Dream Team @dreamteamfc FACT: There are 30 full size football pitches in the whole of Iceland. There are 82 in Hackney Marshes...
Excellent post General, especially the comment re 'chopping and changing' etc. Almost seems as though he'd phoned AN for advice!!!
Yesterday morning bet365 was offering 8/1 on an Iceland win, given our history of ****ing it up in big games and the generosity of the odds I have to admit that I got on it to the tune of £10... Every cloud and all that...
Odd that Kane and Dele Alli were so lacklustre throughout the tournament after such a good season for third placed Tottenham, and yet Alderweireld and Vertonghen, who both had just as grueling a domestic season have been rocks for rapidly improving Belgium? Tactical pig-ignorance from our coaching team or just rabbits in the headlights?
For anyone who hasn't heard it, (and if you have, a damned good excuse to listen again!) here's Chris Waddle's post match thoughts. Norra happy chappy http://www.101greatgoals.com/101ggv...kedown-england-team-iceland-defeat-bbc-audio/
I think that's actually more telling than it's meant to be. Iceland invested heavily in indoor 3G football pitches and smaller arenas, which allow year-round football despite their climate. There's an artificial pitch near nearly every school. Youngsters aren't playing on boggy pitches in torrential rain, where results are more important than technique and performance. Smaller pitches with good surfaces encourage technical skills, and they've the coaches to train those skills. England has ~1400 coaches with a UEFA A or B license, Iceland has 640 with UEFA B, plus some with A licenses. That's 164 times more coaches per capita.
Time we had a 'root and branch' inspection of all that is wrong with English football, coaching methods, etc. Ah, hold on, we already did that quite recently England 0 - 0 Progress
Antonio Conte running up and down the touchline screaming instructions like a madman. juxtaposed (albeit in another match) with Roy Hodgson rubbing chin before clamping head in hands. Even the disappointing Rooney attempted the captain's 'chin up fellas after complete capitulation' role, whilst 'Woy' disappeared down the tunnel with not so much as a look back. How much was he paid? A bloody disgrace! Gareth Southgate? Mamma Mia please no! (as Antonio would say)
This is a transcript of my 17 year old son's texts to me during the match... '****ing moron is starting with sterling and Kane again' 4 mins in 1-0 rooneyyy' 'and they equalise 1 minute later **** joe hart' 'WE ARE LOSING TO ****ING ICELAND AND THATS HARTS WORST MISTAKE YET' 'Knocked out of a tournament by Iceland absolute joke, going to sleep.' Brought a tear to my eye reading those, I brought that boy up so well...
