Group D : The Mighty

We’re coming to the last group. I think this group will provide a big surprise because it’s consist of “The Euro Cup Holders” Greece, “The Young Matador” Spain, “The Most Improving Team of the Year” Russia, and “The Tournament team” Sweden . This group is just like Group A in Euro 2004 except Portugal is replaced by Sweden

First, there is Greece who is once again becoming an underdog even when they are the winners of the previous Euro Cup. A Lot of the players in the winning squad of Euro 2004 has left the team. Otto Rehhagel will have to prove that they are still the same team that shocks the world 4 years ago since they not get thorugh in World Cup 2006. It’s up to them now to become a winner again or the loser this time.

Next up, Spain who dropped Raul Gonzalez out of the team and will hope that their young players like Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres, & David Villa can bring a new spirit to the squad. Spain who’s not really good in tournament like this will have to prove to the fans that they can do better without Raul. With the champion mentality that all the players have, Spain is up one level in this group.

Russia who beats England to get to this year tournament is improving well in Guus Hiddink’s hand. I think this is the year for the Russians. It started with the national team that consist of almost all local players who’s very good in this year, then Zenit St.Petersburg who become this year UEFA Cup’s Winners, and not to forget that the final Champions League that held in Moscow. So I won’t be shock if Russia can beat Greece & Sweden to accompany Spain to the next round.

Sweden who will count on their star, Zlatan Ibrahimovic who hasn’t scored for the national team in 3 years will once again try to prove that they are a good team with a good measurement in the squad. They just don’t have a good self belief and when they get through to the next round they just feel enough and won’t fight anymore.

My prediction is that Spain & Russia will go to the next round.

Group C : The Group Of Death

This is the most interesting group in this year Euro Cup. Three favorites team to win Euro Cup are here. They are “The Total Football”, Holland, “World Cup 2006 Winners” Italy, “World Cup 2006 Finalist”, France and “The long time no see”, Rumania.

Let’s start this group with Italy, the team who’s recently lost their captain and last year best player of the world, Fabio Cannavaro, due to an ankle injury that occurs in a practice. It’s a bad signal for them. But Italy with in depth squad is capable do the unthinkable. In World cup 2006, not many people can believe in them to win it but they can. Italy’s squad is not much changing, except Francesco Totti who’s retiring and will be replaced by “The Bad Boy”, Antonio Cassano who had an impressive season with Sampdoria. Italy’s attacking force is so fearful. They have Luca Toni who’s become Bundesliga Top Scorer this season, Alex Del Piero who found his touch again lately, Marco Borriello the Genoa’s goal getter, and Antonio Di Natale who’s really sharp in international matches. But can Italy defend well after the lost of Canna??

Holland will be Italy’s hardest enemy besides France. Holland best known with their total football also have a great pace in attacking. With 4-3-3 formation, Marco Van Basten will hope his team can revive the Euro 88 memory. Holland squads are superior in all positions except defense. Okay, they have Edwin Van Der Sar as a veteran goalie who’s in a top form after winning BPL & Champions League with MU, but they don’t have a real defense leader after Jaap Stam’s retiring. In the midfield, Van Der Vaart & Wesley Sneijder will control the ball distribution and it’s up to Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben, & Robin Van Persie in the upfront to make Holland become this year winner.

France who will be playing in the Tournament without their maestro Zinedane Zidane for the first time since Euro 1996 is now counting on young blood like Franck Ribery, Samir Nasri, & Karim Benzema, although they still have veterans player in this team such as Lilian Thuram, Claude Makelele, & Patrick Vieira. But I doubt that France will perform well because I think they don’t have a natural leader anymore. Ribery is still too young to carry this team alone. But if Raymond Domenech can plan a good strategy again like in World Cup 2006, Thierry Henry will lift the Euro Cup once again.

Rumania will become the most underdog team. They will feel that the other teams in this group are more superior to them. They only have Adrian Mutu & Christian Chivu as the experience players. In fact, Rumania hasn’t play in a major tournament since Euro 2000. So if they can get through this group is a big miracle, but they still having chances to do that.

It’s a tough one but Italy & Holland will get through leaving French with Rumania who will come home early.

Group B : The Weakest Link

Following my recent preview about Euro 2008, I’m trying to talk about group B in here. Group B is the weakest group and the debutante group because Poland & Austria will make a debut in Euro Cup since it’s been healed in 1960. The only team that ever won Euro Cup is Germany “The Panzer”. They accompanied by “England Conqueror” Croatia, “The Not So Good” Poland, & “The Unfavorable Co Host” Austria.

First, The Favorable Germany. Germany, led by Michael Ballack who’s having a great season with Chelsea will once again try to reach the top after a good performance in World Cup 2006. The squad is still the same minus Oliver Kahn who’s retiring. The coach is not the same. But Joachim Loew is having a great moment in the team with inheritance from Juergen Klinsmann. Germany is better known as a tournament team. They have a great mentality that will take them to glory. The only weakest link is in the back. Germany only has 2 great centres back which one of them is Christoph Metzelder who’s having a tough time with his injury.

Croatia, the team who makes people the entire world amazed when they beat England in Wembley will try to prove that they are becoming a great team now in Slaven Bilic’s hand. Croatia will become Germany main enemy. With Their players who have magnificent skills such as Luka Modric, Niko Kovac, & Niko Kranjcar, I think Croatia will make a surprise in this tournament. But unfortunately, Eduardo Da Silva,Croatian top scorer in the qualification is ruled out months ago with a horrible injury.

Next is the co-host who will make their first appearance in the Euro Cup, Austria. Austria is the most unfavorable team in Euro. It’s because they don’t have a star player who can lead them. They also don’t have a tournament mentality and in a lot of warm up matches, they fail to make a good impression. Now, they can only hope that the fans will give them a big spirit to get through this group.

Last is Poland. Another debutante team. They only have Ebi Smolarek to count on. Besides that they just an average team that get lucky in the qualification. Nothing special in this team. Leo Beenhakker, the veteran coach will have to do harder if he wants Poland to pass this group.

Who will get through?? My money is on Germany & Croatia.

Group A : The Group Of The Brave

  
This group is consist of Switzerland “The Co-Host”, Portugal with his lethal weapon CR7, Czech Republic who will have to find a leader in midfield, & Turkey who will be the underdog.

Let’s start with Portugal, the favorite team in this group. They have Cristiano Ronaldo or CR7 who will lead them into making history. Portugal never win Euro Cup before. This is now or never. CR7 is on his peak performance. His performance with Manchester United is awesome and I doubt that it will happen in the next season. Besides CR7, Portugal still have Big Phil, their dear coach whom I believe is going to be retire from Portugal after this tournament. In Big Phil’s hands, Portugal became a great team with superb attacking force.

Next, Switzerland who made a big surprise in World Cup 2006 will try not to embarrass themselves in front of their fans. Switzerland will count on team’s collectivity and hope that their star such as Alexander Frei & Tranquillo Barnetta in a good performance. Usually the host will have a greater spirit because there are thousands of fans behind them.

Czech Republic who’s always awesome in qualification but poor in the tournament will try to stop their curse. But they will do it without Pavel Nedved whose retiring & their star, Tomas Rosicky who’s suffering a bad injury. With nobody in control of the midfield, Karel Bruckner will have to once again count on the veteran 202cm Striker Jan Koller as a target man.

Last but not least, the underdog Turkey will try to stop all of those team with their spirit that their rarely shown. The last time they showed it is in World Cup 2002, where they put up in a 3rd place. Now Turkey with their new force including Tuncay Sanli, Middlesbrough striker who’s in a good form & Volkan Demirel, the next Rustu Recber is becoming one of the underdogs besides Rumania & Russia.

My prediction is that Portugal & Switzerland will go to the next round.

Hidup Itu Pilihan

Terkadang kita harus menentukan pilihan dalam situasi yang sulit. Kebimbangan yang kita rasakan itu dikarenakan adanya tekanan dari dalam hati kita untuk tidak memilih dan menerima semua itu. Memang terasa gampang untuk menentukan pilihan bagi orang lain karena kita tak menanggung beban dari pilhan itu. Tetapi bagaimana jika kita yang harus menentukan pilihan ??

Film The Last Kiss garapan Tony Goldwyn merupakan satu contoh yang tepat di mana sebuah pilhan harus dibuat agar kehidupan dapat berjalan normal lagi. Michael (Diperankan dengan sangat baik oleh Zach Braff) adalah seorang arsitek yang sedang menjalin hubungan yang sangat serius dengan pacarnya, Jenna (Jacinda Barret dalam permainan yang cukup bagus) yang sedang mengadung buah hatinya. Namun Michael meski sudah akan menjadi bapak masih belum berani untuk mengajak Jenna menikah karena ia melihat bahwa pasangan yang sudah menikah itu nantinya akan mengalami pertengkaran-pertengkaran yang mengarah ke perceraian.

Di samping itu Michael merasa hidupnya sangat membosankan. Di umurnya yang ke 29 ini, apa yang dimilikinya sekarang sudah dibayangkan sejak ia remaja. Dengan kata lain, tak ada surprise lagi dalam hidupnya. Namun muncullah seorang gadis berumur 18 tahun, Kim (Rachel Bilson dalam debut filmnya dengan penampilan yang menggiurkan). Kim tertarik dengan kedewasaan Michael saat bertemu dalam sebuah acara pernikahan.

Michael yang sangat mencintai Jenna dan tak mau mengkhianatinya berusaha untuk menolak ajakan kencan dari Kim, tetapi namanya laki-laki, selalu suka dengan tantangan dan hal baru. Michael memilih jalan yang salah. Ia diam-diam menjalin hubungan dengan Kim. Tetapi sepandai-pandainya tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh juga. Begitu juga dengan Michael. Akhirnya Jenna mengetahui bahwa Michael berhubungan dengan gadis lain. Sekarang Michael harus memilih antara Jenna dan Kim.

Terkadang kebosanan memang sering melanda manusia. Saat merasa bosan itulah, biasanya muncul keinginan kita untuk mencoba hal baru. Dalam film ini, Michael merasa bosan dengan kehidupannya sekarang. Ia berada di persimpangan. Ia takut jika melanjutkan ke jenjang pernikahan, hidupnya akan terkekang dengan masalah keluarga seperti temannya Chris (Casey Affleck).

Hal baru itu tidak selalu baik. Dalam sebuah hubungan, mencoba hal baru itu tidak salah. Namun mencoba membuat sebuah hubungan baru dengan orang lain tanpa mengakhiri hubungan lama pasti akan menimbulkan permasalahan. Permasalahan yang biasanya menyangkut pilihan dan komitmen ini bisa membuat kandasnya sebuah hubungan.

Hendaknya kita dapat memilih mana yang baik untuk kita dan pasangan kita. Michael adalah sebuah contoh yang buruk. Ia bimbang. Ia tak ingin kehilangan Jenna tetapi ia leibh merasa hidup jika bersama Kim. Solusi untuk Michael sebenarnya sederhana saja. Ia hanya merasa bosan dengan rutinitasnya. Jika ia mampu mengatasi kebosanan itu dengan melakukan hal - hal baru dengan Jenna, niscaya godaan dari Kim tak akan dihiraukannya.

Hidup itu adalah pilihan. Pilihan yang kita pilih itu adalah yang akan menentukan ke mana arah hidup kita sendiri. Memang sulit untuk menentukannya tetapi saat kita mau berkomitmen untuk memilih maka pasti kita akan dapat melewati segala rintangan yang menyertai pilihan tersebut.