I was nearly 11 when England won the World Cup, I will be nearly 63 for the 2018 final, which is 52 years after the the win, so really by 2018 no one under 60 will really remember the 66 final unless they were really into watching football at a early age, ( under 8) The way it's going most people who were at the final will be dead before we win it again, remembering the 66 final will feature like veterans of WW2, 90 odd year old supporters getting wheeled out before World Cup finals reminiscing about Geoff Hursts hat trick. I don't think I will ever see England win a tournament again even if I live to a hundred
Agreed. There are loads of reasons for us being under achievers and also for our dismal performance in this tournament (although I can imagine come the next international press conference, Hodgson will be talking about how pleased he was with the tournament and all the positives). Heard a German pundit on R5 earlier, he spoke of the plan they initiated over a decade ago. The biggest thing that struck me was the emphasis on the academic education of their young players; they studied to our A-level standard academically whilst also learning the game they harnessed other key attributes like mental strength etc. Basically, them to become rounded human beings as well as professional footballers. Looking at the German team of this World Cup, I think this education clearly shows. .
The likes of Wilshere, Sterling, Sturridge are young but display all the signs of premature wealth and adulation. Until a month ago it was all 'we must learn to play tiki-taka' now it's 'tiki-taka is dead, the krauts have shown us the way.' No magic formula, just the sum of a thousand small parts of preparation, learning, sacrifice, coaching, dedication, personal responsibility and practice. As numerous people have said, the Germans get it right off the pitch with their admission prices, standing areas, fan ownership/participation, more balanced and grounded approach where the national team is seen as the pinnacle of their football system.
even during germanys supposed '**** baron' period when drastic changes occured they still only went 18 years without a trophy and its 4 world cup wins now england is a whole other problem and this isint a taking a piss post scotland is currently in the worst period in history no tournaments qualified since 98 and wales, well less said the better the whole British isles needs a huge reform, there's no proper footballing education or dedication, young pros are partying on extorinate wages, its a big society problem imo
Yes Mac I believe the mental attitude is shocking As soon has they get in these a academies they swan around like they re god and already made it Way to much money at young age The new TV and kit supply deals that are coming in are astonishing and are gonna make it even worse I'm completely dumbstruck at the money that's getting thrown at Man Utd. The English national team are finnished for good I fear Just couldn't ever imagine us playing like some of these top international teams Look at the way some of the players in the past thrown their dummy out when left out of the England team
the 1982 WC was the first finals i understood properly l & despite the win in 1966 it doesn't feel like we have ever won it to me as i wasn't around to even experience it
The whole ethos of the game is totally different these days with money the overriding factor driving the English game. Each transfer that takes place, Suarez for instance, involves extortionate amounts of money and before anyone says its what the market will pay, it is mostly money that is from the vast resources of media companies that enables such fees not from fans, they are just an afterthought these days. So for any player, English or otherwise there is no incentive to give your all in a game, certainly not if you are earning in the region of £200,000 per game. And so along with the rules that's hardly let any physical contact take place and with players play acting and cheating to get free kicks and penalties, for which the most they get is a yellow card, there is no wonder our younger generation of so called footballers are, and never will be it seems, of a decent international level. I will even go as far to say that today's so called superstars, Messi, Neymar, Ronaldo and the such are shadows of previous hero's of the game but their status is kept high by the self perpetuating press wanting more and more of the same to fill their pages. I don't think that I have had less interest in a World Cup since 1958 and the bits I did see 2 players stand out as the epitome of today's game, Arjen Robben and David Luiz both would not have stayed on the pitch for more than a few minutes if I had been the ref, one for blatant fouling the other for blatant cheating. Cruyff and Pele their respective nationals must have cringed with embarrassment at their antics. As for England, its yet again back to the drawing board.
another problem in my opinion is I bet you every player probably apart from gareth bale for Wales, scotland and england all play in britain there's no players experiencing a different football well experience/culture/education, even the great Spanish side of the last 6 years, they had players playing abroad although their situation is a bit different, the mighty barcelona acedemy for one, the 2006 world cup, I thought hargreaves was brilliant, and we all know where he was brought up and played football take lambert, hes in his thirties now and made his debut at that age, kevin davies of bolton the same even lallana is almost 27 when making his debut, three players deemed at the time to be picked for an england debut but all late in their careers, why has this happened so often ? the whole academy thing is just putrid here for example, the last player to even make a stain on our first team from our academy? liam cooper, and dropped to league two, he had huge potential but he's always been a big partier and lacked that real mental drive to take higher steps when you're out and about or even know kids, how often do they play football? I barely ever see the parks with footballers on (not helped by signs and council rules about not playing on parks which is another story) how many times will kids play? maybe once a week, kids these days are attending parties every weekend aged 15 etc and drinking, that with the games consoles and Facebook, even if the kids have a talent at football, I csn bet you the majority here don't play 4 times a week, facebook popularity and parties are the main ego driving forces for many kids I myself was a good footballer but picked upna bad injury and I admit I lacked the drive and desire to make it further, but it's a fundamental problem in british society, check all the reality programs that have emerged since big brother in 99 every reality show around the world is copied from a british show, big brother, pop idol, xfactor, towie I think there is actually rules at acadimies and dealing with young children about the hours they can be coached as well, but then you get onto the football coaching, its cliched but so many still get forgotten becauaue of their height, even our own tom cairney was let go at one point as he was deemed too small so many fundamental flaws, I think england can produce at a higher level, but im not sure england will ever win the world cup atleast for a long long time
I was thinking that watching the Holland v Argies SF and the final, we are light years off that level of ability, commitment, fight, motivation and enthusiasm. Other than that shocker by Brazil, the other 3 Semi Finalists would have torn us a new one.
Big brothers a dutch show, but i get your drift. Think some of our players now would rather meet Kim Kardashian than a Cruyff or Van Basten.
We still get Gazza's tears every 4 years with obligatory Lineker interview. Last night Sami Khedira knackered himself up pre match in the warm up. No waterworks or drooling. Just accepted it and got on with it.
I don't buy into the money affecting players attitude. Barca, Bayern and Real are in the top 5 for wage bills.
Barca, Bayern and Real pay high wages to proven players established in their careers. 17 year old in Championship academies expect at least $10k per week in England.
Not sure you do still see groups of lads having a kick about anymore We played on cunny school field , division rd , villa or west park . N if it was too wet we played on a street corner on a painted goal .
I don't think I will see England win a tournament in my life time, because of the way the domestic game is run. There are a lot of very good players playing in the younger age groups, they get bought by EPL clubs and then sit on the bench, because a foreign player can get you more instant results, and more money for the club. There is a lot to be said about keeping the nucleus of a team together through the age groups, as the German's have done, but the players have to get regular club football at a reasonably high level, but with the structure of the way things are at the moment it doesn't happen in the domestic game.
I agree. You still look around junior games and wherever the ball goes there's 20 outfield players following the ball, no structure. Then from defence a long hoof up field. It's thoroughly **** and the whole establishment needs looking at. Germany have been dominant in European football as well (they didn't win either European honour this season) but they did well, with primarily home grown players. Germany might not be the right example, but the action they took 14 years ago has lead to them winning a major world honour this year. I can't see us having the balls whilst the Premier League is still under the spell of SKY.
Growing up on Bransholme has a kid was fantastic Open spaces with plenty of fields People used to be playing football all over the place. We used have games against other garths it was great Even on a winter night you'd play under the street lights Then come summer tennis and cricket!! Happy days You just never wanted to be in the house. I think a lot of young kids when they get to a certain age think it's not cool and seem more interested in fashion and image. Not sure we can change the mentality now. Certain
And of course the irony is that it was the national team's 'success' in the 1990 WC that was the catalyst for that newly generated interest in football that lead to the breakaway. In hindsight, maybe the Football League should have called their bluff and said to the PL "OK, go on your own but there'll be no promotion/relegation". A closed shop PL would have become very stale very quickly.
