Euro 2012 Qualifying, Preview: Group H

As it was before the World Cup, Portugal and Denmark are drawn together, this time for Euro 2012’s qualifying. Missing their coach and their best player for the first qualifiers, Portugal looks set to repeat their lack-luster form of the previous tournament and let Denmark take another group from them. Those two nations are a head above Group H’s other three teams.

Portugal

FIFA Rank: 8
Elo Rank: 9
Recent Performances: Second round exit in the World Cup. Quarterfinalist at Euro 2008.
Coach: Carlos Queiroz, once he returns from suspension
Captain: Cristiano Ronaldo, once he returns from injury
Prominent players: Eduardo (Genoa), Ricardo Carvalho (Real Madrid), Bruno Alves (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Fabio Coentrao (Benfica), Raul Meireles (Liverpool), Nani (Manchester United), Danny (Zenit Saint Petersburg)
Outlook: Portugal is the seeded team in the group but can’t be considered its favorites. Denmark beat them in World Cup qualifying, with the Seleccao having too many questions for a return to their talent's level to be assumed. They’re going to be great at the back, but they still have shown no commitment to scoring goals. Unless that changes over the next 14 months, they’re looking at another playoff.
Predicted Finish: 2nd

Denmark

FIFA Rank: 29
Elo Rank: 33
Recent Performances: Eliminated in group play at both the World Cup. Failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Coach: Morten Olsen
Captain: Daniel Agger
Prominent players: Thomas Sorensen (Stoke City), Lars Jacobsen (West Ham), Simon Kjaer (Wolfsburg), Christian Poulsen (Liverpool), Thomas Kahlenberg (Wolfsburg), Dennis Rommedahl (Olympiacos)
Outlook: Morten Olsen’s team got four points from Portugal in World Cup qualifying and look nearly as strong for this tournament. They will be missing Nicklas Bendtner for these first fixtures, tough. Regardless, Denmark should take advantage over another slow start from Portugal.
Predicted Finish: 1st

Norway

FIFA Rank: 22
Elo Rank: 27
Recent Performances: Second in their UEFA World Cup qualifying group. Failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Coach: Egil Olsen
Captain: Brede Hangeland
Prominent players: John Arne Riise (Roma), Morten Gamst Pedersen (Blackburn Rovers)
Outlook: Norway was the one second place finisher in World Cup qualifying that failed to make the playoffs. Few new faces are likely to figure for Egil Olsen’s team, though their reliance on older goal scorers during the World Cup cycle will need to be alleviated. The presence of this group's big two makes this a tough draw, the Norwegians left hoping for a Portuguese collapse.
Predicted Finish: 3rd

Cyprus

FIFA Rank: 67
Elo Rank: 64
Recent Performances: Fourth in UEFA World Cup qualifying group. Failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Coach: Angelos Anastasiadis
Captain: Ioannis Okkas
Prominent players: Michalis Konstantinou (Omonia), Constantinos Charalambides (APOEL), Constantinos Makrides (Omonia), Marios Elia (APOEL), Elias Charalambous (Omonia)
Outlook: Will likely feature and all-Cyprus-based team, not necessarily a bad thing given the quality we’ve seen from clubs like APOEL, Omonia and Anorthosis. Cyprus has given nations like Italy trouble of late, and a third place finish is not out-of-the-question.
Predicted Finish: 4th

Iceland

FIFA Rank: 79
Elo Rank: 92
Recent Performances: Fifth in UEFA World Cup qualifying group. Failed to qualify for Euro 2008.
Coach: Olafur Johannesson
Captain: We’ll have to wait and see
Prominent players: Gretar Steinsson (Bolton Wanderers), Brynjar Bjorn Gunnarsson (Reading), Aron Einar Gunnarsson (Convetry City), Johann Berg Gudmondsson (AZ), Heidar Helguson (Queens Park Rangers)
Outlook: Johannesson has some quality players along with the emergence of a number of prospects set to slot-in for thirty somethings Helguson and Gunnarsson.  Iceland finished fifth in a five team group during World Cup qualifying and look set to do the same here, though taking fourth from Cyprus would not be a huge upset.
Predicted Finish: 5th