Some interesting thoughts from SW on why we didn't sign another striker and don't expect much business in January - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...er-aims-to-box-clever-in-the-market-1-5225194
Don't really bother with qualifiers (wish I hadn't on Friday night!) but must admit I'm looking forward to Monday, when Wales face the ROI. Based on their result - and how Serbia fare at home to Georgia will determine who qualifies from group D and who goes into the playoff hat.
I would Imagine that Ireland Scotland N Ireland and Wales would be thrilled to have already qualified by now . The same people that call for patience and positive support towards Norwich players and coaching sraff, have no problem slating the National side for winning the group on 23 points with 7 wins and 2 draws boringly. I seem to be in the minority of 1 on this but I really don't get it. The only argument is judging them on their perceived failure at the 2018 WC before a ball has been kicked based on past failures with different players and coaches. Winning the U20 World cup and reaching the semi in the U21s surely means we have quality coming through.
Difference being I support Norwich, I do not support England. Never have and never will. And yes, since 1966 we've consistently underperformed at major tournaments - despite having galloped through the qualifiers...against such luminaries as San Marino, Lichtenstein, Kosovo and teams of that ilk. I don't like the style of play we try to adopt, I'm not / wasn't a fan of Hodgson, Southgate, Allardyce, don't agree with Joe hart's perpetual selection and our fans abroad turn into rampaging violent sub low-life. So tell me what's to like / support in that little lot?
I have a horse in the grand National that I pick If I don't then the event is pointless for me . With football I can't select a different team each time I was born in England and as a consequence I will back us in everything from War to wheelchair basketball. Scottish people watching England games in a pub wearing the colours of our opposition is so bitter it's hilarious and thankfully I have never wanted the other British teams to lose to make myself feel better . I actually believe with the players we have in the side that we could get to the last 4 by playing dull football nicking games 1-0 stinking the place up. Portugal won the Euros and I defy anyone to call that run sexy football and almost all the Italian silverware was won by ugly turgid displays , If you want total football support Holland who failed to Qualify recently and have never won anything. When the World Cup is on I will sit in front of the TV with my kids inflicting a lifetime of pain and disappointment on them no doubt but there will always be a grain of hope that we may win the thing .
Apologies for not sharing your love of Bulldog dirge. What would help immensely reduce the wrist-slashing tedium is holding pre-qualifiers (like they do for associate nations like Scotland, Holland, Namibia etc in cricket). So Gibraltar, Malta, Moldova, San Marino, etc could play each other first and only one gets through to the group qualifying stages. This might also help reduce the pathetic number of international breaks, which serve no purpose but to disrupt any rhythm a team may have had - dare I suggest NCFC as a case in point? Ironic you mention the grand national as to me, watching England try (and inevitably fail) to land a decent prize is tantamount to 'flogging a dead horse'. please log in to view this image
Well as you don't support England and never have done I'm not sure why you care either way. I hate F1 and find Hamilton an arrogant childish tax evading poser but I still want him to win races ,maybe National pride is outdated and patriotism is racist like the left wing media often hints at? but I want English people to wear the flag and beat others at anything and everything. Criticism of wins over crappy teams and lambasting the keeper after yet another clean sheet seems futile.
I have had my horse win on the National twice and it was exciting, so what if England finish as also rans at least they will be there. Another boring summer for most or even all of the other home nations so qualification is clearly not a mere formality.
Given the choice, I'd class myself as European first, British secondly and English as a reluctant third. But that's neither here nor there on a football forum. But just goes to show my allegiances. I can (and do) watch a decent game of tennis or especially cricket - but I don't give a flying fig if England or Andy Scottish Murray are involved. If it's a close game, contested fairly and played hard, why do I want to sit and wave a little St George's flag or a saltire at my TV / computer screen. Do you watch last night of the proms, perchance, DD - and stand up for 'land of hope and glory'? I'll tell you one person who doesn't. please log in to view this image
Do you wave your European flag and take collective responsibility for raping Greece ? I consider myself Human first and the ever expanding membership of countries allowed to join based mainly on allowing USA to erect missile "defence" bases on their land bordering Russia is not something that fills me with European pride. Bulldog would usually hint at Britishness Dirge would mean that death or failure has already happened and the flags being waved at the Abert Hall are British not English and no I don't watch it.
I think this is really necessary. Particularly when, despite every group having 6 teams, results against the sixth place team in each group are discarded. So Germany have put 15 goals past San Marino across two games in this group stage, and the result counts for nothing. What's the point? Nobody learns anything, nobody improves, nobody wants to watch it, nobody cares. They should definitely pre-qualifying and reduce the number of games. And from next year we get the Euro Nations league. At least those games should be higher quality, but it makes qualification even messier.
The death of society when political correctness convinces it's citizens to feel ashamed for being. Reluctantly White Reluctantly English Reluctantly straight Straight white English males invented almost everything in the modern World including most sports ,ended World slavery defeated the Nazis and inhabit one of the most free tolerant countries in history. To be born here but Reluctantly English is very sad especially as the European Union has only been around since the 1950s as a result of the Germans attempting to take over Europe. Ironic.
