No miracle repeat for Greece
15 Jun 2008 - 08:20:10
Greece coach Otto Rehhagel admitted that it would have taken a miracle for his side to defend their European Championship title successfully, following their 1-0 loss to Russia.
A second defeat in two Group D games left the Greeks facing an early exit from Euro 2008 and Rehhagel had few, if any, complaints.
He said: "I think the Acropolis has been around for several thousand years, and we won't be around for that long - that keeps it in perspective.
"I've said this before, Greece is a country where democracy was born so you can say what you want. Germany is also democracy which is why I'm free to say whatever I want.
"We just finished this match, we have a match against Spain and everything else we will deal with later.
"We knew we wouldn't waltz though it, we're simply not that good. But other teams will get knocked out too.
"Only two can remain (from each group) and France and Italy might not be among them.
"In 2004 a miracle happened, but maybe it happens once every 30 years. You can't have it every week, or it wouldn't be a miracle."