Keeping up appearances – almost
Swedish coach Erik Hamren found his emotions finally got the better of him after his side’s Euro 2012 dreams died with their loss to England – coached by Roy Hodgson, who spent much of his early coaching career in Sweden.
“I like Roy Hodgson very much, I really do. So I hope they will win their next match – I hope they will win the tournament,” said Hamren earnestly.
But even as he spoke he shook his head and could not prevent himself uttering an expletive in the next breath, as his own disappointment hit home.
RVP hanging on the telephone
After Holland’s defeat by Germany Dutch striker Robin van Persie skipped part of a post-match debriefing as he went outside to phone his wife.
Dutch media saw in that a sign of an emerging split between “RVP” and his squadmates.
But skipper Mark van Bommel scoffed at the idea.
“There was no network in the dressing room so Robin had to go out.”
Defender Joris Mathijsen insisted: “There is no difficulty with Robin.”
Ramos is number one – or could be
Central defender Sergio Ramos could face a slight redeployment if ever Iker Casillas suffers the indignity of being sent off and their substitutes have already been used.
Ramos, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Negredo and Javi Martinez have been taking turns to have a session in between the sticks in training.
“It’s to see who could go in goal if it were necessary after the keeper had been sent off,” explained Albiol and Negredo. Both agreed in such an event that Ramos should get the nod.
Dreaming of England – Albiol and Arbeloa
Spanish pair Raul Albiol and Alvaro Arbeloa have been whiling away the time in between training and matches with their Playstation machines. Yet rather than select Spain they tend to choose England for virtual matches – something which has not gone unnoticed in the British media.
When a British journalist asked the pair how that panned out Albiol said: “Ask Alvaro (Negredo), who teams up with (Juan) Mata and always loses to us!”
Playstation aside, the Spanish could go up against the flesh and blood England in the quarter-finals if they win their group and Roy Hodgson’s men come second behind France in theirs.