From my point of view there are two main factors why England fail in major tournaments, the first being that I don't think the English game of football has moved on in recent times as other European sides have, we don't change around our style of play from one tournament to the next BUT for me the main problem with subsequent managers (I'm not knocking the present one btw, it is early days yet and he HAS managed to get all the players singing the national anthem and that's a first!) is that they seem to choose big name players whether or not they are in form. Last time Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, John Terry & David Beckham (I think I have named the correct players but bear with me - the principle is the same!) all had a terrible world cup but they were allowed to continue through the tournament relatively unsubstituted. This time, again Wayne Rooney has had a terrible Euro yet he was not only allowed to start his second match but when Andy Carroll came on, instead of taking Rooney off Wellbeck was taken off and in my opinion it is simply because Rooney is a big name or maybe it is because of his big ego and managers are afraid of upsetting their poor little apple karts. Another factor could be the simple reason that our players just aren't good enough when compared to other European sides but for me the biggest reason we fail is because managers just do not substitute big name players when they under perform - for whatever reason. These are my own thoughts regarding what is fundamentaly wrong with the England side - I'm sure we all have our own ideas on this so maybe you would also like to add yours below.
Only kidding....... There is an element of what you say in the problems but I think it goes much deeper than that. Simply English players are not good enough and their coaching has stood still for far too long. I said elsewhere that I watched some kids in Spain and how there was a marked difference in what they were being taught and allowed to do with the ball. Coaching has stood still for far too long as said above. Our kids are brought up on work ethic rather than skill with the ball and passing ability. We as supporters of clubs applaud workhorse players who put in the required effort and a shift on behalf of the team. We abhore anyone who doesn't appear to have run their legs off for 90 minutes. We therefore are part of the problem as well. Coaches of kids from the age of 8 should have a complete look at what they do and change. It will take us 20 years probably to catch up with the rest of Europe and South America in terms of skill and ability on the ball. Until we do then I fear we will just go backwards whilst the rest of the football world moves on and leaves us trailing.
I thought I'd share my facebook status today with you - just might make you smile:- "With grateful thanks to the Italians for saving England from utter humilliation at the hands of Germany" About sums it up don't you think?
I would smile if it wasn't so true. How we ever got out of the group stage god only knows. It was very hard watching last night to say the least. The temptation was to switch it off but that would be the equivalent of walking out on Argyle during a match and I just couldn't do it. Why couldn't I have been born in Barcelona. God has a lot to answer for.
That moment of hope at 2-1 with an Italian penalty miss......turned into a knife in the heart....plus a turning of the blade to just make sure.......as I've said on another thread......it could of been worse......it could of been Germany,.......I agree with you there Mrs LaLa.
I'd hate to see the work ethic taken out of our game entirely. It's part of the national brand just as cutting worldwide sleeping pill use is part of Spain's. I'd rather go out in the quarter final every time than watch an England side play like Spain - Germany though, that would be different. However, I do agree we have to bring the skill level up, at least to those in Germany or Holland. That's certain as the powers-that-be have been saying it for 10 or 15 years! Maybe the next generation like Welbeck, Wilshire, Oxlade-Chamberlain, McEachran, Sturridge and the aptly named Cleverley, who've grown up entirely with the "benefits" of the Premier League, will be a first step in the right direction.
This is where football falls over a tad these days. On one hand you have tippy tappy pass it forever teams who bore the ass off me but do win. On the other you have those that run about a lot but don't get the ball enough to win anything and if they do get the ball then give it away and take ages to get it back. What England needs is a much higher technical ability on the ball to combine with the work rate we all like to see. We need to coach young kids to a higher ball skill standard to go with fitness.
sensible....if you were born in Barcelona.........you could of been a waiter working in Torquay.....being slightly abused by someone from the Ministry of Funny Walks.
I agree Sensible, a half way house - I hard to say it but Germany seem the best role model, still strong and energetic but much better ball retention than England.
Nothing wrong with uttering the word "German" notdistant. We have consistently lost to them because they are better and we should acknowledge that. We British can admire others without rancour. Yes, basically a combination of the two attributes and the Germans are the prime example.
