The Olsen Gang in a "Group of Death" of EURO 2012

   Denmark


Nicknames: The Red and Whites, Danish Dynamite,The Olsen Gang, Olsen's Eleven, The Red and White Football Aces.
Head coach : Morten Olsen
Captain: Daniel Agger
Most caps: Peter Schmeichel (129)
Top scorer: Poul Nielsen (52), Jon Dahl Tomasson (52)
FIFA ranking : 9

The Danish Football Association was founded in 1889th and so far they had 7 appearances on European championships. The best results were in 1992 when they won this competition as well in 1964 and 1984 when Denmark was in semi-finals. Very hard work is expected Denmark team this time at EURO 2012. Competition in the group of death along with Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal will be almost mission impossible for the "Olsen Gang". But team for whom this will be second consecutive big competition as well 4th from last six, certainly has the quality to compete with any team.
Road to EURO 2012 for Denmark was in group H, where the Danes ended up on top and thus ensure the direct participation on the European championship, leaving behind the favored Portuguese, as well Norway, Iceland and Cyprus. After qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa, this was the second consecutive time that the Danes in the group were more successful of team led by Cristiano Ronaldo. So, history sometimes really repeats itself. But whether it can be repeated now, whether Denmark can repeat the sensational success of the 1992?
I think the answer to this question as well the answer to how Denmark can really do at the EURO 2012, we will find out in little more than a month when on June 9, on Metalist Stadium in Kharkiv they meet in the first match with the Netherlands.

ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:Danes are characterized by excellent play by the side where they have a quality winger players. Also the maximum discipline in the game is what could be their advantage. We should also mention the bench where they have a very experienced Morten Olsen, who already for twelve years is national team coach. Disadvantage could be an attack where there is no longer the legendary Jon Dahl Tomasson, but there are new forces, and one of them is certainly Nicklas Bendtner. What is certainly not in favor of the Danish team is very strong group in first stage. Germany, Netherlands and even Portugal are among the main candidates to win the EURO 2012. But on the other hand, if Denmark make a surprise and reach the second round, it will automatically mean that they eliminated two major competitors and also will have a much easier road later in the competition since the opponent for the place in semifinals would be some of the teams from Group A, which is actually the weakest on the tournament.

  
The bigest star in the team:Above-mentioned Nicklas Bendtner is definitely number 1 in the Danish team. This 24 year-old football player is member of London's Arsenal and currently playing on loan at Sunderland. This is a excellent player who is the most dominant in the "air". For the national team has already made his debut at age of 18.
So today, at age of 24 Bendtner already has 45 appearances and 17 goals scored.



Head coach:

Although for the last 22 years Morten Olsen is dealing with coaching job, bench of Denmark is only the fourth job in his coaching career. It is interesting that his playing career lasted even up to 40 years of age and then he took over Brondby as his first coaching job and later was also in charge in FC Koln and Ajax. Since 2000, successfully led a national team of Denmark. EURO 2012 will be his 4th big competition. Before Poland and Ukraine he was also at the EURO 2004 in Portugal as well on two World Cups, Japan and South Korea in 2002 and South Africa in 2010.



Couple more interesting facts:

The most interesting thing about the Danish national team is the fact how they became European champions in 1992. In the qualifying they ended up behind a team of former Yugoslavia. On the eve of the Euro 1992, Danish players have spent time on the beach and then they suddenly get a chance to participate in Sweden. Due to the tragic wars of the early nineties and as a result of UN sanctions that followed, Yugoslavia was expelled from the championship.
Thus, according to many the most talented generation of Yugoslav football players ever, was left without a chance to five years after winning the title of world champion in the junior competition, try to make a big score in the senior competition. The Danes were given an unexpected chance and all the rest is history.
In the group with host Sweden as well France and England, the Danes were huge underdog, especially given that they went to the championship without any preparation. But with one win, a draw and a defeat Denmark took the second place and met in semifinals with Netherlands. After 2-2, penalties are decided (Peter Schmeichel saved the Marco Van Basten penalty shoot) and then in the finale Denmark was better than Germany (2-0).

Current best odds for Denmark to win EURO 2012 are offered by William Hill (101.00) making them the largest underdog of the Championship.But whether they are the weakest team in Euro 2012? In my opinion of course not. These odds are the consequence of the fact that they are in a very difficult group. 101 is definitely a value. After all, returning to the 1992, it seems to me that they were given even less chances back then.