I'd be more interested in England if Defoe was playing. But then I'd be more interested in England if any player in the twilight of their career had been selected for the squad. It would be a story and a rallying point for fans and players alike if someone like Gerrard or Lampard had been dragged back from the states for one last shot at international glory. Or if some uncapped club stalwart, like Mark Noble, had been called up and knew it was his only chance. Hodgson and his team selections are so uninspiring. Yes, there are some good young players in there but I still can't summon up any enthusiasm for them. I even find the fact that their kits are made by Nike and not an English manufacturer offensively dull and unpatriotic. Its all so bland. All this "England need to look to the future" is bollocks too. England need to look to the present and have a blend of youth and experience. Its noticeable that there aren't many of those god-awful England car flags around this year and I think that reflects how apathetic people are towards the England football team. They're faceless and uninteresting and I will be supporting Iceland in the upcoming Euros because at least there's a story and some passion there.
Disagree with that, we need to build, just like Germany did and just like Spain did, both nations cut their losses and heavily invested in emerging talent. There is a lot of youngsters ready for the team now, more and more need to be shown that there's a chance for them if they graft hard enough. There's nothing to be gained from playing players like Lampard or Gerrard now, neither offer anything to the current side, they're not as good as they once were, nowhere near.
Those Spain and Germany teams looked and felt exciting though. There was something that made you pay attention to them. It might just be me, but I don't get that feeling about this England team. Lampard and Gerrard are probably bad examples and I'm not suggesting that they should be called up but a story of that type would create interest around the team and would get me, if not anyone else, more excited about England. As it stands, they are a team in their manager's image. Bland.
I shall be supporting Northern Ireland. To finish top of their group was a very good achievement. They showed pride, passion & belief. All things England don't.
It seems to me, like you lot are saying the exact opposite of what everybody else was saying after the failure of the last WC just for the benefit of your striker. People were pleading with Woy to give the kids a chance and see what they can do, we never stood any chance of winning it but he took the same chokers who have let us down time and time again. The kids tipped the Germans on their heads in that friendly a few months ago, everybody on here was saying they're the future... now, cos Defoe's been left out... oh it'd be nice if he was included, **** him, I don't care about Jermain Defoe, he didn't care about England when he ****ed off to play for some Canadian **** house club. As it happens, I'm excited about the current squad, if we could boot Sterling in the nuts I'd be elated with it, there's maybe not as much hype as the Spanish & German teams but we've got to follow their lead and it looks like we're trying at least.
Couldn't disagree more Norton. This is a relatively new young squad. They need a chance to gel, just as the German and Spanish squads were allowed to do before they won trophies. I'm not saying we'll go on to win anything, but they at least should be given the chance to bond as a team. The way we beat Germany a few months ago was fantastic. One of the best attacking performances I've seen from England. I'm quite excited about this young squad. The defence needs work and attention, but going forward, we're fast and exciting.
Well there you go then, it is just me! There is genuinely nothing that excites me about this England team. Admittedly, I've felt that way for a long time but this team has done nothing to change that and, if anything, I feel even more apathy towards them than before. I see one or two talented players, a handful of overrated players, but no characters. I don't know why I feel this way but its certainly not the Defoe issue that does it. I'm used to the England team not containing any Sunderland players.
Rather like Man U. Their success over the last 20 years was based on the fact that their core players played together since they were teenagers. They were very good players, but put them together over a long period of time and they become world class players. The whole was more than the sum of its parts. That's what England need to try and do. I know form should play a factor in being selected for England but it should be a minor factor as I think its more important nowadays to focus on a core set of young players who know each other inside out. If I was England manager I would have a good idea as to who my first team is gonna be, have a good idea what my squad is gonna be and have my tactics sorted based on those set of players long before the squad is announced. So if Defoe or anybody bangs in a dozen goals a month before my squad would be announced then I'm sorry Jermaine but my whole setup is already in place and you just don't fit in. If he'd been a young player, like Rashford then I would pick him, a token gesture, and have a good look at him, because he is one for the future. Defoe, we all know what he can bring to the table and despite his form he's not quite good enough now in my opinion. Since the likes of Scholes, Beckham, Giggs, Butt and the Nevilles etc slowly departed Man U over time they have found it harder and harder to dominate and had to spend big to get replacements of equal quality in, these signings are strongly based on the players form. This has disrupted the togetherness, bonding and teamwork that would have been there previously. Ferguson was able to cope, but the subsequent managers since have struggled.
The England team never has any Sunderland players in because by and large we have been ****. I could only point to Phillips not getting a fair crack of the whip as being unjustified but then again maybe he just didn't fit into the whole England setup at the time. I know what you mean though, I find international football aaaaahhhhhhh boorrrinngggggg!!!
I'm with you in that I can barely muster up a rusty **** to give about England these days but we differ in that I think the one thing that could get me interested again is seeing a side of fearless and talented young players trying to rip teams apart. It's a shame that there are so few of them that I like on a personal level but to be fair it's been like that for ages for me. They're just that little bit more spoiled and arrogant these days.
Tel, Your last paragraph says it all really about Roy picking his favourites and not picking form players, you mention Sterling, but miss out our most injured pair of young internationals in the history of everything, Sturrudge, and Wiltshire, how are those two in this squad. Personally for selfish reasons I never wanted Defoe anywhere near that squad, I think what upsets supporters most is the constant picking of favourites from the so called bigger clubs and I can't see that happening whoever the England manager happens to be.
He doesn't get into the team because of he plays for a team in the NE! Townsend only gets in because Owl features fancies him (and his form at the end was very good albeit a little late in the day imo)
But the players from the bigger clubs get picked because they tend to be better players. Players who have earned the right to play for bigger clubs because they have showed a long period of quality and form. Sturridge and Wiltshire are in the squad cos they are potential first teamers, Roy knows what they have to offer and knows exactly what their job is gonna be tactics wise. Throwing somebody in at the deep end, based on form, throws a right spanner in the tactical works. That's Roys thinking behind it I expect. It could be described as being lazy and focusing on Plan A and not having a Plan B I suppose. Whether its right or wrong we are gonna find out.
No, that would get me excited! That's what I'm looking for- something to get excited about. They had a good record in qualification but, that Germany game aside, it was plodding routine stuff. If they went in first game and really pulled a performance out of the bag then I'd get interested but I don't see it happening.
I can understand Sturridge, he's been fit for long enough (although now injured apparently ) but Wilshere, I have no idea. I mean, he looked fit enough on his come back, but surely he's well off the pace, I think he's in there, in all honesty because of lack of options. Roy doesn't rate Noble for one reason or another, and there's not too many others ready to step up, Wilshere on his day is a weapon, trouble is they're few and far between. Henderson's gonna go as well, because of lack of options, he's not fit... we never seem to manage a fully fit squad, the lack of winter break might have something to do with it, I dunno.
Well Stirling flies in the face of your argument, he has been awful this,season in my opinion he is suffering from his price tag. Yes bigger clubs SOMETIMES have better players but if those players haven't played probably ten games between them this season (Sturrudge & Wiltshire) then how can the England manager justify their selection, whether or not they know his system, which is completely pointless if they are laid on the Physios table. I'm not saying replace these two sick notes with players from lesser clubs but just pick players who are actually likely to be available for selection should England actually play more than three games next month.
He might have been utter pants for Man City but might do a job for England at the Euros is probably Roys thinking behind it. Its a case of him weighing up between the hope that these players proving their fitness and slotting into his ready made system or picking fitter players on form and hoping they fit into the system or fitting them into a new one. Roy has opted for the former. Managers before Hodgson have done the same. I remember Rooney going to a tournament, despite knowing he was gonna miss the first few games, cos he was our best player. Sturridge and Wiltshire, on their day, are 2 of our best players. Whether its right or wrong we will find out.
Hodgson's said (apparently) that he's prepared to take a risk with his squad and take injured Sturridge to France.
