Things take time. We should take a step back now like the Germans did. Accept we arent going to bee good enough at the world cup in 2014 and build something and have a real go at Euro 2016. We cant continue thinking were world class just to make a tournement and be shown up. We need to take 1 step back to take 2 forward
I agree, I just wanted to see promise from this team, which is obviously during a transitional period, and that's what we saw. We also saw Ashley Young is not good enough, Andy Carroll is a desperate B plan, Rooney just doesn't do it at top international level and that Parker sohlud have been playing for England long before now.
hope it works out like that.......but I have a feeling I will be in the happy hunting grounds long before we are a force in world football...
What the Germans did to be fair was the root and branch reform that took place after they flopped at major tournaments post '96. Maybe the same thing has happened now (finally) at the FA with the Youth Football Reform, the Elite Player Performance Plan (still dubious about this one) and St George's Park in Burton. Hopefully this is the case.
I see Septic Blatter has released a statement this morning announcing, on reflection penalties is a very satisfactory way to decide the outcome of a football match
I'm afraid the future is 'dull as dishwater' unless Roy is brave enough to pick, drop and substitute on form and performance rather than by reputation / club .. I'm not a Milner fan .. would not have been in my team to start .. BUT ........ he was contributing far more than Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney (as was Wellbeck) ... whilst we persist with certain players appearing to be 'untouchable' we may still get out of the group stages at tournaments but will be sadly exposed in the knock-out phase ... like last night Whilst too much can be made of stats in isolation, at times, last night was embarrassing ... a very average Italian team (by their historic standards) had 63% possession and over double our passing ... it would have been a huge travesty if we had won the penalty shoot-out .. I was gutted at losing the penalty shoot outs in '90 and 96 because we did not deserve to lose ... last night we did.
We have some good young players. It's down to weather some drops the old guard and builds something. The expectation level has dropped now and we are starting to see some pride return to the national side.
why wont we be good enough at the world cup? we havent lost in 90 minutes under hodgson, nor have we even looked like it. We have a young squad who are improving. There are problems over gerrard, terry, parker and cole- yes- but baines is one of the best, just ousted by cole who is the worlds best and still may have it. Terry never had pace so losing it isnt a problem, and even our 4 choice CB is better than a lot of the other nations. Young players are always coming through and improving. For 3 or 4 years now i have saved up to go to Brazil and i will never have this opportunity again- my house deposit savings are taking me, and i dont get why everyone is so negative- back your country!! Yes, i get realism, but lets be honest, we could well have gone through yesterday and anything could have happened- i just hate that so much of the nation actively looks for things to criticise, a lot of them not knowing a thing about football, the lot i call the 'close him down' lot- the ones who think you have to chase every man with a ball without realising that that leaves gaps. Some positivity please!!!
So at 1-1 against France, 2-1 against Sweden and 0-0 against Italy you couldn't see us losing the game?
I feel sorry for Leighton Baines, he is a quality player and he had he played any other position he would have loads of caps but because he plays in the same position as Ashley Cole he doesnt get a look in
Ed - it is difficult to get very excited when it appears that our only prospect of winning a major tournament is to 'do a Greece' .. I want it to be very different ... it just isn't right now ...
... not sure what you mean by 'actively look' .... it is difficult to look and not criticise ... we got further than the Dutch and as far as the French ... which proves that we are not alone in being in the footballing doldrums currently ..
