ESS: Europe’s Top 20 – Week 2

via Euro Sport Scouting by Roger Kelly

This is the Top 20 for May 20, 2014. As predicted there are a number of changes in this week’s Top 20. We welcome any comments or criticism. Please email me at roger@eurosportsscouting. And if coaches wish to contribute by all means do so.

ESS’s Top 20 requires a great deal of time and work. Scores are checked from all the leagues, and we speak with coaches regarding injuries and such. Since there is not much inter-league play it is difficult at times to decide if a team from France could beat a top team in Sweden for instance. And is it possible for a very good team from Finland to defeat a mediocre team from Germany or Austria. Much is guesswork admittedly, but I don’t think it is so far off. Please comment and discuss!

1.Swarco Tirol RaidersAustriaExciting win over Prague 63-62
2.Raiffeisen Vienna VikingsAustriaTheir one point win over Braunschweig in Big 6 action boosts them into second
3.Braunschweig New
Yorker Lions
GermanyLost 14-13 to Vienna in Big 6 play
4.Berlin AdlerGermanyDominated Calanda in Big 6 play
5.Kiel Baltic HurricanesGermanyBeat Dusseldorf handily
6.Cologne FalconsGermanyIdle
7.Dresden MonarchsGermanyIdle
8. Prague Black PanthersCzech RepublicLead Czech league and barely lost to Swarco
9.Thonon-les-bains Black PanthersFranceHave looked impressive. Beat Parma 45-41
10.Helsinki RoostersFinlandBeat Carlstad impressively
11.Stuttgart ScorpionsGermanyIdle but lead the German South Division
12. Parma PanthersItalyLost to Thonon but lead Italian league
13. Danube DragonsAustriaHolding on to 4th in Austria
14.Carlstad CrusadersSwedenLost in Champions League but will contend for Swedish title.
16.Graz GiantsAustriaLast in Austria is still pretty strong. Have beaten Vienna this year
17.Milano SeamenItalySecond in Italy with best offense
18.Elancourt TempliersFranceSecond in France and semi-finalists in Champions League
19. Orebro Black KnightsSwedenBeat Copenhagen Towers in Champions League
20. Vukovi BelgradeSerbiaChampions League semi-finalists

Roger Kelly is an editor and a writer for AFI. A former PR Director the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League for 7 years, he now lives in Sweden writing about and scouting American Football throughout the world.