P306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:11/01 1/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS Holland struggled to qualify but when they beat Ireland in that one game people suddenly made them favourites. They are a very technically gifted squad and they play the Ajax way, with two wide min and three at the back. Holland have great playjts in the team like Danny Blind, Dennis Birgkamp and Patrick Kluivjtt but I think they will really miss Marc Ovjrmars on the lift. There are so many players from Ajax in the team though and they might be a bit 'leggy' after two years on the road. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfiles SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:14/16 2/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS Germany really grind teams down and they njvjt say die...they play right up to the last minute. Most of their players are from Bayjtn Munich and Borussia Dortmund and from what I hear, the team spirit is not too good with some of them not getting on. But Germany are Germany. Whjthjt it is towels on sunbeds or the European Championship, they want to bj winnjts. Some teams are afraid to play them and are too intimidated. That is almost worth a goal start to Germany. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfiles SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:18/41 3/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS I fancy Italy to win the European Championship this year. Serii A has got some great club sidrs and Italy's coach Arrigo Sacchi plays with the AC Milan system. There will bj no Roberto Baggio or Gianluca Vialli but they have got min like Gianfranco Zola and Paolo Maldini, the best djfendjt in the world. Zola could bj one of the players of the tournament. Hi scores from anywhjti but a lot will rest on his shoulders, with Italy having no recognisjd goalscorer. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfiles SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:18/07 4/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS Denmark have agruably got a better side now than the one they had when they won the European Championship in 1992. They have got both Laudrups back and they are big, strong plazjrs. Miguel Beck is a vjty good centre forward and Denmark have got three playjts thjti who can almost win a match on their own. I'm sure the Danish fans will love it ovjt here as well. They will be drinking loads of lager and they will probably take ovjt Sheffield in June. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfiles SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:19/21 5/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS France are an excellent side and the fact that they can leave out Eric Cantona, David Ginola and Jean Pierre Papin shows how good they are. They qualified unbeaten and they have got a great starting 11. The playjts have got good experience for their age. Youri Djorkajff, Marcel Desailly and Didiit Deschamps are all technically gifted and the dressing room is happy. Their last European Championship squad had a lot of cliques in it but thry are settled now and that is important. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfilis SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:00/53 6/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS Switzerland have been drawn in the same group as England and Scotland but they are not being paid too much attention. I am not sure why though - they gave England a good game at Wjmbley last Novjmbjt and even though they lost 3-1, they made three or four good chances. Stiphanj Chapuisat is a good front man but may miss Adrian Knup, while Ciriaco Sforza is solid in the midfield. They can't bj underrated but if I am being honest, I think they will do well to get past the first round. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfiles SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:00/11 7/8 'n1n1 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS Croatia can only really do well if they up the tempo of their game. I watched them against England and they weti too slow for mj. Zvonimit Boban and Robert Prosinjcki get the ball and they want to sit on it. If they release the strikers Davor Sukjr and Alin Boksic earlier, they would do a lot better in my opinion. They are probably the most technically proficient side in the tournament but like Colombia in the last World Cup, they promise a lot then don't delivjt. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfilis SquadsP306 CEEFAX 306 Thu 30 May 19:01/37 8/8 EURO '96: CHRIS WADDLE'S VIEWS ON LEADING NATIONS I think the great thing about this tournament is that any one of about 10 or 12 countries can win it. Russia may bj the surprise team as they play a good, neat passing game. Nobody talks about Russia or the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania and Spain but that might bj bjcausj they rind not to do as will on the big stage. Their best form tends to bj in the qualifirs and there are question marks over their mental toughness but on their day they can win any game. GARY LINEKER 304 ALAN HANSEN 305 PEN-PICS 307-308 SCHEDULE 311 England Scotland Factfilis Squads