It’s the time for Euro

 

PARIS: Europe’s football giants kick off a new age on Saturday with the continent’s old rulers determined not to relinquish their iron grip on power. Fifty teams are taking aim at the Euro 2008 finals hosted by Switzerland and Austria.

 

The seven qualifying group winners and runners-up will make it through along with the hosts, but there is little likelihood of small fry like Andorra, in the west, and Kazakhstan, in the east, gatecrashing the party.

 

England, with Steve McClaren having replaced the unlamented Sven-Goran Eriksson after another miserable World Cup campaign, start their bid at home to little Andorra in Group E, a section which also includes Russia and Croatia.

 

World champions Italy, with Roberto Donadoni having taken over from Marcello Lippi, face Lithuania in Group B where France, the team they beat to lift the WC this summer, are also drawn.

 

Raymond Domenech’s French, beginning a second life without Zinedine Zidane, travel to Georgia.

 

Germany, having bid a fond farewell to Jurgen Klinsmann, start at home against the Republic of Ireland in Group D.

 

England, despite missing the suspended Wayne Rooney and the injured Michael Owen, are expected to run up a huge score at Old Trafford against Andorra, a team who lost all 28 matches in the qualifiers for Euro 2000, World Cup 2002 and Euro 2004.

 

They have won just one qualifying match, a 1-0 win over Macedonia in 2006 World Cup qualifying.

 

“We should beat Andorra quite comfortably,” said England midfielder Steven Gerrard.

 

“We’ve got to be ruthless. We must show people we mean business and finish them off.”

 

Antonio Cassano is set to start for Italy against Lithuania in Naples before the Azzurri face a daunting trip to Paris to face France next Wednesday.

 

Cassano was overlooked by Lippi for the World Cup due to the 24-year-old forward’s expanding wasteline and failure to hold down a regular place with Real Madrid.

 

“Cassano does these simple, little things that can turn matches,” said the Italy coach. “He has his chance and I expect him to take it. He knows he has made mistakes in his career.”

 

France enter the post-Zidane era in Tbilisi clouded by controversy over Claude Makelele’s call-up.

 

The Chelsea star announced his retirement after the World Cup final loss but Domenech named him in his squad regardless stating: “He is a footballer, he is available for selection and if he doesn’t come we can take appropriate action.”

 

Domenech’s stance has infuriated Makelele’s club manager Jose Mourinho who accused the 57-year-old Frenchman him of treating the player like a “slave”.