A Resounding Ovation for Greece: The Conqueror of Europe!

By

Olatunde Afuwape

afuwape2001@yahoo.com

The Greeks have done what nobody thought would ever happen again – conquer Europe once more!  Yes, the Greek gods have conquered Europe and they did it in an amazingly unique fashion. On their way to victory, they demolished all the football super powers in Europe .   When it all started with that shocking defeat of Portugal in the opening game of EURO 2004, everybody thought the performance was fluke, an accident of history that happens once in a lifetime.  This assertion appeared legitimate against the background of the cold fact that they have never won any football match in a major tournament.  Pundits easily wrote them off as a flash in the pan, which would disappear the way it comes.  After watching the first match, what came to mind straightaway was that the Greek team was very dangerous and a cunning adversary that others should be wary of.  This observation notwithstanding, it never occurred to me that their cunningness would carry them far.   But alas! It took them to the pinnacle and of course the reward was the ultimate price – Champions of Europe for the next four years. 

Let us examine how the demolition job was carried out.  After dispatching the Portuguese, people thought the Spaniards with their quality will expose the Greeks for what most people thought they were – a nonentity in the international football.  But Greece fought a well-deserved 1-1 draw against Spain .  It was a match in which they showed rugged determination and a strong indication of what to come.   To claw back a draw against Spain was toughest obstacle the Greece overcame in the tournament.  The Spaniards stretched them to the limit, because victory was a matter of life and death for their campaign.  The moment they survived that battle, it became clear that Greece was a team to look out for.  The Greeks relaxed against the Russians, but almost paid dearly for it.  The Russians got off to flying star when an error by the Greece allowed them scored the quickest goal in the history of the competition – after 68 seconds of play. Within 18 minutes, The Russians were two goals up.  It was the worst possible start for the Greece in the competition.  They fought back like wounded lions and showed that they are team that could attack contrary to the insinuations in some quarters.  A chipped Zisis Vryzas goal for Greece was the lucky goal that changed the fortune of their campaign.    That goal was responsible for opening another bold chapter in the history of European football.    Thereafter, they were on a roller coaster and never looked back.  Otto Rehhagel's team became more determined defensively and ended up not conceding a single goal afterwards till German referee, Markus Merk blow the final whistle.  Against France, a team beaming with talents, Greece played a “direct and purposeful football” and eliminated the defending champion in a very clinical fashion.  Ironically, analysts still continued to doubt their ability.  In the match against Czech Republic , the best attacking side at the competition, a team that exhibited the epitome of modern attacking football, the Greeks showed that they came to EURO 2004 with the best tactical strategy.  They subdued the exciting Czechs with one single strike from a set piece. It was a most ruthless performance! The Czechs played the best football at the tournament.  Unfortunately, playing the best football alone does not win any tournament. It is the team that has best overall strategy and a little bit of luck that always claim the ultimate prize. Interestingly the Greeks were not given a chance against the Portuguese, despite the fact that their imperfections was obvious to all.   In the final against Portugal , they re-confirmed their superiority over the un-organized Portuguese.  It was luck, the shrewdness of their coach and the goodwill of the Portuguese people that took Scolari men to the final.  I honestly believe that England deserved the semi-final ticket. The erroneous concept that lightning does not strike at a single spot twice was thrown into the dustbin of history.  Not only did lightening struck twice, it did so within a space of three weeks. 

What the Greeks did was to go back to the basics – play football as a collective sport, with strong emphasis on defense.  They clearly identified their weakness and built their strategy around their strength.  In the absence of superstars, every player gave more than 100%.  They were tactically discipline, they demonstrated religious commitment to the overall strategy with no deviation whatsoever.  They played as one impregnable and indivisible unit, which their opponents find impossible to break.  From the quarterfinal stage, they lock their defense and threw the keys into Tagus , Douro or Guadiana rivers. Unfortunately, none of the other teams could neither determine the exact river nor find the keys by July 4, 2004 .  The Greeks played the ultimate defensive football.  They re-enacted the strategy perfected by the Italians that raised them to the zenith of world football.   Greece 's last three goals were from balls played into the penalty area, a clear testimony to simple, direct but effective football.  All attacking opportunities were maximized and converted to goals.   This is a big lesson to teams that have dozens of clear-cut opportunities but ended up with only a goal or two to show for it.    They had the most potent attack at Euro 2004, if we compare the number opportunities converted to goals.  It was a defensive strategy that deceptively covered a most potent attacking mechanism.  If the need arises they would have done more.  They gave only what was required in every situation.  I have never seen a more effective approach.  More so, they moved the defense to the midfield, which gave them room to correct leakages before they spilled into dangerous zones in the penalty areas.   This strategy would be a subject of intense analysis in years to come.

To drive home the success of their achievement, let us look at the statistics. The Greece succeeded in keeping three clean sheets from the quarterfinals onward. They played 358 minutes of football without conceding a goal, which was a very formidable achievement by any standard. This was achieved not by avoiding quality players, but by playing against the deadliest strikers in the World.  The likes of Thierry Henry, David Trezeguet, Milan Baros, Jan Koller, Luis Figo and Pauleta all tried, but despite having 168 international goals between them, could not find a solution to the invincible back line of Greece .  Both the current European and World Footballer were part of the formidable barriers they contended with.   But at the end of the day, the Greek gods triumph against all odds. 

A BBC commentator, John Motson captured the views of most analysts on the outcome of Greece 's victory over Portugal with this sentence “The unbelievable, the unfathomable and the almost impossible has happened” He could be right to some extent.  But, the handwriting had always been on the wall for any discerning analyst to decipher.  Greece gave several warnings of what to come.  Otto Rehhagel's team came out top in their qualifying group for Euro 2004 ahead of the mighty Spain .  In finishing top of its Euro 2004 qualifying group, the Greeks did not allow a goal in their last six games.   The team reaped the benefit of excellent, if not perfect, finishing in front of goals.   The last Champion League, won by FC Porto was also a pointer to what to expect in future.  Porto triumph and the achievement of Olympic Marseille where the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, Juventus, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Chelsea , Arsenal, etc failed were pointers to the fact that a well organized, determined and focused team without any known superstars could achieve unimaginable success.   The clear message in all this is that there are no smaller teams anymore. The gaps between the bigger and the smaller teams are rapidly shrinking.   The era where trickery, and superlative display of skills confound opponents is gone forever.   Technique is no longer the exclusive preserve of the few. The Greece team at Euro 2004 is a perfect example of the reality that smaller footballing teams have arrived, the super powers need to work harder to remain relevant.

In conclusion, the Greece football team should be commended for its uncommon achievement. Theo Zagorakis and his crew showed bravery, gut and determination.  It also confirmed that if you don’t have the strategy for neutralize you opponents you could never win a war.  A team that demolished Portugal , not only once but also twice, dethroned France – the eliminator of England and conquered Czech Republic , the albatross of Germany deserves every accolade imaginable.  Otto Rehhagel's me are true warriors and all genuine lovers of the round leader game should hail a well-deserved achievement. ONE MORE RESOUNDING OVATION FOR GREECE – THE CONQUEROR OF EUROPE !

OLATUNDE AFUWAPE

TEMELE STREET

WUSE, ZONE 3

ABUJA .