Wales

Wales have the team spirit to reach the final

Simon Rose

These Euros have been quite cagey so far and I don’t think the semis will be any different. It’s been a fascinating tournament: the surprise achievements of some teams and the disappointment of some others.

It was great to see Iceland score two goals against France, after doing it against England. That shows it wasn’t a one-off. They’ve been very exciting.

Portugal vs Wales is up first. I’m going for Wales. I think Portugal have been very average. I think Wales have the team spirit.

Aaron Ramsey is missing and that is a big miss, but Chris Coleman has been fantastic and it’s important that the camp don’t talk too much about missing Ramsey. They’ve got a good squad to cope. They don’t want to make it their excuse.

I remember a great story with Bobby Robson, from Mexico ’86, before the Paraguay game. Ray Wilkins was suspended and Bryan Robson had done his shoulder, both against Morocco. Bobby relaxed us nicely and we were feeling really good. Then he said calmly: “Don’t worry about those 60 million people watching at home”. It’s a classic! But he meant it. In a good way!

Bale against Ronaldo will be on people’s minds. Bale will be there for his team. He will win that challenge, Ronaldo will come second.

Germany vs France: everybody might have fancied this for the final and the Germans are so good at getting their tactics right, no matter who is the manager. France have great individuals. This is a manager’s game for me.

The managers will play a massive, massive part. It’s obviously the players who do it on the pitch, but it’ll be about who gets it right on the day. I’ve got to go Germany. They’ve got more options in their group of players for me.

So that means a Germany v Wales final. In 1966, that was a World Cup Final between England and Germany and this could be another home nation, playing Germany in a major final. I’d like to congratulate Wales. Even if they’re not in the final yet! But I think they can get there.

Can Iceland keep their cool? They won’t freeze!

Simon Rose

I was really looking forward to the quarter-finals, but with England out it feels gone for me. I was very excited. I hope Wales do well. There’s no judgement for me for how they celebrated England going out, that’s human nature. I was looking forward to England having a really long stay in this tournament. No England players spoke after we went out and that was a bit of a disappointment, in my opinion.

First up is Poland v Portugal on Thursday night. It’s one of those games where if Poland do their job, they should win the game. I think Poland are very organised and very committed. I think they go onto the pitch with the attitude of “we’re not going to lose”. If either team is going to win in in 90 minutes, it’s Poland for me. Portugal have been very average.

For me, in all three group games, Portugal have done nothing to impress me. I don’t think they’ve got that extra step. Ronaldo, for me, has been poor. All he does is put his hands up like he’s moaning all the time. It’s like he’s moaning because he hasn’t got the ball. He hasn’t played a part yet, for me. Against Poland, Portugal are going to find it very hard. Poland’s better attitude on the football pitch will get them through. 2-1 Poland.

Game two is Wales v Belgium on Friday. This game, along with Germany v Italy, are the games that people will look forward to. Wales have been fantastic. On individual players, Belgium are better, but individuals don’t always win you games. I think it will be a tense yet very exciting game. It could be a classic 0-0 after 90 minutes. I get a sneaky feeling that one of the goalkeepers could be outstanding.

It’s obviously fantastic to score first and then it’s up to the management to decide if a side should go for a second goal. That’s where talking comes into it. The first goal is important, but that is where if you score in the first five minutes you should go for the quick second. I think this one will go to extra time.

Will Ashley Williams be fit? Will he last the whole game? That would be a concern for me. Belgium look to be improving all the time. Wales need their first XI to stay on the pitch, for as long as possible.

I think Bale will go out and play hard for his team. Speak to his teammates, encourage them and do what he does for club and country. See if Belgium are willing to give him free-kicks! Ramsey is good at free-kicks too. Both of these two teams have the ability to win this match. It’s the toughest call for me.

I want Wales to win. Chris Coleman has done a terrific job. And I forgive them for their celebrations! I’ll go for a Wales win in extra-time. That’s my heart saying that! My head says, it’s so close! I really thought it could be a Wales v England final. Wales work so hard for each other.

Saturday sees Germany v Italy. I’m surprised that Germany have never beaten Italy in competitive matches, but Saturday can be the day. The Italians are so well organised, but I just see the Germans opening them up. Out of the teams left, Germany are possibly the only team left that could. Germany are loving the occasion. Italy, they don’t do it very often, but I think they might freeze a little bit.

Muller’s still got it. I think Germany will go for it and have that extra little factor. They both have big strikers, in Gomez and Pelle, but I have also been very impressed by the German number 11, Julian Draxler. Some of the things he did, his vision, his dribbling skills. The Germans love going forward and will cause Italy problems form the start. I think Germany will have a plan for how to break Italy down. When the Germans are in the zone, they are very hard to beat for me. I think Germany are going to win 2-0.

The last quarter-final comes on Sunday, France v Iceland. Can Iceland keep their cool? They won’t freeze! I think Iceland will be over the moon with the result over England, but France have so many fantastic individuals. I think the management will say “Just go and perform”. There’s no doubt in my mind that the French will win. I think France have individuals that will turn up on the day.

Only Roy Hodgson knows why our players didn’t turn up on the day, against Iceland. I think that France, if they need to step up, then they can. With the individual strength that France have got, they are going to overpower Iceland. At some stage, it’s got to get to Iceland, especially if France perform the way they can. I think France will win 3-0. It’s an unexpected last eight, but we could have one of the big outsiders possibly winning the tournament.

Just to update, after the first game: I did think Poland could be that surprise team that wins it and I wouldn’t have said that at the start of the tournament. Now, they’re out! I have a sneaky feeling for a Wales v Germany final. I’d love to see Wales win it and I do think england fans would be pleased for them.

This tournament is there for England to win it

Simon Rose

The win over Wales was about the result on the day. There must have been a lot of pressure on both teams. The result was outstanding.

There was a lot of unnecessary chat before the game, from the managers and players. Coleman said “it’s just another match”. For me, that’s rubbish. It’s one of the biggest games against your big rivals. I know what it’s like, I made my debut against Wales!

I don’t think Bale’s free-kick was special. He got a lot of power behind it. I don’t think Joe Hart was expecting it. In my opinion, he should have saved it. The work-rate of both teams was exceptional, both sets of fans would have been proud of that.

England were on top before Wales scored. Every single English fan was happy to see Vardy on. It was a great decision to bring on Vardy and Sturridge. Roy would have been thinking “We’ve got to score two goals here”. One goal and you’re on a knife-edge then, it had to be two goals.

The lad Sterling, I’d like to stick up for him a bit. They haven’t given him a job to do, it’s like they sent him out and said “just go and play”. In my opinion, he doesn’t have to beat people, the manager could just tell him to get the ball into the box, as many times as possible.

I don’t think his miss was nerves, he just missed it. He’s got to be told his job. Just get crosses in. He hasn’t done that in either game, which makes me think he hasn’t been told to do that.

The changes made England a better team. Rooney ran the game in the second half, everything came through him. The England team knew they needed to score two. Wales didn’t stop trying, but there was a bit of luck with Vardy’s goal, as some linesmen would have given offside. We took control in the second half and it was a fantastic win for England.

They proved on that day and in the first half against Russia that this tournament is there for England to win it. Looking at other teams and their players, I think we’ve got the best group. And I’d rarely say that! I don’t want to put pressure on the players, don’t get me wrong! I want them to go out and play in the way I can see them performing, in my eyes.

England kept going, they had belief that we could get the second. Rashford showed intelligence for a young kid, with great runs. We had great positivity and if we can keep that going for the whole tournament, what a chance we have.

I think Walker has been fantastic and been a great credit to his team. I was saying during the game “Get it out to Walker”. Wales did their homework and realised what a threat he was and tried to stop him going down that right-hand side. And when Sturridge came on, we became more of a threat down the left-hand side.

Sturridge had that little bit of magic and all of a suddenly he squeezed the ball into the net, despite no space whatsoever. It was a fantastic goal. English fans don’t want be over-confident, but they must be looking forward to Monday’s match with Slovakia. That must be great for England supporters.

My expectation is another tremendous effort from our lads. The team spirit is very good and I expect the same effort as from the last two games, as the same effort will be good enough. I’ve had my say, I’ll let Roy pick the team. Let him pick the team he thinks will do the job. Then there’s no pressure on me! I hope Wales qualify as well, to protect me when I go to Wales!