We got done by the Germans in South Africa. They picked our weak defence apart. So, we haven't really learnt an awful lot. We've done better going forward. Last night we got done by a long ball & a class finish. The defence & keeper seemed out of sorts at times last night. Hart nearly got done on every occasion from their corners. Fortunately, he pulled off some decent saves. Both of the Suarez goals were down to the defenders making errors.
If the stories about Ronaldo are correct then Portugal will be joining Spain and England. In fact dont be surprised to to see Italy get beat by Uruguay on tuesday and also go out.
Since I've watched England, the best managers have been hounded out by the press. Bobby Robson, Hoddle and I seem to recall Venables getting a lot of heat from his extra curricular.
Robbo in 88 was scapegoated as badly as any England manager ever was. 3 defeats against Eire, Holland and Russia meant we went home pointless. 2 years later no one gave us a chance in Italy, then all of a sudden Robbo's a national treasure and football genius. And all this in the days before social media and armchair FIFA managers. This bipolarity is a blight on our game and is encouraged by the media. Resist.
Truth re: BRD 88. Robson was a great manager though and he was hounded by the press for much more than the performance in Euro 88.
A bit off topic here but I've just seen Sturridges league goal record for ****terpool. 31 goals in 43 apps. That's subliminal.
Robson is viewed thru' rose tinted specs, especially around where I live, but it's worth remembering that before the World Cup in 1990, he'd refused a new contract and agreed to go to manage PSV Eindhoven after the finals. It wasn't expected that we would achieve much. We did and now Robson is viewed as a great manager. He certainly wasn't at the time and didn't want the job any more. Either that or he feared the sack anyway. Don't get me wrong, I'm a great admirer of the bloke, both as a person and a football manager. I visited the tributes at St. James Park just after he died and was deeply moved and I don't usually go in for that type of Diana hysteria nonsense, but he wasn't loved by many at the time. Hoddle and Venebles were indeed dispensed with because they embarrassed the FA. Keegan ****ed off 'cos he embarrassed everyone. Capello couldn't communicate with anyone. Which leaves Sven. He only embarrassed the FA by shagging everyone and that's allowed 'cos it's more manly than fraud, karma, being out of your depth or being a pig ignorant, rude Italian. Face facts - we ain't moved forward since dispensing with the Swedish lothario's services.
Sven's figleaf was the 5-1 in Muenchen. He dined off that for years. In any interview he never gave the slightest impression that he had insight, nouse, motivational ability or leadership quality. Hoddle was doing OK (France 98) but the weak FA caved in to media pressure re Eileen Drewery and the 'reincarnation' interview.
Spot on. People wanting Hodgson probably also wanted Capello, McClaren, Sven, etc. all sacked. A lot of people did at the time. We've changed manager often enough and not seen significant improvements. Maybe the problem is something else?
As much I admire Hoddle. It would be embarrassing, laughable and madness to employ some who hasn't managed at the top level for 11 years. Back Hodgeson. Changing managers doesn't work.
There will be a month long inquest in the media till the new season starts. All sorts of theories, opinions, facts will be thrown into the pot. Here are a couple of left-field undemonstrable ones of mine Our larkers are too soft and have it too easy. They don't have the lives of south americans or africans who learn the games on the streets and who come from impoverished areas where there are not the social safety nets we have in Europe. Most European countries (unlike us) have a belief in tactics, thorough, serious, methodical approach to learning about football. Capello tried to instill that on our lads and they told him to do one basically. Italy believe in their football heritage, their strengths and don't flirt with foreign styles or managers. Ditto the krauts. They know who they are, and have faith in their own football identity. The Dutch: they will always be the European Brazil. No foreign coaches needed. Little Bosnia, Chile and Uruguay are small poor countries with none of the infrastructure our game has. But their players have the mental strength and character to deliver performances based on self-discipline, self-sacrifice and an awareness of what is needed for the team to succeed. All relatively tattoo-free and without gimmicky hairstyles.
Left field undemonstrable theories eh? Here's some of mine: Competative football under the age of 15 is destructive when trying to develop confident, skilful young footballers. Ban the under 10s from using full size balls. Preferably use tennis balls. Ban parents attending their offsprings games or training sessions. - Mouthy gobshites should be charged with hindering the nations footballing development. Use smaller goals, half size pitches and if you must have games, then 7 a side maximum. Reintroduce football apprenticeships with kids paid a reasonable wage, not 1000s per week. They should be cleaning boots, sweeping stands and staying in draughty lodgings with dubious landladies. Essential for developing character. Encourage our players to go and play for European teams. We are far too insular and our football is decades behind the top teams.
All this theories have some merit, but they obviously aren't the reason we're out of this World Cup since, as I keep saying, we didn't even play badly in either game. We weren't outplayed or out-passed and we weren't torn apart at the back. We just had two minor lapses which were exploited by good players, and we didn't create or exploit enough at the other end. **** happens. We need to learn from it but it isn't as simple as implying that you just need to get more English players playing abroad or whatever and then you'll never get your captain putting a perfect assist through for their star striker in the last minute ever again. These things can always happen.
To be fair Ern there have always been gobby parents on the touchlines. It's not a modern thing and didn't seem to harm the previous generations.
Spot on mate, the Belgians, Dutch and Germans have it right. I particularly liked your point regarding football apprenticeships and reasonable wages, wasn't it Ravel Morrison demanding £30,000-a-week at United? ****ing shameful behaviour, like I said on a previous thread, English football needs massive reforms.
There is no one single or even a few causes- there are many. Late Messi wondergoal masked Argentina's failings and ditto Balotelli v us. I remember about 20 years ago the 'Ajax' model was the way to go. Teach the kids from an early age to play in same formation and style. Then it was the French national elite academy model in the late 90s as they cherry picked their best young players and nurtured them in a national centre. Recently the tiki-taka Spanish model where everyone and his wife are UEFA ''B" coaches. They only common themes in all of these are dedication and focus. A serious sustained approach aimed at getting the best out of young players. Making them better all round players and professionals able to cope with adversity, able to keep their discipline and not fizzle-out and self-destruct. Has there been an Italian 'crash and burn' Gascoigne? A German 'unfulfilled promise' Rooney?
