The Rugby team can play well and win ugly. It's the "winning ugly/grinding it out against better opposition" aspect of it that makes them better than the football gang. The Holland team of today don't play like the older and exciting Oranje of years ago, in fact it's just a basic 4-5-1 which is built around a mix of creativity (Sneijder and Robben) and two actual midfield destroyers/butchers (De Jong and Van Bommel). It's ugly efficient football and the only game they have lost in the last 3 years was that World Cup Final. P.S. How would you like it if the national team was based on one team's style of play. For instance Manchester United and then replace the non-English players with English players from other clubs? Spain does that with Barcelona and look at the rewards they're reaping.
Why do the media portray him as some sort of superhero? the man who took over from the evil McClaren, and defeated the mighty slovenia.
I doubt you'd get the same assistance from fifa that Man Utd get from the FA. Why not play like the spanish? It works for them.
Are you keeping up with the English media and their fickle nature? They want him out now so they can get Arry in.
I tend to ignore media coverage of the england team. I'm not english, so it annoys me a bit. I've got my own country to support. Why do they want Arry?
Because he can put an arm around their shoulder and tell them all just how good they are. Old Arry will slove everything.
The players know they are on a hiding to nothing from the press - if they win they are only living up to everyones expectations - any slight mistake by a player means being humiliated by the press
From an outsider looking in I think it's a combination of lack of self belief, mental strength, and talent. When the going get's tough England alway's seem to bottle it. And it does'nt help when you keep giving the ball back to the opposition when they are clearly better at keeping possession.
Being an Arsenal fan you clearly know Jack **** about football if you think Capello is not sub standard. He was on record when he picked the initial England team for South Africa that he would not pick any player who was; a)Out of form b)injured Then left Walcott behind and took the ****bag Rooney who was both of those above as was Ledly King and two others. Thick & stupid
Basically there are too many English players for England to win anything. There's not enough of the continental artistry. Give England any of: Fabregas, Sneijder, Mata, Ozil, Nasri or similar. That's what England misses. Well that and the lack of any style whatsoever. We don't train to play a style except kick and rush. Look at Wales, they've sacrificed a short term disadvantage and gained a style of play.
Dude you are chatting Hezbollah ! He isn't great but he is far from the worst. Graham Taylor anyone ? How can Capello be worse than Maclaren ?? I know you are trying to make a point but you are being stupid now. and how is it the manager's fault that the players are NOT good enough ? England will qualify for tournaments but won't get anywhere because they are not good enough. you could have Pele, Maradona, Fergie, Mourinho and Bishop Desmond Tutu managing the team and they would fail. English players are not good when it comes to International football. There are a few coming through that will can play international football, Jack Wilshere's style and technique, for example, lends itself perfectly to international football.
Passion is the most overrated attribute in football. Do Spain look passionate when they pass the other teams to death? Not in my opinion but it doesn't stop them being a great team.
Reading about this Capello thing and I agree with Robby202. When did you last see Fergie or Mourinho take injured and out of form players for an important final? Decent at club level for sure but out of his depth and a complete duffer at international level for sure.
Are you still banging on about what he won with his clubs? Who gives a ****? It's what he hasn't won with England that is the only concern to England. He CLEARLY isn't up to the job. Following up the earlier posts about injured out of form players. He took King, Rooney, Terry and Ferdinand to the last world cup finals. They were all injured, Ferdinand even broke down before it began. He went on about taking players in form then left behind the second English top scorer in the league in Bent and took ****ing Heskey, who'd scored two goals all season! He also left behind Theo Walcott who has pace to burn and is versatile, two attributes you could never, ever level at Heskey. Any 'coach' who thinks Emile Heskey is the answer in an international tournament is ****, end of.
For a long while the only reason we didn't succeed was being rubbish at penalties and getting knocked out by a fluke goal to the eventual champions.
this article indicates nicely the issue with england. namely the fact that fans grossly over rate players... If you look at england's qualification groups... well any decent outfit should walk those. england have failed many a time at the group stage of a trounament or scrape to a QF.... its lack of organisation and a general lack of commitment to a player. pick 16 players, go do some real tournaments outside of the qaulis and wc/euros! get together, play together.
