The International Break

He'll be gone soon.

 

You really think it's odd? Years and years of not being good enough to challenge at a tournament should be enough to let you know what will happen when we play a top team (like Iceland ) and why people are moaning.

It's odd you not seeing that.

 

Yes, I'm glad really. Pleased for wee Gordon (who again reminded me his interviews were sometimes more entertaining than the game) but also for Chris Martin who was booed when coming on ffs. Classy.

 

So, so agree. I had to brace myself from writing something OTT, so thanks FLT for calming me down with an accurate & reasonable response

 

England have a lot of good players, but lack real game changers. We need an English version of Gabbi. Who knows....there may be a youngster or three out there who will mature at the same time...and at that point, we must hope we have a manager who doesn't suppress them. They may be at the Saints Academy* at this very moment. Perhaps we also need a sense of perspective...we are a good side and usually qualify easily....most countries would love to be like that.

*Can't be too long before most of the England team are Saints (or more likely ex-Saints).

 

Don't agree, Fats is the first to mention expectations at Saints and point out that perhaps fans shouldn't expect, and just did the reverse with England...


Fats, not digging at you specifically btw

 

[QUOTE=". They may be at the Saints Academy* at this very moment
).[/QUOTE]


They won't be by the time they get in the England team

 

I don't think it's a lack of game changers (Alli, Lallana, Barkley, Sterling) Yes I'm including Sterling but he does need to kick on. He's got the talent but he does need to improve a fair bit.

 

Never poke a sleeping Fats. We could be here all day.

 

We'll have Harry Kane when he's fit Fran. I'm looking forward to seeing him in a major tournament with a properly-coached team behind him. As people said after the Germany game, he would have converted at least one of the chances we created in that match. He's the closest we have to the pre-2004 Wayne Rooney or, dare I say it, Alan Shearer.

 

Everyone else may be here all day, I on the other hand may not...

 

Am I a bad person....I couldn't celebrate when Vardy scored. He'd have to win us the WC before I'll begrudgingly half forgive him.

 

Oh Fran, I celebrated. Did you not notice his eye? Looked like he had a right shiner...

 

Got a long way to go to reach Shearer Chilcs but I see see your point. I'm excited about his potential but needs to learn how to contribute when not scoring imo to hit next level.

As a more general point, it's irrelevant how many game changers we do/don't have, we're simply not good enough technically.

The whole systems down to grass roots needs an overhaul and attitudes need to change, until then we'll continue to achieve **** all.

 

Ah... I got what I expected though. My expectations were met. Club football is different altogether. What is there to make me think Saints should be a top team?

My point is that we should be moaning because England should be a top international team. The reason we are not is because we don't run our game properly at grass roots levels. We have allowed the rest of the world to catch us up and over take us. The resources we have available to us are ridiculously large, yet we can not put a top team together.

My soap box is ready, but it is fairly pointless because voices like mine are in a minority. We just don't develop players as well as the best nations.

 

And what did we win or threaten to win with them?

Semi-final Euro 96 with Shearer.

 

Yeah, probably.

 

Semifinal Euro 96 we came within an inch of a Gazza golden goal. I would say if Rooney hadn't got injured in Portugal we might well have threatened to get to the final. I take your point though. Southgate has to somehow make a team out of the players he has, and the fact that he's using members of his U21 squad who have played together many times is encouraging.

 

Don't ever do 'what might have beens' where England is concerned, it's likely to cause insanity.

 

I largely agree, but grass roots isn't the only issue. I dont believe we should be at the top, we are a small nation who produce average players with occasional gems. Put simply, other nations price more, better players.

Every now and then we may do better, but that is by being more than the sum etc...

So, I guess you may not need that soap box