In the 1950s, Sheffield Wednesday were known as the ‘yo-yo club’, oscillating between the old Division One and Division Two seven times during the decade. With 2006/07’s ninth-place Championship finish being the pinnacle of a meagre three successful seasons since their Premier League relegation in 2000, many Owls fans might settle for a similar period of pinballing between the top two tiers of the English game in the coming years.

However, expectations are always high at Hillsborough as befits a club with an immense floating support to add to the loyal 16,000 who attended the less glamorous fixtures in last season’s League One schedule, and the old chestnut of ‘consolidation’ many not be in many Wednesdayites’ thinking.

So, how will The Owls fare in the Championship next season? Well firstly they have arguably the best asset that any club can have, namely a top-class manager. Dave Jones is in the vanguard of his profession, having won the last two divisional Manager of the Month awards of the 2011-12 season and finishing top of the final-quarter LMA Managers’ Performance table. His results compare favourably with the vast majority of his peers. With Jones’s experience of working in the second tier no one should doubt that The Owls are in safe hands.

There is Championship experience in the squad and all of Jones’s summer signings from English clubs have experience at that level or higher with the exception of Kieran Lee who nevertheless remains an exciting prospect after sweeping the boards at the Oldham Athletic player of the season awards for the past two seasons. Slovenian international Nejc Pecnik and fellow midfielder, the Portuguese Diogo Amado are unknown quantities in this country, as is Rhys McCabe who made nine appearances for Glasgow Rangers last season and was handed a surprise debut in Wednesday’s opening league fixture at Derby County.

The only survivors from the Owls side that was relegated from the division in 2010 are young centre-half Mark Beevers, the ever-reliable Lewis Buxton and scintillating winger, Jermaine Johnson. Johnson has often been labelled the best player outside the Premier League and when confident and in full flight, the Jamaican is almost unstoppable. Some fans complain about his inconsistency but wingers who can sparkle constantly in virtually every game are almost unheard of and very few players possess his ability to scorch past opponents. As has happened in the past, it is likely that Johnson will win Wednesday points in games in which they have struggled.

Jones has jettisoned his predecessor’s direct style of play, but to Gary Megson’s credit, he was responsible for the signing of Wednesday’s most popular player since their Premiership days in José Semedo. The Portuguese midfielder monopolised Wednesday’s player of the season awards in their promotion-winning campaign and his unerring ability to win the ball for the team should be repeated at the higher level.

Also, integral to the Owls’ chances of making their mark in the Championship is ex-loanee Michail Antonio who was hugely influential in Wednesday’s stupendous unbeaten run in the final 14 games of last season. Jones’s attempts to sign him from Reading permanently bore fruit late in pre-season  and Antonio will be crucial in providing the attacking incisiveness that is crucial to success at this level . He and fellow right-footer Johnson are likely to switch wings which will go some way to rectifying the weakness on the left-hand side of midfield that has been evident since the departure of Chris Brunt to West Bromwich Albion in 2007 although it remains to be seen if a left-footed wideman will be necessary as Mike Jones and Danny Mayor who provide back-up to Johnson and Antonio are both also right-footed.

There are no shortage of reasons for Wednesday fans to optimistic about their Championship season. A good manager, the momentum gained from their stunning run that culminated in automatic promotion, several young players who are capable of improving further and a strong physical presence should all ensure that a struggle-free season beckons. Allied to a strong team spirit, fostered by Megson and augmented by Dave Jones, mid-table should be the club’s minimum objective.

One cause for concern, however, could be in the striking department. Gary Madine, Chris O’Grady and Chris Maguire have limited Championship experience and while all possess the ability to play at this level it is likely that Jones will seek a more experienced addition to his forward line. The worry about the return from the strikers is offset by the fact that the club spread their goals around last season and defenders Reda Johnson and Miguel Llera are likely to be as dangerous set-pieces as they were in League One.

If The Owls get off to a good start, Jermaine Johnson and Antonio stay fit for the majority of the season and Jones can add at least one striker with pedigree at Championship level or higher then it is likely that Wednesday will be a formidable proposition, especially given the huge support that they can muster. This has already been witnessed in the 2-2 draw at Derby when an awe-struck Jones lavished praise on the 6,000 travelling Wednesdayites .

The manager’s calm presence, with an emphasis on passing the ball, catalysed Wednesday when he took over in February. Now can he repeat his success in the Championship? If so, one thing is for sure: there will be queues for tickets stretching down Penistone Road back to the Leppings Lane roundabout.

With Euro 2012 kicking off, here’s the list of live TV coverage for all the matches of the tournament, for your convenience. With this amount of coverage, you may be better off than some of those heading to Eastern Europe this summer!

All times Eastern except where noted.

United States

Friday, June 8:

Poland v Greece, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Ian Darke/Steve McManaman)

Russia v Czech Republic, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Derek Rae/Kasey Keller)

Saturday, June 9:

Netherlands v Denmark, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Adrian Healey/Robbie Mustoe)

Germany v Portugal, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Keller)

Sunday, June 10:

Spain v Italy, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Ireland v Croatia, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Monday, June 11:

France v England, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Ukraine v Sweden, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Keller)

Tuesday, June 12:

Greece v Czech Republic, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Poland v Russia, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Keller)

Wednesday, June 13:

Denmark v Portugal, 12pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Netherlands v Germany, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Thursday, June 14:

Italy v Croatia, 12pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Taylor Twellman)

Spain v Ireland, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Friday, June 15:

Ukraine v France, 12pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Twellman)

Sweden v England, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Saturday, June 16:

Czech Republic v Poland, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Twellman)

Greece v Russia, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Sunday, June 17:

Portugal v Netherlands, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Denmark v Germany, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Monday, June 18:

Croatia v Spain, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Rae/Twellman)

Italy v Ireland, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm (commentators: Healey/Mustoe)

Tuesday, June 19:

England v Ukraine, 2:45pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: Darke/McManaman)

Sweden v France, 2:45pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com; ESPN Deportes at 5:30 pm (commentators: Rae/Twellman)

Thursday, June 21:

Portugal vs Czech Republic, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Friday, June 22:

Greece vs Germany, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Saturday, June 23:

France vs Spain, 2:45 pm, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Sunday, June 24:

Italy vs England, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Wednesday, June 27:

Portugal vs Spain/France, ESPN2/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Thursday, June 28:

Germany vs Italy/England, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Sunday, July 1:

Euro 2012 final, semifinal winners, 2:45 pm, ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes (commentators: TBD)

Canada

Friday, June 8

Poland vs Greece, 11:30am, TSN

Russia vs Czech Republic, 2:30pm, TSN

Saturday, June 9

Holland vs Denmark, 11:30am, TSN2

Germany vs Portugal, 2:30pm, TSN2

Sunday, June 10 

Spain vs Italy, 11:30am, TSN

Ireland vs Croatia, 2:30pm, TSN

Monday, June 11

France vs England, 11:30am, TSN

Ukraine vs Sweden, 2:30pm, TSN

Tuesday, June 12

Greece vs Czech Republic, 11:30am, TSN

Poland vs Russia, 2:30pm, TSN

Wednesday, June 13

Denmark vs Portugal, 11:30am, TSN

Holland vs Germany, 2:30pm, TSN

Thursday, June 14

Italy vs Croatia, 11:30am, TSN

Spain vs Ireland, 2:30pm, TSN

Friday, June 15

Ukraine vs France, 11:30am, TSN

Sweden vs England, 2:30pm, TSN

Saturday, June 16

Greece vs Russia, 2pm, TSN

Czech Republic vs Poland, 2pm, TSN2

Sunday, June 17

Denmark vs Germany, 2pm, CTV

Portugal vs Holland, 2pm, TSN

Monday, June 18

Italy vs Ireland, 2pm, TSN

Croatia vs Spain, 2pm, TSN2

Tuesday, June 19

England vs Ukraine, 2pm, TSN

Sweden vs France, 2pm, TSN2

Thursday, June 21

Quarterfinal #1, 2pm, TSN

Friday, June 22

Quarterfinal #2, 2pm, TSN

Saturday, June 23

Quarterfinal #3, 2pm, TSN

Sunday, June 24

Quarterfinal #4, 2pm, TSN

Wednesday, June 27

Semifinal #1, 2pm, TSN

Thursday, June 28

Semifinal #2, 2pm, TSN

Sunday, July 1

Final, 2pm, TSN

United Kingdom

Breaking down the group fixtures into the different broadcasters, ITV will be showing 13 group matches while the BBC has 11 group games. For the knockout stage, the BBC will have first choice of the quarter-finals. Then ITV will pick the next two best fixtures while BBC will broadcast the final quarter-final clash.

The BBC will then show both semi-finals with both stations broadcasting the final on July 1st.

ITV will be showing England first and last group games against France and Ukraine respectively. The BBC has Roy Hodgson’s men second game against Sweden. ITV will show the Republic of Ireland’s first two games, against Croatia and Spain before the BBC broadcast their final group match against Italy.

Here is how you can watch Euro 2012 fixtures with British kick-off times included:

Friday, June 8

Poland vs Greece, 5pm BST, BBC

Russia vs Czech Republic, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Saturday, June 9

Holland vs Denmark, 5pm BST, BBC

Germany vs Portugal, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Sunday, June 10

Spain vs Italy, 5pm BST, ITV

Ireland vs Croatia, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Monday, June 11

France vs England, 5pm BST, ITV

Ukraine vs Sweden, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Tuesday, June 12

Greece vs Czech Republic, 5pm BST, ITV

Poland vs Russia, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Wednesday, June 13

Denmark vs Portugal, 5pm BST, ITV

Holland vs Germany, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Thursday, June 14

Italy vs Croatia, 5pm BST, BBC

Spain vs Ireland, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Friday, June 15

Ukraine vs France, 5pm BST, ITV

Sweden vs England, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Saturday, June 16

Greece vs Russia, 5pm BST, BBC

Poland vs Czech Republic, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Sunday, June 17

Portugal vs Holland, 5pm BST, ITV

Denmark vs Germany, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Monday, June 18

Croatia vs Spain, 5pm BST, BBC

Italy vs Ireland, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Tuesday, June 19

Sweden vs France, 5pm BST, ITV

England vs Ukraine, 7:45pm BST, ITV

Thursday June 21

Quarterfinal #1, 7:45pm BST, BBC or ITV

Friday, June 22

Quarterfinal #2, 7:45pm BST, BBC or ITV

Saturday, June 23

Quarterfinal #3, 7:45pm BST, BBC or ITV

Sunday, June 24

Quarterfinal #4, 7:45pm BST, BBC or ITV

Wednesday, June 27

Semifinal #1, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Thursday, June 28

Semifinal #2, 7:45pm BST, BBC

Sunday, July 1

Final, 7:45pm BST, BBC & ITV

In our books, every match in Euro 2012 is a must-see. But if you don’t have the luxury to watch every match, here are the 5 must-see Euro 2012 group matches that you need to mark on your calendar:

Germany vs. Portugal, Saturday, June 9, 2:45pm ET
ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

Having made it to the final of Euro 2008, the Germans will look to go one step further this summer but Joachim Low’s men will have to emerge from the group of death. They begin their quest to get into the knockout stage by facing Portugal, the side who they controversially knocked out at the quarterfinal stage just four years ago.

The World Cup semi-finalists have matured considerably since that occasion with the likes of Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Mario Gomez establishing themselves as some of the best players in their position around the world. They steamrolled their way into this tournament with a 100% record in the qualifying campaign and the immense strength of this team from goalkeeper to striker accredits that this is possibly the best balanced side in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo was world player of the year in 2008 but could not prevent his country’s premature exit. However he was carrying an injury at the time and he has actually improved since then. The team is very much built around him and the flair brought on by the likes of Fabio Coentrao and Nani on the flanks should supply the Real Madrid man with plenty of chances. Pepe and Bruno Alves will hope to stifle the German threat and Ricardo in goal will compliment them.

However despite Portugal possessing possibly the best player in the world, it is hard to look past a victory for Die Mannschaft. With a sound rearguard and dominating midfield, it is difficult to envisage the Iberian men being able to grab a sufficient foothold on proceedings. Whether Mario Gomez or Miroslav Klose is up front is irrelevant as both are proven goal poachers who will provide enough firepower to see off their opponent’s.

Prediction: Germany 3-1 Portugal

Spain vs. Italy, Sunday, June 10, Noon ET
ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

The last two World Cup winners will have the honor of opening Group C proceedings to this tournament with one team basking in the ultimate football glory while the other will be hoping to reclaim their title as a heavyweight on the international scene.

Spain is favorites to win the tournament from the outset and it is easy to see why. With more Champions League winners than any other team plus being defending European and world champions, they are truly the kings of the game. With Fernando Torres and Fernando Llorente back on form and David Villa possibly returning to fitness in time, it should be goals galore for the Spaniards this summer.

Embellished by a star-studded midfield of Xabi Alonso, Xavi and Iniesta, they will dictate the tempo of every game. An outstanding rearguard of Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol, Gerard Pique and Alvaro Arbeloa will keep their concessions down to a minimum also. There is nothing else that hasn’t already been said about this legendary team and they will go into this match ultra-confident of getting the right result.

Italy, on the other hand, will be looking to restore some national pride after disappointing recent outings at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2008. Cesare Prandelli has done a stellar job of steadying the ship after a few rocky years but they are still some way short of being able to compete with the best. Andrea Pirlo and Daniele de Rossi are still entrusted with the midfield patrolling but having never truly replaced Alessandro del Piero, Francesco Totti or Fabio Cannovaro, big holes remain at the heart of this team. They are understandably going through a period of renewal with several young players emerging but this competition may come too soon for the Azzurri players.

Italy will make this a difficult start to the group for the defending champions but Spanish perseverance and superiority squad should see them eventually wear their opponents down.

Prediction: Spain 2-0 Italy

England vs. France, Monday, June 11, Noon ET
ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

The opening Group D match features two sides that is ready to put some very forgetful years behind them. England was trounced in the first knockout round by Germany of the World Cup while France embarrassingly finished bottom of their group. However both sides enter this competition with some optimism with new managers and new players in the hope of claiming unlikely silverware on July 1st.

A solid young goalkeeper in Joe Hart with Glen Johnson, John Terry, Joleon Lescott and Ashley Cole in defense should prove a formidable back-line to breach for any team. However it is in midfield they run into problems as question marks surround Steven Gerrard, James Milner and Scott Parker. Add that to Wayne Rooney serving a suspension for the opening two games and the Three Lions could have a tough time of breaking the deadlock.

Laurent Blanc’s charges are rejuvenated after the dismal reign of Raymond Domenech finally came to an end in 2010. Phillipe Mexes and Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Debuchy and Patrice Evra will help Hugo Lloris in goal. The midfield of Franck Ribery, Alou Diarra, Yohan Cabaye and Samir Nasri with Karim Benzema up front will give them great firepower against any team.

Although both sides boast fine players in many positions, the weight of expectation could bring the quality of this game down and with it being the opening group game, it is likely to be a cagey, hard fought affair.

Prediction: England 1-1 France

Netherlands vs. Germany, Wednesday, June 13, 2:45pm ET
ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

One of the fiercest rivalries in international football takes place in the Metalist Stadium in Ukraine as two teams who got knocked out by Spain at the final two hurdles of the 2010 World Cup lock horns. History says Germany have the edge with three wins, two draws and two losses on the seven occasions they have met. However player for player, this could be one of the most titanic battles ever between the two nations.

The Dutch boast a solid, if unspectacular back five, but it is with their midfield and forwards that will decide if their summer campaign is to be victorious. Robin van Persie is undoubtedly the hottest striker in England at the moment and he will take some stopping in this game but it is with the multiple threat of Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Rafael van der Vaart that will wreak havoc among defenses.

The aforementioned German side will depend on their midfield and strikers to do the business but, it is their defense and goalkeeper who will be most important in this match-up. Manuel Neuer will need to carry on his inspirational club form for another few weeks to deny the dangerous duo of van Persie and Robben. He will be aided by a back-line of Mats Hummels, Phillip Lahm and others and Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira will try and reduce the influence of Sneijder to a minimum.

Both teams are very balanced in that they have deadliness up front, a mixture of flair and tough tackling in the centre and are accompanied by sturdy defenders at the back. There won’t be a great deal of chances in this game and with possibly dire consequences if either team lost, neither will be going all-out for the win.

Prediction: Netherlands 1-1 Germany

Portugal vs. Netherlands, Sunday, June 17, 2:45pm ET
ESPN/ESPN3.com/ESPN Deportes

The final group game for either of these teams will be pivotal to deciding their futures in the competition. With Germany favorites to top Group B, it is likely to be one of these outfits to advance as the runner-up.

The Portuguese will once again be depending on the brilliance of Ronaldo to see them through this tumultuous tussle which is a rematch of their last 16 encounter at the 2006 World Cup – a feisty encounter which saw a record number of yellow and red cards dished out. Paulo Bento will be hoping to stifle the multiple threats offered by the Dutchmen by deploying Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles in deep midfield positions to provide a basis for the win.

Meanwhile the Netherlands will be confident of progressing as they have a better all-round team than the Portuguese. Instead of depending heavily on van Persie which the Portuguese are likely to do with Ronaldo, they have several attacking outlets through Robben, Sneijder and more, and there are enough match-winners among this team to claim a victory. Although question marks remain over the reliability of goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenberg, Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel will enforce a miserly defense to reduce the threats of Nani, Ronaldo and Danny to a minimum.

The luxury of several truly world class playmakers and forwards should be enough to see the Dutchmen through this game but don’t expect the Iberian men to go down without a fight.

Prediction: Portugal 1-2 Netherlands

All of the 23-man squads for each of the 16 European Championship teams have been announced, and we’ve combed through the lists to share seven with you that we feel will make an impact at this summer’s Euro 2012 competition.

The 7 players to watch out for at Euro 2012 are (not prioritized):

1. Alan Dzagoev (Russia)

The CSKA Moscow midfielder revealed that Frank Lampard is his idol and the 21-year-old plays eerily like him – an attacking midfielder with an eye for goal as well as being able to play that ‘’killer pass’’ according to former mentor Guus Hiddink. His 26 goals in 102 games for the Muscovite club, as well as 4 strikes in 18 internationals, underlines his very reasonable return in front of goal for a midfielder. He also holds the record for making his debut at the youngest age for any outfield player, 18, for the Russian national team. He will be expected to supply the attackers such as Pavel Pogrebnyak, Roman Pavlyuchneko and Andriy Arshavin as Dick Advocaat’s side will hope to repeat their memorable run of four years ago when they ventured all the way to the semi-final stage.

2. Christian Eriksen (Denmark)

At 20 years of age and with Barcelona, AC Milan and Manchester United keeping tabs on the Dane, Eriksen has the world at his feet heading into this tournament.  Comparisons with Michael Laudrup, Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart are not wide of the mark at all as he has established himself as the fulcrum of Ajax’s team since making his debut at the tender age of 17. Described as a ‘’traditional number 10,’’ his world-class passing and dribbling capabilities should see him make a significant impact at the heart of this Danish team. Europe’s finest in the Group of Death.

3. André Schürrle (Germany)

A productive forward throughout every underage level for Germany, this 21-year-old will be intent on continuing his finegoalscoring form at the biggest stage of all. 5 goals in 12 outings for the senior team, 5 in 4 games for the U-21’s and 10 in 11 games for the U19’s will have defender’s quaking in their boots as the Bayer Leverkusen striker will hope to establish himself at this tournament. Only the phenomenal goalscoring record of Mario Gomez this season cut see the Leverkusen man’s minutes curtailed as Germany coach Joachim Low prefers to operate with a lone striker.

4. Yann M’Vila (France)

This 21-year-old defensive midfielder has won much critical acclaim since breaking onto the domestic French scene with Rennes back in 2009.  Known for his all-action style of play, he has frustrated some of the best midfielders in France for the last three years as well as being the instigator of many attacks from inside his team’s own half. Frederic Antonetti best summed up midfielder when saying he “reads the game like Makélélé, has the presence of Vieira and can pass the ball like Yaya Touré. The youngster is living up to all these comparisons and is exactly why he was awarded a place in the Ligue 1 team of the year for the 2010-12 season.

5. Luuk de Jong (The Netherlands)

The big striker has been prolific for his native country at underage level and will hoping to bring that with him to Euro 2012. His minutes on the pitch will be limited by the goal-crazy Robin van Persie but Bert van Marwijk will grant de Jong some opportunities and you can be sure the lively FC Twente attacker will be snapping up any chance he can sniff out. Not only is he renowned for his goalscoring exploits but last season, as well as being Twente’s top goalscorer, he also provided his team-mates with the most assists as he seeks to justify Patrick Kluivert’s claim of de Jong being the Netherlands’ “first choice striker for years to come.”

6. Mario Götze (Germany)

When Franz Beckenbauer said Gotze is “impossible to stop,” it was still a bit of an understatement for this teen’s talents. As a 17-year-old in his debut season with Borussia Dortmund, he contributed 5 goals and 15 assists as they won the Bundesliga title during the 2010-11 season and he’s retained the trophy with them again during 2011/12. Despite missing a sizable chunk of football year, he was still able to score 5 and set up 5 for his team-mates in a mere 15 league appearances. He also became the country’s joint youngest ever goalscorer when he netted against Brazil aged 19 years and 68 days old and you can be sure he will be eyeing equally as big scalps this summer.

7. Fabio Borini (Italy)

The Roma striker has re-ignited his career after an ill-fated spell in England with Chelsea and Swansea City respectively. 9 goals in 21 league games for the capital club was enough proof for Italy coach Cesare Prandelli to bring him into the national side last February. His consistent rise from U-16 level to senior illustrate he has shown promise for all of his playing career so far and he will be hoping to realize his potential this summer against the likes of Spain, Ireland, Croatia and possibly more. With Giampaolo Pazzini and Mario Balotelli the only truly recognized striker in the Italian squad, Borini is expected to get a look in and his fox in the box-like playing style should come to the fore and stake his claim for a starting position at the tournament.

The fourteenth European Championship runs June 8 through July 1, and will be played across Poland and Ukraine in Eastern Europe.

Sixteen teams will compete to try to become the best nation in Europe. It’s the first time that either Poland or Ukraine has hosted a European Championship tournament.

Here are the eight cities and stadia were the tournament will be held this summer:

National Stadium (Warsaw, Poland)

Poland vs Greece, June 8
Poland vs Russia, June 12
Greece vs Russia, June 16
Quarterfinal, June 21
Semifinal, June 28 

The National Stadium will play host to the opening match of the Euro 2012 tournament. Having officially been opened earlier this year in January, the 58,145 seater capacity arena will be Poland’s finest stage as the competition gets underway on June 8. With a heated pitch, an underground car park, façade lighting and a retractable roof, it is every bit worthy of accommodating the opening match. It is ranked by UEFA as a category 4 stadium, the highest such honor any European ground can be bestowed with.

The stadium is located in the heart of the Polish capital of Warsaw. Nicknamed the Phoenix city as it has survived so many wars, it has emerged into the new millennium as an economic hub linking eastern and central Europe. Football fans can expect pleasant temperatures in the late teens, humidity around the 70% mark with very little precipitation during June and July. Despite emerging badly from communism, the city has seen marked improvements in terms of infrastructure and transportation networks since the 1990’s. With a metro system along with other modes of transports such as trams, buses and urban railway, you will be able to zip around the Polish capital in no time and easily be able to find the stadium.

PGE Arena Gdańsk Stadium (Gdansk, Poland)

Spain vs Italy, June 10
Spain vs Ireland, June 14
Croatia vs Spain, June 18
Quarterfinal, June 22 

The stadium is the next Polish engineering extravaganza, especially built for the European Championship. Opened in August 2011, it has already hosted an international match between Poland and Germany and the pitch was in pristine condition for that encounter. There is a capacity crowd of 44,639 and like the National Stadium, it too has been ranked as a UEFA category 4 stadium.

Gdańsk is a picturesque city on the Baltic coast and is Poland’s largest seaport. As a result of exposure to the sea, temperatures are usually in the mid to high teens for June and July with humidity of about 80% with hardly any rainfall. The city is well equipped for an influx of soccer fans as it has relatively modern expressways, trams, trains and buses for ease of transport around the metropolis.

The Municipal Stadium (Wroclaw, Poland)

Russia vs Czech Republic, June 8
Greece vs Czech Republic, June 12
Czech Republic vs Poland, June 16

The Municipal Stadium of Wroclaw in Worclaw, Poland is perhaps the finest arena for the entire tournament. Despite the modest capacity crowd of 44,416, UEFA has rated it as the highest ranked fourth category stadium out of all eight grounds that are set to host a European Championship match this summer. Although it has an almost transparent look about it, the external walls of the stadium can be colored with a sophisticated lighting system. Inside the stadium, there are many facilities for the participating teams including massage rooms and even a swimming pool.

Wroclaw is Poland’s 4th largest city, located in the southwest of the country. The average temperature of the city in June and July is around the late teens mark, with usually 70% humidity and rainfall is pretty much non-existent during the summer months. Although the city itself boasts very reasonable transportation facilities, fans going to the stadium are in luck. A “Park & Ride” plaza is being incorporated into the stadium with tram, train and bus routes bringing you from anywhere in the city right to the door of the stadium with consummate ease.

City Stadium (Poznan, Poland)

Ireland vs Croatia, June 10
Italy vs Croatia, June 14
Italy vs Ireland, June 18

Finally, Poland’s hosting of the tournament is rounded up with the City Stadium of Poznań in Poznań. Since opening in 1980, it has undergone renovation from 2003 to 2010 and in the process, a roof has been added and the capacity has been extended to 41,609. Home of the club, Lech Poznan, the creators of the Poznan celebration, it is sure to be electric atmosphere for every game taking place there in this hostile arena.

Poznań, like the other Polish cities, is adeptly prepared for the arrival of thousands of soccer mad fans. The city has an extensive transport and infrastructural network, which includes motorways, buses, trains, trams and an airport. For the months of June and July, people can expect temperatures to be consistently hitting 20 degrees 68F with about 70% humidity and very little rainfall.

Olympic Stadium (Kiev, Ukraine)

Ukraine vs Sweden, June 11
Sweden vs England, June 15
Sweden vs France, June 19
Quarterfinal, June 24
Final, July 1 

The Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine is the showpiece arena of the entire tournament and also where the final is to be held on the 1st of July. Since being built in 1923, it has undergone several renovations and most recently from 2008 to 2011 in preparation for this summer’s competition. With a capacity of 70,050, both sets of fans for the final shouldn’t be too hard pushed to get tickets as it is by far the biggest stadium for Euro 2012. Although it may lack the bright lights and top-of-the-range technology seen with more recently built grounds, it is certain to be a cauldron of noise and a spectacle of color for whichever teams have the honor of playing in this vast amphitheatre.

Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, is renowned for being a significant eastern European city for historical and cultural events and football can be added to that list in June. Well inland from any major water, the city enjoys balmy summer heat in the mid-twenties with humidity of about 75% and little rainfall. The metropolis is excellently serviced by great transport connections including funicular, the underground metro system, trams, trains and buses.

Donbass Arena (Donetsk, Ukraine)

France vs England, June 11
Ukraine vs France, June 15
England vs Ukraine, June 19
Quarterfinal, June 23
Semifinal, June 27 

The Donbass Arena in Donetsk, Ukraine is a wonderful 50,000 seater stadium that was completed in 2009. Home of Shaktar Donetsk, not only is it worthy of big European club games which Shaktar host here but it is worthy of welcoming the cream of Europe’s national talent also. The exterior is illuminated, it has an infrared heating system and also contains vast parklands around the stadium.

The city of Donetsk itself has come a long since the 1990’s. It has modernized rapidly in recent years and it very easy to get around thanks to it’s well-planned out train, tram, trolley and bus routes, including a brand new railway station especially for the event. Temperatures hover around 68F with humidity of only about 65% with minimal precipitation.

Metalist Stadium (Kharkiv, Ukraine)

Netherlands vs Denmark, June 9
Netherlands vs Germany, June 13
Portugal vs Netherlands, June 17

The Metalist Stadium in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv is where the stadia get considerably smaller with just 38,633 seats. Since being opened in 1926, it has undergone four renovations, including the one especially for Euro 2012 and some of these improvements were a shopping center incorporated into the arena, replacing the roof and building a completely new East Stand.

Kharkiv, like many other eastern European countries, only significantly developed in recent years. It boasts excellent transportations facilities with an underground metro, trams, buses, rail plus one other unique mode – A ‘’Marshrutka,’’ which is a routed taxi-cab that allows standing on journeys. Like the other Ukrainian cities, its temperatures also hang around the 20 mark with humidity of about 70% and very little rain.

Arena Lviv (Lviv, Ukraine)

Germany vs Portugal, June 9
Denmark vs Portugal, June 13
Denmark vs Germamy, June 17

The final stadium to host a Euro 2012 match is Arena Lviv in Lviv, Ukraine. Built for the competition, it too is small in capacity with only 34,915 seats. It was opened in October of last year but despite its size, UEFA representatives have said it’s possibly the most comfortable stadium of the lot as no matter where you are sitting, the view is impeccable all around the ground.

Lviv is a surprisingly cooler city for the months of June and July. Humidity is also considerably lower near 60% with a fair bit more rainfall in comparison to the other host cities of Ukraine. The locality is well served in terms of transports with metro, buses, rail, and trams. It is also a very bicycle friendly city for anyone interested in getting around very cheaply.

With another epic Premier League season completed, this summer we turn our attention to the European Championships. With three out of the four 2010 World Cup semi-finalists being European, the “Old Continent” is the king of world soccer right now, which means this summer should be a mouth-watering feast of some of the best international soccer seen in years. With Spain, Germany and Holland among favorites to claim silverware in July, and nations such as England, France and Italy looking to reclaim their tags as heavyweights on the international scene after recent disappointments at big tournaments, the winners of this year’s tournament will have to be at their very best throughout, from the Group stage right up to the final and you can learn all about their journey as well as Betfair Euro 2012 Tips right here on EPL Talk.

The format for Euro 2012 is simple and straightforward, with sixteen teams having qualified for this midsummer event. These teams are broken down into four individual Groups.

Group A

Group A consists of co-hosts Poland, Euro 2004 winners Greece, the surprise package of 2008 who went all the way to the semi-final that was Russia and the 1996 runners-up, Czech Republic.

Poland and Greece starts the tournament on June 8 at Noon ET. The same evening, Russia takes on Czech Republic at 2:45 p.m. ET. Most games taking place in Poland will kick off strictly in line with the aforementioned times, which is all of both Group A’s and Group C’s fixtures.

On June 9, Holland plays Denmark at Noon ET. Later on, Germany faces Portugal (2:45pm ET).

Most games played in Ukraine will kick off strictly in line with the aforementioned time, which is all of both Group B’s and Group D’s fixtures. The tournament ends on July 1 with the last two teams played in the Olympic Stadium in Kiev at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Group B

Group B will be, without a shadow of a doubt, the most eagerly anticipated set of fixtures early on in the tournament. Three-time winners of this tournament Germany, 2010 World Cup finalists Holland, 2004 runners-up Portugal and 1992 winners Denmark will all duel in this Group with two major names certain to be denied knock-out round soccer.

Group C

Group C contains defending European and world champions Spain, 2006 World Cup winners Italy, the Republic of Ireland – who is making their first appearance at an international tournament in 10 years – and Croatia, whose adventure to the quarterfinals the last time was stopped short in dramatic fashion by Turkey.

Group D

Finally, Group D holds co-hosts Ukraine, 1992 semi-finalists Sweden, 2000 winners France and England, who humiliatingly didn’t qualify for the 2008 edition of this tournament.

How Euro 2012 Works

The Group stage will operate as a type of mini-league, with 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and nothing for a loss. The team with the greatest amount of points tops the table and the side second in the table joins the top team into the quarterfinal stage. In the event of two teams being level on points after they have finished all their Group games, the nation with the superior goal difference will be placed ahead of the other team. However if the teams also boast the same goal difference, whatever team has the greater amount of goals scored will be put ahead of the other team.

The first quarterfinal of the championship will see the winners of Group A take on the runner-up of Group B. Should any match in the knock-out stage finish in a draw after ninety minutes of action, thirty minutes of extra-time will be played to find a winner. However if the match is still even after two hours of soccer, a penalty shoot-out will take place to determine who advances.

The second quarterfinal will have the winner of Group C clashing with the runner-up of Group D.  The first of these quarterfinals takes place on June 21. The second one is exactly 24 hours later.

The winner of these two games then competes in the semifinal, scheduled June 27, with the winner then advancing to the showpiece finale.

Similarly on the other side of the draw, the winners of Group B will play the runner-up of Group A on June 23. To complete quarterfinal formalities, the winner of Group D will fight it out with the runner-up of Group C a day later, to earn a spot in a semifinal. Likewise, on June 28, the winners of each of these quarterfinals will compete in the second semifinal to earn a spot in the final of the tournament at the beginning of July.

As Germany is favorites to win Group B, they are likely to compete against Poland in their quarterfinal, who are odds-on to finish runner-up in Group A.

Holland, as probable runners-up to Germany, should be taking on Russia in their quarterfinal.

Spain, who is expected to win Group C, will likely take on France, who the bookies believe will finish runners-up in Group D.

England, should they win Group D, will likely face Italy, should they finish second in Group D, in their quarterfinal clash.

Although Spain is favorites for the title, my gut instinct says that Germany will emerge as winners from what is sure to be a fascinating tournament. After a wonderful World Cup campaign ended in a 1-0 semi-final defeat to Spain, the then youthful side have come on leaps and bounds. The star-studded trio of Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira and Mario Gotze will dictate proceedings from the middle of the field but it is their strong rearguard, highlighted by the world class Manuel Neuer and embellished by strikers such as Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose which is why I’m backing Joachim Low’s team to return to their country with the trophy come early July.

As international tournaments come, I believe only the World Cup ranks higher. With the two heavyweights of Brazil and Argentina not enjoying their most productive periods, European soccer has dominated the latter stages of the last decade and it is definitely carrying that dominance on into this one. As Spain basks in the glory of producing one of the finest soccer teams of all-time, Germany returns to their good old days and the Netherlands coming agonizingly close to ending their trophy drought in recent years, the continent of Europe is enjoying its status of kings of the game at the moment.

The record breaking sales of FIFA 12 (3.2 million sold in its first week alone) illustrated that not only is it proving to be one of the most popular gaming franchises on the planet, it is also one of the best. With a variety of new features built into the game, in terms of game play, commentary and extra game modes, the FIFA cult has just added a few more fans to their legion of followers in what promises to be the greatest football game ever made.

The different game modes that FIFA 12 offers can be overwhelming at first for someone new to the game, or video gamers who haven’t played the series very often. To help, we’re broken the different game modes that you can choose from, to help you navigate through the game:

Career Mode

httpv://youtu.be/1qiSSSCZCIQ

The first of these includes the Career Mode, which allows you to participate as manager, player-manager or simply just a player of a real-life club.

You can take charge of Manchester United and try to maintain their winning ways with Rooney and co. or you could try and become a legendary player of an English fourth tier side that propels his team to European glory over the course of his playing career. The choice is yours! As a manager, you are in total power of the club and dictate its destiny in terms of transfers, scouting/youth academy as well as the growth of your players. However be cautious because if your results don’t match the board’s expectations, don’t expect to hang around the club for long! You will be notified of the anticipated hopes of your employers and they will be monitoring you throughout the season to ensure their aims are being fulfilled. Likewise if you’re a player who isn’t putting in the desired, the manager might not remain patient with you for much longer. The chances are that you’ll have to look for a new club as you experience the highs and lows of the real-life beautiful game

A new mode to this edition is Head to Head Seasons and Online Friendlies. Head to Head Seasons is an online league, divided into different divisions. You start in the 10th division, and at the end of each 10-match season your results determine whether you get promoted or relegated. You get three points for a win and one for a draw, with the amount of points needed for promotion getting ever higher as you advance. Each division also has its own cup to win, starting with the EA Shield for lower divisions, through to the Premier Cup for the top tier. Tournaments for cups take place every few weeks, so you’ve always got another opening to contend for some silverware if you lose out the first time. Your performance is tracked too, so you can see how you compare to the rest of the online community, with a table showing you how many contenders are in each league. Many of the other characteristic game modes are still in the game such as create your own tournament or simply play in a real tournament eg. The FA Cup.

Ultimate Team

httpv://youtu.be/nTrB9FHkWws

FIFA 12’s Ultimate Team mode allows users to do exactly what it says on the tin: Create your ultimate team. This can be done by purchasing, selling, auctioneering and swapping players with thousands of other gamers online. In order to build your ultimate team, you must earn coins which in turn are spent on buying better players to aid your progression to put yourself among the FIFA-playing elite of this world. These virtual coins can be earned by winning tournaments online or if you’d prefer the quicker, albeit more expensive route, you can buy them with real money.

Live Season

Live Season is where you take control of a club such as Liverpool or Arsenal and play out their season, exactly as it has been scheduled. For example, if Arsenal are set to play Tottenham on gameweek 26 of the Premier League in the 2011-12 season, you will play that fixture around the same time. If Tottenham manage to beat their city rivals, you can avenge that defeat when you dictate the virtual version. Live Season is updated every single week so every individual players form and attributes are always fluctuating and correspond with their real-life form to make it the most authentically realistic football experience on a games console yet. However it does come at a cost as EA charge £4.99 (US $7.99) for every league you buy.

Tournaments

Tournaments are another part of EA’s self-proclaimed ‘’revolutionized’’ online side of the game. Every few weeks, you can enter the cup competitions they have set up. To make it extremely fair, teams of similar strength are pitted against each other — ie. Manchester United would play Liverpool instead of a weaker side like Wigan. The better players of the game around the world, who use more manual controls, also take on each other head-to-head which truly reinforces FIFA’s message of ‘’Fair Play’’, even if it’s only in the video game! In tournaments, you can also try and capture some of the magic of the FA Cup by bringing a lower league team through the world’s oldest cup competition to the ultimate knock-out glory. However if you enjoy manager mode but cups aren’t your thing, you can take charge of a club and try and win the league with them. From winning the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund to dominating the Scottish Premier League with Rangers, there’s something for everyone.

EA Sports Arena

The EA Sports Arena is where footballers are born and finely tuned. You are alone on a pitch with only a goalkeeper where you are free to do what you like which includes taking free kicks, penalties, perfecting skill moves plus improving your dribbling and finishing. You can choose the player you want to control and the goalkeeper you want to beat over and over again can. In addition to this, you can play training matches or create set piece routines which are designed to bamboozle the opposition defense and score a goal.

Virtual Pro

Virtual Pro is where you live out your dream of recreating yourself within the game and become a professional footballer at last! This player can be used in all the other modes of the game such as the Arena and tournaments. You can improve your player by giving him game time in career mode as well as spending time fine-tuning his rawness in the arena. To give your player your complete likeness, you can take a photo of yourself, upload it onto easportsfootball.co.uk, download it onto your console and add it to your player’s face to give yourself the added touch of originality!

EA Sports Football Club

httpv://youtu.be/yR8u12PdQNc

Finally EA Sports Football Club is another brand new game mode of the FIFA gaming franchise. All of your progress is tracked and you will be awarded XP points for your endeavors. You will be compared to your friends online as well as being placed on the worldwide leaderboard to compare yourself with the cream of the crop. Whatever team you support or have a fondness for, you choose to play with that team online. Every fanbase fights for the bragging rights to get their club to the top of the leaderboard by earning XP points. The amount of points the fans of your fellow club has earned will be divided evenly among the number of fans which you have online and whatever you result, you could be promoted, relegated or be crowned world champions for that “season.”

FIFA 12 had a lot to live up to after last year’s magnificently put together gaming experience but the slight improvements that they have done, have made all the difference in the world. Games are fairer and more realistic. The depth and the lifespan of the game make it as addictive as any drug on the planet. And above all, you can do some incredible things with a football than otherwise in real life, you might not! It’s definitely the closest thing you can get to playing the beautiful game without having to put on a pair of boots.