OK.............I've kept my powder dry for long enough. What complete and utter tosh!! Have you ever noticed how the country comes out in a wave of patriotism at huge state events? There is an over-whelming support for the Monarchy in England and Britain in general and your obvious republican views, which you are completely entitled to hold, have nothing to do with why England have won nothing at football since '66. I was at the England v Scotland match recently and the England supporters were singing "God save the Queen" over and over again throughout the game. They didn't seem to have a problem with it!
I think the problem with English football is the fact that its 'English football'. We have grown up with the mentality that you have to be over six foot and built like a brick **** house to succeed! We invented the long ball game with a typical giant striker up top. Predictable, easy to play against and possession losing football. From junior football we have always focused on results rather than development. Coaches still get taught from a 1950s throw back 'charles hughes' soccer coaching manual which is repetative, boring and robotic. We need to be allowed to use our imagination and initiative to coach these kids, infact 'coach' is the wrong word as we are coaching creativity out of potential stars with our system.
How do we make it better? A very long road ahead but we have started with small sided games etc but a massive issue for me is facilities/pitches at junior level football. With the state of some of these mole hilled, dog pooed fields, its hard to pass a ball correctly or run with it nevermind controlling it! Another gripe of mine is freedom of expression with the ball without a neanderthal parent shouting from the touchlines the exact opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Be willing to allow kids to try new skills without the fear of failure. Development based on ability rather than build. Coaching to be recognised for the general public and not just ex proffesionals. What took me over 9 hard months to gain my 'uefa b' badge took Ray wilkins 2 weeks! We all want the same conclusion which is to compete at the highest level and by doing that we need to firstly concentrate at the lowest level.
I would also admit that a general royalist vs republican debate does not really belong here and maybe should be moved to another thread (If at all). Having said that it is always easier to count those on the streets (e.g. at huge state events) than those who stayed at home. Surveys regarding this subject indicate that about 20% of English people are consistently republican in their views and about 40% are generally indifferent over the subject. The fans may have been singing at England v Scotland but watch, next time we have an international, to see the reaction of some players to the anthem. Have you ever seen Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard singing it ? Whilst on the subject of scousers, I have also heard the national anthem booed from start to finish at a Liverpool v Everton cup final. Couldn't help but laugh at your opening sentence - originates from Cromwell I believe.
100% with Bob he knows his onions It's the exact English culture that sings god save the goat legs that is the problem and middle England that have the wool pulled over their eyes There is a small screw on the Anglo Saxon man neck .... Be brave and turn it a few clicks to open to a new world of reality England is just a beautiful country who has held onto power because of the money markets ... It's that simple X Factor ... Wake up you are being fed sleeping pills .... Inside you know it's wrong ... Address it and become real men and woman or even both England football for a start drop Vauxhall and Umbro that would help for a start ... Naff culture
Just copy Ajax, recruit at club level for technique, insight,personality and speed, coach to a specific model at all levels - I'd be very happy with 4-3-3 Total Football, set a target of getting 3 home grown players into the first team every 2 years. Barcelona, under Cruyff, set the same system up, not done too bad with it, and the Dutch, with their tiny population, have just seen it through at national level. Of course this radical foreign approach to youth and philosophy was set up by Jack Reynolds, an Englishman who managed Ajax for various stints between 1915 and 1947. He is a legend in the Netherlands, unknown here. So my earlier post was right, get rid of all English 'football people' involved in the game. Cambodia year zero. Let's start with bloody Luke Young.
As a club we had in the past coaches who knew how to play total football.....Jago, Sexton, Venables....unfortunately these were the minority and were passed over for the top jobs except TV and he should have been the England coach for 10 years because that side he put together for Euro 96 knew how to play football...... The English mentality has to change.....look at the overseas coaches now working in the PL but they mostly use overseas talent in their sides.....IMO AVB will get it right in a few years at Spurs as he has the right philosophy, but he needs to ensure that he has enough English players in his side to benefit the national side. Also Jol at Fulham is trying to put together a good footballing side but he doesn't have enough good quality English players to affect the national side......Martinez at Everton is in the same mould and at least that club has quality English players who will benefit..... Unfortunately the club owners will not allow the managers/coaches enough time to develope sides to play total football with a mas it will undoubtably lead to relegation whilst the transforamtion takes place, that leads to reduced income, and a vicious spiral.... The change has to come from the top, but these days what is the top....is it the FA or is it the Sky Premier League?
That Bob is a perfect example of why you have been so badly missed over the past few months mate. Spot on
Absolutely spot on Bob. Cromwell...........correct. A little ironic I agree. All the England players have been ordered to sing the National Anthem since Woy took charge, although I agree they didn't all sing it before he was appointed. Not sure exactly why, but some of your points may be valid as to why not. Latest opinion poll on the Monarchy from July this year: "Three quarters of people believe that the newborn Prince George will one day accede to the throne to which he is third in line, the ComRes survey for The Sunday Telegraph found. Just 9 per cent of those questioned think that he will not become king because Britain will have become a republic — whereas a poll in 2011 found that a quarter of people expected a republic to emerge within 50 years. Even among 18 to 24-year-olds, the age group most likely to hold republican views, today’s poll shows a solid 69 per cent believe that Prince George will one day become king. The poll suggests that the majority of the country sees no benefit in republicanism, with some two thirds of those polled (66 per cent) thinking that Britain is better off as a monarchy. Only 17 per cent wanted a republic instead."
England's only hope is to carry on doing what they have for the past twenty years, which is turn themselves into an African All-Star XI. Zaha? Ivorian. Welbeck? Ghanaian.
Well if France can do it, the difference is England may have 1 or 2 but France has 8 or 9 Africans in every team.
Easy Erik, you're wandering into the issue of what's "English " . I'm prepared to bet that welbeck was born here. I also was born here but am half from trinidad but very much think of myself as English, even though might have a bit of an all year round tan!
Bet there's plenty of English players past or present with some pretty interesting roots..French...German etc. can't be arsed to research but will bet that a good few have had a varied family tree.
Exactly, theres a difference between being born here and getting a passport fast tracked like that aussie cricketer which is really a farce. They need to crack down so you either have to be born in the country or your parent holds a passport of that country. Eating a swiss roll or liking onions shouldnt qualify you to play for Switzerland/France.
Alot of the issues here are down to the amount of sports done in primary schools, which is virtually non-existent or teached by unqualified sports teachers. I know that schools run on tight budgets and the first thing that is cut is sport. To simply put this without going too deep, our children spend 35hrs a week at primary school and do little to no physical education. Fitness levels are poor, obesity is on the rise and this will have a large financial drain on the economy over the next 40 - 50 years. Surely it would be more financially viable to put specialised sports teachers into primary schools and get to the kids before its too late. I speak to the guys that run academies as i run an under 8's team with some talanted individuals. The proffesional coaches argue that the ability is there for our kids and the FA are putting in the same constraints in place same as europe this season on pitch sizes , team sizes etc so 5v5 and 9v9 has now been introduced. The main issue is physically the english kids are falling behind. We no longer let our kids play outside, they are not receiving the correct sports education upto the age of 11 and they are a generation that will play xbox instead of football in the park. The ability is there and i see it first hand but things like diets, physical education and social reform are preventing our children to compete.
