Soccer-Reaction To Euro 2024 Draw – News18

Following is reaction to the 2024 European Championship draw, held at Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg on Saturday.

RUDI VOELLER, GERMANY NATIONAL TEAM DIRECTOR

“I am optimistic that if we do some things in the coming few months then we will play a good Euro. The first game also has a special kind of pressure. We still have some problems but I am convinced that Julian Nagelsmann will do it.”

STEVE CLARKE, SCOTLAND MANAGER

“It was always going to be exciting. (On Hungary and Switzerland) Two good teams it’s a good group, evenly balanced. It will be competitive. We’ve got a really good idea where we will be based and how we will prepare. (On the hosts) They will have to be ready for a lot of Scotsmen to come.”

LUIS DE LA FUENTE, SPAIN MANAGER

“If it’s not the toughest group, it’s one of the toughest. I’m not going to say it’s a cliche when we see that all the teams are complicated, but obviously it’s a group that will require us to perform to the best of our ability and always show our very best.”

LUCIANO SPALLETTI, ITALY MANAGER

“Yes, it could have been better. Being in the fourth pot makes you realize that you have teams ahead of you but nothing should distract us from the fact that we are Italy. It’s difficult to make predictions.

“A tough group, Albania demonstrated that they know how to stay on the pitch. Croatia is strong and experienced. Spain? Anyone who loves this sport must play it, the taste of challenge and comparison. If you don’t play you lose the pleasure of football.”

GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND MANAGER

“You know the objective is to get out of the group. You can’t tell but you look at Serbia with a centre-forward like Mitrovic and you can’t assume too much. Slovenia was one of the first games I had. Joe Hart made a save that meant I can still be here. We’re now ready to work out the timing of the arriving in Germany, and start to nail down where we stay. We’re hugely excited to be part of the tournament. We know the expectations, we are getting used to these big games. We hope to give our supporters some brilliant nights.”

THOMAS FRANK, BRENTFORD MANAGER

“Going into the Euros there’ll be two teams I will support – England and Denmark. I need to say I’m slightly biased towards Denmark, if that’s OK, so I hope they will win. England of course are the favourites….I think they were very unlucky not to win the Euros three years ago….if not Denmark I hope they (England) will do it.”

(Complied by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – Reuters)