Euro 2008 Hosts Expecting Tournament to be a Success
Despite the possibility of co hosts Austria and Switzerland going out in the early stages of this summer’s Euro 2008 championships, organisers are still confident that the tournament will be a success. With every ticked sold and 5 million visitors expected, there is sufficient evidence to back up this claim.
This seasons European championships is promising to be one of the best yet. Many of the big football nations such as France, Netherlands, Holland and Spain will be taking part. Although there will be no England side at this years tournament, it is still expected to produce some moments of world class football. Many in the football world are tipping Spain to be triumphant in this years competition, because of the quality players they possess throughout the side, however like England, Spain usually struggle to live up to expectations at major tournaments. There is also a group of death whereby France, Italy and Holland have been placed in the same group. Major tournaments usually bring up at least one group of death, and this one is likely to be as thrilling as any previous tournaments.
One reason that Euro 2008 might be a success even if the hosts get eliminated is that both countries have a large population from overseas. There are plans for 450 staff and 5000 volunteers to help the tournament run smoothly. With such a vast population from abroad, there is likely to be support for a wide range of teams.
What long term impact can Euro 2008 have for the individual countries? One thing these major tournaments is known for is a scouting ground for up and coming players. Players usually hold off a big money move to a top destination until after a tournament like this, due to their market value rising if they perform well.
Euro 2008 is also a chance for Europe to showcase their talents around the world, not only to show the quality of football but to show it can host a major event like this successfully. The tournament itself if also seen to be more challenging for the teams than the world cup. The football is a quicker pace and more tactical knowledge is used. It is also important for the hosts to ensure there is not any violence and hooliganism that will overshadow this year’s event. As the past has shown, violence can have a profound negative image on the game. The majority of supporters are well behaved, but a small section of fans can spoil it for everyone else. With coverage shown around the world for three weeks, all eyes will be on Austria and Switzerland this summer. For England fans all that is left is to watch and hope England can qualify for the next world cup in 2010, to be staged in South Africa.