The Football.....

[swee'pea99]

my three year-old grandson as a result of it. He now knows the flags of all the competing nations after memorising them voluntarily and will always remember them (as his father did after I'd taught him all flags at the same age and he still recalls them all), can tell you the city every game was played in, the score and the scorers and which club side each of those players play for!

'three'?

 

[Dayvo]

Think of two 'average' managers who get sacked and end up fighting relegation every season with a crap side.

Yep, you got it right: Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce. Both apparently in contention for the England job. Hmm, progress...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36832548

 

[HertzvanRental]

Where's Frank Haffey when you need him?

 

[PaulB]

Ahhh, the 1978 world cup. Squad names etched in my memory come flooding back; Rough, Jardine, Macari, Buchan, McGrain, Donnachie, Masson, Gemmill, McQueen, Jordan, Johnstone, Souness, Hartford. Plus of course the manager, "He's our Mohammed Ali, he's Alistair MacLeod".

Can anyone name any England players from the 1978 (or 1974) World cup squads?

The current squad? Errrrm - Scott Brown? That's all I can remember, seriously. That's how much my interest has waned.

See that Alan Rough? He's an peanut (aerosol since it wouldn't let me write 'areshole') him.

 

[Andrew_P]

Think of two 'average' managers who get sacked and end up fighting relegation every season with a crap side.

Yep, you got it right: Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce. Both apparently in contention for the England job. Hmm, progress...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36832548

I don't normally listen to Talkshite especially in the off season walked in to the office and someone had it on, they were saying about modelling us on the Iceland setup - LOL typical Eungerland not an original thought in the FA's head, and therein lies the problem. Bruce or Sam mirror that so called need for a "system"

Can't remember how many times we have been knocked out of a tournament and the media push for us to either emulate the winning or successful sides or try and recruit the manage that did it at "top level" and end up with someone like Sven!. I mean really how did Hodgson get the gig apart form being English. The last team sprit I can recall was WC 90 and the home Euro's in 96 the latter was more down to the individuals in the squad rather than backhander Tel's input!

 

[Smokin Joe]

Think of two 'average' managers who get sacked and end up fighting relegation every season with a crap side.

Yep, you got it right: Sam Allardyce and Steve Bruce. Both apparently in contention for the England job. Hmm, progress...

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36832548

Allardyce is a decent manager, unfairly derided by the purists. He leaves a club in a much heathier position than when he took it over and is highly regarded by people who played for him.

 

[Dayvo]

Allardyce is a decent manager ... etc.

And I said average. Same same.

Surely the manager of a national team of a major footballing country (in theory, not in practice with far too many of England's recent no-hopers) should be better than just decent or average.

There is a shortage of genuinely capable and suitable candidates. I agree that Big Sam and Steve Bruce would get 100% out of their players (otherwise they'd be out, probably) but that doesn't mean that they are great tacticians.

 

[martint235]

We're all ok then cos England are an average football team as evidenced time and again

 

[Dayvo]

We're all ok then cos England are a BELOW average football team as evidenced time and again

FTFY!

 

[martint235]

FTFY!

I was being generous as we pay them far above average with no comeback for habitually underperforming

 

[Dayvo]

I was being generous as we pay them far above average with no comeback for habitually underperforming

Due mostly, IMO, to not having a good manager.

Hodgson's track record was not much more than mediocre. 16 mostly nondescript teams in eight countries. 1,002 games and a win rate of only 43.61. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Hodgson#Managerial_statistics

Capello didn't have a chance, neither did Svennis, what with being a couple of Johnny Foreigners.

It's only interesting, to me, since 1990 (when England had their last 'best' team).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_national_football_team_manager#Statistical_summary

 

[Dayvo]

At last! It's been a long time coming. Hoper they are brave enough to enforce it and be fair and consistent.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36844570

 

[Levo-Lon]

Well he gets an amaizing salery to achieve feck all..another fail..
its a so so team with a English manager..few more years of disappointment it is then.
to be fair we just dont have the talent in the premiership ,its all other countries players..

 

[Dayvo]

Well, no-one's going to be surprised with another flop in the run-up and possibly the participation at the next World Cup.

Key facts & figures

• Allardyce has never won a major trophy as a manager
• He has a 33.6% Premier League career win percentage
• Sunderland's average possession last season was 39.94%
• 21% of their passes were 'long', compared with 14.4% at Eddie Howe's Bournemouth

 

[potsy]

Big Sam for the England job?

Sam Allardyce: Sunderland boss will be named as new England manager

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36850753

What do I win?