Portugal haven't performed since the greats of Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Paulo Futre and Deco retired. Inconsistent shite comes to mind when Portugal is mentioned. They barely qualified in arguably the worst group.

The only one that should be merged is the Welsh league as the main teams are either in the Premier league or the football league Eg. Swansea and Cardiff. Just out of curiosity Clement who do you support ?

Portugal haven't performed since the greats of Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Paulo Futre and Deco retired. Inconsistent shite comes to mind when Portugal is mentioned. They barely qualified in arguably the worst group.

They got out of the group containing Germany and the Netherlands last time around and only went out on penalties to Spain in the semi-final. They capable of going far even though it's highly unlikely they'll win it.

The only one that should be merged is the Welsh league as the main teams are either in the Premier league or the football league Eg. Swansea and Cardiff.

There's no need to force Cardiff and Swansea to play in the Welsh system. They've been playing in the English system since before Wales had its own league. Football clubs playing in a different country's league to the country to the one they're based in is nothing new: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_association_football_clubs_playing_in_the_league_of_another_country

Just out of curiosity Clement who do you support ?

Bournemouth

Edited 12/8/2015 15:45:11

Portugal is a one man team? When was the last time you even saw a Portugal game? Never?

How's life under Eddie Howe ?

@ Ragnarok they was ghastly in the World Cup and the Euro qualifiers

I totally agree with Ragnarok here, Portugal has a real potential, as much or even more than teams such as England or Italy (if you just take in count their weak performances in the last world cup or during recent international games).
As for your answer Clement your answer about Chelsea or MU is totally not right, I even don't see any relationships between it and national teams, I really don't care tbh if MU or the other club you mentioned paying their expensive players with billions of dollars stolen by the Russian Mafioso Abramovich to his people back in the 90s when Russia was in a complete mess, they can be out of the Champions league I would not care that much.

Last but not least, the many states you evoked participating in the Olympiads have actually more reasons to participate in international competitions since they are closer to what we could define as an independent state (taking example of HK): A totally independent political and economical system, a different currency, customs and different visa procedures (personally experienced it while I went to China 2 years ago). So again your arguments aren't valid.

How's life under Eddie Howe ?

Better than it's ever been.

I even don't see any relationships between it and national teams

Simple, a member association of UEFA organises both the national team and the domestic league. Every member of UEFA can enter it's national team into the Euros and club teams that play in that member's domestic league can enter the Champions League or the Europa League. http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/uefarankings/country/

If a country is a sovereign state or not is irrelevant, what matters is if a country has membership of UEFA. Catalonia and Basque did not gain UEFA or FIFA membership, but Spain did. Just like the UK did not gain UEFA or FIFA membership, but England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did separately. What matters is the membership requirements at the time of joining, not the membership requirements that changed after already joining.

they can be out of the Champions league I would not care that much.

UEFA certainly would. The Champions League is UEFA's biggest source of income.

But if this is what you want, UEFA should also ban your Metropolitan France team from competing as well.

Portugal has a well-rounded squad but they seriously lack depth on the bench. Carvalho and Bernardo Silva make a good center mid pairing. But their defense is shoddy at best....the only quality players there are Soares and Pepe (and the latter is in a real decline).

Wow, Angry Koala supporting Basques? That is something new, lol

Portugal is not that bad, but they lack a real squad, because everyone plays just for Cristiano Ronaldo, there is no real team play.

I bet the winner will be Spain (obviouly clear :3). Now really, I think the other finalist will be Germany, and the semifinalists France (as they are hosts) and Italy, if they don't match theirselves before.

Pablo you are just a paranoid nationalist Spaniard this is getting boring: I just said (if you just paid attention) that I disagreed about non independent nations participating in international competitions. So this is even the contrary.

And stop dreaming, Spain is obviously out, I would bet this year on Germany or Netherlands or some random team such as Belgium or Russia, a new team that did not win yet the Euro, like Greece's victory in 2004 (against Portugal), that would be nice.

Anyway do not forget that Euro 2016 is hosted in France, so perhaps it would be cancelled (be ready for another terrorist attack soon...).

I'm not sure about Germany. Their qualifying campaign was rather disappointing.

Who will win? Here are some odds from one bookmaker:

France 4.21
Germany 4.21
Spain 6.75
Belgium 9.43
England 12.00
Italy 17.00
Portugal 26.00

Italy is heavily underrated imo. I'd put my money on them.

lol france is so overrated. Won't d0 that well. They have inconsistent strikers. Lacazette (has he even scored in ligue 1 this season) and Benzema can go cold at times.

Edited 12/8/2015 22:11:30

Benzema will never play again in the French national team (if you are aware of what happened lately). And yes Jai France is overrated

Nothing makes me happier than making Koala angry :P

If England and Scotland have their teams that way, let them be. I also think it is strange, but I just don't care.

And stop dreaming, Spain is obviously out

I don't remember how many times Frenchmen have said that, and then we win ;) If you think De Gea, Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Piqué, Jordi Alba, Busquets, Iniesta, Fàbregas, Isco, Morata, Diego Costa (just to name any random Spanish possible squad), all highest-level players, is not enough to win... You should think about it again. We have had even better squads, but when all those players are in top teams (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United and Juventus) it means something.

And to end... You made such a fail, man.

, I would bet this year on Netherlands

I am also sure Netherlands will win LOL I'm sad for them, but well, an enemy missing is not such a tragedy.

Belgium 9.43

Definitely, Belgium's current squad is one of the best throughout their history. But I'm not sure about if that will be enough to win the tourney.

France is so overrated

It is not favourite because of them being the best, it's just that hosting teams have proved many times they can do better at home.

Benzema will never play again in the French national team (if you are aware of what happened lately)

I think Benzema is just an unlucky man, I don't think he was going to do that for money if he is already rich... I think this is just a misunderstood, I hope this ends well for both Valbuena and Benzema...

I still dont get why non UK independent nations such as NI, Scotland or Wales have the right to play in international competitions whereas others got no recognition, you just dont let other independent and recognized nations to play UEFA (3 potential teams could play instead of these 3 British territories).

Not sure about those weird-sounding N. Irish guys, or those sheep-shagging Welsh, but Scotland completely deserves the right to have a team, as we are effectively independent.

Valbuena was wonderfully talented. One of the most gifted passers in Ligue 1 while at Marseilles. Was sad to see him leave France for Russian money.

Benzema wont ever play, because I know the current French Basque coach Didier Deschamps is a man of values (as most of the Basques are) and wont let it without being punished. We have the chance to have Didier who is among the best worldwide managers, as good as Aime Jacquet (the former manager during the 98 world cup) or Hidalgo, and he knows best what to do, people in France are bored of drama and childish players doing sutpid things, the less they play the ebst the French team will be. Benzema can stay in Real Madrid (he scored yesterday 3 times with Real 8-0) and stop playing with France I think this would not affect that much our team, we have plenty of young players waiting and certainly way more motivated than Benzema.

Valbuena is not that bad, but the thing is in France for years (after the golden generation under Zidane) we priviledgied players having great physical abilities (tall, fast, endurance and stamina) instead of players such as Zidane or Platini who were real Maestros not that good physically but incredibly talented (same thing applies for Maradona or Messi, most of them are rather small and not the best physically but they compensate with their talent).
I think the current recruiting staff did a great mistake, now things are changing since they recruit differently. Valbuena is among those talented players incredibly skilled but not a reference in physical standard, so is Ribery.

I hate Benzema and some of these players (Nasri also), totally arrogant and ruining our team because of their ego and stupid childish behavior, this must end... We miss you Master Zidane, you were so wise... oh well excepted when you insult his mother, then you get this:




Also Pablo about Spain, their golden generation is also completely gone, Iniesta is getting old, many retired, I would not be that confident if I was you, and yes sorry for the Netherlands I did not realized they werent participating this is crazy ahah. How can the Netherlands be out whereas Northern Ireland is qualified?? Anyway some things like the qulifying process need to be reformed for sure.

And Ox you got your own chance to have an independent Scotland last year, unfortunately the Scottish refused this chance, so no Scotland isnt "effectively independent", but it could have been though. Nevertheless the Scottish historically had good football teams, and legendary football clubs, they have a great potential, that's just sad Scotland is not an independent nation.