Midfielder Georgios Karagounis says failing to reach the 2006 FIFA World Cup has made European title-holders Greece "more determined than ever to do well" at UEFA EURO 2008™.
Dramatic success
Having achieved one of the most dramatic successes in European football history by beating hosts Portugal 1-0 in the final of UEFA EURO 2004™, Greece came unstuck in their World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing fourth in their group. "It got to us that we didn't qualify for Germany 2006," Karagounis told uefa.com. "Perhaps it did us good even, because now we're more determined than ever to do well."
Defeat by Turkey
UEFA EURO 2008™ qualification provided an excellent opportunity to restore pride, with an even-looking Group C including Turkey and Norway. Otto Rehhagel's men started well, with wins in their first three games, before coming unstuck against their neighbours in Athens. Sotirios Kyrgiakos gave Greece a fifth-minute lead but Turkey roared back into the contest, going on to inflict a humiliating 4-1 defeat on the continental champions.
'Very upset'
If criticism had been muted following the World Cup failure, there were no holding back after the Turkey reverse. Rehhagel, 69, was slated for not having retired already and for relying on an ageing squad. However, the curious effect of that result was to prompt a shaky spell for Turkey, and to prove a wake-up call for Greece. Midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos said: "We were very upset. We were criticised and that made us more determined."
Greek record
Greece dropped just two more points in their remaining eight qualifiers, drawing 2-2 in Norway, and finished with 31 points – the highest total of any national team. And if the campaign saw stalwarts such as captain Theodoros Zagorakis, Demis Nikolaidis and Vassilios Tsiartas retire, the younger Kyrgiakos, Vassilis Torosidis, Christos Patsatzoglou, Ioannis Amanatidis, Theofanis Gekas and Nikolaos Liberopoulos have all become pivotal performers.
Winning formula
While the personnel has changed, according to Karagounis, the formula remains the same. "Our chief quality is our team spirit," he said. "We are not a spectacular side, we don't play like Brazil, but our team spirit is exceptional." Creating that togetherness has been Rehhagel's greatest achievement as Greece coach. Defender Ioannis Goumas said: "He is like a psychologist. He always lifts our confidence. A player may be giving mediocre performances for his club, but in the national team he gets transformed – he improves."
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