Pity, I was so looking forward to another 14 days with no league football while our international all-stars grace the World stage. Don't know why England are bothering with this silly competition. We just won the World Cup in Russia didn't we? Panama, Colombia, Sweden - Alf Ramsey eat your heart out.
I couldn't disagree with you more Lardi. Instead of meaningless friendlies in a half empty and disinterested Wembley, we had real matches we needed to win. Even back when we lost at home to Spain,my feeling was our youngsters would have learned a lot more from this than beating Bosnia or losing to Germany with ten substitutions at half time and nothing more at stake than avoiding injuries. No one was claiming anywhere we had won the world cup - on the contrary the view I mostly heard was that it was a missed opportunity witha relatively easy run to the final (we might have met Germany but strangely Sweden had already dealt with them so maybe beating them had some merit after all?), and that our inexperience had cost us a possibly never to be repeated chance to be world champions. Yet with all our experiences stars in previous years we achieved notheing either. Suddenly we have a new generation with hunger and apetite, and maybe less of the angst that has sunk so many previous England squads - we dumped the penalty hoodoo at the first opportunity, and yesterday we turned a 1-0 loss into a 2-1 win with some exciting football. Maybe these youngsters can build on this years' succese and failures', and go on to do something. Remeber the England rugbu team that won the rugby world cup way back when? They were forged in the 'tour of death' by previously being pitched in aqgainst Australia away. They came out stronger and won. Now we are in the semi finals of a new tournament - I don't see Germany (just relegated), Spain or Italy there. Or Croatia. And we did it with the new generation. Mock if you like, but at some point you have to ask what more you want from the team.
Germany, Spain and Italy have filled their trophy cabinets with real World Cups and European Championship Trophies in the last four decades. Since 1966 England have not even come close. Now we give out showbiz caps to has-beens playing in America, but it's OK because it's for charity. International football is a side-show run by the corrupt and discredited FIFA and UEFA. Now their corruption has spread to the English FA. They all ought to be lined up and have something slightly unpleasant done to them.
Can't change the past I'm afraid. We can only try to win now. Seems like we have a better mentality which will help. You can only start at the beginning by wining matches, which we are starting to do. Did you ever hear that story about napoleon when he took charge of France and started throwing out orders. One of the things he complained about was his troops having to walk about in the blazing sun, and demanded trees be planted along the main roads to provide shade. His generals pointed out it would take years for the trees to grow enough to provide shade, to which Napoleaon replied 'all the more reason to begin as soon as possible'. The moral being we seem to have a new atitude on the playing side for England, which Southgate has brought along from his successfull time coaching the youngsters (where we have also lined our trophy cabinets). Times they are a' changing
Well those who enjoy International football, good luck to them I suppose. As long as the money to fund it isn't coming out of the taxes I pay then I'm not bothered.
The tournament must be sh1te if Scotland have qualified for the Euro play-offs by beating Albania and Israel.
Is there anyone seriously interested in International football FFS Absolutely no evening betting entertainment now for 10 days
Did some great coastal walks in Malta, but didn't realize that there were more bombs dropped on Malta than London during the War. Had some interesting history lessons.
Didn't they award the George Cross to Malta (and they put it in the corner of their flag) for bravery for what they endured from the Luftwaffe during World War II ?
