Power Ranking Flag Football EC 2023 - Part II
Our second preview and power ranking of the groups of the European Flag Football Championship 2023.
Reminder: This article was originally published in German language. This post is a translation using DeepL. Please note that parts of the text may be poorly translated and misleading.
In a few days the European Flag Football Championship 2023 will start in Limerick, Ireland. Time for a hopefully not completely wrong Power Ranking. The grouping is finally fixed (maybe it has been fixed for a while, but it was not communicated earlier) and also the mode is fixed. A record field of participants (13 women's teams and 20 men's teams) will play out the European championship titles from 18 - 20.8. for the first time since 2019. In addition, it is also about the qualification for the World Championship next year in Finland.
Women's competition
In the women's event, the surprise European champions of 2019, Spain, will try to defend their title. The triumph of the Spanish women was the only time so far that they could place in the top 4 at international tournaments. It remains to be seen whether it will remain a flash in the pan or whether they will field a competitive team again this year. The extended group of favorites also includes France, Italy and, above all, Great Britain, who, according to their own statements, have never entered a tournament with such high expectations. But first and foremost is the dominant nation of the last 15 years in European women's flag football: Austria.
The defense of the Austrians is pretty much unchanged from the World Games 2022 and should harmonize well. The offense is a different story. Four long-time key players will no longer be there this year, first and foremost the best female quarterback in Europe in the last 10 years: Saskia Stribrny. In her place, Daniela Schelch will take over the key position in the offense for the first time at an international tournament. The rest of the offense is filled with partly established players, but also two 18-year-old rookies. The season started a bit bumpy for the newly assembled offense both in practices and at the King Bowl in Utrecht. In the meantime, according to Head Coach Walter Demel, there have been clear improvements, especially since the training camp at the beginning of July.
In my opinion, the women's competition at the European Championships is more open than it has been for a long time. Several nations have the chance to win the title. For Austria it depends on whether the new-look offense and especially Daniela Schelch can perform at their best. My tip is that they will be able to do it and Austria will be able to get back the European Championship title lost in 2019 and thus follow up on past performances.
Über den Autor
Philipp Pölzl krönte sich als Quarterback des österreichischen Flagfootball Nationalteams 2012 zum Weltmeister. Mit seinem Verein, den Styrian Studs, gewann er die Champions Bowl und vier Staatsmeistertitel. In seiner Laufbahn wurde er mehrmals als „Most Valuable Player“ ausgezeichnet.
Der Jurist und Betriebswirt ist heute als Partner in einer Wertpapierfirma, als Vorstand in einem auf erneuerbare Energien spezialisierten Unternehmen und als Lektor an der Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt tätig.
Er betreibt zudem den Flagfootball-Blog www.goforgold.at. Philipp Pölzl lebt mit seiner Frau und seinen beiden Kindern in der Oststeiermark.
Philipp Pölzl hat seine sportliche Karriere in der Biografie "Quarterback" nachgezeichnet.
Men's competition
The European Men's Championship can boast a surprise guest this year: Cameroon! Cameroon? IFAF has decided to invite African teams to the tournament in Limerick to give them the opportunity for match practice in preparation for the 2024 World Cup in Finland. The idea is good, the communication in the run-up was again rather mediocre. In any case, it is desirable that this is a first step for future African Continental Championships, which could perhaps be held for the first time in two years.
But now to my power ranking of the men. The 20 teams are divided into 4 groups of 5 nations each. The top two of each group qualify for the quarterfinals.
Out in the preliminary round: Finland, Ireland, Ukraine, Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Belgium, Cameroon, Georgia, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden
No big surprises. I don't think any of the above teams will be able to decisively challenge the experienced teams.
Quarterfinal: Italy (A1) vs. Germany (D2)
The third place at the European Championships 2015 is the only presentable result of the German team in the last 10 years. Nevertheless, two facts suggest that things could go better this year. First, there was a clear upward trend during the World Games in the preliminary round matches with strong performances against the later semi-finalists Mexico, Austria and Italy, which was unfortunately stopped by covid illnesses within the team. And secondly, there has been continuity at the QB position for many years, with Benjamin Klever, a very experienced player, firmly at the helm.
The opposite is the case with predicted quarterfinal opponent Italy. The reigning runners-up in the 2022 World Games are paying the price this year for putting together the team in recent years. At least half of the 2022 team, led by QB Luke Zahradka, is not available for the national flag football team this year due to assignments in the European League of Football (ELF). This of course raises the question whether the Austrian/Danish way with almost exclusively full-time flag football players or the Italian way with many very good tackle players is the right one. I have heard from Italian circles at least that the current team is the weakest in many years.
My tip: Victory Germany
Quarterfinal: Austria (C1) against Great Britain (B2)
According to insiders, the two teams from Great Britain arrive with great self-confidence and the highest expectations so far at an international tournament. Reaching the quarterfinals is therefore a minimum goal that they will achieve. However, it will not be enough against the Austrian team, the difference in class between the two nations is (still) too great.
My tip: Victory Austria
Quarterfinal: France (B1) vs. Israel (C2)
Israel seems to have been stuck in the good midfield for many years. Since 2013, they have always reached the semifinals of the European Championships, and they have only reached the final once, at the "shared" European Championships in 2017 (more on that later). France, on the other hand, is on the upswing. After not having a national team between 2015 and 2019 for some inexplicable reason, the trend in recent years has been positive. The sport generally experienced growth, the results were good, but still did not quite meet their own expectations. I expect an exciting quarterfinal duel.
My tip: Victory France
Quarterfinals: Denmark (D1) vs. Switzerland (A2)
The Swiss are definitely on the rise, a fact I was able to experience firsthand at this year's Peace Bowl. In recent years, they have managed to establish themselves in the good midfield. It's not quite enough for the top nations yet, but qualification for the quarter finals and thus a (supposed) ticket for the world championship is assured in my opinion. That is also the goal they have set for themselves. The development of the sport is progressing rapidly among the Swiss, and they will certainly be a force to be reckoned with in the fight for medals in the coming years. This year the Danes are still too strong.
My tip: Victory Denmark
Semifinal: Germany vs. Austria
Austria against Germany in a European Championship semifinal. What more could you want? Continuity is very important in these two teams. If you compare the two rosters from the 2022 World Games with the current ones, there are hardly any changes. Especially the QB position has been in the same hands for years. The goal set by the German federation, reaching the semifinals, has been achieved in my scenario. Furthermore, will the Germans manage to beat their small neighbor from Austria for the first time since 2010? It will not quite be enough, despite an exciting game.
My tip: Victory Austria
Semifinal: France vs Denmark
The European champions of 2005 and 2007 (France) against the European champions of 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 (Denmark). The Danes have won an incredible six titles in a row. The two teams seem to be at a crossroads. Denmark has been in steep decline at the grassroots level for several years (more on this in a later blog post), and the national team was also unable to replicate previous successes at the 2021 World Championships and 2022 World Games. Contrast that with France, who are finally yearning for another big success and have been able to rejoin the extended top flight in recent years. My tip is that the experience of the Danes will prevail one last time.
My tip: Victory Denmark
Match for 3rd place: Germany vs. France
I expect a duel on equal terms with the German team winning the bronze medal as in 2015.
My tip: Victory Germany
Final: Austria vs Denmark
Twice, the final of a European Championship was already Denmark against Austria. The total score in these two games: Denmark 112, Austria 29!!! In one of them I had my hands in the game. The result will certainly not be that clear this year. The experience speaks for Denmark, but they start with a new quarterback. Instead of Frederik Lochte Ermler, his club mate from the Allerod Armadillos, Niklas Dyrby Johansen, will probably take over the QB1 role this time. This is not an easy situation for Niklas, who has been a permanent fixture in the national team for quite some time. Just not at the QB position. Denmark against Austria is also the duel of the two European champions of 2017. The two European champions? Yes, in 2017 there was a dispute between EFAF and IFAF Europe as to who was allowed to host the official European Championships. As a result, there were two European Championships, one won by Denmark, the other by Austria. Apart from 2017 and the two final clashes in 2011 and 2015, the Austrians have not been able to compete for the title at European Championships. In 2019, they even lost in the quarterfinals. The World Games gave them a boost, where they only narrowly failed to beat Mexico in the match for third place. The Austrian team is almost identical to last year's team. The defense has become a year older, some of the coaches are already over 30, but the continuity of the entire team should be above this small deficiency. In an overall very open tournament with no clear favorites, I still see a team that is a notch above all the others.
My tip: Victory Austria