PROUD (There are no other words that can describe my feelings)

PROUD

If 3 years ago somebody told me that Greece would qualify for the Euro 2004 instead of Ukraine and would be finishing 1st in their qualifying group above Spain I would say to him: "You are nuts!".

If a year ago the same guy told me that Greece would be able to beat Portugal in their home stadium in the opening game of Euro 2004 with a comfortable 2-1 victory I would say to him: "You are nuts!"

And I did, on my way to Theo's place (friend, here in Hull who we watched the game with) I told Yiannis: "I'll be thankful if the Portuguese stop at 3-0 or less." and he told me "That's alright on the condition that we give our best and we play well". I agreed...

Arriving at Theo's, he was all obsessed with the possibility of a good result...who wouldn't be! And the game begun...

And all of a sudden Angelos Charisteas missed a great opportunity to score only in the 2nd minute. Soon though, Giorgos Karagkounis would make us jump out of our seats and start the cheering...0-1 for Greece with Theo going nuts, me absolutely stunned and Yiannis in the same place as Theo.

Pride is the only thing that I felt at the moment. 120 countries all over the world would now know that the Greek national team can do a lot more than what (even the Greeks) they had seen so far. They were confident and assurred that this would be their win, their moment. I bet Roman Abramovic is now looking at some of our players, and think about possible transfers for Chelsea!

First half has ended, with Yiannis being so tense swearing at every Greek player that couldn't pass the ball correctly (yeah, Greeks do that...), Theo constantly saying that Charisteas should be substituded even though he placed a bet that he would score...but just before the second half begun, he said: "Just like the first half...an early goal, and then another at around the 80th minute and yes, 0-3 for us!"

Part of his saying came true...Giourkas run inside the area, Christiano Ronaldo tripped him with Colina pointing at the spot with a smile in his face. And what a penalty from Aggelos Basinas...0-2 for Greece.

Still couldn't believe it.

But then I saw how the Portuguese reacted...throwing everything they had at the Greek side (Nuno Gomez in etc) but the Greek defense kept closing down the paths to Nikopolidis.

And then we looked at each other and asked: "Malaka, what are we watching here? Greece beating Portugal 0-2 in their home ground at the opening game?"

The goal from Christiano Ronaldo came too late...but if you ask me, it wouldn't make any difference if he scored earlier...we had that game, the players knew they had that game and after all, Otto wouldn't let them do anything stupid.

The final whistle found everybody hugging each other, screaming from joy...
Every single Greek went out in the Athenian roads to celebrate...every Greek was PROUD

DANKE HERR OTTO

DANKE HERR OTTO for creating a national team that the young Greek generations can only be proud of.
DANKE HERR OTTO for bring the german spirit in this team
DANKE HERR OTTO for creating a team that can fight against every team and look at every opponent directly in the eyes
DANKE HERR OTTO because the national team celebrated their first victory in an international tournament against the hosts (the Portuguese).
(Below, is the Greek version)

ΣΕ Ε�?ΧΑΡΙΣ�?Ο�?ΜΕ Ο�?Ο ΡΕΧΑΓΚΕΛ

DANKE HERR OTTO που χαρισες σε εμας τους νεους μια Εθνικ�? ομάδα που μπορούμε να είμαστε περ�?φανοι για αυτ�?
DANKE HERR OTTO που έφερες το Γερμανικό πνεύμα και την πειθαρχία σ'αυτ�? την ομάδα
DANKE HERR OTTO που έφτιαξες ενα συνολο ικανό να παλεύει με κάθε αντίπαλο και να κοιτάει στα μάτια όλες τις ομάδες.
DANKE HERR OTTO που για πρώτη φορά η Εθνικ�? ομάδα νίκησε σε διεθνές τουρνουά και μάλιστα τους διοργανωτές Πορτογάλους με 1-2.
(Στο σημείο αυτό θέλω να πώ οτι όλοι αξίζουν συγχαρητ�?ρια για αυτ�? τη νίκη - η προσωπικ�? μου γνώμη όμως είναι οτι ο Κύριος Ρεχάγκελ είναι ο αρχιτέκτονας αυτ�?ς της επιτυχίας)

Αλλα πάνω απ'όλα:

DANKE HERR OTTO που καθάρισες τα αποδυτ�?ρια απο τους τρελούς και τους βλάκες που δεν ξέρουν τι τους γίνεται
DANKE HERR OTTO που καθάρισες και τις αποστολές της ομάδας και έκανες τα παιδιά να νιώθουν σαν ενα
DANKE HERR OTTO που δεν τα παράτησες οταν μετά το ματς με τη Φιλανδία όλα τα δημοσιογραφάκια της δεκάρας και όλοι οι αχρηστοι προπονητολόγοι σε κατηγόρησαν
DANKE HERR OTTO που δεν τα παράτησες ούτε οταν χάσαμε τα 2 πρώτα παιχνίδια στους προκριματικούς και πάλι οι ίδιοι σε έβγαλαν άχρηστο
DANKE HERR OTTO που έστειλες τη Ελλαδά στο Euro 2004
DANKE HERR OTTO που αποδέχτηκες την προταση για αναναίωση και θα είσαι μαζί μας και τον Ιούνιο και στους προκριματικούς του Μουντιάλ 2006
DANKE HERR OTTO που όπου και αν είσαι, διαφημίζεις την Ελλάδα

Και τέλος:

DANKE HERR OTTO που αγνοείς αυτούς που ακόμα σε κατηγορούν στα ραδιόφωνα και της εφημερίδες. Δεν ξέρουν τι τους γίνεται. Συνέχισε την πολύ καλ�? δουλειά που κάνεις. Οι Έλληνες είναι στο πλευρό σου.

DANKE HERR OTTO