I’ll start with a bit of housekeeping. The Footy Blog will provide throughout the Euro 2012 tournament 1) daily news round-ups as per usual, 2) match-recaps for each game, 3) post-game photo spreads, and 4) our daily Euro 2012 Vodcast with daily guests. And for you ardent Canada supporters, we’ll also be providing match recaps for the two upcoming World Cup qualifiers as well beginning with Canada’s game against Cuba this afternoon, so never fear.

So, onto the Euros news. It wouldn’t be a major international tournament without a giant cloud of controversy, and we’ve got it with news that the Dutch national team was subjected to racist chanting during a training session in Krakow. UEFA haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory in their response to the situation, first denying it, then saying it was only a few people (hundreds, in fact), and lastly refusing to investigate the matter further. Sweep all that ugly reality away into the Coca Cola Fun Zone!

The Daily Mail is already lining up its excuses, lamenting the lack of penalties training from the England squad. Meanwhile the Ireland players convinced Trapattoni to cancel training for fear of “burn out.” And Thiago Motta is apparently a “true Italian.”

ESPN meanwhile goes with a broad, all-encompassing preview of the tournament. And Fox sort of does the same. Grant Wahl’s understated pre-tournament preview feels just about right.

In Canadian news, all eyes are on Canada as they take on Cuba in the third round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Molinaro’s preview is here, and Daniel Squizzato’s is here. Kurtis Larson focuses on pitch fears. Admirably, all the Canadian news outlets had Canadian soccer stories in their lead headlines. Good show.

As for the Aron Winter sacking at Toronto FC, Duncan Fletcher’s analysis is very good, as is Ian Clarke’s take on RNO. Michael Grange makes the important that no one from MLSE was on hand to back up Anselmi and take responsibility.

In other club news, the big rumour is Robert Lewandowski’s big money move to Manchester United. West Brom appoint Steve Clarke as manager, and Juventus confirmed they will not add a third star to their shirts in wake of their Calciopoli muddled “thirtieth” scudetto win.

In bits and bobs, we’ve got wonderful news that Marco Tardelli will recreate his famous 1982 celebration should Italy score. And Soccernet’s weird Euro 2012 poster is getting some attention. And the official Ireland Euro 2012 is almost as good as Russia’s.