Just seen this from Jurgen Klopp. It was part of a letter to the journalists at the Football Writers' Association end of season awards which was mainly about Mo Salah winning their main award, but he had this to say about England: Personally I think this is crucial for the country as a whole. We need to support them and not be waiting for the next mistake, or subconsciously hoping for them to fail so we can wallow in self-pity.
I can't really get interested in the world cup but I will probably watch it when the proper teams play !
All I know about the WC is that we'll be home well before the business end gets underway, and it will be the usual catalogue of lame excuses about tired players and harsh playing conditions. The truth is our players are just not good enough and if Southgate starts with Tart in goal he wants £ucking with a rag-mans trumpet. End of.
Looking at draw, it looks like we'll play Poland in the last 16 and then go out to Brazil in the Quarter Finals. Personally fancy France to win it.
I've backed Egypt to get out of the group stage, think they'll surprise a few this year. Not just because of Salah, they've got a few players that have flown under the radar. They also have a few playing in England, like Elmo, Elneny and Hegazi. It's a tough group, but I think they'll be good to watch. Oddly enough, they have a player called Trezeguet. He's pretty good though. Karabah is their other talent, really dynamic midfielder. Like Salah lite.
Spain, Germany, Brazil, the usually suspects, though Belgium should be a real dark horse, their squad is sensational, downside could be Martinez and a lack of big game temperament eg Euro's
Former England trio Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand will join the BBC's Fifa World Cup 2018 coverage from Russia next month. Germany's 1990 World Cup winner Jurgen Klinsmann, Ivory Coast's all-time leading scorer Didier Drogba and Pablo Zabaleta, who played for beaten finalists Argentina in 2014, will add an international perspective to the Match of the Day studio in Moscow. The BBC will televise 33 live games, including England's two opening Group G matches against Tunisia and Panama. Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker leads the BBC coverage throughout the tournament, which starts on 14 June. Five other former England internationals - Phil Neville, Jermaine Jenas, Danny Murphy, Martin Keown and England women's Alex Scott - will also be among the BBC pundits in Russia.
