EURO report highlights trends

Experienced coaches
The Technical Team comprised experienced members of the European coaching community – Jean-Paul Brigger, Jerzy Engel, Roy Hodgson, Gérard Houllier, Morten Olsen, György Mezey, Holger Osieck, Dr Jozef Vengloš and UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh – all of whom attended EURO matches, as well as a number of team training sessions.

Dramatic tournament
The aim of the UEFA EURO 2008™ Technical Report, which appears in English, French and German, is to provide a permanent record of the UEFA EURO 2008™ matches and stimulate discussion. It will help pinpoint the footballing trends at what the report describes as "a fascinating, often dramatic tournament which was won by a team [Spain] that carried the
ball close to its heart."

Words and images
The permanent record is based on data in which team lineups are presented according to tactical pattern rather than numerical order. "But, in addition to the statistical evidence, the objective is to provide words and images which combine to reflect a final tournament where the standards of play were a credit to the players and the technicians who had gelled their squads together within limited time-spans," the report says.

Prevailing trends
Appraisals of the tournament matches are complemented by articles which highlight the prevailing trends, and especially the reasons why Spain went on to win their first major national-team title since 1964. "From a technical/tactical viewpoint, EURO 2008 was a high-level competition and a valuable reference point for the evolution of the game," the report says. "Possession play, combinations in attack and counterattacking were the major tactical ploys during the tournament. Although starting shapes varied, most teams ended up defending 4-5-1, and adaptation of shape was common, sometimes from game to game, but more often within matches when change was demanded or required.

Coaches' influence
"The influence of the national coaches was of major significance in terms of preparation, selection, tactical judgement and the management of star players," the report goes on. "Czech Republic coach Karel Brückner summed up the reality of life in the technical area at a major tournament when he said: 'There can't be great victories without painful defeats. 'Only Luís Aragonés, the champion coach, avoided the latter."

All-Star squad
The report looks at how goals were scored, offers a host of statistics, highlights the match officials, as well as areas such as discipline and Fair Play, and looks at the All-Star squad of players chosen by the Technical Team as the men who were the key actors on the field at the final round. The UEFA EURO 2008™ technical report tackles the main issues that kept fans and the media deep in debate in June, and is an essential read for coaches and football enthusiasts who want an expert viewpoint of how the event unfolded.

Click here to read the UEFA EURO 2008™ Technical Report (English, French and German).