...why the massive failure? Overhyped? Club loyalty splitting the room? Running into countries with better quality golden generations? What says you?
- too much segregation and club loyalty - managers playing players in wrong positions - managers picking names instead of form - too much media pressure on players and on managers who were then influenced by the media - expectations too high - lack of outright skill and trickery - mentally not strong enough - not the right balance in the team - particularly midfield - other really good/ better teams in Europe/the world - for some ****ing strange reason they didn't practice penalties Did have a few semi final in tournaments though so its not quite as bad as people say imo. Edit: QF's!
Did we? Must have missed those, best we ever did was a couple of quarters under Sven. That seems a mega success now!
I was hoping that the comment meant that they had potential for a couple of semifinals, not semi erections in them, but failed for the reasons listed.
Yeah you're right - had it in my head they were semi's. Seemed for a while every tournament we'd end up playing Portugal and get knocked out.
Indeed. They allowed cliques to be formed, and that is unforgiveable. There are no United, Chelsea, Liverpool players etc, when on England duty.
Agree. Should have dropped 2 of Becks/Gerrard/Lampard and based team around Scholes. Could have started Gerra and brought Lamps on as impact sub in 433 etc
Most player performances were up and down too. Over the entire era, possibly only Ashley Cole put in quality performances consistently.
Agree. He was a big game player par excellence. Played brilliantly v Ronaldo etc. Ferdinand was pretty good in big games too
Had several really good quality attacking midfielders and played exactly none of them as an attacking midfielder. Tried to play in a style that was nothing like that of the Premier League, despite all of the squad playing in that league. Picked players based on reputations and ignored any chemistry or familiarity when selecting the side. England squads have ignored something fundamental to the game for decades and that's having a team that have played together. Arsenal's defensive unit during the George Graham years was incredibly well drilled, played together all the time and was entirely English. Did Seaman, Winterburn, Dixon and two from Bould, Adams and Keown ever get picked together for their national team? Nope.
I remember Italy starting 1994 with Costacurta, Tassotti, Baresi and Maldini, i.e the Milan back 4 so there's a lot of merit in what you say. I also seem to remember an England manager (may have been Ron Greenwood or Joe Mercer) starting a game with something like 9 Liverpool players (just looked it up. actually 7 in Ron Greenwood's 1st game)
