I have watched some of our under 20 team's performances this week in France. And I worry. Our first team's rating worldwide is nothing to be proud of , but if these lads are our future first choice , . . . oh dear! , our standing worldwide will not be enhanced. Too many are slow in reaction and thought. The captain again today was Jack Butland , who being on Stoke's books should have comment written about him on this board. So here is mine. He does show authority in calling instruction to his outfield players. Then there is the downside. His distribution is not good. His temperament lacks calmness. And for such a big lad he should be more commanding in his own goal area. His rival for the England jersey is no better , more gloom! Today we were held to a 1-1 score by an already out of the competition Columbia. If a fluke of a failed clearance by a Columbian to the England lad ( who was in an off-side position ) who had an easy open goal to put us one up , had not happened , then we would have lost again. The future is not orange , it is a dull grimy grey. But they did look pretty in their bright red shirts and spotless white shorts.
the under 17s have just won the european cup beating Holland in the final, which fits in with the FAs changes that they hope we will see in the next 3 years
My opinion (which is worth nowt) its got to be down to two reasons, lack of coaching skills and the academies or whatever they call them. They have ruined producing the players not improved the situation. I'm 38, and I can't remember the last time I saw kids playing footy out in the streets or in the parks. When I was growing up that's all we did till it went dark. I can remember when I was primary school age actually playing against men at the local park every Sunday, you got kicked, pushed over, the fields were bumpy so you had to control the ball etc. Read various autobiographies and what sticks out is, the less fortunate players seem to make the quality ones at a later stage. The kids must be out there, its down to the coaches to let the kids play, not try and knock their skills out of them and turn them into European style players, that's not what we are about, we don't play that way, we can't play that way. You don't see the European's trying to play like the Brazilians or vise versa so why do our coaches want us to play like the Europeans, it doesn't work, it won't work! We need our identity back.
The reason that we won the thing in '66 is fundamental; we had the following World Class footballers in the side:- Banks Moore Bobby Charlton Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst. Ball, Cohen, Wilson and Hunt were not too shabby, plus the 'enforcer' Styles who kicked anything that moved. He was an evil little sod BUT he was OUR evil little sod. Ramsey's wingless wonders
Even though I'm to young to of seen those guys play nick the principal is still the same, they became world class through hard work, determination and good coaching. I'm guessing any player that has natural ability would get it coached out of him unless he plays a European way. We want to play the English way not the continental way.
Totally agree Stokielad. Apologies for not acknowledging your point. In that team they all worked.their socks off...sorry for the cliche! Alan Ball must have run 100 miles that afternoon. The two most elegant footballers on the park were Bobby Moore and Franz Beckenbauer. But it was hard work and discipline that won it. Good old English traditions. PS...plus a Russian linesman
imo football has moved on massively since then and English coaching and youth training hasnt. Unfortunately in todays game the English way wont win us a tournament. Our players simply arent good enough technically to compete with the big guns which all comes down to coaching, facilities and training, but I do believe that the squad of young players we are taking to Brazil are a big improvement from past squads.
I don't agree there Rick, we have far more chance of winning a tournament playing how we know how to play, not trying to copy how the others play. Italy have won tournament playing the Italian way, Spain won it playing the Spanish way, same as Brazil and Argentina, we have failed trying to copy them which we obviously can't. When we do well is when England play the English way.
I made a tongue in cheek thread about England's coaching, all about fitness and no balls in sight. Ricc has a point though...all manner of things have changed over the past 48 years, diet etc. The one thing that impressed me this year is how well Southampton played with a nucleus if English players, from their Academy...they must be doing something right over the last few years. If the structure from top to bottom is.correct...who knows? Unfortunately the FA is (in my opinion), rotten to the core, with a 'snout in the trough' collection of nonentities.
I think the issue for our national team is not all down to grassroots football or club coaching - although these do account to some of issues at national level. The only way you develope a player capable of performing on the international stage is by playing with some of the best players in the world, week in week out. Apart from the usual suspects (who are normally king dick in their own team) not enough of our players play in the big games enough of the time.
