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What a feast of footie! This tournament has really thrown up some interesting games and surprise results but Germany not turning up on Thursday night against Italy was the most curious yet. One thing is sure,  Eamon Dunphy's claim that this Italian team are not in the same league as Italian teams of old threatens to come back and bite him in the rear , as most of his proclamations tend to do.

Don't believe a word of it. This is one hell of an Italian team. Their coach Caesare Prandelli has in the two years since he has taken over turned this group of mostly young players, led by the amazing 33 year old Pirlo, into a new kind of Italian team. Sure they went into defensive mode after they went two up, but they are also an offensve force to be reckoned with and are supremely confident and highly motivated to give their all for their country. Prandelli and Pirlo can take the credit for this. Like two kindred spirits, one a past player for Juventus, the other just arrived to Juventus on a free transfer, they have created something special

As for Germany I think they have the talent but desperately need a new coach. Loew is unable to make a decision and stick with it. How else can you explain his tinkering with a team that started the tournament well, and a striker that scored 3 sensational goals. Germany lacked the confidence to take it over the line and the blame for this lies squarely on Loew's inability to show confidence in and build confidence within the team.

Loew has had a lot of luck and has often been credited with making the right decision but in hindsight (and we know how woderful that is) his fiddling about had a negative effect on his players, eating away at their confidence. How would you feel if you had played a stormer only to be dropped because the coach does not have the confidence in you to play against Greece but expects you to come in and do the business against Italy? The stop/start, participation of their best players did nothing for their match fitness and confidence. Prandelli on the other hand stood by his selections and supported Balotelli even when he didn't score. That trust and support was rewarded with two superb goals. He stuck to his guns and instilled his team with confidence.

So before they catch the plane home I thought I would share my favourite German recipe with you. It's for Sauerbraten or Sour Roast. Delicious and different, cooking this meal will mark you out as confident and creative and willing to try odd things. Everything the German team needed to do to beat Italy.

Really looking forward to Sunday, it'll be Tapas or Pasta, (notice how  those two foods share the same letters). I'm planning on Pasta with a cold medium dry German Riesling. Only one more game to go and then footie void, I'm not sure I can take it, the next recipe I pass on to you could very well be for Cold Turkey.

Just when we were ready to straddle success like the cowboys we know we are, along come the Croatian team and steal our horse. Nobody saw it coming except perhaps the RTE panel. The football troika of Giles, Dunphy and Brady once again were not shying away from the harsh realities of Irish football .

We are a tiny nation, with only a handful of top quality players. Granted, when it comes to literature, music, and the Arts in general we deliver better than most bigger countries but football? You need a cast of thousands just to come up with 11 truly top class players. Those 11 players also need to be playing at the highest club level. That's why Lichtenstein don't qualify for tournaments.

However all is not lost. We all know that there is something that an Irish team can call upon to raise their game. It's partly the same thing that motivates 30,000 supporters to travel to Poland to cheer on their team.
It is of course the spirit of the Irish. Our ability to fight to the finish and play with a belief and fervour normally reserved for far more powerful and talented teams has often stood to us. Why not this time?
I think it could still happen. My advice to Spain and Italy? Watch your behinds.

England began with a competent performance against a tentative French side. I have to say that Rooney, on the bench, looks so much less aggressive and threatening, with hair, but is he losing it again ?
Apart from that they looked respectable rather than great and while they may make it out of the group, I can't see them making it into the history books. Fair play to the new manager though for turning them into what looks like a relatively disciplined bunch.

It was with mixed feelings I drew Italy in the Applegreen office sweepstake. I'm a huge fan of the Italian style of football. A firm believer in getting your defence right first then seeing about scoring.
The only problem is they are in the same group as Ireland.. I saw them play earlier on Sunday and was well impressed. My prediction is that Ireland could well surprise Spain and draw with Italy. One feels that some kind of reaction to Sundays poor and lifeless performance must and will come on Thursday. I hope Italy and Ireland can go through to the next round. Meanwhile here is a link to one of my favourite food blogs and a great recipe for Pizza. Make it on Thursday sit down and enjoy Ireland's fight back. Stranger things have happened.