To be fair to Beefy, I said about the lack of ambition. Taking an unproven 31 year old, instead of taking a younger player like Carroll to gain experience is just plain crazy. But i do believe you are right about the voices in his head!
"Hardly a nightmare, more a dismay at total lack of ambition from Woy!" The exact post ref grant Holts inclusion in the squad
Terry should be dropped from the squad along with Ferdinand,Gerrard,lampard and Cole all are over the hill...
I'm with Weighty a bit. Why don't we just forget about trying to win this years Euro and start to build something for the next world cup. Germany set out with a plan a few years ago that started with making a decent under 21 team with a view to making a young first team. The fans/media were made aware before the last Euro that their concentration was not on that particular competition but building for the world cup in South Africa and not to expect too much. Initially it wasn't taken very well but now the fans can see the advantage of forgetting one tournament to build something for the future. Will we ever see that approach taken here? Not a chance with the media in the country always building it up and fans expecting success every tournament. Like Ipswich, England have done **** all recently and yet fans still think they should win everything.
Well I would agree except that the tournament is only a month away, so there's not any time to throw a group of youngsters together. Even with someone like Ruddy, who deserves to be in the squad on performances, you probably take Green instead because he has international experience. There will be a buzz and a determination now that we finally have an English manager and I think rather than try to win the 2018 World Cup let's see if we can win these Euros.
we should try and win every tournament we enter, by taking the best players for the job. It's not hard.
It is time to start phasing out our current crop of underachieving 'golden age' players and look to the future though. Of course you need some experience in a team but we should throw some youngsters in to give them tournament experience.
@Beefy We've tried that for years though and look where that's got us, nowhere. The germans thought that too but are much happier with their team now after seeing a long term plan bring about a young, exciting team and manager.
I’m with San Diego. How about a mixture of experience and youth along the lines of this:- GK: Hart Ruddy Stockdale/Butland/Whoever is impressing at U21 level RB: Kelly Walker LB Cole, A Gibbs if his knees/ankles/whatever haven’t totally given out. Bertrand if they have. CD Terry Cahill Jones Lescott CM: Gerrard Milner (plays anywhere across midfield) Lampard Rodwell Cleverly Wide: The Ox Johnson (Beef demonstrates his irretrievable (not to mention disgusting) budgieness by describing him as a “bit part player” Young Sinclair (nearly picked Dyer from Swansea) F: Rooney Strurridge (Beef demonstrates tragic budginess by assuming he’s a winger merely because he can’t outst Drogba/Torres from Chelsea’s lone striker formation). Welbeck Carroll If Welbeck isn’t fit – Graham. In the absence of international experience (Lamps etc) then age and development must be a factor. This would rule out Holt in addition to the fact that he’s far too ugly to play for England. <conveniently ignores Eric Gates>
If I'm ignorant your biased. Holt is good enough whether you like it or not and regardless to how badly he beat your club. Saying sturridge is an out and out forward is just as ignorant, Chelsea play 4-3-3 most of the time and he plays wider, he's not drogba is he.
The young players will get there chance. But tell me why holt doesn't deserve his? How about we stop trying to be like the Spanish and the Germans and play like the English.
Agreed that we should not try to emulate other countries and be ourselves but you can't say that the current crop of players have ever done themselves proud in an England shirt. I would welcome a change and a slighty longer outlook on the team than the next tournament.
Absolutely agree on the long term plan, we need a psychology shift in this country in terms of the players we pick Talented youngsters need a chance, but try telling the big clubs to give say an English center forward a chance Man united are the only ones at least having a go, arsenal, Chelsea, spurs etc. not so much, and your having a laugh with man city, foreign united. Then people slag off holt, well wheres your English striker is what I say!
Beef you're not half spouting a load of tripe today. First of all Sturridge isn't a striker and then we hear that Man City don't give English players a chance. How about: Hart, Richards, Lescott, Barry, Milner, Johnson, Hargreaves?! As far as forwards go you can't argue with Tevez, Aguero, Balotelli, Dzeko. The English league is a lot more competitive than the Spanish so they don't often have the luxury of a four goal lead every week to bring on the kids like Barca do. I'm not sure anyone is slagging Holt off, but he's never played a minute of international football, he's getting on a bit and with his temperament he could easily undo the whole tournament. Finally, Jonah, Bertrand? You must be having a laugh.
Oh dear, Beef. Oh dear! First: Strurridge himself would tell you his preferred position is an out and out forward. He whines regularly about the way he’s played as a wide attacking midfielder in Chelsea’s 4-3-3 that they’ve been operating in variants from Jose’s time. His best game/moments for Chelsea are when he’s either brought into the centre or Chelsea are operating a narrow attacking three which means the wide forwards (very wide when Mourinho was there) tuck in. Winger he ain’t! Second: Of course he isn’t Drogba. Drogba is tailor made for Chelsea’s formation from Jose onwards. Hence my words “…because he can’t outst Drogba from Chelsea’s lone striker formation”, I.E., he’s ranked behind Drogba (and Torres) in this position, ergo, when he’s played he has to be played in a wide attacking role, which doesn’t suit him (witness his whinging). I thought this was clear. Off course, I forgot the sensational stupidity of Norwich fans. I should have made it clearer, but how much more “Janet and John” I could of made that I really don’t know. Third: My reference to Holt was clearly mere japery, hence the ugly/Eric Gates comment., though clearly that went over your pinhead as well. That aside, Holt still doesn’t deserve to get in on the criteria I (from San Diego’s comment) set: a smattering of international experience mixed with younger English players with international potential. Holt is but one of a litany of players down the years who have had good first seasons in the top flight (Marcus Stewart for but one other example) or who are older players that have support to be given a chance (Kevin Davies etc). Holt is not only in his first season but is old to go with it. Not to mention ugly.
