THE European Championships have made for compelling viewing.
On and off the pitch.
Indeed, Friday's touchline hot-shoe shuffle between Slaven Bilic of Croatia and Fatih Terim promises to be the most keenly contested battle yet.
"I send a message to my country," Turkey's permanently combustible manager ro
ared after his team's dramatic victory over the Czech Republic. "And I say to the people 'get on the streets, celebrate this victory, profit from this moment'!"
'The Emporer' doesn't go in for half-measures.
But for me, the most refreshing moment of the tournament so far came when Fabio Capello used a television interview to confirm that, under his stewardship, neither will England.
What do you think? Post your comments below.For too long now, blinded by the grace and beauty of the latin nations, we've attempted to strike a balance between the continental and British games and only succeeded in producing a half-botched team high on hype but, when push comes to shove, low on results.
Thankfully Cappello, like all the best managers, has decided that rather than impose an alien, foreign culture on his charges it's better to help them embellish their own.
England, he insisted, will approach games with the same tempo and energy we see every week in the Premier League.
That might prove a problem during a long and drawn out finals tournament but at least its better than trying to be a poor imitation of Italy or Spain..
Easy isn't it.
Unlike the off-side rule.
The debate, (and mind-boggling explanations) which followed Ruud Van Nistelrooy's opener against Italy said it all.
Whether or not the strike should have been allowed to stand, whether or not Christian Pannuci, lying prostrate beneath an advertising hoarding remained "active" is, for me at least, an irrelevance.
A sideshow, a distraction from the real issue.
Football's beauty used to be its simplicity.
Now, after years of needless tinkering, it appears you need a degree in applied nuclear physics to understand the laws.
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