Group B: http://football-journey.com/

Group A opened the championship – West Germany vs Czechoslovakia, a replay of the 1976 final. The reigning champions against one of the main favourites, hungry for revenge. The intrigue was mostly on paper... the fans had better sense. Only 11 000 attended. The Germans had only one player who played at the 1976 final – Dietz. Czechoslovakia started with 5 – Ondrus, Gogh, Jurkemik, Panenka, and Nehoda. The opening ceremony of the championship quickly proved more interesting than the game. It was easy to find excuses: the heat, the pressure on the players, the respect both teams had for foxy opponent. Excuses could not hide the obvious: the game was extremely dull. Menotti, who was unfortunate to attend, made the best comment after the match: the ugly football currently in vogue made him a chain-smoker. He smoked 34 cigarettes during the match. The strikers of both teams scored 1 goal. The reigning champions scored nil.

In the 55^th minute Rummenigge scored after a cross from Hansi Muller. That was all and no wonder: West Germany had only 3 shots at the Czechoslovakian net. The Czechs – 6. The Germans won, but pleased no one. Czechoslovakia seemingly played on their current level, which was not much. Venglos blamed his goalkeeper Netolicka for the goal – it was not a big mistake, but the coach was right. A bit of hesitation, uncertainty, lateness and the match was lost. Goalkeeping was well known problem of the team, though. West Germany was heavily criticized: the team just looked as a continuation of the failed 1978 version. It seemed Derwall had no vision of his own, but only followed the approach of Schon. The tactical scheme was 4-4-2, with 6 defensive players. In the middle of defense was Culmann: the ever-present Culmann, who was elevated from a substitute to key player. But he was never more than reliable substitute – and now even less. Schon reduced West Germany to dull, physical team of fighters having no clue what to do when possessing the ball – Derwall's team was the same. Saturated mid-field with solid runners. Schuster was not fielded at all, Magath came as a substitute, Hansi Muller once again was found shaky and not at all at the level of Overath and Netzer. Any thought of comparing Culmann to Beckenbauer was laughable: not only the man had nothing to do with conducting the game, but he was a dwarf compared to Schwarzenbeck. Derwall had no friends after this match, which was voted the dullest of the whole championship. But the Germans got 2 points.

Holand vs Greece had no intrigue: it was just a formality. Holland was still considered a leading football nation – perhaps one reason this match was better attended than West Germany – Czechoslovakia. The Greeks made funny sounding statements before the game, which nobody took seriously. The Dutch started with many little known players, but it was felt that that the new names are the bright up and coming great Dutch. If not so – Krol, Haan, Rep, and van de Kerkhof twins were enough to beat Greece. Alas, it not so. The Greeks were clearly bellow the top teams even when running on enthusiasm. Unfortunately, Holland did not look better. They looked like the terrible Germans. Clueless in attack – the main quality of the great Holland of earlier years was exactly the attack. After the game Zwartkruis blamed the Greeks for their ultra-defensive approach. Nobody believed him... Holland had no creativity and was terrible. They were just lucky: in the 65^th minute the Greek goalkeeper Konstantinou made a stupid foul against Nanninga. The ball was already in possession of a Greek defender, no danger, no reason for committing the foul. The referee immediately gave a penalty.

Konstantinou guessed the direction of the ball, but was not able to reach it. Kist scored the only goal of the match. Near the end Kapsis missed a good opportunity. That was all... Holland was lucky to win. In fact, Holland was lucky not to lose from incredibly weak opponent. The whole difference between winning and losing was that: if Konstantinou did not touch Nanninga and if the header of Kapsis was just a bit lower so to touch the goalpost at the other side so to go into the net, the winner would have been Greece.

Holland vs West Germany – the derby of Group A. The stakes were high – the winner was practically going to the final. Expectations were also high – West Germany and Holland had old scores to settle. Both teams disappointed a few days earlier, but it was felt that the derby will be entirely different. To a point, West Germany was repeating 1974 – back then the team also started badly and had to be reshaped in the next games until the right formula was found. Derwall did the same – Cullmann and Bernd Foster were out, replaced by Schuster and Hrubesch. Two players is not much of a change, but only on the surface: the whole structure was changed. Stielike was moved back as a libero, Schuster got the role of playmaker – not a pure playmaker like Overath before, but more like Bonhof: having some defensive role as well. Hrubesch, of course, was the center-forward. West Germany had immediately attacking shape – 4-3-3, with 6 attacking players, whereas against Czechoslovakia there were 6 defensive players. Both Schuster and Hrubesch were unknown internationally, but what looked like a risk was well justified: Kaltz and Hrubesch were lethal combination in Hamburger SV – the burly center-forward scored many a goal after long cross from Kaltz. Stielike was just right as libero – able to conduct the game and go ahead. Schuster at first was thought defensive midfielder, but immediately proved he was much more than that. He was hungry for success too. Holland had no other option, but the same players who disappointed against Greece. Five players had injuries, including Schrijvers, who had to be substituted in the 20^th minute of the previous match – the real Dutch concern was to put the injured back on their feet. It was done. The game started and soon it was clear that the German changes worked. Holland, however, struggled as against the Greeks. The tempo was fast, soon the Germans clearly controlled the game and started scoring. The hero was Thomas Allofs, who was very disappointing against Czechoslovakia. He scored a hat-trick and 10 minutes before the final whistle the winner was absolutely clear: West Germany 3 – Holland 0.

Great match for Thomas Allofs – here he scores again and the picture tells it all: Schrijvers is too heavy for really quick reaction, as he always was, and van de Korput too late. The Germans were quicker, lighter, brighter. But Derwall made two substitutes, which were a bit questionable – first, Hansi Muller was replaced by Magath and in 75^th minute Dietz by 19-years old Lothar Matthaus. Hansi Muller perhaps unjustly was constantly under criticism: he was thought too individualistic and underperforming. It may have been so, but Magath was no ultimately better player on one hand, and probably not the right substitute on the other, for he was doubling Schuster in midfield and the 20-years old was great. As for Matthaus, he replaced the left full back. Holland was expected to go 'all or nothing' in the last minutes, so it was clear that Matthaus must play defensive role, entirely unfamiliar position. His lack of experience showed quickly – he committed a foul inside penalty area and Rep made it 1-3. In the 85^th minute Willie van de Kerkhof scored a second goal and things no longer looked bright for West Germany. To a point, the substitutes were not right – in the lats part of the match West Germany slowed down and lost efficiency. But Holland was not capable of miracle – they were not the team of 1978, far less the great one of 1974. They attacked to the end, but 5 minutes were just too short a time for this team. As a whole, West Germany was far better team, showing at moments sparks of greatness – the Gremans were back, that was the impression after the game. Holland was gone as a team – that was the other judgement. They looked just like West Germany in 1978: tough, constantly running and tackling teams with no clue what to do when possessing the ball.

Czechoslovakia – Greece attracted no interest and left almost no trace. It was a match without mystery and intrigue. The winner was certain. Less than 5000 attended. Venglos had no illusions – he just said to his team if they wanted to have a chance to play for the bronze medals, they had to win today. The difference of class was obvious – Panenka scored in the 6^th minute from a free-kick, his specialty. The Greeks fought back and equalized 10 minutes later, but it was clear that they were inferior team by far. Czechoslovakia scored 2 more goals. The team did not impressed anybody – they were much better than the Greeks, yet, nothing special. With one match left, only miracle would have placed the reigning European champions on top of the group. A very huge miracle... West Germany had to lose to Greece and Czechoslovakia – win over Holland.

Czechoslvakia – Holland. Before the match Zwartkruis made grumpy excuses to unfriendly Dutch media: “What do you expect? The clubs rule – they do not free players for the national team and as a result we hardly play any friendlies. Without, say 8 friendlies a year, it is impossible to build good team.” Venglos was philosopkically-realistic: “It is possible to not lose to Holland, they are not better than us. If we are lucky to reach the 'small final' for third place our goal will be accomplished.” He fielded his usual starters, bringing back Netolicka, who did not play against Greece. Goalkeeping was well known problem without solution – Netolicka was not great, Seman was similar, Netolicka was back. The rest were the best Czechoslovakia had at the moment. Berger was out – he was substituted in the 23^rd minute against Greece, which was enough indication for his worth – and Vojacek was the only new starter. Masny was moved back to midfield – defense and caution was the order of the day: 4-4-3 scheme, with 5 defensive players, for Vojacek was nominal midfielder. Zwartkruis tried to shake his team, which was difficult, given the squad he had. Haan was out. Kist was out. Nanninga, the golden substitute in 1978, was a starter. The changes were pathetic... Nanninga was used so far like in 1978 – a substitute, coming in the second half in the hope of making a miracle. Did not work. Nanninga was not a star, but rather ordinary player. For more Zwartkruis had no guts: it was obvious that van de Kerkhof twins are counter-productive. But they are constant starters. Rep was obviously beyond his peak, yet a starter. The tactical scheme was clearly defensive: 4-4-2, with Rene van de Kerkhof in front. He was more of a midfielder than a striker. Both opponents were seemingly going for a tie. The match was ugly and brutal – 52 fouls were called. Both teams managed to score a goal. Zwartkruis decision to start without Haan, but to depend on van de Kerkhof twins was obvious mistake – when Haan replaced Nanninga, Holland became more creative and dangerous. And managed to equalize. The match ended 1-1 – the result both sides seemingly aimed at, but Czechoslovakia benefited by it.

Vojacek clears the ball addressed to Haan. Ondrus watches nearby – the original scheme, in which Vojacek was placed as midfielder, fooled no one: he was a central defender. His real position. Zwartkruis said “we did what we can” - which was not much. Venglos again was 'realistic': “The game was not a question of beauty, but getting a particular result. We got it, we are happy.” Menotti was disgusted and one again criticized defensive European football.

The last group match – West Germany vs Greece – was mere protocol. Both teams made changes, giving some playing time to unused reserves. Derwall clearly kept some players fresh for the final. Cullmann was back – this time in midfield. Memmering got completed the line. Schuster, Dietz, and Allofs were out. Like the opening match, the scheme was 4-4-2. The Germans were not even interested and they appeared as arbitrary bunch of players some of which don't want to play, and some don't know how to play. The only important thing was the weird insistence of Derwall to use Cullmann – this time combined with Stielike. Why woody Cullmann, who was not even at his usual form? The Greeks were even less than usual, for some of the key players were replaced by the unused reserves. The team played as best as they could. West Germans walked and aimlessly kicked the ball around. Nobody scored. And who would expect a miracle of this match? Under the old rules, the match was not played at the same time Czechoslovakia and Holland played, but after. Derwall was crystal clear: “Who will start depends on the result of the other match. If it is tied, then Dietz, Schuster, and Allofs will get a rest.”. This match did not matter at all – even if they lost it, the Germans were finalists. The Greeks had a chance to win the match in the last minutes, but the ball deflected from the cross bar out. Panagoulias was happy and boisterous: 'We are the moral winners, we are proud. Europe will hear from us yet.' It did... 24 years later. True, the Greek team showed spirit and managed a tie against mighty West Germany, but it was absolutely clear that they are inferior to any other finalist. During the finals their only noticeable player relatively equal to the leading Europeans was Anastopoulos.

A double-edged picture: Rummenigge high above Greek defender, who is unable even to challenge. That was the objective difference of class between the Greeks and the leading European football nations. In the same time, Rummenigge and his teammates were unable to beat Greece. Rummenigge himself was substituted in the 65^th minute by Del'Haye.

The final table of Group A:

1. West Germany 2 1 0 4-2 5
2. Czechoslovakia 1 1 1 4-3 3
3. Holland 1 1 1 4-4 3
4. Greece 0 1 2 1-4 1

West Germany once again going to the final – third time consecutive European finalist. Czechoslovakia, a bit surprisingly, was going to play for bronze – a success in itself, and also brave performance, for the champions of 1976 were not at all at their previous level. Holland – major disappointment and an end of an era, recognized by their own coach. Greece – nothing special, except that they reached the final stage. Success for the country, but obviously Greek football was still far behind the leading nations.

Group B. Belgium: http://football-journey.com/

Group B. Spain: http://football-journey.com/

Group B. Italy: http://football-journey.com/

Group B. England: http://football-journey.com/

Group A. Greece: http://football-journey.com/

Czechoslovakia nobody counted. They were the reigning European champions, though – and because of that there was interest and inevitable evaluations of the current team compared to the one of 1976. Czechoslovakia followed curious path of highs and lows: after the 1970 World Cup there was sharp decline, then they soared and won the European championship in 1976, then missed the 1978 World Cup, and again moved up to the 1980 European finals. In a way, Czechoslovakia was in the same difficult situation West Germany was after winning the 1974 World Cup – the winners aged, and were replaced by players almost of their generation, who were already established at the time of triumph, but were inferior to the stars. Second-stringers, who never reached the class of the champions, but were the top players when the champions started their exit. West Germany was not great with the second-stringers and similarly Czechoslovakia was not. Both countries did not make radical coaching changes either – Derwall was uprgraded from assistant to head coach when Schon stepped down in 1978. In the same year Jozef Venglos replaced Vaclav Jezek, whose assistant he was since 1973.

Like Derwall, Venglos did not introduce radical changes, but fiddled with the same players Jezek used, continued the same tactics and training methods, and carefully called new players now and then. And like Derwall, Venglos moved to new options only when there was no choice because of retirement or heavy injury. The only difference between West Germany and Czechoslovakia was that the Germans faced the problem earlier – in 1980 was more or less West Germany of 1975-78. They had the most of the 1976 champions at hand, but it was not the same team and hardly made any news. Opinions were almost uniform: Czechoslovakia had no chance. Venglos himself said so. Czechoslovakian media too: 'the same players, only 4 years older' was the judgment. People like Ruud Krol, who considered Czechoslovakia strong and dangerous were tiny minority and were not taken seriously. Reality was speaking loudly: there were no new exciting talent in Czechoslovakia. The best players were still the 1976 European champions and those,who were not able to make the national team back then. Venglos tried the same approach used in 1976 – a long, secluded training camp and many friendly matches against various not so great opponents. Like before, results were not great, which, like before, assured most observers that Czechoslovakia is not strong indeed. That was costly mistake in 1976. And just like before, the rather big group of players was trimmed to the final list.

1	1GK	Jaroslav Netolička	(1954-03-03)3 March 1954 (aged 26)	11	Dukla Prague
2	2DF	Jozef Barmoš	(1954-08-28)28 August 1954 (aged 25)	28	Inter Bratislava
3	2DF	Ladislav Jurkemik	(1953-07-20)20 July 1953 (aged 26)	31	Inter Bratislava
4	2DF	Anton Ondruš (c)	(1950-03-27)27 March 1950 (aged 30)	54	Slovan Bratislava
5	2DF	Koloman Gögh	(1948-01-07)7 January 1948 (aged 32)	51	Slovan Bratislava
6	2DF	František Štambachr	(1953-02-13)13 February 1953 (aged 27)	15	Dukla Prague
7	3MF	Ján Kozák	(1954-04-17)17 April 1954 (aged 26)	34	Lokomotiva Košice
8	3MF	Antonín Panenka	(1948-12-02)2 December 1948 (aged 31)	43	Bohemians Praha
9	4FW	Miroslav Gajdůšek	(1951-09-20)20 September 1951 (aged 28)	45	Dukla Prague
10	4FW	Marián Masný	(1950-08-13)13 August 1950 (aged 29)	57	Slovan Bratislava
11	4FW	Zdeněk Nehoda	(1952-05-09)9 May 1952 (aged 28)	64	Dukla Prague
12	2DF	Rostislav Vojáček	(1949-02-23)23 February 1949 (aged 31)	24	Baník Ostrava
13	3MF	Werner Lička	(1954-02-15)15 February 1954 (aged 26)	2	Baník Ostrava
14	2DF	Jan Fiala	(1956-05-19)19 May 1956 (aged 24)	12	Dukla Prague
15	4FW	Ladislav Vízek	(1955-01-22)22 January 1955 (aged 25)	15	Dukla Prague
16	2DF	Oldřich Rott	(1951-05-26)26 May 1951 (aged 29)	3	Dukla Prague
17	3MF	Jaroslav Pollák	(1947-07-11)11 July 1947 (aged 32)	49	Sparta Prague
18	3MF	Jan Berger	(1955-11-27)27 November 1955 (aged 24)	1	Dukla Prague
19	2DF	Karol Dobiaš	(1947-12-18)18 December 1947 (aged 32)	67	Bohemians Prague
20	3MF	Petr Němec	(1957-06-07)7 June 1957 (aged 23)	0	Baník Ostrava
21	1GK	Stanislav Seman	(1952-08-08)8 August 1952 (aged 27)	1	Lokomotiva Košice
22	1GK	Dušan Kéketi	(1951-03-24)24 March 1951 (aged 29)	7	Spartak Trnava

Top row, from left: Ruzicka – masseur, Nehoda, Netolicka, Ondrus, Seman, Janecka, Kundrat – team doctor.

Middle row: Masny, Jurkemik, ?, Venglos – coach, Gogh, Radimec, Brumovsky – assistant coach.

First row: Vizek, Vojacek, Fiala, Gajdusek, Panenka, Barmos.

This is partial version of the squad called to the training camp and there is a bit of lesson in it: Janecka and Radimec did not make the final team. Both will be key players of the national team in the first half of the 1980s. 10 players from the 1976 team were selected. Most of the rest were well known already in 1976, some with many caps, but they were the second stringers: those, who did not make the champion squad, who were not fully trusted back then. Four years later they were no better for sure – some were already old (Vojacek – 31, Gajdusek – 28, Rott – newcomer to the team at 29). Frantisek Stambachr, 27, was of the same ilk – he was part of the 1976 squad, but deep reserve not expected to play at all. By now he had only 15 caps. The team had huge problem, readily admitted by Venglos – goalkeeping. This was the last and may be the most telling similarity with West Germany after 1974: after Ivo Viktor, who retired, there was nobody. The same was in West Germany – Sepp Maier played 'forever' and his contemporaries were doomed (Nigbur, Cleff, Franke). When Maier stepped down, they were too old too – and there was nobody else. The back-up of Ivo Viktor shared the fate of the German keepers: he was of similar age and when Viktor retired Alexander Vencel was already at the end of his career, playing his last days for a small club. There was nobody else... Once upon a time promising players aged in the dark shadow of the great goalkeeper and never really developed their potential: back in 1971-72 Dusan Keketi was young, bright talent, expected to become really strong keeper with time. By 1980 he was 29 years old with 7 matches for the national team and still third choice. Other keepers were tried during and especially after Viktor and none satisfied. There was no firm starter. Venglos settled for Netolicka perhaps because he had many years ahead of him to play and was part of the strong at the time Dukla (Prague) team. But he was no better than his reserves, not even than those who also played for the national team, but were not selected this time – Michalik (Banik Ostrava) and Hruska (Bohemians Prague). Stanislav Seman, the 2^nd goalie, had played for the national team only once so far... Venglos had no way of finding solution, honestly acknowledged the problem, and blamed his keeper eventually for costly mistake. And at the end the last similarity with West Germany, this one at the same time: Bonhof got injury too late to be replaced and the Germans went to Italy with 21 players. Czechoslovakia went with only 19. Dobias was unable to restore his form after injury and was left home. Nemec and Rott were also found out of shape too late and dropped. But the squads were already deposited and there was no way to make changes. Two champions of 1976 did not make the squad at all – Svehlik and Bicovsky. One may wonder what would have been the fate of West Germany, if Bonhof was fit and the team was shaped around him. The same wonder what if Dobias, Svehlik, and Bicovsky were at hand for Czechoslovakia. Very likely the results were not to be good, for with these players both teams would be firmly based on the old approach, which lead to failure. Failure was not in the books for the Czechoslovaks, though: they were considered too weak already by everybody, including their coach. Realistically, third in Group A. Happy to be at the finals, nothing more.

Group A. West Germany: http://football-journey.com/

Group A. Holland: http://football-journey.com/

The 6th European Championship: http://football-journey.com/

1980: http://football-journey.com/

Group 7: http://football-journey.com/