Reality bites but yet again no-one showed up and surely the governing bodies must see that our national programme is in tatters. Predictable early exit with the usual egg on our faces. It's called effort and pride lads and enjoy the trip home.
Hodgson and Gerrard were responsible. Hodg for taking an exciting new generation to Brazil and not playing them (Wilshere, Lallana,Shaw, Barkley) And Gerrard for spreading fear in a squad that have played without fear by promising that the players would live in Hell this summer should we lose Nice work guys Hoddle for manager...
Dont really agree with having foreign manager at the helm for England BUT we need some one with a bit of passion, someone who stalks the technical area for 90mins not sit down with thier arms folded.If the manager shows no passion how are the team supposed to get up for the game. From what I have seen of England teams since the late 70's, we would be far better playing players from the Championship who can only dream of playing for their country. It would mean so much more to them to where a white shirt. On the theme of shirt colours - how often do teams in white ever win anything? Lets play in Red the colour of passion and stop wearing white the sign of SURRENDER!
Leeds Utd in the 70s and Real Madrid It's not about shirt colours and it's definitely not about effort. The problem is a manager who is not clever enough to fashion a glut of young talent into a quality passing side who win matches.
There is no glut of young talent that can be fashioned into a quality passing side. The obvious thing the likes of Sturridge etc lack is a short passing game.
Don't think we are a laughing stock, but how we went out with such a whimper was embarrassing. I think it was a bit like Spain. Quite a shock as much as anything.Spain have a n excellent squad on paper, but we know what happened.
At least Spain have a recent winning history whereas we definitely don't. To bring us back to some semblance of respectability we need to get an international manager (not someone like Sven-Gormless please) and make the Premier League play more home grown players and kick out the foreigners who just come to England as financial mercenaries and then disappear taking millions of pounds with them. I don't see the Centre of Excellence offering any solutions in the near future and if any talent is found through that avenue then they have to play world class club football. Nothing else will change the downfall of English international football and messing around with minor changes will only lengthen the agony. Do the forces that run our football, or even our country for that matter, have any brains?
Foreign nations have equivalents to St Georges Park. What the FA do not have is a national strategy similar to other nations to increase the ability of the players heading into it. The FA does not run top level football in England. The EPL calls the shots. National academy sets ups follow the EPL and its player programme. It is the EPL controlling the FA that will prevent the FA implementing the youth development models of Germany or Spain.
I agree, we need a much better full time manager, but its a job nobody wants-Can you imagine Mourinho's reaction if we offered him the job.?
Isn't that a bit like the inmates running the asylum? Regrettably it hasn't got anything to do with the future of the game from a grass roots level any more and is controlled by big money, and so much of it comes from offshore. Foreign investors and media moguls have no interest in producing a team made up exclusively from home grown players because the TV revenues and support would plummet and leave us in isolation, which in reality is happening with today's current set up. Everything that was good about England was sold off to the highest bidder years ago and now it is difficult for me to swallow the consequences and when I see the sort of national lack of pride being shown by our footballers it makes me weep. But always look on the bright side of life as someone once said because you never say never and if Italy can beat Cost Rica and Uruguay and we beat Costa Rica by 3 goals we can go through on goal difference ( is that correct?). Who said I am not the most positive guy on the planet (I think it was my alter ego Victor Meldrew)?
How would Mourinho find central midfield players who can play with their heads up, pick a pass and appreciate the football? Ball playing centre halves? Full backs who retain possession? England were second rate heading into the competition and have lost by a goal to Italy and the South American champions. Still second rate but there are signs that they will not drop further, which was a probabilty after the last world cup. People would want the job for its millions a season salary but it takes more than a Coach to create change. The Spanish FA, the Dutch, Germans and now the Belgians with G-A-G start from the roots up not the top down.
Spain '82 England were unlucky, we went out without actually losing a game. Mexico '86 Played well, Lineker got the golden boot and we were beaten by the Hand of God Italy '90 Got to the semi final and beaten on pens by the eventual world champions Since the advent of the premier league; USA '94, didn't even qualify France '98 beaten by the Argies Japan/Korea 2002 totally outclassed by Brazil Germany 2006, The golden generation knoced out on pens by Portugal South Africa 2010, Totally inept, would have been better if we didn't show up. Brazil, 2014............
Haven't cared enough about England to really give a toss for years and years. So it's the usual hype followed by the excuses and accusations, following the 100% predictable performances and results. Nothing changes My only question is why Africa have so many teams at the WC when the vast majority are woeful. There are way too many uninteresting teams at this event. They should make the qualifying rounds global with seeds into a number of groups so if England have to play Bhutan away then so be it.
By adopting parts of successful foreign models. There can be a national strategty set by the FA. It cannot mirror those in Belgium or Sapin because the EPL will not allow it but fundamental elements can be adopted. Junior football clubs and schools can share a national skills syllabus. This would increase the talent pool entering academies later. Kids need to be taught how to play at an early age v how to win. Play first win later. It would be no absolute panacea, but significantly increasing the amount of skilled kids, not just with attacking flair based on strength and speed increases the amount of skilled youths, eventually increases the numbers of skilled players entering XI's. This is a basic methology adopted by the biggest teams and most successful Fa's in Europe. Englands national strategy to improve downsized football develoment via the EPP. The FA would need to work round the self interested EPL and start from roots up again.
