U21 Euro 2007 Playoff Draw – Portugal tops list of seeds

Living outside Portugal, I don’t have such a close contact with everything related to national football happening there, right now. But I can say that my (strong) feeling is that people are following the U21, and the other youth cathegories, with a lot more attention. I feel it as a natural consequence of Portugal’s performance in this years WC. I also feel, since the “Scolari Days”, that “things” have nore or less tended to become more organized, and the U21 is now seen as a natural source of players for the main team. Like a “big bench”.

Makes sense, right…? But in the past, “things” seemed to be more disorganized, the U21 team was probably the most ignored (one way or the other, there’s always a group that keeps a close look to the youth teams) and nobody knew who was playing there, etc…

I hope this trend continues and, of course, I also hope the portuguese team does better than this summer… Nani and Moutinho are 2 of the most important players in the U21 team and I guess they’ll start being called to the AA team more and more often (together with Quaresma and Hugo Almeida), especially Nani if he keeps “pumping” like he did against Finland (for me, considering all the variables, he was the best portuguese player up front).

This also means that Yannick Djalo, the kid Sporting CP will use up front this year, is kinda the undisputed striker of the U21… Let’s not forget, STRIKERS are what we currently need the most…

I hope he can get a chance of playing some of the Champs League games, together with Nani and Moutinho, even if it’s just to get experience.

I also hope Sporting goes through group stage, albeit an extremelly dificult task for Sporting (who receives INTER THIS TUESDAY in Alvalade/Lisbon)…

Posted from  Netherlands

Portuguese Classics…:

This is when Eusebio’s SL Benfica beat Di Stefano’s Real Madrid (5-3), back in the 60’s, in the Amsterdam final…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDfi8sYHQdM&mode=related&search=

Posted from  Netherlands

Portuguese “classics” part-II…:

Few things are likely to put a smile on a portuguese’s face, as beating a strong english team, in England, coached by a spaniard…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZNfhRZSP8k&mode=related&search=

Posted from  Netherlands

Sorry, I know this isn’t the right topic here, but I need your help now, Pedro.
I desperately want to buy “A Pátria fomos nos!” and so I visited the page Luis recommended.
I filled in the blank and then a strange message appeared (I speak hardly any Portuguese) and I received an e-mail:

Estes são os dados da sua encomenda na primebooks.pt.

Data Encomenda: 08 Setembro , 2006 14:08:23

Entregar a:
——–
Na informação de Facturação

Qtd Preço($) ISBN – Título
=====================================================================
1 $12.96 100 – A Pátria Fomos Nós!
=====================================================================
SUBTOTAL: ?12.96
TOTAL: ?12.96

Entrega: ?0.00

I have no idea how to pay or even if I can buy the book outside Portugal. Should I cancel my inadvertent order or wait or ask the consignment what to do?

Posted from  Austria

But, if you hardly speak any portuguese, are you sure there’s an english version…?

It’s not very clear, the message… It looks like the description of your order. “Deliver to …”, “Price”. Doesn’t really say much…

Posted from  Netherlands

Thanks a lot, the guys in other (Brazilian) fora were not as friendly as you.
I know there’s no English version: I can read Portuguese (with the help of a dictionary), but I’ve still got a pack of trouble with writing and speaking.
I’ll try to buy the book in Portugal.

However, we can recognize quite a lot of talent in Hugo Almeida, but playing in Germany (Werder Bremen) isn’t very good for him either because after the World Cup he’s having fierce competition with Tim Borowski (plays also midfield) and especially Miroslav Klose. Fortunately, we will be able to see some of Hugo’s competence in the Champions League this year.

Some FC-Porto-fans we talked to about Ricardo Quaresma told us he wasn’t seriously injured and would be able to replace Nani very soon. I don’t know, however, if they were really well informed because the Porto fans naturally don’t like the Sporting players that much.

Posted from  Austria

POR was seeded and gets to face Russia…

Posted from  Netherlands

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=722770

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=722808&div_id=1457

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=722870&div_id=1457

http://www.maisfutebol.iol.pt/noticia.php?id=722877&div_id=1457

Posted from  Netherlands

The U21 2007 World Cup is in Canada…..got my tickets already.

Drop $100 or Euro’s or whatever your currency is on Canada winning or at least finishing in the Final’s. I’m pretty sure it’s a Lock and the odds have to be good.

Posted from  Canada

A bit on the U20 team:

http://www.abola.pt/nnh/index.asp?op=ver&noticia=108572&tema=7

http://www.abola.pt/nnh/index.asp?op=ver&noticia=108512&tema=7

Posted from  Netherlands

olha era so para avisar aos outros paises k portugal vai da muito trabalho preperem-se !!!

Posted from  United States