Euro 2004 was the European Championship that Donn couldn't remember two years later except for Greece. In that tournament, whether it was Rooney's emergence or Zidane's last-minute turnaround, it looked amazing at the time, but in the end, it turned out that it was a team that impressed him the most, not a certain star.

Being able to relive the European Cup on the spot this time was an additional experience, which made Don feel that there were still many benefits to crossing forward. He was also able to learn up close how Rehhagel used tactics. The overall tactics of the Greek team were so strong that Donn even felt that he completely surpassed any team at that European Championship. They deserved to win the championship in the end.

The only thing that worries him now is whether the ripple effects of his arrival will affect the European Championship in Portugal. What if Greece doesn't win the event? Of course, there will inevitably be an element of luck in winning the championship, but Donn thinks that a tactical idea that Rehhagel showed to the world football world with the Greek team at the European Championship will still be popularized, but if they win the championship, this promotion will be faster...... In the past, everyone said that the Greek team had rough skills, and the defensive counterattack was to rely on dense defense to break the ball, and then drive to the front with a big foot, and then use the header advantage of the high striker to form a threat.

However, the Greek team showed a different kind of defensive counterattack in the tournament - starting with the ball and then advancing into the opponent's penalty area, which was very fast, but not blindly long passes, allowing the ball to fly in the air without landing. The small combination between the two or three of them and the quick passing are the essence of Rehhagel's defensive counter-attack. Watching the big guys skillfully pass the football back and forth, and then get to the opponent's goal after a few passes, stop the ball and pass the ball and run just right, even if it's a defensive counterattack, it's a pleasure.

The Nottingham Evening Post found out that Donn was going to Portugal to watch the game, so she wanted him to write his notes in his column. Don didn't know what to write, but now he decided to keep his eyes on Greece, whether the team won the championship or not, they would definitely surprise the world.

Pierce? Bruce was a little embarrassed to hear Donn's plan: "Well, we would have preferred you to write about England ......"

Donn shrugged: "Everyone is writing about England, and I don't want to join in the fun." Mr. Journalist, I bet you that the biggest dark horse at this European Championship will be Greece! Another reason he didn't say it was that he didn't like Eriksen as a manager, so he never looked forward to England's future at the tournament.

At the 2202 World Cup, the English media touted that England were the best team since winning the World Cup in 1966. They lost to Brazil, who had stumbled in qualifying and were forced into disarray by Turkey in their opening game. The only consolation was that Brazil ended up winning that World Cup. At Euro 2004, Donne, who was still a fan, was also not optimistic, so it made sense when Wayne Rooney went off injured and then eliminated by the host on penalties. The 2006 World Cup, if it weren't for the useless David who was wildly criticized by the media? David Beckham, maybe Eriksen's side won't even be able to make it out of the group stage.

The English have a sense of arrogance, always believing that they are the birthplace of modern football, and that they should be the best in the world, so no matter what star they produce, they will become world-class stars in the media. The England team, which is composed of this group of "world-class" stars, is naturally the best team.

This sense of arrogance is not only reflected in football, but also in all aspects of society. Many people must still be reminiscing about the past, saying how glorious the Empire was. Now its influence in the international community has weakened, and it has even become a follower of the United States. They can only use that ridiculous arrogance to continue to maintain the dignity in their hearts.

Don had no interest in this ridiculous sense of national pride, he was not an Englishman per se, and he had no affection for the Empire. Coupled with the fact that he knows the fate of England in this European Championship, there is really no way to pretend to be looking forward to it and tell the reader: we will definitely be the champions!

Eriksen is a man who is more suitable for the manager of the club than the national team. Because his surname is on the soft side.

Maybe it's prejudice, Don just thinks that people with soft surnames are not suitable to be the head coach of a strong team.

"Greece?" Bruce was stunned for a moment, "It's been a long time since I've heard this name at an international tournament." Are you really sure? ”

Donn nodded: "Sure, because they have a very, very good manager and a group of good players. ”

On the plane to Lisbon, Portugal, Don also spoke to Don about the issue, and he believes that the Greek team's tactics can be used as a reference for Forest in their first season after promotion.

Compared to the rest of the Super League, Forest do not have an advantage in terms of strength. And many teams will have some underdogs when they play promotion, and they don't know about it yet. Forest can defend and counter-attack to solidify their position in the league.

Don wondered why he knew so much about a national team that wasn't very familiar to all of Europe. Donn could only scratch his head and say that he preferred to follow those small teams...... Pierce? Bruce arrived in Portugal earlier than Donne, but he and Donn had different concerns. In order to bring back the news that readers care about most, he has to follow the England team all the way. Big and small things have to be reported, even if the players' wives wear what they wear on the street is the focus of attention of the reporters.

In the run-up to the tournament, the newspapers in England were almost full of stories about the England team. Donn capitalized the Greek team in the Corriere della Sera, and no one cared at all.

As a result, after the opener, Bruce's first reaction was to find the Corriere della Sera that had published Donn's column the day before. Comparing the above words to the opening game, he realized that he might have to admit that Tony was God...... What he said the day before, after the game, was completely correct.

It wasn't just Bruce who was surprised, but Don, who was always inseparable from Don. It's just that he was surprised earlier, because he watched the opening game with Donn, and during the game Donn kept discussing with him the tactics used by Greece and Portugal.

When Calagounis scored the first goal, Donn asserted that Rehhagel's tactics could completely restrain Portugal. After watching the first half, Don already fully believed in the man walking beside him.

Scolari is a master, and so is Rehhagel. Rehhagel's cards were not as good as Scolari's, but Rehhagel had the upper hand. Perhaps in the eyes of the hosts and many fans, the Greek team played boring football, with 10 men defending and one attacking. But from a coach's point of view, Don thinks it's all normal.

The Greek team does not yet have the capital to dance any European samba in front of the Portuguese, and there is only one way to prove that they are not inferior to the hosts - to beat them, no matter what tactics are used.

Rehhagel did just that, and the result that no one could have imagined before the game was real, although he said after the game: "This is the biggest victory in the history of the Greek national team!" But both Don and Don knew that Rehhagel wasn't carried away. He knows exactly what he came to the tournament for, not to win the opening game, or to score a goal, or to draw a game...... He had a great goal, but no one knew about it.

Don knows.

In the following days, except for finding time to write a column for the Corriere della Sera, Tang and the two basically spent their time on the road. They watched most of the games they could watch live, and the rest of the games that were played at the same time were also watched on TV and videotaped.

Don came to Portugal to watch the game live, on the one hand, to look at those cheap and practical players, and on the other hand, to learn from the experience of all the best managers, whether they were successful or unsuccessful, they are in the list of his and Don's learning and analysis.

In terms of players, this cup has been a bit of a disappointment for Donn, and those young people who are known as the "hopeful stars of this cup" are all famous for a long time, and there is no novelty at all, so they shorten the Forest team and want to buy, and the competitors are a lot - such as Wayne, who is still playing for Everton? Wayne Rooney, England's media hyped up wildly, and experts agreed that Wayne Rooney was England's biggest gain in this European Championship, but Donne knew that after the European Championship, he would be bought by Manchester United at a high price, and Forest wanted to compete with Manchester United? Don't even think about it!

As for the new Dutch star Arjen Robben, Swedish rookie Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Czech young international Petr Cech and so on...... Strictly speaking, they are not newcomers, which of them is not a person who has been famous for a long time? Arjen Robben and Petr Cech have already been booked by Chelsea, Evan ? No matter how rich Dogotti is, can he be richer than Abramovich? Although Ibrahimovic eliminated Italy at this European Championship, Italian clubs are interested in him. If nothing else, Juventus should have managed to grab the young Swede, who was known as the "second Basten" during his time at Ajax.

(To be continued)