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The Dark Age of English Football

It really is sad that now most football fans just want the international break to be over so they can get back to club football. Watching England in international tournaments, and actually competing at a high standard used to be a lot more entertaining. However, now we have an average squad and a manager playing incredibly turgid, boring football. And sadly, I have to admit that I too could not care less about the game tonight.

The last time I was confident for the Euros was in 2004, when we had a squad that included Robinson, Neville, Cole, Terry, Campbell, King, Carragher, (unfortunately not Ferdinand), Gerrard, Beckham, Scholes, Lampard, Butt, Rooney, Owen.

The Golden Generation........and they failed.... for years after they failed too, until they were all gone.

So what chance does this England team have? Well...Absolutely no chance at all. So what's the point? It's just not entertaining and it really is a shame. I'm just hoping that the reasonably strong u21 squad can progress and we'll have a new set of players that can challenge. But let's be honest, we won't see an England team challenging until there is a total overhaul of the system from the FA.

posted on 8/9/14

We should follow the example of many other nations and go for a young manager who hasn't been bogged down by years of club management and who has become as stale as his tactics.

We have tried the fans favourite, likeable chap (KK), we have tried the foreign won-it-all chap (FC) and everything in between. Now we need to go out of these boundaries and gamble on a fresh out of the playing side, hungry and not set in his ways type.

Gary Neville is the obvious name.

comment by Buzza (U10245)

posted on 8/9/14

comment by Mex- El Tigre and Fideo! Muy Muy Bueno (U6687)
posted 1 minute ago
It's got nothing to do with passion ffs, this is the big problem with English football, if you're not running around like a headless chicken you're deemed as showing no passion and not trying, England's failures have nothing to do with lack of passion or effort, the players just aren't good enough and the manager isn't good enough
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Who said anything about running around like a headless chicken or this being a link to passion being showed?

IMO of course when the national side is involved a lot of it revolves around passion and pride, English players in the main don't express the passion to play for the shirt and badge, i'm not expecting miracles from them. I expected us to go out in the group stages of the world cup.
If you compare our performances against most other countries they all play with more pride and passion for their nation. They still see it as an honour, in England now it's more of an hiccup in the club seasons.

posted on 8/9/14

In what way do they play with more pride and passion? How do you quantify pride and passion on the pitch?

posted on 8/9/14

The. Brazilians singing their heart out and crying during the anthems.

Then getting beat 7-1.

A victory for pride and passion.

comment by Buzza (U10245)

posted on 8/9/14

comment by Mex- El Tigre and Fideo! Muy Muy Bueno (U6687)
posted 5 minutes ago
In what way do they play with more pride and passion? How do you quantify pride and passion on the pitch?
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You can't quantify pride and passion, it is all subjective to the person viewing it. Which I why I am expressing this as my opinion and not a fact!

If you look at the Greek team, any Baltic team, Costa Rica, Australia, USA or any South American team then most of the players will look like they want to play for their country, they want to work for their teammates and coach/manager. It's still a highlight in their careers, for me the English players don't have that fight/pride/passion for each other, the manager or the country. (Throw Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland into the list of countries above)

I haven't seen this from England since maybe 2000 - 02.

posted on 8/9/14

So what chance does this England team have? Well...Absolutely no chance at all. So what's the point?

--------------------

See a line like this is one of the main issues with the England fans, just cause the team is not doing "well" there's no point in supporting them?

You've been blessed with competing in several major tournamants every decade, try following a national side that struggles to qualify

It's this idea that England should be winning and if they're not then it's a failure that is a serious issue for England.

comment by Bãlès (U3582)

posted on 8/9/14

I blame Woy, and the muppets that hired him.

Either they're stupid enough to think that he's doing a good job or they just don't care. If they were a club board they'd have been hounded out long ago. As it is they're riding the gravy train..

I actually feel for the players - the public slate the likes of Rooney and Gerrard but they're out there trying at least, the FA seem perfectly content with an outdated manager delivering crap football and crap results.. while apparently deluding himself and saying it's all fine.

posted on 8/9/14

comment by D'Jeezus Mackaroni (U1137) posted 39 minutes ago
We should follow the example of many other nations and go for a young manager who hasn't been bogged down by years of club management and who has become as stale as his tactics
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I completely agree. Steve McClaren and Roy Hodgson should never be anywhere near the role. Roy failed his last chance at a big job and McClaren has been at about 6 clubs in 6 years since he got sacked. Capello was living on past achievements as well, and we all saw how rubbish he did with Russia this year so it's not like he's gone on to better things since his stint in England.

I refuse to buy the idea that we've got useless players, as there's plenty of talent spread out in our current squad. We just need someone with confidence and a solid game plan to guide them. Guarantee Mourinho would've gotten us out of the group this WC

posted on 8/9/14

comment by Buzza (U10245)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by Mex- El Tigre and Fideo! Muy Muy Bueno (U6687)
posted 5 minutes ago
In what way do they play with more pride and passion? How do you quantify pride and passion on the pitch?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can't quantify pride and passion, it is all subjective to the person viewing it. Which I why I am expressing this as my opinion and not a fact!

If you look at the Greek team, any Baltic team, Costa Rica, Australia, USA or any South American team then most of the players will look like they want to play for their country, they want to work for their teammates and coach/manager. It's still a highlight in their careers, for me the English players don't have that fight/pride/passion for each other, the manager or the country. (Throw Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland into the list of countries above)

I haven't seen this from England since maybe 2000 - 02.
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Good point. Watched scotland be Germany last night, the scots fans outsang the Germans, the team itself were unlucky to lose that game and were worthy of at least a draw. Every player battling as hard as they could for each other, with a tactically good manager installing passion. They nearly did it.

Then I see the England team with its club superstars that just don't really seem to have any pride in playing for the team. They earn so much money it seems playing for their country is a chore for them. They get all the adolation they need in the EPL, so why bother for England. Then theres Woy in charge.....

posted on 9/9/14


I question why, after only 3 PL, games the teams took a week-end off to accommodate International Football?

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