Managers review - 2012/13 - Becoming Champions

Last year’s review was tinged with a feeling of what could have been, after a great start to the season that petered by the end. No need for that this year... there is only one word that can summarise the season – CHAMPIONS! 

From the first game of the season right through till May, performances by the team have been of a very high standard. Everyone has stepped up a level this year; both in consistency of availability & performance, we’ve coped with injuries even before the start of the season & all our new players have had a big impact to the quality & depth of the team.

Thanks – I have to start by paying a big thanks to both Ali & Jamie for all their help again this year in running the club. In their roles as secretary & treasurer they do a lot of the work that goes unseen in running the club & filling out lots of forms, looking after equipment that is easy to forget but nonetheless vital. With both of them starting to step down from their roles it will not quite be the same without their help, so I along with the club owe them a great deal of thanks. It will be good to have them still involved in some capacity, although I’m sure they will appreciate me not clogging up their email inbox quite so much.

New players—The players that have joined this year have all made a positive & significant impact on the club. Since his first game in December Gareth has been solid & consistent, & saved me from a major headache with Steve missing a number of games due to work & also being needed to play outfield. At the back Ant had a brilliant start to his time for the club, making left back his own in the first half the season. Before he disappeared off to Australia, he was on a great run of goals & motm awards. Rob B has continued to improve as the season has progressed & provided much needed competition to the back four. In the centre of the midfield both Ivan & Laurence have been exceptional. Ivan has been a standout performer in every game, brining a steely determination to go with his quality on the ball. Laurence has been a calming influence in the centre of the park with his composure & canny knack of being in the right place at the right time. Despite only playing 4 games, Matt added a great quality to the midfield & scored what turned out be a crucial goal against Unity in Mission. Upfront Nick has come in & scored an important number of goals throughout the season. As well, his performance has had an ever increasing influence on the team’s overall success.

League—YCFL Division 2 Champions. We finished the season as clear winners, with a record of 12 wins, 3 draws & a single defeat, scoring 76 goals & conceding only 16 in 16 games.

Throughout the team there have been standout performances from the seasoned players as well as our new guns. Dave G has been a rock at the heart of the defence & stepped up to the role of captain in Jamie’s absence, leading by example. The Donkin brothers have both, time & again put in match winning performances with their goals & tireless work out wide. Rob Y has been a creative force in the middle of the park & again chipped in some vital goals. Alex has yet again led the line with distinction & walks away with the golden boot for the first time.

Looking back over the season there are a number of games & moments that stand out. The win away to Sowerby Bridge in February was a huge win & would perhaps be noted down as the performance of the season if it wasn’t for the fact that I managed to miss the game. The two games for me that really demonstrate the quality of the team, both in the performance & character, was our win against UiM in March & draw away to Huddersfield in April. Both games saw us having to pick ourselves up from some debateable referring decisions, strong comebacks from the opposition & score two late goals of exceptional quality that in the end earned us the points that clinched the title. Youngy’s cool finish from Yates’ through ball was admired by both teams (& even had its own illustration), but for me Scott’s quality 30 yard volley to get the draw against Huddersfield goes down as my goal of the season.

Cup—In the cup there were some exciting games, especially in the early group stage, most notably the 11-4 win at home to UiM; a game that saw Nick, Jonny & Ali all grab hattricks— the most goals we saw in one game during the season. We made progression again into the knockout stages of the cup proper, & went one round further than last season, making it the quarter-finals. Despite getting knocked out to FC Gateway, we managed to outplay one of the top Premiership teams for large parts of the game.

It’s been a real pleasure managing the team again this year. I’ve continued to learn in my role & look forward to next season & seeing us make our mark on Division 1.

The gaffer.

AGFC AGM & Awards Evening

The AGFC AGM for 2012 took place on Saturday, 11th May at the Gateway Centre.

Players present: Laurence Bradley, Rob Brooke, Scott Donkin, Nick Eastburn, Steve Harbertson, Josh Heffernan, Alistair Hogben, Jamie Holliday, Peter Sloan, Ivan Straw, Ben Telfor, Rob Yates, and Alex Young

Along with the Manager's address, Secretary’s report and the Treasurer’s financial statement, as well as a powerfully delivered message sent in by Captain Dave due to his untimely absence, and there were also some good discussions about the season and plans for next season. It was agreed at the meeting at a slight change to costs for next year, as well as changes to the club committee:

Manager: Peter Sloan

Assistant Manager: Scott Donkin

Captain: Dave Guilliatt

Treasurer: tbc

The night ended with the awards presentation for 2012/13 Season for the following winners:

Golden boot: Alex Young (18 goals)

New Player of the Year: Ivan Straw

Managers Player of Year: Laurence Bradley

Players Player of the Year: Jonny Donkin

Clubman of the Year: Dave Guilliatt

Not only Alex’s goals, but his overall workrate and contribution to the team this season have been fantastic. In every game he runs his socks off and has caused every defence we have faced this season a torrid time. As well he has filled in, in midfield and defence when needed this year which demonstrates his commitment to the team. He was run extremely close this year with Jonny coming 2^nd only one goal behind on 17, and Nick, in his first season scoring 16 himself. Hopefully next season the golden boot will be as competitive.

Ivan claimed the New Player of the Year award in what has seen by many as an obvious choice. His consistent performances throughout the year have excellent and he has certainly added extra qualify and steel to the middle of the park. Nick and Ant shared second place in the votes for both of their great contributions to the team, and Gareth claimed 3^rd place thanks to his continual solid displays between the posts, an impressive feat considering he made his debut in the our last game before the winter break.

For Manager’s Player of the Year I do not just consider playing ability. I consider someone’s commitment to the team, the effort made on the pitch and their attitude both on and off the pitch. This was not an easy decision, with a number of players that I considered, with Ali Hogben and Ben Telfor high in my considerations. However, I chose Laurence due to his continually impressive performances throughout the year unnoticed by position teams, and exemplary attitude throughout the year, a true team player.

Jonny clinched the Players Player of the Year award for the first time after an impressive season. This award was by far the most closely fought contest in the votes with Ivan in 2^nd and Scott in 3^rd place one vote adrift from each other. All 3 had excellent season, and Jonny won the award on the back of crucial goals throughout the season, recognised as a team player that doesn’t look for personal glory and often seen as the unsung hero of the team.

Newly installed fulltime captain Dave Guilliatt walked away with the Clubman of the Year award for the second time after a fantastic season. Stepping up to the role of captain after Jamie’s injury he has led the team from the front with his exemplary attitude and encouragement to the team. One of the highlights of the season was seeing Dave grab his first goal for the club, and he still holds the envious record and still being unbeaten as captain in the league.

Champions…

April: With 3 games left in our season, we knew that taking maximum points would all but clinch us the title with our superior goal difference. With big games between St. Pauls and Huddersfield, and Sowerby Bridge against Unity in Mission also taking place on the 20^th April, our game against Mowbray Community Church was played more with the result in mind than the performance. It was not a classic, but we nonetheless grabbed a deserving 3 points. Goals from Jonny, Nick & Alex secured the 3 points, and there was a late goal for last year’s returning top goal scorer Joe Hall. The early kick-off meant that news of a Unity win against Sowerby slowly filtered through, and with only 2 games to go, we now had a clear gap at the top of the table.

A week later we travelled to Huddersfield to face New North Road. They had put on a very strong defence in York earlier in the season and we only narrowly won the game 1-0. We knew however, that with only 2 games to go that 3 points would confirm promotion for the first time and put us in touching distance of the title. A game played changeable weather throughout, the team put in one of the most assured performances of the season. The team grabbed 9 goals in total, including hattricks for man of the match Nick and Jonny, as well as goals from Scott, Rob and Ali. With promotion confirmed in emphatic style, all attention then turned to our final game of the season 4 days later…

May: The team were in celebratory mood knowing that even a point would confirm the clubs first piece of silverware. The occasion slightly overshadowed the game somewhat, but nonetheless a composed performance from the team saw first half goals from Alex to clinch to the golden boot with 18 goals in total for the season and also one from Scott. The highlight of the game undoubtedly was a late penalty won by Jonny, with Laurence stepping to score his first goal for the club, our last goal of the season. As soon as the final whistle went the champagne was sprayed and the victory celebrations began.  

Look out later in the week for the manager’s season review and AGM & Awards evening report.

The final run in…

The Easter schedule was a mixed affair for the club, with a win, a draw and only a 3^rd loss of the season.

March: Our final game in March saw the first in our double header against Huddersfield, the league leaders for a long time this season. We had replaced them at the top only a couple weeks previous so this was an extremely important game for both clubs eyeing promotion and possible the YCFL Division 2 title. We got off to the perfect start with 2 very early goals from Nick and then Jonny. Another goal in the first half from Alex gave has a commanding 3 goal advantage at the break. A forced substitution at half-time with our captain Dave having to come off injured meant Stuart Scougall came off the bench to play at the back. A dominant display from him saw he score to great headed goals from corners and be awarded man of the match from the opposition. A late goal from Ali rounded off a resounding win, finishing 6-0.

April: The following Saturday we were up against Huddersfield again, this time at their ground. With a few forced changes to the side it was a much less characteristic performance from the team, but nonetheless we found ourselves 2-0 up mid way through the first half, thanks to great goal from Scott, volleying in a superb cross from Ivan, and another well taken goal from Alex. The first half was marred however from a poor refereeing decision that allowed Huddersfield back into the match through a penalty that both teams were shocked at the decision. A second goal for home team game through an excellent corner that was impossible to defend and found its way into the back of our net. After the break it was a fiercely contested game, and Huddersfield then took the lead, again from a dubious decision by the ref, awarding a goal that appeared offside. Despite this the team rallied together, and even despite the manager being forced into a 20 appearance at the end due to an injury, the team found a late equaliser through an exceptional goal from Scott, and the game finishing 3-3.

The following week it was the YCFL Cup quarter-final in the much heralded clash of the Gateways. This was the first encounter for us against one of the top teams in the YCFL, current second in the Premier Division – FC Gateway. With the support of a good home crowd behind us the team put in a very good performance, but we undone by a couple of decisive breaks by the opposition. In a game where we completely dominated for the first 20 minutes, by the end of the first half we found ourselves 2 goals down, and despite the teams best efforts in the 2^nd half, we were prevented from scoring for the first time this season. In only our 3^rd loss of the season, and 2 of those in the cup to the current top 2 in the Premier Division, the players can hold their heads high knowing that we gave the cup our best efforts this year, and did extremely well to progress to the quarter-finals, and give such a good account of ourselves.

Now all our attention turns to the final 3 games of the season. We currently sit top of Division 2 on 30 points, with a very healthy +46 goal difference, 19 goals better off than Sowerby Bridge, who are 3 points behind us in the table, with a game in hand. What that means is, if we win all 3 games we are near enough guaranteed the title, unless Sowerby win all their games remaining, scoring far beyond what would seem likely or possible. More immediate in our thinking is that a win this Saturday against Mowbray Community Church will go a long way to securing the club promotion. If we win and the results go our way in the games between Sowerby Bridge v Unity in Mission and St. Pauls v Huddersfield then promotion is near enough guaranteed due to superior goal difference. If we however do not pick up a win this weekend, then Huddersfield, Unity in Mission and St. Pauls all could potentially catch us, as well as Sowerby Bridge. So with 3 games left to play, we have a lot left to play for, with promotion and the title within our grasp.

Our final 3 games:

Saturday 20^thApril – Mowbray Community Church (Home)

Saturday 27^thApril – New North Road (away)

Wednesday 1^st May –Mowbray Community Church (away)

Spring approaching...

With games being called off for us in January due to the continual bad weather, the club had to wait until February to return to action on the field.

February: Our first game of 2013 saw us compete ‘away’ at local rivals St. Paul's Pilgrims. With a lack of match practise a couple of uncharacteristic errors  crept into our game, and despite being 1-0 up at half-time we found ourselves on the losing side for the first time in the league this season. It was a humbling result where we were ultimately undone by a team who showed greater commitment and drive.

A week later the team had the opportunity to start clawing back the ground we had lost the previous week, and we did it in some style, winning 11-1 away to Opportunity Soccer. Another 4 goals for Alex Young went a long way to not only securing the 3 points; it also pushed him well up the table in his aim to get top goal scorer for the league. The match also saw a brace from Nick, Scott & Jonny, as well as another goal and man of the match performance from Ant.

A draw that day as well between Sowerby Bridge & Huddersfield Elim also meant that the gap to the top was closed.

The following week we embarked on a tough trip away to Sowerby Bridge, looking to get the 3 points that we deserved from the first match against them earlier in the season that finished in a 1 all draw. Despite an early goal from Rob Yates, we were outplayed for the majority of the first half. In the second half another early goal set us on our way, and we came away with a much deserved, if slightly flattering, 5-1 victory. Notable highlights from the match were a great goal from captain Jamie and another excellent performance in the midfield from Ivan.

The last Saturday in February saw us host New North Road, in the first meeting between the two teams. This was by no means a classic, but nonetheless we came away from a nervy game with a 1-0 victory, thanks to another Rob Yates goal early in the second half.

March: The month started with YCFL Cup action, competing in the round of 16, the stage we got knocked out of last season. The draw was slightly kinder to us this year, playing away to LRBC FC. It was a tight contest, but an early goal from Nick separated the teams and saw us advance to the quarter-final stages of the cup for the first time.

The following week we were again away, this time to Four FC. In a match that was made very difficult with the condition of the pitch, we went down early on, but came away with a 3-1 victory thanks to 2 first half goals from Nick, and a goal in the second half from Scott. Along with a victory by Unity in Mission against Huddersfield Elim, the victory saw us move top of Division 2 on goal difference and with a game in hand over Huddersfield.

With the top of YCFL Division 2 tightening up, our game a week later against Unity in Mission in Leeds became all the more important. Going into the game 3 points separated the top 4 teams. UiM went into the game 3 points behind us but with a game in hand so it was very clear this match could have a huge bearing on the title. We got off to a brilliant start with a goal from Jonny. 5 minutes later we were undone by the worst referring decision this season, when a ball that hit the crossbar and then bounced near the line was awarded as a goal for UiM despite the ref simply guessing. Despite the injustice we claimed 2 more goals in the first half, thanks to Rob and a sublime finish from Jonny to have a 2 goal advantage at the break. UiM battled exceptionally well in the 2nd half to bring the game back to 3-3, only for Alex Young to claim a very well taken goal from an exceptional pass from Rob to give us all 3 points.

As we look ahead to the coming of spring, we'll hopefully have good enough weather to actually finish the season. The next few weeks have been made difficult with loss of our captain to injury (although there is hope he will make a return before the season finishes), and one of our star performers of the season so far, Ant Glass, disappearing to Australia. We currently sit 3 points clear as things stand in Division 2 and with a great chance of not only promotion but the Division 2 title as well. With 5 league games left we are in a great position, but there is still all to play for, especially with the home and away double header against Huddersfield to come over the Easter holidays. 

New Years expectancy…

The run-in to Christmas lost some of its shine with poor weather and not enabling us to get all our matches played.

November: Our scoring spree continued at home against Four FC with a 9-0 victory. Alex Young, restored to lead the line bagged four goals, with Nick, Jonny and Dan Chapman also getting their names on the scoresheet. Rob Yates came off the bench to score, but then undoubted highlight of the match was Dave Guilliat finally getting his first goal for the club after two and a half seasons. Scott again walked away with man of the match.

A week later, a second encounter with Unity in Mission in the month was not so fruitful. A good headed goal from Matt Bowyer half way through the second half looked to have given us all 3 points, but a late goal from UiM meant the game finished all square. It was a much improved line-up and performance from UiM compared to the cup game only a couple of weeks previous, but a frustrating result which prevented us from going top of YCFL Div 2. The highlight of the match was Laurence Bradely getting man of the match for his commanding performance in the middle of the park on his first start for the club.

December: With only one fixture able to be played in the month, it was back to the cup for AGFC and up against Div 1 team Normanton. In one of our best performances of the season, Nick grabbed another 2 goals and a first goal and man of the match performance from Ant Glass, saw us win the game 4-0 to place AGFC second in Group D of the YCFL Cup and qualify us for the knock-out stages of the cup for the second year in a row. All eyes are now on the draw for the cup at the mangers meeting on January 31^st.

2013: As a club we have not hid from the fact that the aim this season is first and foremost to gain promotion from YCFL Div 2. We came agonisingly close last season and know that we must go one step further this year.

We have heavy fixture list from the beginning of February all the way through to the end of April. With our rescheduled game away to Huddersfield unable to played at the weekend, we currently sit one point behind Huddersfield with a game in hand. Whether we can get to the top of the table and stay there will all depend on the consistency and quality of the continued availability of players and performances from here on, and hopefully come May, promotion and quite possibly a trophy will be ours. 

The season so far...

With 5 games gone, a quarter of the season completed and a free weekend approaching, it’s time for a look back on how our season has gone so far, and as a club what he can look forward to for the rest of the year.

September: The season got off to a great start with a 6-1 win against local rivals St. Pauls Pilgrims. Although the game lack fluency, it was good see 5 different players chip in goals, and more impressive were debuts from Ant Glass, Nick Eastburn and man of the match Ivan Straw. Our second game was a highly impressive 9-0 rout of new team Opportunity Soccer. Scott Donkin continued his impressive start to the season with 4 goals in his man of the match performance.

October: The start of the YCFL Cup for us this year was a trip to Morley BSC FC, the team that knocked us out at the first elimination round last season, and this again was a challenge just too far far the team. A few defensive mistakes are what cost the team in the end of what was an excellent football match, that demonstrated all the positives of the YCFL on both the quality of football and excellent fair play by both teams. A 5-3 loss in the end was nothing to be ashamed of, and the high standard of football on show that day in fact demonstrates the level of improvement the team has made over the past couple of years.

Our third league of the season saw us host another new team, Sowerby Bridge United. In the end we came away rather disappointed in the 1-1 final result where we enjoyed far more of the possession and chances in the game, but were just unable to find the winning goal. With Division 2 only a few weeks in, this game showed that the title could well be decided in the reverse fixture in February.

November: Goals were definitely not in short supply in our second cup game of the season, this time home to Unity in Mission. Despite going a goal down in the first minute, we quickly bounced back to win the game an astonishing 11-4. There were goals for full-backs on the day Dan Chapman and Ben Telfor, but it was the 3 hattricks by Ali Hogben, Jonny Donkin and first goals for the club Nick Eastburn which did the damage. Hopefully this goalfest will continue throughout the season.

Looking forward, we now have 3 crucial league games at home, a cup game against Division 1 team Normanton, and a tricky away tie against Huddersfield Elim before Christmas. With our fate in both the YCFL Cup and 12 points up for grabs in the league before the winter break, this is a crucial period for the club. If we can carry on the consistency in team and performance over the games, and if we can get to the mid season interval leading YCFL Division 2, then we will be well on our way to gaining the promotion that we are aiming for this year.

Season Expectations...

It's been a long summer but the new season finally kicks off for AGFC on Saturday, with a home tie against local rivals St. Paul’s Pilgrims.

With the end of season AGM a distant memory back in May, all thoughts are firmly set on Saturday’s opening fixture for the club. Despite the Yorkshire Christian Football League officially kicking off at the beginning of the month, the club has had to sit back and wait while others get some competitive game time under their belts. Nonetheless we have tried to get as prepared as possible, and with an unbeaten pre-season, we go into Saturday with much confidence.

There has been quite a transformation in the team over the summer with a number of players moving on; either to other clubs or away from York, but we have also had a number of new faces join the team. Both our pre-season friendlies have seen us record convincing wins against local York teams St. Pauls and St. Mikes, with some impressive performances, not least from our newest players. Scoring 5 goals in total, and keeping a clean sheet in both games is a great platform to build on as the games come thick and fast from this point onwards.

In the build up to this weekend, it is hard for me not to reflect on the 1-1 draw we had at the Knavesmire earlier in the year against St. Pauls. A disappointing result for us, against our closest rivals, considering before the game we had yet to concede a goal to them. It was a disjointed performance from us, and one we look to rectify this coming weekend. On a personal level, getting injured moments after coming off the bench wasn’t a pleasant experience; however the assist for Ben’s equaliser is still a personal highlight of the season. All that being said, St. Paul’s are an honest, hard-working team that will not give in easily, and it must be remembered that they did beat us in a friendly back in April.

Looking further ahead to the season as a whole our aim this year has to be promotion. After last years slight disappointment of not translating our early season form into a sustained push for the title, we have got to back ourselves to do better this year. We are the highest place team from last year left in Division 2; however, with New North Road dropping down from Division 1, and three new teams  in Opportunity Soccer, Mowbray Community Church and Sowerby Bridge United all joining the league, it is not going to be straightforward. We cannot become complacent in any game this season and the message is clear: start well and finish well.

Rising expectations… dampened

Predictions clearly are not my thing. It’s looking like half of the teams that I thought would make the quarter-finals will be heading home early. Moving past this, in the lead up to England’s last group game against Ukraine on Tuesday I thought I would offer some of my thoughts on Roy Hodgson’s team so far, and a suggestion or two for the rest of the tournament.

The France game was to be fair an unspectacular game that came and went without dramatic incident. Hodgson had set the team up to defend and nick a goal, and the 1-1 result is definitely one most who have taken at the beginning of the game. They looked solid, everyone seemed to be clear on what their role was and comfortable with what everyone else was expected to do. England looked like a team that was happy to accept that they could not expect to win and happy to play to their strengths and necessities, rather than simply try to play the nice passing possession game that seems to be mandatory these days. This was impressive.

After the surprising ease and comfort of watching England last Monday, the Friday evening viewing against Sweden game felt like torture (and that is not including my ability to call both Sweden goals seconds earlier, and then screaming and Walcott not to shoot just before the ball hit the back of the Swedish net). Both Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson were pushed too far forward leaving huge spaces for the Swedes to exploit. Ashley Young was exceptional poor, moving out to the left, a position he plays for his club. Milner started the game brightly, but quickly faded, but was in fair left with too much work to do in covering for Johnson, most notably in the free-kick he was forced to concede which led to Sweden’s second goal. The spirit to fight-back and grab the winner, the latest goal England have ever scored at the European Champions, was commendable, but it should not be allowed to paper over the cracks. 

What was more encouraging to see was Walcott, finally been given the chance to prove his worth in international tournament, 6 years after being prematurely taken to the 2006 World Cup, duly demonstrate that he has a great to deal to offer this England side. Despite the doubters he is an intelligent player, can score goals, make insightful runs, and provide balls from wide areas that create goals. Van Persie has commented time and again over the past 12 months how much Walcott aids his play, and Welbeck will be as grateful for the service, although he himself should take great credit for a exceptional well taken (and intentional) winning goal.

Taking the bigger picture of the past 2 months, Hodgson has made some bold calls leading up the tournament in his squad selection, and his game plans, starting XI and subs and have all worked well so far. Thankfully we have a manager with the intelligence and willingness to adapt the game plan and personal. The players fault for dropping deeper and deeper once going ahead is something he still needs to work on, but he is starting to mould them into a team, rather than a collection of over-hyped individuals.

Tonight’s games could have a bigger say in how far England progress, than the expected win against the joint hosts. England’s potential semi-final opponents would be easier if they finish as runners up in group, which is likely unless France fail to beat Sweden. However, that means playing the winner of Croup C – most likely the Spanish. A Croatian and Italian win would be ideal, sending the Spanish home, however unlikely that would be. A quarter-final exit against the Spanish is by far the most likely outcome, as predicted, by as everyone keeps repeating: if Chelsea can beat Barcelona…

England also have hope with the returning Wayne Rooney. Despite Roberto Martinez arguing yesterday that he should remain on the bench with both Carroll and Welbeck scoring against the Swedes, I, like I expect Hodgson to do, will start with the Liverpudlian on Tuesday. Although there is the temptation to start the two forwards who both grabbed goals on Friday evening, and started to look a like a decent partnership upfront, Rooney must play, as he has not played hardly anyone football for 5 weeks, and needs to gain some match fitness and sharpness ready for the expected quarter-final game at the weekend. Against the Ukraine do not be surprised if both Carroll and Downing start. Despite the expectation and (limited) experience of Rooney supporting Welbeck, Hodgson may be tempted to use Carroll to hopefully give Rooney more space in between the Ukrainian midfield and defence, and have two-pronged attack against a weak Ukrainian defencive, rather the two Manchester forwards who nonetheless probably complement each other more. Downing could well come in to add a bit more defencive cover on the left, and attempt to supply crosses into the box, a tactic that hasn’t worked well for Liverpool, yet.

There is much to be positive about with England under Hodgson. However, I was left convinced after the Sweden game that we have less of a chance of lifting the trophy than before the game. The France game had given me hope; the Sweden game reminded me that we simply are not yet good enough to win an international tournament. The Spanish must be licking their lips and sharpening their swords already. Here’s to being proven wrong…

Euro 2012 Preview and Predictions

Liverpool won the Carling Cup. Manchester City won the Premier League. Chelsea won the FA Cup and Champions League. The only thing left to determine, who will win Euro 2012? With the European Championships just around the corner I thought I would offer my thoughts on each team, and my predictions for the tournament (those of a betting nature would be wise to put all your money on the exact opposite of what is written here!)

Group A

Czech Republic

A hardworking team that will try and catch teams on the break, much of their attacking force will be determined by Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky. It was their captain Petr Cech that cost them further progress 4 years ago, but he has picked up form more recently, and with a Champions League winners’ medal will look to inspire his country from the back. Despite not having as an exciting team that previous Czech teams have, they have a good chance to make it out of what is the weakest group in the tournament.

Prediction: Will fall slightly short at the first hurdle.

Greece

Surprised everyone 8 years ago to win Euro 2004; they demonstrated that football is a team game, and not simply won by star individuals. That principle is still held onto in this Greek team, and this time they potentially offer slightly more going forward. They won their group convincingly, only conceding 5 times and not losing a game. They are not the most pleasant on the eye but will not be pushovers; however I do not think they will come anyway near matching the feat of their heroics in Portugal.

Prediction: Early exit at the group stage

Poland

Qualified as hosts and so have lacked any competitive matches, but nonetheless put in one or two impressive results in friendlies in their build up.  The beat a young Argentina side and were unlucky not to beat a strong German team last year, denied by a last minute goal. Whether playing at home helps them to raise their game or put them further under pressure is yet to be seen, but their progress could be largely down to one of Europe’s hottest properties at the moment, Robert Lewandowski. He was player of the year in Germany, and the Borussia Dortmund striker could use the tournament as a spring board to convince a team like Manchester United that he is worth the hype.

Prediction: Will surprise a few and please the home crowd by making it out of the group into the quarter finals.

Russia

Although it was Spain that won 4 years ago, much of Euro 2008 will be remembered for Russia lighting up the tournament and Andrey Arshavin in particular exploding onto the European scene, even if everyone was already waiting for it to happen. He and rest of the team are 4 years older, and do not look quite as dynamic this time round, however Alan Dzagoev could be one of the young stars of the tournament playing behind the striker(s). Much will depend on their opening game against the Czech Republic, but Russia should be favourites to qualify from this group.

Prediction: Quarter-finalists.

Group B

Denmark

Everyone’s favourites to finish bottom of group B, Denmark should not be underestimated. They qualified as group winners, forcing group opponents Portugal into the playoffs to even make the tournament. They have a solid defensive unit, and Christian Eriksen could well be one of the stars of the tournament. I think they will struggle to get into the knockout stages, but could upset the bookmakers and may very well decide who does progress with their results.

Prediction: Just fail to get out of the group, but will surprise a few.

Germany

An exciting mix of exceptional young players and experienced players that have performed well in tournament football before, the Germans could be the team to beat. Perhaps slightly more vulnerable on penalties than they were a couple of weeks ago, it may be a cliché, but the Germans more often than not seem to be able to perform well under pressure on the biggest stage. Think they are the most likely team to get out of what has been labelled the ‘group of death’ and they will be a formidable match for anyone.

Prediction: Will make the final but will go the way of the Bayern Munich and fall at the final hurdle. Runners-up.

Netherlands

Often play some of the best football at tournaments and then fail to deliver when it really matters. Matched Spain right until the end in the World Cup final 2 years ago, and I have a feeling they may go one better this time round. The biggest concern is that Van Persie has carried Arsenal for so long this season that he may not have enough left in the tank to fire them to glory, however they have many match winners in their team; they have a real chance of glory.

Prediction: Will head back home with the trophy.

Portugal

Had to qualify through the play-offs after only coming second to group winners Denmark. Were impressive against Bosnia and can boast the best player from Europe in their ranks. The rest of the Portugal team do not quite rank alongside Ronaldo’s class and I think they may struggle to get out of the group. Can upset any team on their day, however, I think they may come unstuck before they have a chance to fully demonstrate that.

Prediction: Early exit from the competition.

Group C

Croatia

It was not long ago that Croatia were made to look like world beaters by England, playing attractive attacking football. Since they denied England a place at Euro 2008, they haven’t quite been at their best. Modric is the heart of their team, but despite his great creative talent, they haven’t got the players to punish teams and I think they may struggle to pick up many points this time round.

Prediction: A disappointing tournament, that is over before it really begins.

Italy

Trying to move away from what is seen as typical defensive play; Italy nonetheless had the best defensive record in qualifying. Difficult to score against, and they have the joker in the pact in Mario Balotelli; their campaign could come down to what mood he is in. With Rossi injured, ‘Super Mario’ is going to be called on more than most expected, and he has the potential to truly demonstrate the talent that he promises. They have a very difficult first game against the holders, and their final group game against the Irish could well be a knock-out game to see who makes the quarter finals.

Prediction: An Irish upset will send the Azzurri home earlier than expected.

Republic of Ireland

Under their Italian manager the Republic have become extremely difficult to beat and picked up some impressive results. Although, much will be made of their fans bringing colour and vibrancy to the tournament, their passion and commitment on the pitch will be just as impressive. They play a system that works for them and they play as a team. If they can get a win against Croatia it will give them confidence against the two favourites in the group and they could well cause an upset.

Prediction: Will make it past the group stages.

Spain

Only a few weeks ago it was all set for Barcelona and Real Madrid to fight it out it between them to determine who would be crowned the best team in Europe. Chelsea and Bayern Munich demonstrated that there is more than one way to play football, and the disappointment by the players from these two clubs could have an effect on morale and belief in the team. Not quite as good as their teams that won the previous European Championship or World Cup, Spain should nonetheless still put up a good challenge in defending their title, and play in style that will please the neutral fans. They still boast a wealth of talent and getting the right balance could be difficult.

Prediction: Unlucky losers might not even make the final.

Group D

England

New manager, new captain (kind of) and fresh faces. That is how it has been played out by some. The inclusion of Oxlade-Chamberlain is exciting, and the team has a good balance overall. Many of the squad have won trophies this year, with Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea, and an English team has even beaten most of the German team on penalties. Despite a late surge of optimism, I feel England will have to perform well to get out of the group stages. All 3 group games are going to be tough matches, and the first game against a good and underestimated France team could well set the tone for England in the tournament, much like the disappointing draw against the US did two years ago in the World Cup. The friendly against Norway, although including lots of players that may not feature heavily in the tournament, does demonstrate that Hodgson will make the team hard to beat, but scoring goals could be an issue. Injuries have not helped the new manger, with both Barry and Lampard being big loses, but perhaps a couple of unpopular picks could surprise and impressive during the tournament.

Prediction: I can’t wait to be proven wrong, but I can’t see more than what England do best – a heroic quarter-final exit

France

Stuttered slightly in qualifying, but did top their group and are unbeaten in 18 games going into final preparations for the tournament. Of all the realistic contenders to win Euro 2012, France appear to the dark horses, un-fancied by many that tarnish them with inward fighting that destroyed their World Cup two years ago. This is a younger, more skillful side that are well organised by Blanc and offer considerable threat going forward. If I was looking for a good bet to win, this is where my money would be; good odds and will be underestimated by many. Players like Cabaye and Hatem Ben Arfa could prove on the international stage just how good they are.

Prediction: Will make the semis.

Sweden

The team that has never been beaten by England in a competitive match. They also seem to perform well if slightly under the radar in major competitions and I think it will be similar again this time round. Much of their progress will most likely be determined by the form of Ibrahimovic, coming off a season where he has failed to win a league title for the first time since 2003. Roy Hodgson must not take them lightly, and he knows this, his experience of Scandinavia is something at least the Swedes are wary of.

Prediction: Will beat Ukraine and to upset the hosts, but think England will finally find a way to get a win against their bogey team - early exit at group stage.

Ukraine

All the talk before the tournament on Ukraine has been on the bad infrastructure and the worry and potential racial problems that nearly no time has been given to their team. Shevchenko will still spearhead their attack, a few years after he proved at Chelsea that he is way past his best. They will not be beaten easily, but without any competitive football over the past couple of years, I struggle to see the hosts win a match, let alone make it past the group stages in their own backyard.

Prediction: Will be left to watch the business end of the tournament from the sidelines.