26/11/2007 02:11
Greece: Rehhagel Insists It Will Not Be Easy
While most of the media back home considered Greece's FIFA World Cup draw
as
perhaps the easiest possible, Otto Rehhagel told re****ters in Durban that
he
didn't think so. The German also said that he was only "joking" about
taking
over England next summer.
"It may seem easy, but we should be careful. No team has ever qualified
only
by means of a draw. We must be consistent and prepare ourselves properly
in
order to make it to South Africa in the summer of 2010," the European
champions' coach told public broadcaster NET.
"If we perform by our usual standards there is a large possibility that
we'll
go through. It makes me very happy to see Greece among the top seeds, a
status that my players have earned on the field of play."
"Right now we're only thinking about the UEFA European Champion****p finals
and perhaps it's that draw that should have been staged first. The outcome
of Sunday's draw may have a positive effect on my players, but we'll deal
with the World Cup later on." the 69-year-old coach stressed, adding that
the Greeks should not underestimate the weaker opponents, such as Moldova,
Latvia and Luxembourg.
"The press made it up"
Greek football association president Vasilis Gagatsis insisted that
Rehhagel's
link with the England job is fictitious. "Foreign journalists made it up.
I
know Otto very well and he would never do that to us. He always honours
the
people he works with."
The German himself laughed in front of the cameras when asked about the
article published by "The Times" and "The Daily Mirror". "On our way from
the air****t to our hotel I joked about it with several re****ters. But it
seems that you can't even joke when talking to the press." he said.
Panos Bletsos, Goal.com
http://goal.com/en/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=493050
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