The Football.....

[User482]

What we do have in England are the best marketeers, Diddi Hamman's comments on RTE after the game were spot on, 'we've been sold a Lamborghini and got a Skoda'. The Premier League is light years away from being the best league in the world yet the spin of its marketing tells us otherwise.
Of course ITV will cheerlead, their coverage only exists to keep us tuned in til the adverts come on. One would hope for a little more objectivity from the BBC, Shearer tried, but it was too late, they all knew Hodgson didn't know his best 11 and didn't have a recognisable game plan throughout the build up, so why the shock and surprise now?
Of course we can't break down an organised defence, we don't have the creative/technical players at our 'big clubs' (the ones from which our manager must select on commercial grounds no doubt). Look at the starmen in terms of game changers
Leicester - Mahrez
Arsenal - Ozil
Spurs - Lamela
City - Silva
Liverpool - Coutinho
West Ham - Payet
Etc etc etc
No premier league teams best player is english.
Other nations are able to forge strong, organised squads from players not necessarily at top clubs, we could too. Unfortunately money talks, so we must resign ourselves to the same old shoite and just be grateful that we have the world's most exciting league to watch.

Oh, and if it were my choice I'd give Raffa the job.

I don't disagree about who are the best players at the big clubs, but come on: that's a reason for not beating Germany or France, not losing to Iceland! It also overlooks the fact that players like Vardy and Kane have prospered against teams containing some of the best players in Europe.

Do you think the players do care enough though? I mean, you're talking about guys who are all millionaires, major celebrities, totally out of touch with reality from their teenage years onwards. The impression I get is that they seem more concerned with their ridiculous tattoos, fancy hairdos and jumping off the team bus with big dopey headphones on in case they are exposed to noise from the 'commoners' who've stood for hours to get a glimpse of their idols.

Not that I watched much of Kane last season, bar MOTD highlights, does he always take the corners and free kicks for Spurs? I mean I thought our dead balls by Ollie Norwood (Reading FC) were uncharacteristically poor but then I saw England's.

Speaking as an NI fan, I love the fact that our players for years drove themselves time after time to catch airplanes to fly back to NI to represent their country even though we got duffed by the mighty Canadas and Luxembourgs of this world. That Aaron Hughes flew back from Australia for every qualifier to sit on the bench. The fact that on match day against Wales in the last 16 of the Euros, our captain Steven Davis still had time to sort out tickets for 3 of us to get into the ground. To me, that tells me that they care.

Actually, I do think they care or we would've seen the likes of Rooney retiring from international football and many of the others just so happening to pick up a minor injury. But there is something in what you say about them being isolated from the rest of the world - I think it would do them a lot of good if they didn't have training camps so comprehensively fenced off, for example, and maybe they could have the squad do a meet and greet with some schools.

 

[Sixmile]

Of course we can't break down an organised defence, we don't have the creative/technical players at our 'big clubs' (the ones from which our manager must select on commercial grounds no doubt). Look at the starmen in terms of game changers
Leicester - Mahrez
Arsenal - Ozil
Spurs - Lamela
City - Silva
Liverpool - Coutinho
West Ham - Payet
Etc etc etc
No premier league teams best player is english.

You forgot:
Southampton - Davis

 

[Sixmile]

Actually, I do think they care or we would've seen the likes of Rooney retiring from international football and many of the others just so happening to pick up a minor injury. But there is something in what you say about them being isolated from the rest of the world - I think it would do them a lot of good if they didn't have training camps so comprehensively fenced off, for example, and maybe they could have the squad do a meet and greet with some schools.

The same Rooney who lost the bap and shouted down the camera when he was ridiculed by the paying fans? I reckon Rooney is that committed that he'll keep playing even when he's fat and bald.

As for minor injuries, Sturridge is English isn't he?

 

[Ajay]

I don't disagree about who are the best players at the big clubs, but come on: that's a reason for not beating Germany or France, not losing to Iceland! It also overlooks the fact that players like Vardy and Kane have prospered against teams containing some of the best players in Europe.

No, that's true, we lost to Iceland because they were better organised, had a game plan and stuck to it. Vardy had a great season, of course, but premier league defences allow him the space behind to run, that's denied him in international football, and Kane, well I can only think he was wearing someone else's boots.

 

[AndyRM]

 

[Brandane]

Comedy gold with Steve McLaren - "the only thing that they have got is the big boy up front, Sigurdsson ......." Timing is everything, Steve!

 

[mark st1]

 

[vickster]

He was a resounding success at the Euros. I had flipping Sweden in the sweepstake!!

 

[potsy]

Him and Rashford, what a dream strike force to take back our title

 

[Dayvo]

Him and Rashford, what a dream strike force to take back our title

Not a bad record to boast, with not too insignificant help from Zlatan.

http://www.zlatanibrahimovic.com/the_career/the_trophies

 

[steveindenmark]

A reporter asked Sir Bobby Charlton how the 1966 England team would have got on against Iceland.

Sir Bobby replied "We would have won 1-0".

"Only 1-0," replied the reporter.

"Well yes, but most of us are in our 70s now" said Sir Bobby.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Go on Poland..I so want them to hammer Ronaldo

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Caught napping!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Oh Bollix. I want Poland to win tonight, going on Ireland and England scoring so fast in their last games, this doesn't bode well.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Oh Bollix. I want Poland to win tonight, going on Ireland and England scoring so fast in their last games, this doesn't bode well.

Polish work ethic...that will work a lot harder than our lot did lol