German hits out at Scots Euro ‘failure’

A GERMAN football official has claimed Scotland pushed for the expansion of the European Championship to 24 teams because “they had never qualified” for the tournament.

Euro 2012, which gets underway on Friday, will be the last to feature 16 teams. The 2016 tournament, to be hosted by France, will be contested by 24 teams. Yesterday, German football association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach spoke about his country’s attitude towards the expansion, saying: “I personally find the format with 16 teams ideal. We at the DFB view the [expansion] with mixed feelings.”

“It was smaller nations like Finland and Scotland, and I think Norway was in there as well, who had never qualified and who pushed it through with their votes.”

Scotland, of course, have twice qualified for the finals. In 1992, Andy Roxburgh’s men travelled to Sweden (losing to the Netherlands and Germany, before beating CIS), while Craig Brown’s squad qualified for the 1996 tournament in England (drawing with the Dutch, losing to the hosts and beating Switzerland).

Norway, meanwhile, were at the Euro 2000 finals.