Betfair | European & International Football

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Ben Lyttleton

I write about European football for the Sunday Telegraph, the Irish Examiner and guardian.co.uk, among others. Euro 2008 is the seventh major football tournament I have covered as a journalist and the first, I am pleased to say, without the distraction of England¹s presence.

I first thought I could spot a player when I saw Belgium striker Nico Claesen score three goals at the 1986 World Cup finals. Although he left Tottenham after two seasons in which he scored 16 goals, I still contend that had David Pleat not switched to a 4-5-1 (because Clive Allen could not stop scoring), Claesen would have been a success.

Nowadays, the Champions League has replaced World Cups as the place to spot new players. I have covered the Champions League for uefa.com and some foreign publications since 2002: as the majority of players at Euro 2008 have played in the competition, I feel that my knowledge can give Betfair punters a vital edge in the market.

I was a regular guest on Dave Farrar's Betfair Marketwatch tipping show last season and helped by a purple patch in the new year with 14 out of 15 correct tips won more than I lost. No promises, but something similar for Euro 2008 would do nicely.

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