Euro 2008... Top Goalscorer betting

With the domestic season now over the bookies will be going into overdrive to try and get your wagers on Euro 2008. A popular market during any big tournament is who will be the Top Goalscorer and some of the firms have already priced up on this one with some huge differences of opinion between their respective odds compilers. Here's some of the players who are quoted and the best prices on offer...
Miroslav Klose 9-1 Bet365
Cristiano Ronaldo 11-1 Betfred
Luca Toni 12-1 SkyBet
Lukas Podolski 14-1 SkyBet
Fernando Torres 14-1 Bet365
Thierry Henry 16-1 SkyBet
Ruud v. Nistelrooy 16-1 SkyBet
David Villa 20-1 Betfred
Mario Gomez 25-1 Bet365
Kevin Kuranyi 33-1 SkyBet
David Trezeguet 33-1 SkyBet
Robin Van Persie 33-1 Betfred
Karim Benzema 40-1 Bet365
Nicolas Anelka 40-1 Bet365
Michael Ballack 50-1 SkyBet
Milan Baros 50-1 SkyBet
Jan Koller 66-1 SkyBet
Franck Ribery 80-1 Betfred
Sidney Govou 100-1 SkyBet
Cesc Fabregas 100-1 Betfred

As I say, though there are only three bookies giving odds just now, their compilers differ greatly with some of these players having very different prices with different firms.

Miroslav Klose is the firm favourite with both SkyBet and Betfred at 9-1, but Bet365 have plumped for Luca Toni as their favourite at 8-1. If you fancy the big Italian, to score the most goals that is, the you can get 50% more for your money by betting him at SkyBet and Betfred.

One of the other interesting differences is Liverpool's lethal young Spaniard Fernando Torres. OK, the Spaniards are regularly fancied in big tourneys to do well and always let everyone down, but Torres is quoted as 9-1 joint favourite with Ronaldo and Klose with SkyBet, but is available at a huge 14-1 with Bet365.

Others are Spain's David Villa who is 20-1 with Betfred but only 12s at Bet365, Arsenal's Robin Van Persie at 33-1 with Betfred, but only 20s at Bet365 and Karim Benzema who's generally 25-1 but is 40-1 with Bet365.

Good Luck with whoever you go for and if you don't have a Skybet account then take advantage of their £20 free bet to new customers by signing up using the link below.

YOYWYW banner...

I've kind of lost the will to live with adding to the YOYWYW banner at the top of this blog of late.

That's not 100% accurate to be honest. I'm actually at a complete loss as to what else there is that is Swiss and Austrian that can be added. If you've any ideas, and please don't say Josef Fritzl or a dungeon, then please leave a comment and the top ones will be lovingly crafted in and you'll get a big shout out for the suggestions.

Euro Legends...

The Official Euro 2008 website has gradually been evolving as the tournament gets closer and the History section is now well worth a look. Going back to the first tournament in 1960 this is a concise insight into the European Championships. The winners, the losers, star players, tournament information and much, much more.

Check out the excellent Euro Legends section where you'll find biographies of all the players from the winning teams throughout the years, bizarre caricatures of them all and everything you ever needed to know about them.

It really is a good read and a must for all you Euro Stattos out there.

The Contenders...Czech Republic

Contender's ready.... here we take another look at one of the final sixteen Euro 2008 teams, today's choice is...

Czech Republic

THE MANAGER...
The Czechs will be led to Switzerland and Austria by 68-year-old Karel Bruckner, one of the real characters of international management. Bruckner, has been in charge of the national side since 2001 and will be retiring at the end of Euro 2008. Bruckner built up the Czech Under 21 team that went on to victory in the 2002 Under 21 European Championships in Switzerland and was then given the job of leading the country to Euro 2004, where they lost out to eventual winners Greece in the semi-finals.

QUALIFYING STAGES...
The Czech Republic qualified for Euro 2008 by coming out on top of a group that consisted of Germany, Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, Wales, Cyprus and San Marino.
Here is how the Group D qualifying table finished up...

Czech Republic	12	9	2	1	27	5	29
Germany	12	8	3	1	35	7	27
Republic of Ireland	12	4	5	3	17	14	17
Slovakia	12	5	1	6	33	23	16
Wales	12	4	3	5	18	19	15
Cyprus	12	4	2	6	17	24	14
San Marino	12	0	0	12	2	57	0

THEIR GROUP...
The Czechs have been drawn in Group A alongside Portugal, hosts Switzerland and Turkey.

PLAYERS TO WATCH...
Marek Jankulovski... Left back Jankulovski has been a fixture in the AC Milan squad since joining from Udinese in 2005. The marauding style of this defender gives the Czechs good width and he has been known to unleash a vicious strike at goal in the past.
Jan Koller... Striker Koller, pictured, seems to have been around for years but still manages to get in amongst the goals. The 35-year-old has a great scoring record with 50 goals from his 80 international caps. Koller is undoubtedly coming to the end of his career, but will still prove a danger to every team he comes up against.

THE KIT...
The Czech Republic play in kit made by Puma.
Their home kit consists of red top with blue collar, white shorts and blue socks with white piping. The away kit is a white top with red collar, white shorts with red piping and white socks with red piping.

Buy the Czech Republic home and away strip here...

THEIR CHANCES...
The Czechs on their day can be an exciting, fast-flowing side who play some great football and entertain. Having had a great qualifying campaign and a decent draw this really could be their chance to shine and give boss Karel Bruckner a great send off as he heads into retirement.

EU've had you're chips...

Panic not! If you're heading to Switzerland to take in any of the Euro 2008 games then the fear that has been gripping the nation about the availability of that much-loved Swiss delicacy THE CHIP is over!!

It seems that Switzerland has been engulfed in potato rationing due to a national shortage of spuds. Thankfully, the Swiss government have stepped in to avert a roasting and are allowing an extra 5000 tonnes of totties into the country. The restrictions on the importation of potatoes was enforced after the excellently-named Swisspatat, the Swiss potato industry, warned supplies were running low in the build-up to the big tournament.

All is not well though. It seems reserves of a favourite Swiss delight, Cervelat, is also running low so you may be denied the opportunity to sample this savoury snack. The sausage-like delicacy, which is made of intestines from Brazilian cows, may well be off the menu when you sit down to soak up the beer so it looks like you may have to make do with chips. Bugger eh?

UEFA.com Fantasy Football..join our league...

Matchday 2 of the UEFA.com Euro 2008 Fantasy Football is only a couple of weeks away now so if you've not already joined the YOYWYW Super League the get your entries in.

The Russia v Kazakhstan match on the 23rd May is the start of the next phase so if you are in the league it may be an idea to start thinking about some substitutions.

Getting your teams entered now means you're in and ready for when the tournament gets going proper and also allows you a bit of practice time to work out how the site works. C'mon you know you want to...

Sign up here and when registered go to the 'Leagues' tab and enter the code 52-10 to join the YOYWYW Super League...

First squad named...

Croatia have become the first country to name their chosen 23-man squad for Euro 2008.

Coach Slaven Bilic, who has just signed a new two-year extension to his contract, produced no real surprises when he named the men he hopes will take the Henri Delaunay trophy back to Zagreb in July. The Croats have also named two youngsters who they will be taking to the tournament as reserves, players Bilic believes are future stars. The squad is...

Goalkeepers
Stipe Pletikosa Spartak Moscow
Vedran Runje Lens
Mario Galinović Panathinaikos

Defenders
Dario Šimić AC Milan
Robert Kovač Borussia Dortmund
Josip Šimunić Hertha Berlin
Vedran Ćorluka Manchester City
Dario Knežević Livorno
Hrvoje Vejić FC Tom Tomsk

Midfielders
Niko Kovač FC Salzburg
Jerko Leko AS Monaco
Darijo Srna Shakhtar Donetsk
Niko Kranjčar Portsmouth
Luka Modrić Tottenham Hotspur
Danijel Pranjić Heerenveen
Ivan Rakitić Schalke 04
Ognjen Vukojević Dinamo Zagreb
Nikola Pokrivač AS Monaco

Forwards
Mladen Petrić Borussia Dortmund
Ivica Olić Hamburg
Ivan Klasnić Werder Bremen
Igor Budan Parma
Nikola Kalinić Hajduk Split

Reserves
Manuel Pamić FC Salzburg
Anas Sharbini HNK Rijeka

Bilic said, "We chose 23 players and we are also taking two youngsters. Not because we want to give them a chance to fit in or to thank them, but because they are young, talented and playing in the positions we need."

Croatia face Moldova in friendly matches later this month before their opening Euro 2008 fixture against Austria and Bilic will be hoping his players come through the next couple of games unscathed.