THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE - TICKETS GO ON SALE

THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE - TICKETS GO ON SALE

Tickets are now available for the January 24th UK concert premiering my new  choral work, "The Christmas Truce" and it would be lovely to see some of you there!

The work will be receiving simultaneous premieres in both Hereford and Nuremburg - I'm going to be in Hereford.

If you would like to reserve or buy tickets (all priced £5) please fill in this form: http://www.christmastrucehereford.co.uk/contact.php

The piece tells the story of the Christmas Truces that took place along the frontline on Christmas Eve 1914. The libretto is made up of speeches, newspaper reports and letters from eye witnesses to the events that saw the troops put down their weapons and meet in No Man's Land to exchange gifts, play football and sing Christmas carols with "the enemy".

The 45-minute work, which is scored for tenor, choir, flute, string quartet and piano, is linked by instrumental variations on "Silent Night".

For more information about the Hereford concert, please take a look at:
http://www.christmastrucehereford.co.uk

You can keep up with news about the project on the Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/christmastrucehereford

Or you can follow the preparations on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/xmastrucehfd

For tickets (priced £5) please fill in this form: http://www.christmastrucehereford.co.uk/contact.php

#christmastruce #hereford #concert #premiere #choir #steadman

Opinion: Let's leave FIFA and UEFA

Nobody was happy that Qatar, a nation without a single football stadium, was awarded the 2022 World Cup and there are many questions about bungs and corruption. Similarly, many questioned the extent to which the Russian oligarchs helped win their country the 2018 tournament and, after this evening's BBC Panorama programme, many now wonder how on earth Poland and Ukraine were given the right to host next month's Euros.

The solution is simple...

We should leave FIFA and UEFA and set up a new organisation, with rival tournaments and rival administration that aims to eliminate corruption, racism and everything else that's wrong with football at the moment.

It might only take one nation with guts and principles and the rest would follow - as long as they met strict suitability criteria.

Then countries can choose to take part in the clean or corrupt tournaments - they can join in the World Cup of hate or the friendly World Cup.

And please, don't think the UK is any better than Ukraine or Poland. We may have fewer racists on the terraces but the FA isn't anywhere near harsh enough with the racists and drug cheats on the pitch. Racism, cheating and corruption must be eliminated everywhere. Consistency is vital.

Sadly, I doubt the FA is sufficiently robust to stand up on principle, but I live in hope. I'd happily accept we miss a tournament occupying the international wilderness waiting for sufficient others to join.

England Squad for Euro 2012

And so it's been announced - the England squad for Euro 2012.

No Rio Ferdinand (good), still a place for John Terry (bad), and wasting a place to allow the thug Rooney to play once his suspension has been lifted (bad).

Inclusion of Andy Carroll is a surprise but he has hit form recently.

A shame not more youngsters in my opinion.

Goalkeepers
Joe Hart, Robert Green, John Ruddy

Defenders
Leighton Baines, Gary Cahill, Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson, Phil Jones, Joleon Lescott, John Terry

Midfielders
Gareth Barry, Stewart Downing, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young

Strikers
Andy Carroll, Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck

Standby
Jack Butland, Phil Jagielka, Jordan Henderson, Adam Johnson, Daniel Sturridge.

366/134 - Getting ready for the Premier League finale...

Click here for today's Day of Judgement Project 366!

PREVIEW: Last day of the Premiership season

And so, finally, we get to the last day of the Premiership season.

As a Newcastle fan, it's been an incredible nine months that has seen the team rise up the tale o already be guaranteed European football next season (all be it the Europa league)- and,if results do go our way we could still end up in the Champions' League. I'm not holding my breath though. I predict that Spurs will win and snatch 3rd place from Arsenal who will falter against Wigan. ewcastle's result is then irrelevant, but I predict a draw against Everton.

Still, a momentous season that has, quite rightly, seen Alan Pardew voted Manager of the Season. Fingers crossed that he's able to keep the squad together for the next campaign.

At the bottom of the table Wolves and Blackburn are already down, and the final relegation place will be between Bolton, QPR and Aston Villa (though Villa would be very unlucky to go down). I think Bolton, currently in 18th are unlikely to get anything more thana draw at Stoke and will end up in the Championship for next season, but I wouldn't be surprised if the were some twists and turns and Maths involved at various points in the afternoon.

As for the title, it's a straight fight between the Red and Blue halves of Manchester. City have won both the derbies this season (the 6-1 win at Old Trafford being one of the highlights of the season) and Manchester United have thrown away an 8-point lead in the past month. So the momentum is against Fergie lifting the trophy again.

It has been one of the most exciting contests in recent years and is probably the closest battle for the title since the climax to the 1989 season, when Arsenal snatched the title from Liverpool with the last kick of the ball.

Manchester City haven't won the title for 44 years and only have to beat to QPR to make amends for those decades of hurt (let's be honest, Manchester United are going to beat Sunderland but they're not going to get into double figures and that's what it will involve).

I hope it's all not all over by 3.15. I hope for twists and turns and surprises. I hope that next season can be just as exciting. I hope that Alex Ferguson ends the season trophyless. I hope Newcastle do snatch a Champions' League place!

Premier League Manager of the Season

The football season (soccer!) is coming to an end and, alongside who will win various trophies or be relegated or promoted, the question has to be:

Who should be the Manager of the Year?

More often than not it's an accolade that's been awarded to the manager of the team who wins the Premier League and, while that seems logical, it doesn't necessarily say who has been the best.

Yes, it's a great achievement to win the Premier League but whether it's Mancini's Manchester City or Ferguson's Manchester United they will have done it with established Premier League squads, packed full of internationals all on huge salaries and with an enormous budget to support and add to their current players.

Alex Ferguson has had a mixed season with notable failures along the road - not only was Man U's first half of the season poor on their own terms, but their exits from various cup competitions, including Borg European trophies, suggests a manager who is no past his best. Surely, Ferguson's days at Okd Trafford are numbered?

Roberto Mancini has continued to transform the blue side of Manchester under great pressure and expectation from the wealthy owners. He has assembled an impressive squad who have made advances on previous seasons but his position is still under threat and, unless they do win the Premier League in the next few weeks, he has failed to win any cups of make an impact in Europe.

Harry Redknapp was having an amazing season with Spurs, right up until the point when Capello left the England job and he became the red hot favourite to take over the national team. Spurs could still finish in the top 4 and qualify for next season's Champions' League, which is an amazing achievement, but, I think it's fair to say, they have back pedalled this season and there must be many who are now less certain at the prospect of Harry being the England manager.

Arsene Wenger's season has been too mixed, with, at some points, fans calling for his head on a silver platter. Kenny Dalglish's domestic cup success has been eclipsed by a cataclysmic descent in league form. Roberto di Matteo has done well but only been in charge for a small proportion of the season.

That leaves one serious candidate, and my choice as Manager of the Season...

Newcastle United have exceeded all but the most most die-hard of fans expectations and have played with style and flair. They've certainly qualified for Europe and, as I write, have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions' League. They have sustained their performances throughout the season and, while their cup performances weren't good, their league form has gone from strength to strength despite limited finances and continued uncertainty about the ownership of the club. This is only their second season back in the top flight, and Pardew's only been in charge for a year and a half. A fantastic achievement. I just hope the FA steer clear and don't try to lure him to Wembley...

My manager of the year, by a long way, has to be:

ALAN PARDEW

COMMENT: Too many minute silences

At yesterday's F.A. Cup semi-final at Wembley a small group of Chelsea fans disrupted the pre-kick off minute's silence. This has re-ignites the debate about respect in society and, specifically, the behaviour of football fans.

But doesn't that miss the point, to some extent?

In recent years there has been a massive proliferation of minute silences for all sorts of things. Increasingly the reason for the minute silence isn't known or understood, and, increasingly, the minute silence has no relevance to the fans.

Yesterday, for instance, the minute silence was to mark the 23rd anniversary (hardly a significant one) of the Hillsborough disaster - a match that was between two completely different teams, the most affected of which, Liverpool, is a fierce rival of the two teams playing.

Sure, I get the point that it is polite to respect a minute silence whenever it is done and for whatever purpose. In an ideal world that would be the case but, as far as I can see, there are now do many minute silences at sporting events that they have been made insignificant. There currency is now worthless

To me there are two solutions:

1) Restrict minute silences to truly significant memorials, and, on the whole, only ones that the teams playing are affected by

2) Have more minute of applause when that is appropriate - I accept it isn't always appropriate but when it is it is vastly preferable.

COMMENT: Video technology - why not?

Why on earth FIFA, or UEFA, or even just the FA, hasn't introduced video technology is beyond me. This evening the FA Cup Semi-Final became a nonsense after Chelsea were awarded a goal that despite the fact that the ball hadn't crossed the line.

It's been a bad weekend for British sport, what with the bloodbath that was the Grand National and now goals being awarded that clearly weren't goals, and in both instances it's the authorities who are to blame.

Ok, so the ref was unsighted - it happens - and apparently neither if his assistants could see either - I guess that can happen - but despite not seeing the ball cross the line the ref still awarded the goal. Why? What made him decide that the Chelsea celebrations were more genuine than the Spurs players' protests? Surely, if he didn't see it he shouldn't award it?

And what of the Chelsea players who did see that the goal hadn't crossed the line, but still celebrated as if a goal had been scored? I do hope that the FA take action against these cheats. John Terry, in particular, should never be chosen as England captain again and, I'd go as far as to say, he shouldn't be selected for the national team ever again. Today he blatantly cheated to ruin an important match. If there was any justice he should be banned for life from all football - his cheating was as bad as Ben Johnson or Dwayne Chambers drug offences. He is morally corrupt and his prescience on any football field again is unwelcome.

So what should happen?

The FA should order an immediate re-match. The ref should be struck off - you can it award something you didn't see. And the Chelsea cheats should be banned for life.

I know it won't happen. The football authorities don't act in the interest of fair play. After all, they upheld Shaun Derry's red card for QPR against Manchester United last week, when everyone who saw the replay clearly saw that Ashley Young cheated by taking a dive. This weekend the same cheat took a dive in the match against Aston Villa, again resulting on a penalty for Man U - he shouldn't even have been on the pitch.

Football must weed out the cheats. They subvert the sport, they ruin the game, they make a mockery of the rules of the game. Ashley Young, along with John Terry, should be banned for life.

And then video technology has to be introduced. It happens on cricket and rugby, why not football? The delay, at crucial moments, is a matter of seconds, but it ensures fairness, justice and the correct result.

If Chelsea win the FA Cup, Manchester United win the league, and John Terry represents the national team they may as well insist that, in future, all players wear a red nose and have a squirty flower.

COMMENT: Alan Davies, Hillsborough and Liverpool F. C.

Yesterday, Twitter, or the portion of Twitter that cares about such matters, exploded in indignation at some comments the "comedian" and actor Alan Davies had made about Liverpool F.C.

Twitter often manages to get its knickers in a twist over the smallest minutiae of a story, and wo betide anyone who finds themselves on the wrong side of a Twitter spat, faced with a beyong mob of accusations and insults all carefully restricted to 140 characters.

what was it that Alan Davies said that was so outrageous?

In a discussion for an Arsenal podcast, Mr. Davies is a well-known gooner, he had said that it was silly that Liverpool F.C. had asked not to play their F.A. Cup semi-final against Chelsea on the 15th April because it was the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster. He pointed out that other clubs, including Rangers and Manchester United, have played matches on anniversaries of disasters that had affected their clubs, and, indeed, Liverpool themselves have never asked not to play matches on the anniversary of the Heysel disaster, which took place only four years before Hillsborough.

Davies then went on to say that his gran died on August 22nd and, while it's a significant date in his life, he doesn't just sit at home or refuse to work on that day.

Here's the recording:



Superficially, Davies has a point. In 1971, 66 Rangers fans were killed in a crush at Ibrox Park, and the same club suffered a similar loss in 1902, when 25 supporters lost their lives, but they haven't asked for those dates to remain clear each year when the fixtures are being organised.

And surely, I guess Mr. Davies' logic would go, that an event that happened in 1989, is now long enough ago that it should no longer have the same significance it had, say, 12 months after the disaster which saw 97 Liverpool fans crushed at an F.A. Cup semi-final against Notttingham Forest.

But then, that's the point. The match against Chelsea is another F.A. Cup semi-final - this will, naturally, mean a heightening of emotions, and remind more people of the events that took place in Sheffield 23 years ago.

And the other point that Mr. Davies has ignored, is that there are still legal proceedings continuing with regard to Hillsborough while all the other disasters he mentioned were both earlier and, legally, closed.

I'm no fan of Alan Davies. I think he is a bit of a numpty, and has, on Twitter, made an a bit of an arse of himself on more than one occasion (particularly with his blind support for Stephen Fry at times when Nr. Fry is being particularly precious or attention seeking), but, yet again, a Twitter spat has escalated a silly, ignorant and ill-judged comment into something that seems earth shattering and important.

Alan Davies should think more carefully before he opens his mouth to criticise the fans from other teams, but the whole explosion of hate and indignation against him is out of all proportion. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Akan Davies, this is just an idiotic comment.

OPINION: Football finances

Football (soccer) finances in the UK have been a mess for decades now. Clubs overspending on players who receive gargantuan salaries, underwritten by sugar daddies as hobbies, few clubs, in their current state, are sustainable.

Television money, instead of helping the situation, has made things worse with the bulk going to hyper-inflate the greed of players and their agents and most times, it seems, a club gets into financial difficulty there's an outcry and everything is done to keep the club going. New owners, new money (often temporary and with no guarantees) and just a few years until the same problems happen.

Other clubs, like Manchester United, are in so much debt that if they were any other business they would have been buried long ago.

The troubles at Rangers, probably the biggest UK team to go into administration, have, surely, given a number of clubs a wake up call. It is only a matter of time before a major club, or two, ceases to exist.

Yes, it would be sad if some clubs go to the wall but if they are not sustainable then that should happen. A few clubs going out of business would be a good thing for football because it might mean that the rest get their Ccounts in order and learn to live within their means, or, at least, within reasonable overdraft facilities.

But is the current system sustainable in the long term? I don't think so.

I maintain that the UK, not just England, can only really sustain 16 top flight teams. Too many at the bottom half of the Premier League spend heir time going up and down between the Championship and the Premier League. It could probably be argued that there are only 10 or 12 genuinely Premier League teams. This is a nonsense and, added to the financial chaos that is found at man clubs, it is not a sensible way to continue.

I think it's time that the F.A. took a look over the Atlantic and seriously considered a franchise system.

A franchise system would require financial certainty and propriety, and would be a positive way to ensure no more Rangers or Portsmouthhs happen.

Yes, those teams who don't make the cut will be upset but, hey, that's life. the clubs could continue as semi-professional or amateur teams and, consequently, have a much stronger and safer future.

As part of the franchise system, I think it's important that we move to a UK league. Having separate leagues and FAs for each constituent part of the UK is just a nonsense.

So I'd suggest a Franchise Premier League would have 3 London clubs, geographically spread around capital and neighbouring counties, a Welsh team, a Northern Irish team, possibly 2 Scottish teams, a team in North East of England, 2 or 3 North West teams, a southern team and a south west team. One team in East Midlands and 2 in the West Midlands.

And that's it.

If a club develops financial problems they lose their franchise, simple.

A franchise system would demand greater financial openness.

And, to help the clubs, I'd suggest an "average salary" cap for the first team squad.After all, it is the greed of the players that has caused many, if not quite all, the financial woes of clubs.

366/56 - And another card collection begins...

Click here for today's Project 366.

Royal Shrovetide Football - Ashbourne, Derbyshire

The annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match, a game of "street football", takes place on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Background
It has been played since the 12th century, but the exact origins of the game are unknown - one theory suggests the 'ball' was originally a severed head tossed into the waiting crowd following an execution.

The match begins at 2 p.m. Each day when the specially made ball is "turned up" from a plinth in Shawcroft. Two teams, the 'up'ards' and 'down'ards' compete to 'goal' the ball at their particular goal post. The two sets of goal posts are 3 miles apart at former mills on the brook.

Anthem

Before the match begins, the following anthem is sung in a ceremony in the town's Green Man Hotel:

There's a town still plays this glorious game
Tho' tis but a little spot.
And year by year the contest's fought
From the field that's called Shaw Croft.
Then friend meets friend in friendly strife
The leather for to gain,
'And they play the game right manfully,
In snow, sunshine or rain.

Chorus

'Tis a glorious game, deny it who can
That tries the pluck of an Englishman.

For loyal the Game shall ever be
No matter when or where,
And treat that Game as ought but the free,
Is more than the boldest dare.
Though the up's and down's of its chequered life
May the ball still ever roll,
Until by fair and gallant strife
We've reached the treasur'd goal.

Chorus

'Tis a glorious game, deny it who can
That tries the pluck of an Englishman.

Rules
*Committing murder or manslaughter is prohibited. Unnecessary violence is frowned upon.
*The ball may not be carried in a motorised vehicle.
*The ball may not be hidden in a bag, coat or rucksack, etc.
*Cemeteries, churchyards and the town's memorial gardens are strictly out of bounds.
*Playing after 10 p.m. is forbidden.
*To Score a goal the ball must be tapped 3 times in the area of the goal.

COMMENT: Rangers FC goes into administration

With the ongoing financial worries for many clubs it was, perhaps, thought that the major problems were restricted to the likes of Portsmouth and Darlington. No one, it seems, was prepared for a big club to get into trouble and go into administration, but that's exactly what's happened today.

Rangers has a long and successful history in the Scottish League and many would see them and their fierce rivals Celtic as clubs who were surely safe from financial woes. The past couple of years have, though, been financially problematic for Rangers, despite big crowds and revenue being generated. Today they have announced that they're going into administration. This could save them or it could end with the club going out of business.

Surely, Rangers are too big a club to go bust?

It's time football sorted itself out. The UK can only really sustain 16, maybe 20, fully professional clubs. Players have to play their part and accept that their excessive wage demands are at the heart of many team's worries. And we need a UK league.

A UK league has been discussed many times before and, in all reality, it would be an Anglo-Scottish league, but that could the one saving grace for Rangers.

Alex Salmond won't like this because it shows how fragile many Scottish businesses already are. How many will go to the wall if he manages to win independence?

Personally I'd favour a franchise system for UK football, as in American sports, so that each part of the UK was guaranteed a team. Sure, it bucks with history but a new approach is what is needed. After all, if Rangers go bust, how long til Celtic follow? Liverpool? Manchester United?

Rangers would, in all likelihood, struggle in the English Premier League but the television money might help savd their scalp.

The FA and SFA need to act now to stop the implosion of lots of clubs on dodgy financial footing, or being propped up by one wealthy benefactor who could turn their back on a whim. HMRC would be doing the future of football a lot of favours if they forced some of the clubs with huge tax bills hanging over them out of business. It's time for a professional game fit for the 21st century.

OPINION: Suarez and Evra's non-handshake

After the fuss, the ban, the calls for a line to be drawn under it and for everyone to focus on the football, Luis Suarez, returning for Liverpool today after an 8-match ban following him racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra, opted to not shake hands with Evra before today's match between the two old rivals.

The pre-match handshake is a recent innovation in Premier League games, having been adopted from internationals and the Champions' League. Last weekend, when John Terry and Anton Ferdinand faced each other in a match, the FA told Chelsea and QPR to not shake hands - but that case, with police charges and a court case due n July, is still very much live. The Evra/Suarez issue is, supposedly, over and settled. far from it, it seems.



As he moved along the line, Suarez shook hands with the match officials and then opted to miss Evra out. Evra grabbed for Suarez's hand, but Suarez withdrew it, spurning the offer of peace from Evra. It was a good job the match officials were close otherwise this could have turned even more nasty.

Surely, though, Suarez ungentlemanly conduct should resulted in a booking?

Quite what effect this will have on the game, who knows! By the time most read this, the result will be known, but, clearly, Suarez still feels victimised by the charges and the suspension, even though he was found guilty by the FA of racially abusing Evra. Liverpool's insistence that he should never have been banned, the players wearing provocative t-shirts supporting him a few weeks ago, and Kenny Dalglish's utterances on the matter won't have helped Suarez realise that his racism is unacceptable in society.

Let's hope the match is a good one, but let's hope the FA look at the handshake before and have another little word with Suarez.

OPINION: Capello's replacement?

So who will replace Capello as England football manager?

Mid-season isn't a good time for many candidates.

Harry Redknapp
The popular choice and, only hours earlier, cleared by the courts, but with Spurs riding high in the table will they let him go? In fact, would he he walk out on what could be his greatest season as a lib manager? FA have always rejected part time option but, to end of season, that might be a possibility.

Stuart Pearce
Currently coach of the Under 21 team and do part of the FA set up. Clearly being groomed as a potential future full international manager but is it too soon and does he really have the tactical wherewithal to lead England into the European championships?

Ray Wilkins

Yes, really! Why not?! Very experienced as an England international though known to be tactically rather negative. Didnt have much success as a club manager. A good tactician as a tv pundit but not Mr. Personality. Surely he'd be a safe pair of hands with the media.

Sam Allardyce
"Big Sam" is currently the West Ham manager who are top of the championship and grading for promotion. Would they let him go? Doubtful. Not always popular with fans due to rather basic and physical game.

Steve McClaren
Bizarrely, he's got to be in the reckoning following success in The Netherlands but, surely, his previous stint (and his time as Sven's number two) can never be forgotten.

Gareth Southgate
Er.... NO!

Roy Hodgson
To be honest, I'd forgotten all about him. Hugely experienced and, until his disastrous spell at Liverpool, I would have said a safe pair of hands. If Harry says no....

Who else? A return for Keegan? Go for another foreign manager?

OPINION: John Terry's punishment

The fact the maximum penalty John Terry can receive for his race hate is a fine of £2,500 highlights a couple of issues which parliament need to address.

1) Race hate crimes need to have more serious punishments. A fine of £2,500 is simply not sufficient.

2) Fines need to be as a percentage of income/worth NOT a flat tariff for everyone. £2,500 is a month's salary for many. For John Terry it is less than a morning's work. This is wrong.

3) Court cases cost a lot and, currently, this is paid by the tax payer. Court costs SHOULD be recouped from the guilty.

4) Any crime which has an anti-social element, as the race hate charges Terry has been accused of, must have a custodial sentence. Anti-social behaviour means you should give up your place in society for a fixes period of time.

5) This isn't Terry's first scrape with the legal system. Clearly his previous punishments were insufficient. Two strikes and you're out, now matter what the crime is.

COMMENT: John Terry's racism charge

Today John Terry found that the trial for his alleged use of racist insults against Antonio Ferdinand won't take place until 9th July - just over a week after the Euro 2012 Championships have finished.

Terry has pleaded not guilty to making racist comments in a match between Chelsea and QPR last October. Today, in the Magistrates' Court, he pleaded "not guilty".

Now I realise and accept that, as the law stands, John Terry is currently innocent until proved otherwise. Howev, the police have investigated the accusations and the Criwn Prosecution Service have decided, based on that investigatin, that Terry has a case to answer.

Yes, the fact he has a case to answer doesn't stop him being innocent.It just means he has a case to answer.

But, should Terry go to Poland/Ukraine in June to represent England in the Euro 2012 Championships and, if he does go, should he still captain the England team (a position he only regained in March 2011 having been stripped of it a year earlier due to "troubles" in his private life)?

Personally, I think there are many issues that are raised if Terry is selected and goes:

1. What about his relationship with Les Ferdinand (Antonio Ferdinand's brother) who is likely to be in the England squad?

2. What of the FA's "KICK RACISM INTO TOUCH" campaign?

3. Will Terry's mind be on football or his impending court case?

4. Will he have the support of other black players in the squad?

5. What effect will it have on the FA's credibility?

I'm undecided. I strongly support the notion of innocent until proven guilty but I do wonder whether Terry's inclusion in the squad, let alone being captain, raises too many questions. It's not as if he has an unblemished past - there are several incidents in his past that make him an unsuitable ambassador for the country on the international stage.

I suspect the FA will somehow manage to fudge the issue... and hope he picks up a metatarsal injury in April/May that will prevent him going!

366/2

Click here for Day Two of my Project 366.

COMMENT: The SPL wants to re-introduce standing at football matches...

The SPL wants to re-introduce standing at football matches - are their memories really that short?

EURO 2012 Draw

Euro 2012 takes place in Poland and Ukraine between 8th June and 1st July 2012.

There are 16 competing nations:

Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland (co-hosts), Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Russia, Spain (Holders), Sweden and Ukraine (co-hosts)

The Group stage sees 4 groups of 4 teams compete against each other On a round robin basis, the top 2 from each group qualifying the the quarter finals.

The 4 groups were drawn, in Kiev, on 2nd December 2011:

Group A
*Poland
*Greece
*Russia
*Czech Republic

Group B
*Netherlands
*Denmark
*Germany
*Portugal

Group C
*Spain
*Italy
*Republic of Ireland
*Croatia

Group D
*Ukraine
*Sweden
*France
*England