With a larger population we should be able to produce more so called world class players, than they can in a place like Malta. These days England would probably have found a distant relation so that GB and DL would have been able to play.
Just typed on a which was altered to gonna. The g is nowhere those letters. Maybe my keyboard has been taken over by shape shifting extraterrestrials and is further proof of their existence?
I appreciate your efforts PLT. Yes, that is one of very few examples that you see of passion for the national cause, and it's quite damning that you had to go back to the days of David James in goal. Any more recent examples?
It was just the first that came to mind. People see what they want to see. England have plenty of players like Terry in the team now. Almost all of them would put their body on the line for their country, probably moreso than many other countries in fact, where they're a bit softer. Regularly last season you'd see Abel Hernandez moping about, not making any attempts to win the ball, waving his arms as if it was always someone else's fault that he wasn't in the game, but people were fine with that because he scored goals. I don't think anyone moans about City not having enough passion and pride. It's just a lazy accusation repeatedly thrown at the national team.
Dissapointing as that one of the few England games that was set up for Vardy. Sturridge offers nothing as a lone striker. He has no commitment or desire.
Agreed CJ - the game was crying out for some **** to run full tilt into the box and then throw themselves to the ground. Only kidding - I don't get playing Sturridge on his tod either?
Both have been playing brilliantly over the last 12 months in front two's. Why not play them both up front? Why are we playing 5 in midfield against Malta and Slovenia?
I hate modern international football with a passion. It brings out the worst in the fans who are all suddenly expert managers and sports physiologists. It brings out the worst in the players with half-arsed and desperately underachieving performances. It brings out the worst in football hierarchy, with the club you play for being more important than your performances or talent. It brings out the worst in the media that desperately want to tear down and criticise the team in any way. And means we go 2 weeks without any proper football. It just bores the hell out of me these days and I rarely watch non-tournament games anymore.
A lot of fans who considered themselves expert managers up in arms about the lack of FC players in the England RL squad announced this week.R H Sportstalk was dominated by it, along with contributions by local RL journalists, past and present players. I was just amazed it didn't feature on the 9o'clock news and the front page of the dailies.
The England squad is made up of immature, emotionally stunted young men who can't handle the pressure of international football. Their clubs and entourages are over-protective of their egos so they grow up without any sense of personal responsibility. On the rare occasions an England player manages to score, their reaction is usually to express angry defiance rather than joy. I'd rather England players were picked from teams in the FA's leagues. At least they might have more success finding 11 players who haven't completely disappeared up their own arseholes.
That is pretty close to how I perceive the majority of the England squad - you add ''pampered'' and ''out of touch with reality'' in there and you'd probably be bang on the money. My son played schools football with a smashing young lad who was talented enough to be capped at all but senior England level, he was pursued by, and eventually signed for, Manchester United. His dad would recount tales of the pampering and cossetting that his son and other young talent got, to working class guys it was unbelievable - move on 12 years and I can't even begin to imagine what goes on with todays elite players.
When someone from the Championship does get picked, the reaction is "Look how far we've fallen." The rest of the time it's "Bring the kids through! The old guard will never win anything."
I agree. They all wait til they get the ball then think **** what shall i do now. I would rather watch Bake off than watch these apathetic bunch of millionaires.
