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Greeks fancy their chances

AFP, Athens
Greece's triumph in the 2004 European Championships was a shot in the dark but the proud Greeks will be dead set on ensuring it wasn’t a one-off when the
present edition gets underway in Austria and Switzerland on June 7.
Seldom could the term punching above their weight have been more appropriate than when Greece saw off then titleholders France, flamboyant Czech Republic and hosts Portugal in the knockout stages to take the crown of European champions.
They' looked to have been the equivalent of one hit wonders when they failed to make the 2006 World Cup finals but under the shrewd stewardship of German Otto Rehhagel they rebounded from a 4-1 home defeat in the Euro 2008 qualifiers to historical rivals Turkey to top their group
Rehhagel has since been rewarded with a contract worth 80,000 euros a month.
With a group comprising perennial underachievers Spain, Sweden and the unpredictable Russians, the Greeks will fancy their chances of progressing to the last eight.
Whether they arc better or at the same level as last time round, up front they do look to be a more potent force with Euro 2004 final scoring hero Angelos Charisteas. on-loan Celtic marksman Georgios Samaras and the player who has really supplanted them in recent years Theofanis Gekas, who has become an effective goalscorer in the Bundesliga.
There is not much artistry in their midfield, more blood sweat and tears than piercing visionary passing movements, but if they are to flourish then Bolton Wanderers'
playmaker Stelios Giannakopolous wifi have to be on his game and back up his skipper Panathlnaikos’ Georgios Karagounis.
They will have to fill the not inconsiderable boots of Theo Zagorakis, who was named man of the tournament in 2004, and holds the record for caps in the national side with 120.
Defensively they are solid with Atletico Madrid's Giourkas Seitaridis especially important and possess in Antonios Nikopolidis a great shot stopper.
In what must be a good omen in a land historically linked with gods and omens, Karagounis struck twice in a friendly in late March to see off the Portuguese 2-1 and give the champions a timely boost.
Greece may not be easy to the eye but they are certainly no-one's punch bag and their rivals will be fooling themselves if they go into their games underrating them.