– What in its time made this game the best in the world is not prioritized today. If we don’t ensure that people get something fun to watch, it will only satisfy business. Because business only cares about how many people look at it. That’s what Uruguay’s national team manager Marcelo Bielsa said during a long football tirade at a recent press conference. Both during the European Championship and the Copa America, there were several knockout matches that were still tied after 90 minutes. Several of them were 0-0 after regular time. – Football has several contributors, but he is becoming less and less attractive, said the Uruguay boss. He gets some support from news’s football expert Åge Hareide. – I partially agree. I think the commercial squeezes the lemon as much as possible at both club and national team level. This leads to a lot of pressure to deliver results, which makes football less attractive, says Iceland’s national team boss. REACTS: Marcelo Bielsa goes hard against today’s football. Photo: CANDICE WARD / AFP Swedish journalist reprimanded During a press conference on Monday, France coach Didier Deschamps asked the team a specific question about football. It was the Swedish journalist Olof Lundh who claimed that many people think that France’s stars play boring football. He gave a sour answer back. – Are you Swedish? No, you live in France. You are disguised as a Frenchman, replied Deschamps at the press conference. In any case, the fact is that the French have struggled to find their way to the nets. Before the semi-final against Spain on Tuesday, they had three scores. Two own goals and one penalty from Kylian Mbappé. Against Spain, Randal Kolo Muani headed France into the lead, before Spain fought back and won 2–1. – You know what? If you get bored, watch another match. You don’t need to look at us, it’s fine. It’s the EC and it’s very difficult for all teams. But we have the ability to make many French men and women happy with our results, especially in a time that is tough for our country, said the French national team manager on Monday. Hareide himself believes that what France showed in the semi-finals is special and is rare. – It is quite unique to get on. You have to base the team on good defensive play. Some of the goals have also come as mistakes by the defense which has been pushed forward by France. One should also think about that, he says. GOALLESS: Still goalless between the two giants Portugal and France, with the latter progressing after a penalty shootout. Photo: Carmen Jaspersen / Reuters – It hurts Nevertheless, the seasoned national team manager believes that Deschamps has done much right with the team. – It is difficult to score, even for the best. They have been in the finals pretty much the entire time. I have noticed their defensive work has been very good and it has been a priority for them, says Hareide. England have also been the victim of criticism after almost every game they have played during the championship. One episode in particular attracted attention, where national team manager Gareth Southgate had beer cups thrown at him after playing 0–0 against Slovenia. – I don’t think it’s normal for someone to throw beer cups at you. I can’t deny that it hurts when it gets as personal as it has, Southgate said recently. His team have also struggled to score goals, and they have scored five goals so far in the EC. Four of them have come in regular time. Want to remove the extra periods Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente believes that too much strain on the players is an essential part of the explanation. In the quarter-finals of the European Championship this year, three out of four went to extra time, while in the round of 16 there were two games that were not decided after full time. – In a championship like the European Championship, which demands so much from the players, perhaps extra time should be abolished, says De la Fuente, according to NTB. Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente believes that extra time makes the players tired and that it lowers the entertainment value of football. Photo: Ariel Schalit / AP Nevertheless, he believes that extra periods should be preserved in semi-finals and finals. – It will benefit the show because the players will be much fitter and will be more prepared in later rounds, continued De la Fuente. England’s captain Harry Kane, on the other hand, is more uncertain about what is the best solution. – It always feels fantastic when you get through extra time and you can build unity through it, says Kane at the press conference before the semi-final. In the Copa América, De la Fuente’s proposal is already being put into practice, because there only the final can go to extra time. England captain Harry Kane celebrates with his teammates after Bukayo Saka’s equalizer in the quarter-finals. Playing extra innings can help build cohesion, Kane believes. Photo: OZAN KOSE / AFP Published 10.07.2024, at 11.48
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– Becoming less and less attractive – European Football Championship 2024
