The quotes that capture the spirit of Euro 2012

While France have looked creative, they have failed to win in two games. The Dutch have exited in miserable fashion and Spain’s tiki-taka hasn’t really broken teams like it should. Cristiano Ronaldo, after putting in a bad performance against Denmark, answered his critics with a brace against the Netherlands and Wayne Rooney’s return saw him score a goal, albeit miss a couple of easy chances. And while all this was happening, people were talking. Here’s a collection of the most memorable quotes before Euro 2012 enters its helter-skelter knock-out stage: Quotes one should memorise: “It felt like a dream.” - Przemyslaw Tyton the Polish keeper after his penalty save against Greece. “A pitch that is so dry does not do football or the spectators many favours.”- Vicente del Bosque post the Italy draw. (Try playing in India Vicente!) [caption id=“attachment_351243” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Nasri speaks with coach Blanc on the touchline. AFP”]  [/caption] “I hope there isn’t one in the national team.”- Antonio Cassano being absolutely straight in his response to being asked whether there were any homosexuals in the Italian side. “I have no problems sleeping at night. I don’t lie awake watching videos or DVDs. And when I sleep I dream that we win.”- Sweden coach Erik Hamren. “I watched the game again last night. I was up till 4.30am.”- Sweden coach Erik Hamren. “We were cowards in the first half, we should have done more.”- This time Hamren tells off his players after the loss to Ukraine. He later told the BBC that he meant they were too ‘cautious’ and ’nervous’ for his liking. “Let’s go this one on one. You want to go with me? Let’s have a ‘man conversation’.”- Oleg Blokhin lashes out at a journalist after the England game, after being questioned on his country’s disallowed goal. (Even Fabio Capello didn’t say that after Frank Lampard’s disallowed goal against Germany in WC2010… who lets say, are certainly better than England) “I feel like a young dog that is dying to get out but is caged in.”- Rafael Van der Vaart on his substitute role in the team. (Still young at 29!) “If the French fans are disappointed with the way the French played and say we lacked ambition… well, if the French lacked ambition, what should we say about the English team then?”- Laurent Blanc much much before the Sweden game. “All the vibes have been extremely positive, having a good feel-good factor.”- Roy Hodgson cannot contain his happiness after entering the last eight. (Twice as good as ever!) “You know where Messi was at this time (last year)? Do you know? He was being eliminated in the Copa America, in his own country. I think that’s worse, no?”- Cristiano Ronaldo not at his best. He was reacting to questions on ‘Messi Messi!’ chants from Danish fans every time he touched the ball.