Euro 2012, new stars set to shine

With the 2012 European Championships due to start today, it's a chance for young players to shine, players that have established themselves at their clubs and are just finding their feet at international level. Traditionally, the Euros have been a platform for younger players to make a name for themselves and here I look at 7 players who could be household names after the tournament ends in three weeks

Danny Welbeck
Manchester United and England
21 year old centre forward
International games/goals: 5/1
Welbeck came through the youth ranks at Manchester United and after loan spells at Preston North End and Sunderland, last season was his first full senior season with the Premier League runner ups. Keeping out the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez he went on to make 30 appearances and score 9 goals in that time, mainly while partnering his England colleague Wayne Rooney. Making his international debut in March 2011 he has played 5 games for England to date, scoring his only goal in his last game against Belgium. Oddly, with Wayne Rooney suspended for the first two games, Welbeck will look to replace the man he partners at club level.

Jodi Alba
Valencia and Spain
23 year old left sided defender/midfielder
International games/goal: 4/0
Having been an ever present in the Valencia team since 2009, Alba is now getting recognition at international level, with Capdevilla not in the squad (he was starting left back when Spain won Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010), Alba is an exciting prospect to watch who could well move on to another club after this tournament (both Manchester United and Barcelona are reportedly interested), this is one exciting left back who could really make his mark over the next few weeks

Rui Patricio
Sporting Lisbon and Portugal
24 year old goalkeeper
International games/goals: 11/0
Having made his debut for Sporting in 2006, he has played almost 150 games for his club and is looking to cement himself as his countries no. 1. Having started the last 5 games for Portugal, it does seem manager Paulo Bento will stick with him and at just 24, this is the first tournament of potentially many that will feature Rui Patricio. If Portugal are to do well then he will have to perform though with the likes of Christiano Ronaldo and Nani in the team, the weight of a nation isn't on his shoulders, Portugal could be a very dangerous team in this tournament and one to watch.

Mario Gotze
Borussia Dortmund and Germany
20 year old attacking midfielder
International games/goals: 14/2
Germany are favourites to win the tournament just behind Spain and scarily, they have selected only one player over 30 so they will nly get better over the next few years. Gotze is a product of the Dortmund youth academy, making his first team debut in 2009 and making 25 appearances for them last season where he was part of the league and cup winning side.  Ironically making his debut in November 2010 with Andre Schurrle, both players simultaneously became the first players born in the re-unified Germany to represent their country. In less than 2 years Gotze has scored 2 goals in his 14 international games and is ready to take the world by storm, having already allegedly turned down a transfer to Arsenal, Dortmund may have to work hard to keep one of the best young players in the world right now after Euro 2012.

Christian Eriksen
Ajax and Denmark
20 year old midfielder
International games/goals: 22/2
The youngest player at the World Cup in 2010 and has spent the last 2 years having a rising influence on that Danish squad. In February 2011 after a match against England, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand both praised the midfielders performance. Having become a main part of the Ajax team over the past 2 and a half years and winning league titles, this is a tournament set up for Eriksen to make a name for himself and the 20 year old WILL start for a country that has nothing to lose, this Danish wonderkid has already attracted the attention of some of Europe's other major sides.

Alan Dzagoev
CSKA Moscow and Russia
21 year old attacking midfielder
International games/goals: 20/4
By the time the World Cup heads to Russia in 2018, Dzagoev should be the figurehead head of the Russian side and potentially the face of the tournament. Making his debut for CSKA Moscow in 2008, Dzagoev has been an ever-present for his club ever since and already won the Russian cup 3 times. When he made his debut for Russia in October 2008 he became the youngest ever outfield player for Russia and gone on to score 4 goals in 20 games for the Soviets. This set piece specialist has already attracted attention from clubs such as Manchester United and Tottenham and is someone who is a diligent hard worker and can achieve whatever he wants to achieve.

Yann M'Vila
Rennes and France
21 year old defensive midfielder
International games/goals: 19/1
As of writing M'Vila was still in the French squad though had taken a knock in the weekend fixture against Serbia. Losing M'Vila would be a blow to French coach Laurent Blanc and disrupt his plans, that's how good this young defensive midfielder is for his country. Having played 130 games for his club Rennes since 2009, in August 2010 he won his first cap for France and has become a mainstay of a rejuvenated France squad that spectacularly imploded at the last World Cup. Strongly linked with a move to Arsenal, opposition sides won't enjoy coming up against the tough tackling Frenchman who will look to restore some national pride.

England's chances at the Euro's.....nil

It's today that the England football squad fly out to the 2012 European Championships and look to be taking their weakest squad to an international tournament. A team decimated by injuries and Wayne Rooney's 2 game suspension, they'll struggle to not just score goals but also to create chances.

This squad includes SIX players from Liverpool, a team that languished in 8th in the Premier League and performed so badly their much idolised manager was given the sack (are the FA are due to change the team song to "You'll Never Walk Alone"?, at least in England's group the Liverpool players will know what it's like to finish 4th) . Added to this is the controversy of the non-selection over Rio Ferdinand which threatens to destabilise the squad and undermine new manager Roy Hodgson.  

 It's easy to see why England aren't fancied to win this tournament and indeed, to struggle to get out of a group which only contains France, Sweden and Ukraine (It's hardly like they have to come against Germany or Spain), add to this the withdrawal of Champions League winners Gary Cahill and Frank Lampard and it's plain to see good news has been scarce (apart from someone fisted Joey Barton in a nightclub (fisting as in punching....not that)).

The whole Rio Ferdinand situation threatens to overshadow the whole tournament for England and The FA, Roy Hodgson and his seniors would of been hoping this whole situation would of blown over by the time they face the press in Donetsk this Sunday, though with 6 players due to meet the media tomorrow in Krakow, it's going to be the burning topic everyone wants to talk about. It promises to be uneasy for England both on and off the pitch as they cope with the tournament pressures and the press.

In England's favour, the expectations for them are low and new manager Roy Hodgson has a whole catalogue of excuses readymade to wheel out when needed, the injuries, the little time he has had to prepare since taking charge only 5 weeks ago and also his claim this tournament is merely being used for experience as a stepping stone to the World Cup in 2014 in Brazil and Euro 2016 in France. So if it goes wrong against France, Sweden and Ukraine, while the fans won't be happy or impressed, the FA will think of this as the transition as managers and players bed in. Looking at the bigger picture they would claim which really seems to store problems for the future.

Under Hodgson, there have been encouraging signs, apart from the style of the way England have played, they have won 2 games, scored 2 goals and not conceded any (albeit against Norway and Belgium), they have looked well organised and solid in defence and it's an okay start given the circumstances. Then when you look at other England manager's starts they mostly start well. Glenn Hoddle won his first three and won nine out of his first ten games, Kevin Keegan was unbeaten in eight games and Sven compiled five straight victories (the only England manager ironically to lose their first game was Sir Alf Ramsey and he was the most successful of all), even Steve 'wally with the brolly' McLaren won his first three games.

In the 52 year history of the European Championships, taking out of the equation Euro 96 which was held in England, the Three Lions have only won 4 games so what chance do they have against a France side who are unbeaten in their last 20 games next Monday? Tournament play is also about ball-retention and passing, both of which England were poor with against Norway and Belgium.

Scott Parker is clearly trying to bust a gut to impress and make a name for himself at this level but his tackles in the centre of midfield have been just as scary as David Beckham's new V for Vendetta style facial hair. If he continues to play this way, he'll get himself sent off. Out wide there is a lack of penetration and selecting players simply for pace like Theo Walcott will show they are simply 'athletes in boots' on the bigger stage. James Milner simply doesn't hurt defences and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain simply hasn't shown he is a world beater, the most confounding selection though is Stewart Downing, a player who never to score a goal or even an assist, I simply don't understand why he was selected for England when Liverpool have to be thinking of offloading him surely. 

Previously we have gone into tournaments with the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen, Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes and it was understandable why expectations were always high, now we have Martin Kelly, Jordan Henderson (who's family friend is Bigfoot) and Andy Carroll, these three would never of got into the squad between 1998-2010 and that shows the lack of quality and strength in depth going into these Euros.

It's not all bad however, Joe Hart is being compared to the likes of Gordon Banks and Peter Shilton, he's a huge figure and can inspire confidence in the defenders in front of him. Danny Welbeck took his goal against Belgium brilliantly and has pace and quick feet that has seen him keep the impressive Javier Hernandez and the previous seasons top league goal scorer Dimitar Berbatov out of the Manchester United team. Ashley Young has scored or set up a goal in 11 of England's last 20 goals, he is priceless to the national cause right now.

The England team aren't just a ramshackle bunch of players, they are functional as you'd expect with the likes of Scott Parker and Ashley Young though they won't really get anyone excited so Hodgson is proudly making the best of a bad job and needs to make England raise their game against better sides but really, it looks to be a tournament where the nation could rue the experience of Rio Ferdinand and that will be the big talking point and abiding memory.