After seeing English player Wayne Rooney score his 3rd and 4th I think he is fast becoming the "Man of the tournament"

Of course other players have played outstandingly as well; Zidane - Nedved - Robben - Olic - Larsson - Ibrahimovic - Gravesen - Nuno Gomez - and many many more.

Who do you think deserves the title "Man of the tournament" ?

Too early to tell, obviously. So far I'd say Ibrahimovic. Or Nedved. Or Rooney. Or...

Wait a moment...
Olic
:eek:

What the?

So far...Zidane.

Nedved, Rooney, Robben, and Rosicky

Zidane, Nedved, Ricardo Carvalho, Rooney, Ibrahimovic...

It's too easy to credit the strikers. I think Cole has been awsome for England, in defense and attack.

Can't believe I forgot Zidane. My bad.

Too early to tell, obviously. So far I'd say Ibrahimovic. Or Nedved. Or Rooney. Or...

Yep, it's too early to tell.
However I could give you the answer on the question who is the worst coach of this tournament. That question is easy to answer....

Yet Nedved has only scored one point in the dreamteam competition... :mischief:

:bitteraboutnotscoringenoughpoints

Nedved, Rooney.

Biggest surprise: Bouma scoring a goal :lol:

Rooney has been the best player (no surprise at all for us Everton fans). In a few years, provided he avoids a very serious injury, he'll surely be getting in everybody's all time teams. He's a once in a generation talent. Great all round play, plus he's the tournament's top scorer.

Honourable mention for Zidane as well for his performances v England and Croatia, though I didn't see the France v Swiss match. But he's basically kept France in the tournament almost single handed.

Nedved did very well v Holland but he didn't impress me v Latvia.

Rooney has been the best player (no surprise at all for us Everton fans). In a few years, provided he avoids a very serious injury, he'll surely be getting in everybody's all time teams. He's a once in a generation talent. Great all round play, plus he's the tournament's top scorer.

He either ends up in everybody's all time teams or ends up like Paul Gascoigne, for me still 50-50 (or rather 10-90, which would be a shame. Just hope the boy has good advisors, is guided well and listens to the right people. Doubt that.).

Rooney has been the best player (no surprise at all for us Everton fans). In a few years, provided he avoids a very serious injury, he'll surely be getting in everybody's all time teams. He's a once in a generation talent. Great all round play, plus he's the tournament's top scorer.

Honourable mention for Zidane as well for his performances v England and Croatia, though I didn't see the France v Swiss match. But he's basically kept France in the tournament almost single handed.

Nedved did very well v Holland but he didn't impress me v Latvia.

==

Good point, just lets hope he stay's rather than burn himself out in going to some "nameless" London club.

And he's the top scorer just now!, do mind England have played all there group games !!! .

He either ends up in everybody's all time teams or ends up like Paul Gascoigne, for me still 50-50 (or rather 10-90, which would be a shame. Just hope the boy has good advisors, is guided well and listens to the right people. Doubt that.).
There is no reason at all to think that Rooney is going the way of Gascoigne, whose unhealthy lifestyle was notorious before he even broke into the Newcastle first team.

I think you've got to go with Rooney so far. Zidane has been, for him, pretty anonymous - a good free kick, a well taken penalty and a header don't compare at all, IMHO, with the impact that Rooney has had on all three games he's played.

Nedved was certainly outstanding for the last 30 minutes of the Dutch game, but he was very quiet before then (he admitted as much himself) - I didn't see the Latvia game, but I find it hard to believe that he could have been dominant given that the Czechs were losing 1-0 to Latvia for so long.

What about worst player of the tournament ? Can I nominate Silvestre ? With a special award for most disappointing going to Raul ?

Zidane, Nedved, Rooney & Ricardo Carvalho

Special award for most disappointing should go to Beckham.

Steven Gerrard.

There is no reason at all to think that Rooney is going the way of Gascoigne, whose unhealthy lifestyle was notorious before he even broke into the Newcastle first team.
I certainly hope not, but from now on until the end of his career Rooney will be cuddled and strangled to death by the infamous British press so at least he's bound for a very difficult life (with lots of money though :cool: ). I just hope he has the character to manage all that, he seems to be a bit inflamable, which will not necesarilly help him.

Rooney is amazing :eek: . Zidane is not far behind for 2nd and Nedved
a distant 3rd. :scan:

I think Rooney is over-rated. Fair enough, he is the tournament's top scorer, and he is pretty darn good, but he scored against Switzerland and Croatia. I would describe both teams as being mediocre at best. Can't remember his Swiss goals, but the ones he scored against the Croats were defensive mistakes. Poor marking/awareness for the 1st, and the defenders should have closed him down for the 2nd (they just stood still and waited for him to hit it). Wasn't exactly great in the premiership last season either.

I didn't see the France v Switzerland match, but Zidane has to be the best player.

I think Rooney is over-rated. Fair enough, he is the tournament's top scorer, and he is pretty darn good, but he scored against Switzerland and Croatia. I would describe both teams as being mediocre at best. Can't remember his Swiss goals, but the ones he scored against the Croats were defensive mistakes. Poor marking/awareness for the 1st, and the defenders should have closed him down for the 2nd (they just stood still and waited for him to hit it). Wasn't exactly great in the premiership last season either.

I didn't see the France v Switzerland match, but Zidane has to be the best player.

==


Not like me to agree with a teddy bear but your right, also one was an OG.

I think Rooney is over-rated. Fair enough, he is the tournament's top scorer, and he is pretty darn good, but he scored against Switzerland and Croatia. I would describe both teams as being mediocre at best. Can't remember his Swiss goals, but the ones he scored against the Croats were defensive mistakes. Poor marking/awareness for the 1st, and the defenders should have closed him down for the 2nd (they just stood still and waited for him to hit it). Wasn't exactly great in the premiership last season either.

I didn't see the France v Switzerland match, but Zidane has to be the best player.
Rooney would have scored against France but for a French defender chopping him down. And Zidane's two goals against England came from a penalty and a free-kick (which James should have saved). Also Rooney's second goal against the Croatians was a one-on-one so I don't see how the defenders could have closed him down.

Also Rooney's second goal against the Croatians was a one-on-one so I don't see how the defenders could have closed him down

Got them muddled up then. For the second goal, the defenders had poor awareness/marked him badly. For his first goal, they should have closed him down.

And Zidane's two goals against England came from a penalty and a free-kick (which James should have saved).

Zidane's penalty was one of the best i've ever seen. Really powerful, and very well placed. Being able to do that immediately after being sick shows he doesn't get un-nerved, and can stay composed/focused.
His free-kick was good, although James was partially to blame. He also scored a well placed header against the Swiss.
But as someone else said in this thread, it is all too easy to favour people who score goals. This isn't the reason I chose Zidane, he controls the French team, influential, great passing, skill, vision etc. An excellent player.

Nedved, Rooney, Robben, and Rosicky
Rosicky is the weakest player in the Czech offense. By far. Just like in Dortmund. Nedved, Baros, Koller, even Galasek, all deserve to be mentioned here but not Rosicky.

Wasn't exactly great in the premiership last season either.

First, I think Rooney was exactly great in the Premiership last season. You didn't hear so much about him because he was playing for a club near the bottom of the league. Believe me, if he had been playing for Liverpool, Man U, or Chelsea and he did the things for them he did for Everton you wouldn't have heard the end of it.

Secondly, even if this point is true (which I think it isn't) how does it affect how good he has been in the Euro Championships?

after last nights performance by Rooney :worship: i would say hes man of the tornement so far

Secondly, even if this point is true (which I think it isn't) how does it affect how good he has been in the Euro Championships?

That was in reference to him being over-rated.if he had been playing for Liverpool, Man U, or Chelsea and he did the things for them he did for Everton you wouldn't have heard the end of it.

I don't read the papers, or watch much of the news. However, I saw the highlights (some extended) of all (besides 1 or 2) of Everton's premiership matches. Rooney didn't feature much, and when he did, I did not see anything 'spectacular' from him.
But again, that has nothing to do with Euro 2004.

Originally posted by Hitro
Rosicky is the weakest player in the Czech offense. By far. Just like in Dortmund. Nedved, Baros, Koller, even Galasek, all deserve to be mentioned here but not Rosicky.
Rosicky may not be as flashy as Nedved but the ball carrying he does is very important for the Czech attack. He takes the ball from a defensive situation and turns it into an attacking one therefore allowing Nedved and the rest to do their work in the right area of the pitch.

Rosicky may not be as flashy as Nedved but the ball carrying he does is very important for the Czech attack. He takes the ball from a defensive situation and turns it into an attacking one therefore allowing Nedved and the rest to do their work in the right area of the pitch.
He loses the ball more often that he does carry it anywhere. Furthermore he tends to commit an astonishingly high number of fouls for a man of his inches and his position.

He loses the ball more often that he does carry it anywhere. Furthermore he tends to commit an astonishingly high number of fouls for a man of his inches and his position.
Maybe at club level but from what I have seen of him in this tournament he looks like a quality player.

"a man of his inches" you know, a person with a dirty mind might misconstrue that.

"a man of his inches" you know, a person with a dirty mind might misconstrue that.
:eek:

Really. And I tried to be so respectful to poor Tomas.

Originally posted by Hitro
And I tried to be so respectful to poor Tomas.
Rentboys don't give out their actual names...or so, I've heard.

Rentboys don't give out their actual names...or so, I've heard.
:eek:

Really. And I tried to be so gentle to poor Nicolas.

Does Tomas know about Nicolas?

Does Tomas know about Nicolas?
I can't tell for sure, but well, the community isn't that large. :undecide:

I can't tell for sure, but well, the community isn't that large. :undecide:
Oh, come on! That one's just too easy.

Oh, come on! That one's just too easy.
Which one wasn't?

I'm sorry. I forgot you were German.

I'm sorry. I forgot you were German.
That happens alot unless I use a voice chat system.

I think Rooney is over-rated. Fair enough, he is the tournament's top scorer, and he is pretty darn good, but he scored against Switzerland and Croatia. I would describe both teams as being mediocre at best. Can't remember his Swiss goals, but the ones he scored against the Croats were defensive mistakes. Poor marking/awareness for the 1st, and the defenders should have closed him down for the 2nd (they just stood still and waited for him to hit it). Wasn't exactly great in the premiership last season either.


When everyone starts comparing Rooney to Pele, it's hard not to view him as overrated, so to that extent I agree with you. However, the rest of your comments on Rooney reminds me strongly of my Scottish upbringing where anything good that was English had to be downplayed as much as possible. (How did that song about Bobby Moore & his alleged tranvestitism go again ...? ;) )

There are very few perfect goals - almost all of them you can point to one defender out of place, or a keeper one step too far off his line. Rooney's two goals against Croatia were, IMHO, both excellent (perhaps view them as supreme pieces of punishing defensive errors, if that helps ?). His run for the penalty against France likewise.

Yes, the English triumphalism sticks in my craw just as much as I'm sure it does for everyone else born north of the border, but are you sure you're not letting years of resentment colour your judgement of an incredibly devastating series of performances by Rooney ?

I am not biased in the slightest! :mischief:
I accept that he is talented, but look at it in this perspective:
Defenders are there to stop strikers from scoring, if they do so, then they have done their job. They don't get much recognition for it.
Strikers are there to score goals, and if they do so, they get hero-worshipped. Rooney hit the target and scored 3 times, in 3 matches. That is only once per game. Fair enough, that is still a great scoring record, but my point is Forwards get far too much praise for what they do.

In the France game, Rooney did not score. No-one cared though.
However, if a defender was to make a few howlers, (s)he would probably get dropped for the next game.

Moving onto Zidane, he has controlled France. Passing, movement, skill, scoring, influence, creativity. He has shown nothing but class in this competition. Scored an equal amount of goals to Rooney, and has done so much more for the team.

Rooney is in my Top 5 (or maybe 3) players of the competition, but by no means is he the best.

When everyone starts comparing Rooney to Pele, it's hard not to view him as overrated, so to that extent I agree with you. However, the rest of your comments on Rooney reminds me strongly of my Scottish upbringing where anything good that was English had to be downplayed as much as possible. (How did that song about Bobby Moore & his alleged tranvestitism go again ...? ;) )

There are very few perfect goals - almost all of them you can point to one defender out of place, or a keeper one step too far off his line. Rooney's two goals against Croatia were, IMHO, both excellent (perhaps view them as supreme pieces of punishing defensive errors, if that helps ?). His run for the penalty against France likewise.

Yes, the English triumphalism sticks in my craw just as much as I'm sure it does for everyone else born north of the border, but are you sure you're not letting years of resentment colour your judgement of an incredibly devastating series of performances by Rooney ?

Excellent post and observations :scan: ;) .

Gainy: Rooney has scored 4 times so far; over 1 a game (avaregely).

Posted by moiRooney hit the target and scored 3 times
One of 'his' goals was an OG. He actually hit the post, if it weren't for the keeper, the ball wouldn't have gone in...

In the France game, Rooney did not score. No-one cared though.However, if a defender was to make a few howlers, (s)he would probably get dropped for the next game.


No one cared because he had a great game. when he got stuck into Zidane at that point the momentum started going England's way. He was involved in much good build up play, holding on to the ball, and playing other players in, showing good vision. Not to mention his chip that set up his run, and his run for the penalty itself.

The Rooney impressed me most with his header to set up Scholes's goal - he has an all round game. Also, when the Beeb did some analysis of him, you can see that he's always looking for the ball, and is in good positions to use it.

The Big Ib is still my player of the tournament though - the ball sticks to his feet, he's very nimble for someone that tall, and there's that goal.

Nobody mentioning Poborsky? Ridiculous!

Man of the tournament so far for me!

Posted by moi
One of 'his' goals was an OG. He actually hit the post, if it weren't for the keeper, the ball wouldn't have gone in...
Very true. Much more so than Zidane's "own goal" against Croatia...

for young players, I think Ronaldo from Portugal is way more promising than Rooney. Overall, Nedved was good, but I didn't see all games.

I think we can add Van Nistelrooy to the list.

I think rather Baros...

Ballack is outstanding in a weak side.

I think rather Baros...
Damn straight. So far he has been the best striker.

Wish I had picked him now...

I was close to picking van Nistelrooy and then decided in favour of Totti...

It reminds me of the Giro competition. I had Cunego in my team and then picked McGee instead... If I had kept Cunego I would have wiped the floor with everyone...

Has to be big Jan Koller. He is brilliant!!!

Nice finish against the Dutch and then "that" chest down!!!

The mans a star!!!

Nice to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic is doing so well..

Too bad he's doing it for the wrong country :cry: :wallbash:

Oh well, Sweden all the way

Nice to see Zlatan Ibrahimovic is doing so well..
Too bad he's doing it for the wrong country :cry: :wallbash:
Oh well, Sweden all the way
The Swedes love him.:D No one ever refers to him as Ibrahimovic. He's "Zlatan" with the whole nation. (And in the papers Sweden is now "Zverige" and "Zlatanland".;))