28 June 2006
WE WILL HIT THE SPOT
3 DAYS TO ENGLAND v PORTUGAL: AND THOSE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT FEARS ARE EASED
Hargreaves: Forget the heartbreak of '90, '96, '98, '04.. we've got the players now to win on penalties
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer Reports From Baden-Baden
England's Owen Hargreaves took part in a penalty shoot-out against Portugal in the Quarter Final of Euro 2004.
OWEN HARGREAVES last night vowed to cast aside 16 years of spot-kick hurt for England as he promised the nation: "We will beat anyone on penalties."
The Bayern Munich midfielder held his nerve as England's latest brush with heartbreak from 12 yards ended their Euro 2004 dream at the same last-eight stage against Luiz Felipe Scolari's team.
But Hargreaves echoed the determination of Sven Goran Eriksson's squad that unlike in 1990, 1996, 1998 and two years ago, this time England will emerge triumphant from the cruellest test in football.
Hargreaves said: "I am not very superstitious and while I play in Germany I don't really believe that the Germans are the best penalty-takers. I know Switzerland missed all of their against Ukraine and I'm sure that if you'd told them before the shoot-out that no one would score they would have laughed. If it comes to penalties, you need five players to step up and score and we've got them.
"I don't think a German can take a better penalty than an Englishman - I can't see that at all. We've got dead-ball specialists, some of the best in the world - Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham. And I will step up and take a penalty, like I did against Portugal last time.
"It is about the players on the pitch taking responsibility and I would do it this time as well.
"If it comes to a shoot-out, I fancy our chances against anyone, no problems."
Hargreaves' assurance comes from a man schooled in Teutonic efficiency in Munich, although if he can set the midfield tempo for Eriksson's men in Gelsenkirchen - especially with the suspended Costinha and Deco both missing for Portugal - England will hope to make it through to the last four in 90 minutes.
The 25-year-old is set to revert to the holding role, with Gary Neville returning at right- back, despite carrying the scars of battle from the high boot of Agustin Delgado - a four-inch rake and huge bruise below his right knee which left Hargreaves joking: "He left me an Ecuadorean tattoo!"
One that even skipper David Beckham might not want to replicate but Hargreaves knows his job on Saturday will be to provide the platform for the captain and the rest of the England engine room to show they can produce when it is required and lay the ghosts of Lisbon from 2004.
"Every player brings his strength to the team and my strength is winning tackles, laying it off and getting the ball to Lamps and Becks and Stevie G to make plays," added Hargreaves.
"When you look at our midfield I don't think you could have any better players in the world. We've got an incredible array of talent and then you've got Stuart Downing and Aaron Lennon, with his incredible pace, on the bench.
"Becks on one side can whip the ball in from anywhere, Joe Cole on the other is incredible at oneon- ones and getting in the box dribbling.
"Then there's Stevie G and Lamps who are two of the most gifted midfielders in the world and me, a more defensive man.
"We've got great balance. It comes down to performing on the day."
While Scolari versus Eriksson is being depicted as fire against ice, Hargreaves insists the role of the two coaches is relatively limited and that the England players know that it is down to them.
He said: "When you're at this level, when you look at the players and all the big games they've been through, it comes down to the players on the pitch.
"We try things out in training, tactics and formations, but when it comes down to it, what matters is the 11 players on the pitch and playing very well. "The manager can't intervene once we go on to the pitch. We have to do the business.
"When you look at the Ecuador game, it was the biggest game of all their careers. They put in their best effort.
"But we won and they've gone home and will be watching the next round on the telly.
"We could have played better, could have scored more goals and played more attractive football.
"But we know we can play better and have great players, individuals who are going to create chances - Wayne (Rooney) looked great on Sunday. He was very dangerous.
"We're going to create chances and once we score a goal early on it will allow us to open up and create more chances and hopefully score more."
England will have to in the AufSchalke Arena although Hargreaves dismissed talk of mind games emanating from Scolari.
"Whatever is said before and after that, the truth is on the pitch," he said.
"In football there is such a fine line between winning and losing. There are some games where you can see you were that close.
"Penalties make it even more difficult to accept at times because all the effort is ended like that and you realise you're going home the next day.
"Football can be very harsh at times. When you've been in those situations, you realise that it's that close and such a fine line, you realise that it comes down to the tiny little details.
"You have to decide them for yourself to move on.
"But that's the way of the game. This is a different tournament, two years on.
"All the preparation has got us to here. It's not just about unfinished business. It's about moving through to the next round."
mirror.co.uk
WE WILL HIT THE SPOT
3 DAYS TO ENGLAND v PORTUGAL: AND THOSE PENALTY SHOOT-OUT FEARS ARE EASED
Hargreaves: Forget the heartbreak of '90, '96, '98, '04.. we've got the players now to win on penalties
Martin Lipton Chief Football Writer Reports From Baden-Baden
England's Owen Hargreaves took part in a penalty shoot-out against Portugal in the Quarter Final of Euro 2004.
OWEN HARGREAVES last night vowed to cast aside 16 years of spot-kick hurt for England as he promised the nation: "We will beat anyone on penalties."
The Bayern Munich midfielder held his nerve as England's latest brush with heartbreak from 12 yards ended their Euro 2004 dream at the same last-eight stage against Luiz Felipe Scolari's team.
But Hargreaves echoed the determination of Sven Goran Eriksson's squad that unlike in 1990, 1996, 1998 and two years ago, this time England will emerge triumphant from the cruellest test in football.
Hargreaves said: "I am not very superstitious and while I play in Germany I don't really believe that the Germans are the best penalty-takers. I know Switzerland missed all of their against Ukraine and I'm sure that if you'd told them before the shoot-out that no one would score they would have laughed. If it comes to penalties, you need five players to step up and score and we've got them.
"I don't think a German can take a better penalty than an Englishman - I can't see that at all. We've got dead-ball specialists, some of the best in the world - Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham. And I will step up and take a penalty, like I did against Portugal last time.
"It is about the players on the pitch taking responsibility and I would do it this time as well.
"If it comes to a shoot-out, I fancy our chances against anyone, no problems."
Hargreaves' assurance comes from a man schooled in Teutonic efficiency in Munich, although if he can set the midfield tempo for Eriksson's men in Gelsenkirchen - especially with the suspended Costinha and Deco both missing for Portugal - England will hope to make it through to the last four in 90 minutes.
The 25-year-old is set to revert to the holding role, with Gary Neville returning at right- back, despite carrying the scars of battle from the high boot of Agustin Delgado - a four-inch rake and huge bruise below his right knee which left Hargreaves joking: "He left me an Ecuadorean tattoo!"
One that even skipper David Beckham might not want to replicate but Hargreaves knows his job on Saturday will be to provide the platform for the captain and the rest of the England engine room to show they can produce when it is required and lay the ghosts of Lisbon from 2004.
"Every player brings his strength to the team and my strength is winning tackles, laying it off and getting the ball to Lamps and Becks and Stevie G to make plays," added Hargreaves.
"When you look at our midfield I don't think you could have any better players in the world. We've got an incredible array of talent and then you've got Stuart Downing and Aaron Lennon, with his incredible pace, on the bench.
"Becks on one side can whip the ball in from anywhere, Joe Cole on the other is incredible at oneon- ones and getting in the box dribbling.
"Then there's Stevie G and Lamps who are two of the most gifted midfielders in the world and me, a more defensive man.
"We've got great balance. It comes down to performing on the day."
While Scolari versus Eriksson is being depicted as fire against ice, Hargreaves insists the role of the two coaches is relatively limited and that the England players know that it is down to them.
He said: "When you're at this level, when you look at the players and all the big games they've been through, it comes down to the players on the pitch.
"We try things out in training, tactics and formations, but when it comes down to it, what matters is the 11 players on the pitch and playing very well. "The manager can't intervene once we go on to the pitch. We have to do the business.
"When you look at the Ecuador game, it was the biggest game of all their careers. They put in their best effort.
"But we won and they've gone home and will be watching the next round on the telly.
"We could have played better, could have scored more goals and played more attractive football.
"But we know we can play better and have great players, individuals who are going to create chances - Wayne (Rooney) looked great on Sunday. He was very dangerous.
"We're going to create chances and once we score a goal early on it will allow us to open up and create more chances and hopefully score more."
England will have to in the AufSchalke Arena although Hargreaves dismissed talk of mind games emanating from Scolari.
"Whatever is said before and after that, the truth is on the pitch," he said.
"In football there is such a fine line between winning and losing. There are some games where you can see you were that close.
"Penalties make it even more difficult to accept at times because all the effort is ended like that and you realise you're going home the next day.
"Football can be very harsh at times. When you've been in those situations, you realise that it's that close and such a fine line, you realise that it comes down to the tiny little details.
"You have to decide them for yourself to move on.
"But that's the way of the game. This is a different tournament, two years on.
"All the preparation has got us to here. It's not just about unfinished business. It's about moving through to the next round."
mirror.co.uk