How the **** did he even get the ****ing job when it was plain for all to see how badly he ****ed us up? Hoddle's the only Englishman who'd do any good and he's a bit of a nutter
No. I've got everything I've bought her, but they were on the coffee table in front of me, so it was easier.
Last decent manager we had in charge too. Keegan was the last one willing to attach. Sven, Capello, McLaren and Hodgon since have all been far too defensive minded.
It's quite depressing to think how few truly exciting displays we've had in the last 15 years. No wonder so many people don't care about the national team anymore. Put in the performances, play with style, get some results, and I bet a good lot of those who claim they don't care would change their mind.
Pretzel Logic - Steely Dan Zuma - Neil Young and Crazy Horse Sentimental Hygiene - Warren Zevon I have got them all, but the Warren Zevon one is a US import with bonus tracks which I haven't got. Might give her my copy
What was the last genuine good performance we had? surely we don't have to go back to the 5-1 win over Germany? I wouldn't say the wins over Italy, Argentina or Greece were great, just the results were.
What about the qualifier against Croatia where Walcott got a hattrick? In a tournament - probably one of the 2004 games, if not even earlier.
Probably against San Marino and similar but I don't think they really count. To be fair, the Italy game at the world cup wasn't all bad and the France game in 2012 was fairly solid. But we're talking more like half-respectable performances than good ones. Only saw the first half last night before going to bed. It seemed comfortable enough with some creativity, but just a bit slow and pedestrian and there was always a Norwegian defender (who played well and were very organised; Nordveidt in particular had a good game) who manged to get a leg or a head to the final pass or shot. It was only a friendly three games into the new season. Problem is, Switzerland will be just as organised, but will have more players who can hurt as at the other end. I videoed the second half, not sure if I'll bother watching it.
I saw the first ten minutes as I was fetching the family from my mothers and they had it on. Listened to the rest on radio (well sort of, it was on in the background) as I know it would be a shocker. I genuinely don't have a dislike for Woy, I think he's a nice guy, he just isn't good enough for a top job and he has the wrong approach too.
The Italy game showed some good stuff with some good attacking, but left us open at the other end. So Roy then overcompensates and we've seen nothing interesting since. I've also nothign particular against him, but it's difficult to see what his plan for the team is beyond try to look solid and hopefully snatch a win. And that's even against teams like Poland and Montenegro. I know he can't go out and splash 100 million on players, but I'm unconvinced he's getting the best out of what he's got. Then again, there's hardly a line of promising candidates waiting to take over.
Capello got good results though. When he left us we were ranked 5th in the world and undefeated qualifying for Europe. 2 years later we're not in the top 20 and had a historically bad world cup.
We had an undefeated qualifying for the world cup. We won as many games as at the 2010 World Cup (one) and scored one less goal. With Roy in charge at Euro 2012, we at least managed to win two whole games and score more than three goals. We didn't lose over 120 minutes either. Scarily, that's our best tournament since 2006. And the football under Capello was just as uninspiring. Not saying that Roy's great by any means (see above), but Capello wasn't much better.
I want talking about results though, I was talking about having a team that got peoples interest. An exciting team that people wanted to watch
If we're talking about a team that was exciting and stood a chance of winning something I think you have to go back to 1996. Euro 96 we had a very good team and actually stood a chance to win the tournament. 1998 we played good football and had a good team but don't think we ever could have won the WC. Think it all fell apart in 2002, when the 'golden generation' was at its peak and failed to do any better than the previous teams. Since then its all been a general load of crap with the occasional good result, also interest from the population has been falling as the level of football on offer is pretty poor (this is down to the qualifying system, having to play games against San Marino and Andorra is pointless and no body really cares about those games).
Agree with 1996 and 1998. 2002-2006 we had a decent team who did well enough (consistent quarter finalists), but were never able to get results against bigger teams when it mattered. And the football became more and more conservative. Man for man our team's not awful, but as a team...
1996 venebles used mcmanaman and anderston as wing backs ( this is where lvg stole the idea). pearce was actually on lcb and ince was told (and whined like a bitch) to be the third cb gazza and sheringham played behind shearer all in all venebles was ahead of his time and no doubt van gaal was so shocked at the time seeing his beloved holland ripped a new one he filed it away and is now trying to replicated at utd.... in phfackt lvg is an idea stealing whore 1998 wasn't all that exciting though.... owen made it exciting.. 1998 was not a high goal scoring wc either. as far as i am concerned england under erikson had good players and got as far as it deserved to get. under capello it was turgid but under hodgson... f me its terrible... and the players imo are weak too... i would honestly say that since 1990 to today jones, cahill, jagielka and smalling are the worst choice of cbs i've seen. cahill is ok but just that. he's a v good prem player but a clogger type. baines is a decent lb, we've no good rb have we. CM is very weak... we've a ot of runners but few real creative players
