three to finish six points clear of Montenegro. The two were actually tied on points with only three rounds remaining, but seven points from their last three to only one for Montenegro turned the group in Englandís favor. Despite that late blip, Montenegro wound up second in the group, three points ahead of disappointing Switzerland.

Of course, the biggest headline from the group is the red card and subsequent three-match ban for Wayne Rooney due to a silly red card in Englandís final qualifier, a 2-2 draw away to Montenegro. Rooney is set to miss the entire group stage, which could have an effect on Englandís hopes to make a deep run.

Group H

Portugal may have the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani in their side, and they may have scored the most goals in Group H by a wide margin, but itís Denmark who are already assured of a place in Euro 2012, while Portugal will be facing Bosnia in the playoffs.

Portugal opened qualifying with a shock 4-4 home draw against Cyprus, who picked up only one more point the rest of the way, and followed that with a 1-0 defeat away to Norway. They did recover well, winning their next five matches in a row, but they were left needing to avoid defeat in Copenhagen on the final day to win the group. However, it was Denmark who rose to the occasion, stunning Portugal 2-1. Denmark finished on 19 points, with both Portugal and Norway on 16, but Portugal edged out Norway for second on goal difference.

It was a well-deserved group win for Denmark, who went a perfect 4-0-0 at home and whose only blemishes in qualifying were a 3-1 away defeat against Portugal and a 1-1 away draw against Norway.

Group I

Reigning European and world champions Spain were overwhelming favorites in Group I going in, and they proved why from the outset. Late winners were required in away wins against Scotland and Lithuania, and two late goals were required in a come-from-behind 2-1 home win over the Czech Republic in March, but Spain did what was required of them eight times in eight matches to finish with a perfect mark.

Scotland will be left wondering ëwhat if?í for some time, because of a controversial 2-2 draw with the Czechs in September. Instead of picking up three big points, Scotland were done in by surrendering late leads twice and a controversial last-minute penalty that allowed the Czechs to leave Glasgow with a point. Scotland won two of their last three qualifiers to finish with 11 points, but the Czechs took second on the final day with a resounding 4-1 win at Lithuania, finishing on 13 points and booking a playoff date with Montenegro. Had Scotland taken all three points in that fixture at Hampden Park, itíd have been a different story entirely.

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After watching England play Montenegro last week, I was struck by a few things. Firstly the appearance of both Barry and Parker in the same team at this level is quite remarkable. Certainly both are good players in their own rights but, their lack of pace caused the English defence significant problems as the game progressed. Why Gareth Barry is playing continues to baffle, for my money he should be not even be in the squad. Against Napoli this season his fallibility contributed to the visitor’s goal and at this level he offers nothing! Parker is an even stranger case a man who never featured for England regularly suddenly becomes a mainstay after one good season in a relegated team! Imagine any serious nation selecting these two players in the middle of their team. England will improve with the ascension of Wilshere and Cleverly into their squad but to be brutally honest they still wouldn’t grace the pitch for any of the leading European nations.

Now to the back four, over the course of the last year or perhaps longer John Terry has become increasingly dogged by poor defending. In fairness to Terry he is a wholehearted lad but, imagine him facing Van Persie, Villa, Rossi or even Benzema in the last ten minutes of a Euro game and we all know who we’d put our money on. The time has come for England to place their trust in their youthful talent. A centre back combination of Jones and Smalling with Jones as an inspirational captain is certainly an exciting prospect for football fans across the continent. In addition to these two the option of Lescott, Walker, and Richards but to name a few offers much promise. The sight of such a youthful backline would undoubtedly contribute to a quicker and more agile team that could take the championships by storm.

Now onto the man of the moment Wayne Rooney, the criticism after his red card has been totally out of order. Remember Zidane, Blanc, Keane, Maradonna all world class players who each have had the occasional bout of red mist during their international careers. For England to succeed then Rooney must be given the support he needs to prove his place amongst the game’s elite. A one game suspension is not the end of the world, it will be up to Walcott, Bent, Carroll and Welbeck to secure England’s opening game goes off without a glitch. The need for England to finally perform on a major international stage is long overdue and frankly the parts are all in place for them to realise their potential with the talent at their disposal. If they played Spain tomorrow in the European Championship final the team should be: Hart, Richards, Jones, Smalling, Cole, Young, Gerrard, Wilshere, Walcott, Rooney and Welbeck. Now that team with some practice and encouragement could certainly trouble Spain, Germany or whatever else the continent has to offer. If this happens then maybe, just maybe Fabio may be Sir Fabio before long and Harry will have to keep his mouth shut over how he should be the next England manager.