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Ordinary team - Great achievement


sjc

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In light of a difference in opinion with @RandomGuy. about whether the Argentina 86 side was ordinary (other than Maradona's performances) despite achieving greatness in winning the tournament.

Which other sides through history would you classify as otherwise ordinary whilst having a great achievement?

• Liverpool 2005 European Cup Winners.

• Aston Villa 1982 European Cup Winners.

 

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I'd argue Italy were a fairly ordinary side in winning the 82 World Cup. They beat two far superior sides in the latter stages (Brazil and West Germany) and were largely a solid defensive unit with one striker (Paolo Rossi) having the tournament of his life. in 06, they were probably the best of a fairly average bunch. 

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18 minutes ago, Johnstoun said:

Denmark European champs in 1992? Got subbied in because Yugoslavia decided to have a civil war.

I was thinking about them but they did have the Laudrup brothers.....

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1 minute ago, sjc said:

I was thinking about them but they did have the Laudrup brothers.....

Schmeichel as well, but they wouldn't have been rated much above Scotland at the time. In fact did we not qualify for the first time in '92?

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23 minutes ago, Johnstoun said:

Schmeichel as well, but they wouldn't have been rated much above Scotland at the time. In fact did we not qualify for the first time in '92?

We did! Did Jan Molby play in 92 too?

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2 hours ago, Day of the Lords said:

I'd argue Italy were a fairly ordinary side in winning the 82 World Cup. They beat two far superior sides in the latter stages (Brazil and West Germany) and were largely a solid defensive unit with one striker (Paolo Rossi) having the tournament of his life. in 06, they were probably the best of a fairly average bunch. 

Were they ordinary or just efficient (a bit like most German teams) in their style of play? They've never really played attacking, cavalier football really.

The French side in 82 were outstanding too.

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Guest JTS98
3 minutes ago, sjc said:

They had Flemming Povlsen and Lar Elstrup who weren't bad....

Yeah, not bad, but not champions of Europe good either. The majority of their squad was based in Denmark and their overseas-based players were not generally stand-outs.

Elstrup, for example, was a decent enough striker, but hardly set the world alight in his time abroad and if not for Euro 92 would be broadly forgotten outside Denmark and Luton Town. Likewise, Christensen had a good career, but nothing to suggest he'd be in a squad that would achieve something like this.

When you consider the footballing scene in 1992, there's not a lot between the Denmark squad and the Scotland squad. Gary McAllister had just won the English league with Leeds, Brian McClair was a Cup Winners Cup winner and coming off the back of scoring 18 goals in Division One, there was the core of the Rangers team who would do well in the following season's European Cup, a young Duncan Ferguson, Paul McStay. There's not a huge amount between Denmark and us.

I think their achievement stands out all the more when you consider the quality of the Dutch, German, and French sides going into that tournament. Not to mention the Yugoslav side they replaced with Mihajlovic, Stojkovic, Mijatovic, Savicevic, Jokanovic, Jugovic. That's a side with players who won European Cups, Serie A, La Liga etc. A different level to Denmark.

In the context of the time, I think it's fair to say Denmark were average. Huge admirer of what they did, though. Their being average just makes it all the better.

Interesting when you look at the Euro 92 squads to see how many players would later show up in Scotland. I might have missed some, but I've got Petric, Lekovic, De Boer, Andy Thom, Kanchelskis, Kharine, Jonas Thern, Bjorklund, Gilles Rousset, Basile Boli, Christophe Cocard, Franck Sauzee, Brian Laudrup. Quite a haul.

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Bit of a tricky one when you consider teams were ordinary until they won something. Leicester City's achievement is the fine example. Alright guys like Drinkwater and co are probably still considered average but players we now view as World Class like Kante, and Mahrez were not until the end of that season. Could say the same for some of that Denmark team.

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5 minutes ago, JTS98 said:

Yeah, not bad, but not champions of Europe good either. The majority of their squad was based in Denmark and their overseas-based players were not generally stand-outs.

Elstrup, for example, was a decent enough striker, but hardly set the world alight in his time abroad and if not for Euro 92 would be broadly forgotten outside Denmark and Luton Town. Likewise, Christensen had a good career, but nothing to suggest he'd be in a squad that would achieve something like this.

When you consider the footballing scene in 1992, there's not a lot between the Denmark squad and the Scotland squad. Gary McAllister had just won the English league with Leeds, Brian McClair was a Cup Winners Cup winner and coming off the back of scoring 18 goals in Division One, there was the core of the Rangers team who would do well in the following season's European Cup, a young Duncan Ferguson, Paul McStay. There's not a huge amount between Denmark and us.

I think their achievement stands out all the more when you consider the quality of the Dutch, German, and French sides going into that tournament. Not to mention the Yugoslav side they replaced with Mihajlovic, Stojkovic, Mijatovic, Savicevic, Jokanovic, Jugovic. That's a side with players who won European Cups, Serie A, La Liga etc. A different level to Denmark.

In the context of the time, I think it's fair to say Denmark were average. Huge admirer of what they did, though. Their being average just makes it all the better.

Interesting when you look at the Euro 92 squads to see how many players would later show up in Scotland. I might have missed some, but I've got Petric, Lekovic, De Boer, Andy Thom, Kanchelskis, Kharine, Jonas Thern, Bjorklund, Gilles Rousset, Basile Boli, Christophe Cocard, Franck Sauzee, Brian Laudrup. Quite a haul.

Yeh fair point. That Yugoslav side was phenomenal. What might have been. 

You missed Prosinecki and Pancev btw!

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Guest JTS98
4 minutes ago, sjc said:

Yeh fair point. That Yugoslav side was phenomenal. What might have been. 

You missed Prosinecki and Pancev btw!

I think it would have been interesting to see how Scotland might have gone in the other group. We were unlucky to run up against Europe's two best sides at the time, and we beat a strong CIS team.

In the other group, England were pure pish and France were a big letdown. Had we swapped places with Denmark in the draw, I think our squad would have had a decent shot at the semis.

Fitba, eh.

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