Sons and Daughters...

How proud would you be to see your son or daughter being the Official Match Ball Carrier at a Euro 2008 match?

One of the many tournament sponsors, Kia Motors, are offering the chance of winning this 'lifetime priceless experience' as they so eloquently put it, to one lucky child at the Quarter-Final match to be played in Vienna on Sunday 22nd June.

To be in with giving your child the chance of this 'lifetime priceless experience' then simply follow this link, answer one question (with the answer being Cee'd and Sportage) and fill in the bizarre tie-breaker which asks you to suggest what might be happening in football in the year 2015. The example they give is 'Gary Lineker resigns as England Manager'. Get your crazy thinking caps on and you could be in with a shout.

GOOD LUCK

On the buses...

Everything these days is a potential advertising vehicle (get it) and a tournament like Euro 2008 is something that companies see as an ideal way of getting their message across. With corporate giants like Canon, Continental, Carlsberg and McDonalds getting in on the act of being official sponsors of the competition it comes as no surprise that even the transport the teams will be using is a driving billboard.

Hyundai are the Official National Team Bus sponsors and the company have just chosen the slogans to be used on each countries vehicle after running a competition for the fans to choose what is to be said about the sixteen teams. Here's a list of the winning slogans, some good, some downright awful...

Austria - We can only win together
Croatia- Together with the fans to the top of Europe
Czech Republic - Let's go, let's win, let's fill our nation's dream
France - Live together, celebrate together
Germany- Germany-One team-one purpose
Holland - One team, one spirit, together we are Orange
Italy - The sky is always bluer
Poland - ...because only sport and good fun matter
Portugal - This coach is powered by the will to win
Romania - Romania, we are proud of you and we love you
Russia - Russian hands are all for one, Russia is proud of her sons
Spain - Whatever happens, SPAIN FOREVER
Sweden - Sweden team = top marks
Switzerland - Final destination: Vienna
Turkey - Can this bus contain the passion of Turkey?

I'm sure you'll agree there's a lot of nonsense in amongst that lot, but for me Italy's slogan 'The sky is always bluer' provided the biggest 'Ehhh..what?' moment. What on earth is that supposed to mean?

Unsurprisingly Germany's effort is extremely efficient..say it in a German accent and you'll get what I mean... 'Germany- One Team- One purpose'

Poland also provided a bit of a chuckle with their, '...because only sport and good fun matter'...will that be the kind of good fun that leads to gangs of grown men in the same colour of T Shirt heading into the woods to beat the shit out of each other?


For me there's only one winner and it's a big congratulations to Switzerland for coming up with something that not only states their intentions and hopes but also ingeniously relates to a bus ...'Final destination: Vienna'. Well done the Swiss