EURO 2016
No way are England's back 4 as good as they have had in years. The fullbacks maybe, but Smalling and Cahill are not even close to the likes of Terry and Ferdinand in their prime. Hart is also a massive liability. Not technically part of the back 4 of course but definitely a factor in how they perform.
I'm no fan of England but I think that there's always a tendency to overrate them compared to other sides. Realistically they never have a squad as good as the very best sides and they always seem to be tactically naive. Iceland and Italy both showed today that you can make a national side which is greater than the sum of its parts but England never seems to look like a coherent team. I wonder if it's partly the emphasis on physicality in the EPL, and also the lack of English players playing overseas and being exposed to different footballing cultures.
I agree that there has been a constant tendency to overrate them, and especially from their media. And what makes it worse is that the same media turns on them the moment things start going wrong.This seems to lead to such a fear of failure that it almost induces paralysis - one of the best comments about the game I heard today is that it looked like every English player (with the brief exception of Rashford in the last five minutes) was waiting for someone else to do something. English second half performance wouldn't have looked out of place in Cap 9 - failing to control simple passes, overhitting set pieces out of play, tentative defending - it was quite an embarrassing display.
Yeah but they should do better surely? The premier league attracts some of the best coaches in the world but our homegrown coaches never learn from them - why is that?
The FA ignore everything outside the premiership and is never accountable as it continues to make the same mistake again and again.
Reading some of the comments on some of the English media sites suggesting that the next coach should be one of the Nevilles or Gerard just makes me shake my head. They are product of the failure of English football at the international level they wont change anything. .
No way are England's back 4 as good as they have had in years. The fullbacks maybe, but Smalling and Cahill are not even close to the likes of Terry and Ferdinand in their prime. Hart is also a massive liability. Not technically part of the back 4 of course but definitely a factor in how they perform.
I'm no fan of England but I think that there's always a tendency to overrate them compared to other sides. Realistically they never have a squad as good as the very best sides and they always seem to be tactically naive. Iceland and Italy both showed today that you can make a national side which is greater than the sum of its parts but England never seems to look like a coherent team. I wonder if it's partly the emphasis on physicality in the EPL, and also the lack of English players playing overseas and being exposed to different footballing cultures.
I agree that there has been a constant tendency to overrate them, and especially from their media. And what makes it worse is that the same media turns on them the moment things start going wrong.This seems to lead to such a fear of failure that it almost induces paralysis - one of the best comments about the game I heard today is that it looked like every English player (with the brief exception of Rashford in the last five minutes) was waiting for someone else to do something. English second half performance wouldn't have looked out of place in Cap 9 - failing to control simple passes, overhitting set pieces out of play, tentative defending - it was quite an embarrassing display.
Yeah but they should do better surely? The premier league attracts some of the best coaches in the world but our homegrown coaches never learn from them - why is that?
The FA ignore everything outside the premiership and is never accountable as it continues to make the same mistake again and again.
Reading some of the comments on some of the English media sites suggesting that the next coach should be one of the Nevilles or Gerard just makes me shake my head. They are product of the failure of English football at the international level they wont change anything. .
Even with foreign coaches , Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello both had excellent domestic records, England still don't perform to match the hype of the EPL.
There's something deeply wrong with the England national setup. I don't know what it is, but they always seem to crumble under the slightest pressure.
I wonder if it's not simply a case of multi-million pound egos dominating the team (question: were the 11 most highly paid players the starting 11?) meaning the manager is just along for the ride to act as inevitable scapegoat when the team don't achieve?
That is one of the reasons for sure.
The sad thing is England had the makings of a reasonable team. The back four are as good as they have had for many years. They have some potentially exciting midfielders with Ali and Dyer and Vardy or Kane can be devastating at times.
They just did not seem to have any clues on how to break down an organised defence. None at all.
I suppose getting through to the second round was an improvement on their WC effort but where to from here ? Who in their right mind would take on the England Managers job ? Perhaps we can send them Anfony?
That might be true if all of the team weren't currently playing in the EPL. They are competing and holding down places in The Best League In The World (TM) so how can that league be said to be holding them back?
More mentality for me. Basically nothing to do with manager or coaching. All to do with attitude, expectations and approach.
If you were picking the best XI from those two teams would any of the England back four make the team?
Names mentioned for England job. Shearer, Hoddle, Wenger to name a few.
No way are England's back 4 as good as they have had in years. The fullbacks maybe, but Smalling and Cahill are not even close to the likes of Terry and Ferdinand in their prime. Hart is also a massive liability. Not technically part of the back 4 of course but definitely a factor in how they perform.
I'm no fan of England but I think that there's always a tendency to overrate them compared to other sides. Realistically they never have a squad as good as the very best sides and they always seem to be tactically naive. Iceland and Italy both showed today that you can make a national side which is greater than the sum of its parts but England never seems to look like a coherent team. I wonder if it's partly the emphasis on physicality in the EPL, and also the lack of English players playing overseas and being exposed to different footballing cultures.
I agree that there has been a constant tendency to overrate them, and especially from their media. And what makes it worse is that the same media turns on them the moment things start going wrong.This seems to lead to such a fear of failure that it almost induces paralysis - one of the best comments about the game I heard today is that it looked like every English player (with the brief exception of Rashford in the last five minutes) was waiting for someone else to do something. English second half performance wouldn't have looked out of place in Cap 9 - failing to control simple passes, overhitting set pieces out of play, tentative defending - it was quite an embarrassing display.
Yeah but they should do better surely? The premier league attracts some of the best coaches in the world but our homegrown coaches never learn from them - why is that?
The FA ignore everything outside the premiership and is never accountable as it continues to make the same mistake again and again.
Reading some of the comments on some of the English media sites suggesting that the next coach should be one of the Nevilles or Gerard just makes me shake my head. They are product of the failure of English football at the international level they wont change anything. .
Even with foreign coaches , Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello both had excellent domestic records, England still don't perform to match the hype of the EPL.
Just talking about this. We had some pretty good footballers who should be young and hungry, but as soon as they went behind they went into a tailspin.
Is it that they get paid too much and just don't care?
Or it is they bottle it? The same issue that plagued the All Blacks?
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem. Education is not seem as important. Remember how Le Saux was slagged off for reading the Guardian? It's pitiful.
But the FA will carry on, no one will resign and the same ol same will continue.
Names mentioned for England job. Shearer, Hoddle, Wenger to name a few.
Give it to Benitez, likes living in the UK. Can get a team to work together and punch above it's weight.
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem.
Ridiculous comment: there has never been any correlation between intellect and football ability. See Gazza for example...
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem.
Ridiculous comment: there has never been any correlation between intellect and football ability. See Gazza for example...
Maybe it should though? Maybe we should be trying to give our players the best education.
What brainy English footballers have become successful coaches? Look at some of the recent footballers turned managers still in the competition or successful at club level. Guardiola? Deschamps? Conte?
Compared to Shearer, Neville, and erm?
It can't hurt can it?
Names mentioned for England job. Shearer, Hoddle, Wenger to name a few.
Give it to Benitez, likes living in the UK. Can get a team to work together and punch above it's weight.
That would be a very good appointment. The UK media would do their best to make him out to be a clueless foreigner at the first sign of failure though!
I just checked the odds and the three faves for the job are Southgate, Shearer and Redknapp. Jesus wept.
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem.
Ridiculous comment: there has never been any correlation between intellect and football ability. See Gazza for example...
Maybe it should though? Maybe we should be trying to give our players the best education.
What brainy English footballers have become successful coaches? Look at some of the recent footballers turned managers still in the competition or successful at club level. Guardiola? Deschamps? Conte?
Compared to Shearer, Neville, and erm?
It can't hurt can it?
Education is great for everyone, but I re-iterate: there is no correlation between football ability/nous/understanding and being educated. Some of the greatest players and managers have had a limited education, but played and knew the game inside out. This business of " footballers are crap because they're thick " is a middle class nonsense, usually spouted in The Telegraph or The Times comments section...
To look at another sport: how " educated " are The All Blacks, both team and management? For every Wayne Smith there's a Steve Hansen; most of the players are as thick as a post, but they are brilliant at their sport. Intellectual/educational ability has nothing to do with it(see Christian Cullen and Dan Carter)
Oh, and whatever people think of Gary Neville, he certainly isn't thick or ill educated...
When a team loses like England have, everything is perceived as wrong and all aspects are dissected until the carcass is stripped bare. Without re-hashing all the astute comments,ridiculous hysteria and misinformed rubbish IMO England were managed by a second rate coach who's limitations were finally, awfully revealed...everything else to me, is secondary.
When a team loses like England have, everything is perceived as wrong and all aspects are dissected until the carcass is stripped bare. Without re-hashing all the astute comments,ridiculous hysteria and misinformed rubbish IMO England were managed by a second rate coach who's limitations were finally, awfully revealed...everything else to me, is secondary.
Agree, FA should have sacked him after the last WC. Apart from being poor, I have found him to be a wimp.
No way are England's back 4 as good as they have had in years. The fullbacks maybe, but Smalling and Cahill are not even close to the likes of Terry and Ferdinand in their prime. Hart is also a massive liability. Not technically part of the back 4 of course but definitely a factor in how they perform.
I'm no fan of England but I think that there's always a tendency to overrate them compared to other sides. Realistically they never have a squad as good as the very best sides and they always seem to be tactically naive. Iceland and Italy both showed today that you can make a national side which is greater than the sum of its parts but England never seems to look like a coherent team. I wonder if it's partly the emphasis on physicality in the EPL, and also the lack of English players playing overseas and being exposed to different footballing cultures.
I agree that there has been a constant tendency to overrate them, and especially from their media. And what makes it worse is that the same media turns on them the moment things start going wrong.This seems to lead to such a fear of failure that it almost induces paralysis - one of the best comments about the game I heard today is that it looked like every English player (with the brief exception of Rashford in the last five minutes) was waiting for someone else to do something. English second half performance wouldn't have looked out of place in Cap 9 - failing to control simple passes, overhitting set pieces out of play, tentative defending - it was quite an embarrassing display.
Yeah but they should do better surely? The premier league attracts some of the best coaches in the world but our homegrown coaches never learn from them - why is that?
The FA ignore everything outside the premiership and is never accountable as it continues to make the same mistake again and again.
Reading some of the comments on some of the English media sites suggesting that the next coach should be one of the Nevilles or Gerard just makes me shake my head. They are product of the failure of English football at the international level they wont change anything. .
Even with foreign coaches , Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello both had excellent domestic records, England still don't perform to match the hype of the EPL.
Just talking about this. We had some pretty good footballers who should be young and hungry, but as soon as they went behind they went into a tailspin.
Is it that they get paid too much and just don't care?
Or it is they bottle it? The same issue that plagued the All Blacks?
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem. Education is not seem as important. Remember how Le Saux was slagged off for reading the Guardian? It's pitiful.
But the FA will carry on, no one will resign and the same ol same will continue.
TBF, England should have done better against Iceland but an exit around this stage is the norm when you look at the history of English football in major tournaments; 2 semis (iirc) in almost 50yrs the standouts
Thanks for re-iterating that point, because I didn't get it the first time.
Obviously you don't have to be Einstein to kick a football - no shark.
I would expect though that the captain of your country should have a brain cell to rub against another brain cell and not make such a tit of himself after the match.
Also you are confusing education with intellect. I just wish that giving footballers a better more rounded education would make them better individuals and able to cope with setbacks. This is something that is missing with England players.
I'm working class and don't read the times.
No way are England's back 4 as good as they have had in years. The fullbacks maybe, but Smalling and Cahill are not even close to the likes of Terry and Ferdinand in their prime. Hart is also a massive liability. Not technically part of the back 4 of course but definitely a factor in how they perform.
I'm no fan of England but I think that there's always a tendency to overrate them compared to other sides. Realistically they never have a squad as good as the very best sides and they always seem to be tactically naive. Iceland and Italy both showed today that you can make a national side which is greater than the sum of its parts but England never seems to look like a coherent team. I wonder if it's partly the emphasis on physicality in the EPL, and also the lack of English players playing overseas and being exposed to different footballing cultures.
I agree that there has been a constant tendency to overrate them, and especially from their media. And what makes it worse is that the same media turns on them the moment things start going wrong.This seems to lead to such a fear of failure that it almost induces paralysis - one of the best comments about the game I heard today is that it looked like every English player (with the brief exception of Rashford in the last five minutes) was waiting for someone else to do something. English second half performance wouldn't have looked out of place in Cap 9 - failing to control simple passes, overhitting set pieces out of play, tentative defending - it was quite an embarrassing display.
Yeah but they should do better surely? The premier league attracts some of the best coaches in the world but our homegrown coaches never learn from them - why is that?
The FA ignore everything outside the premiership and is never accountable as it continues to make the same mistake again and again.
Reading some of the comments on some of the English media sites suggesting that the next coach should be one of the Nevilles or Gerard just makes me shake my head. They are product of the failure of English football at the international level they wont change anything. .
Even with foreign coaches , Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello both had excellent domestic records, England still don't perform to match the hype of the EPL.
Just talking about this. We had some pretty good footballers who should be young and hungry, but as soon as they went behind they went into a tailspin.
Is it that they get paid too much and just don't care?
Or it is they bottle it? The same issue that plagued the All Blacks?
Rooney's comments just show how thick he is and I reckon a big part of our problem. Education is not seem as important. Remember how Le Saux was slagged off for reading the Guardian? It's pitiful.
But the FA will carry on, no one will resign and the same ol same will continue.
TBF, England should have done better against Iceland but an exit around this stage is the norm when you look at the history of English football in major tournaments; 2 semis (iirc) in almost 50yrs the standouts
i thought the could have made QF with their players though.
When a team loses like England have, everything is perceived as wrong and all aspects are dissected until the carcass is stripped bare. Without re-hashing all the astute comments,ridiculous hysteria and misinformed rubbish IMO England were managed by a second rate coach who's limitations were finally, awfully revealed...everything else to me, is secondary.
Agree, FA should have sacked him after the last WC. Apart from being poor, I have found him to be a wimp.
Yes what i felt was bizarre, was in Roy's almost valedictory speech where he thanked the media! The biggest collection of mischief makers and he thanks them? He really came across as an ineffectual old duffer...
paychecks still keep rolling in...
How many constant failings does it take before you go from being a underperforming team, to a team that isn't actually that great?
Hardly surprising a team full of Spurs players came up short in the big moments.
Very poorly managed though. Too many of the wrong players in the wrong positions. Playing 4-3-3 but not taking any wingers in the squad. Rooney now an absolutely donkey shoehorned into a position he can't play and to the detriment of the team when he should be pensioned off. Continuing with Kane when he had 2 quality strikers in Sturridge and Vardy so stuck one of them on the wing and the other on the bench. The midfield was so dire that was even the name of one of them.
England managers never seem to be brave enough to bench established players. It was the same when it was obvious Gerrard should be on the bench instead of Lampard.
Iceland are a very well coached team and have played well in every match so far, and not forgetting they qualified ahead of Netherlands so they never were the no hopers they have been made out to be. They won every ball in the air and every 50-50, just so much more desire. Expect to see some of them get Premier League moves off the back of this too.
Essential viewing. I cannot recommend it enough.
I wonder if it's not simply a case of multi-million pound egos dominating the team (question: were the 11 most highly paid players the starting 11?) meaning the manager is just along for the ride to act as inevitable scapegoat when the team don't achieve?
Would that be the case for most of the top teams though? or maybe various England managers have struggled to create a culture as well as managers of more successful teams have.
The multi-million pound bit, yes. The egos dominating the team seems to be a particular trait of the English.
Cover from 4 years ago.
Cover yesterday
Rooney went bald twice in four years.
Based on FIFA rankings its Germany v Belgium Final....or could be Wales v Iceland !!
Based on FIFA rankings its Germany v Belgium Final....or could be Wales v Iceland !!
I heard on the radio yesterday that Iceland had gone from something like 126 to 20 in the World in two years prior to this tournament. Can that be right?
Based on FIFA rankings its Germany v Belgium Final....or could be Wales v Iceland !!
I heard on the radio yesterday that Iceland had gone from something like 126 to 20 in the World in two years prior to this tournament. Can that be right?
112 in 2010 was their lowest
Based on FIFA rankings its Germany v Belgium Final....or could be Wales v Iceland !!
I heard on the radio yesterday that Iceland had gone from something like 126 to 20 in the World in two years prior to this tournament. Can that be right?
They almost made to the last world cup. Their performance is no surprise, maybe to Roy 'I heard it's very humid and hot' Hodgson.
The Scots should offer Ferguson to the English FA as their new manager and the English should offer Scotland to the EU as their next pain in the arse.
Sorted.
112 in 2010 was their lowest
That looks like their yearly average or end of year ranking as I'm sure I have seen news reports quoting their ranking at some point being 131.
Ahh correct. Seem the worst was 131 in 2012 sometime.
A group of very happy Englishmen at the moment no doubt are Messrs Clattenburg and Atkinson and their respective assistant crews.
I know it is not normally the done thing to say nice things about referees on here but both sets appear to have had very good tournaments so far. Three games each and not a hint of controversy. Suspect they will have more games to come.
Having said that, the standard of officiating has been excellent across the board. I cannot recall one game where a referee decision was the talk of the reports post match.
A group of very happy Englishmen at the moment no doubt are Messrs Clattenburg and Atkinson and their respective assistant crews.
I know it is not normally the done thing to say nice things about referees on here but both sets appear to have had very good tournaments so far. Three games each and not a hint of controversy. Suspect they will have more games to come.
Having said that, the standard of officiating has been excellent across the board. I cannot recall one game where a referee decision was the talk of the reports post match.
The Portugal-Croatia game was the least well controlled match I've seen but that stood out against a background of superb refereeing across the board.
What's been pleasing to me has been the amount that referees have been prepared to 'let go' to encourage flowing matches. Has been awesome.
A group of very happy Englishmen at the moment no doubt are Messrs Clattenburg and Atkinson and their respective assistant crews.
I know it is not normally the done thing to say nice things about referees on here but both sets appear to have had very good tournaments so far. Three games each and not a hint of controversy. Suspect they will have more games to come.
Having said that, the standard of officiating has been excellent across the board. I cannot recall one game where a referee decision was the talk of the reports post match.
The Portugal-Croatia game was the least well controlled match I've seen but that stood out against a background of superb refereeing across the board.
Really? I don't recall it (maybe I've just suppressed it). Croatia v Turkey game was by far the worst refereeing performance, he was clearly trying to let the game flow but lost control of it and it turned into a hackathon.
Absolutely nothing he describes there is close to how England were playing, the stupid piss soaked charlatan wanker,
The Scots should offer Ferguson to the English FA as their new manager and the English should offer Scotland to the EU as their next pain in the arse.
Sorted.
Good plan - except Ferguson has turned down the English job twice! - We'll gladly give them Strachan though