If it would have a free kick anywhere else on the pitch then it has *got* to be a penalty. A penalty is a ‘free kick’ that just happens to be from twelve yards and the spot. There can be no real argument with it, and the claims from the Polish PM that he wanted to murder Howard Webb just shows how far behind the UK the majority of the world is in many respects; although I’m not sure that Ref. from Euro 2004 would agree with me. Not only should the Polish PM have better things to do with his time than commenting on a football tournament, but I am almost sure that if an eqv. event had happened with England and a eqv. remark would have been made then FIFA and or UEFA would have had something to do with it. This just further highlights the double standards that we put up with in regards to football politics. However, I do agree with you that this must be a coherant rule enforcement in every game at every level. Boris Johnson-esque tackling is not permitted, and shouldn’t be, be it in the last minute of the EURO 2008 final or in the third minute of the mighty Wrexham against Northwich Vics or whichever other pap we will be playing in the Blue Square this coming season.

Italy: I am a fan of Italian football personally, but I find most of it increasingly mystifying. Donadoni is almost a McClaren with regards to his record, no European experience never mind success, and was so-so with Livorno in the past. He does look a bit like my pops though, so I have to give that to him. He doesn’t seem to have much tactical awareness, although playing three defensivly minded midfielders will tend to cause a bit of a problem. As to the players; yes they are old, but I think that we have a nack of writing players off before they are even thirty, which in my opinion is a mistake. However, there is very little invention in the side, no real number ten, with the exception perhaps of A. Del Piero. Its all well and good to have Pirlo dictating play from the back whilst being minded by Rino Gattusso, but what was it the IRA said to Maggie T? You have to be lucky everyday? Apart from Pirlo (who I must say is a fantastic player) they seem to have no plan B; and in common with the tempo of the game in Italy traditionally there is very little to suggest that they could force a result; but I think it is a mindset rather than a manager or the players. EURO 2004 showed this insistence on defensive play to be very dangerous, and the World Cup showed that a more attacking approach could work; now I’m not sure where they Italians are, or even if they know.

Or who will be in the finals after group stages games have been played?

The area of most concern is the defence. Ever since I can remember they have had a conveyor belt of defensive talent. First world cup I can remember, in 1978, they had Gentile, Scirea and Cabrini, adding Bergomi and Baresi in 1982. By 1988 the backline included Maldini and by 1994 it was the Milan defence. Cannavaro and Nesta were in place by the next world cup. This year they find themselves very short in central defence and as we all know, good teams are built on a solid foundation at the back. Zambrotta and Grosso are excellent wing backs but Italy are being opened up far too easily through the middle. But for Buffon they could have already been bundled out of the tournamnet