CONTENTS

The best team in Europe set off on a victory lap

WSC No 306, August 2012

The pundits wonder if Spain are the best ever international team and conclude that only the 1970 Brazil side match up. “Pelé and… those guys,” says Shearer with characteristic insight Euro 2012 Diary p6

OFFSIDE

5 Editorial England will only improve when it suits the interests of Premier League clubs

30 The finalists

Standards are set impossibly high in Spain; Italy benefit from an ex-player’s philosophy

6 Euro 2012 Diary Every match of the tournament reviewed,

complete with the witless musings of Bright, Lawrenson, Shearer and Keown

18 Shot! Watching Euro 2012 in English cities with

Italians, Poles, Ukrainians and Spaniards

20 The hosts Travelling through Poland and Ukraine proved that any initial fears were misplaced

22 Management styles English players are not coached properly;

Roy Hodgson remains popular in Sweden

24 Chuckle vision The pundits live up to their lowered expectations, with ITV edging it over BBC

26 The underachievers Holland lose and then lose their heads;

Russia collapse after their opening win

32 Focus on... Euro 76 and the birth of the Panenka

34 Euro 2016 Why the next ones will be even bigger

35 TV crimes

BT are the latest benefactors to throw money into players’ bank accounts

36 Harry Plotter How Redknapp’s political games earned him the sack at Spurs

37 Legal papers Ken Bates uses his programme notes to pick f ights with a former Leeds director

38 Books Albert Johanneson, FA Cup heroes,

Tommy Boyle and Simon Jordan

41 Surveying the scene We want to know what you think

28 The underdogs Greece defy their lowly status; Ireland have only a good singalong to shout about

Coaching concerns p22

COLORSPORT

COLORSPORT

44 Letters Dear WSC, has anyone else noticed...

46 Euro 2012 in graphics The 16 teams chronicled in cartoons

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