If Carson hadn't let either one of those 30 yard punts past him, we'd be thru. With the same players, the same systems in place nationally, the same system at grass roots.... but would we be conducting the same "root & branch" enquiry at the FA? No. We'd be too busy slapping ourselves on the back, hoping to be seeded etc. And yet, the problems would still be there, the players would still not be good enough. Funny how one speculative shot from outside the box changes a nations perspective on our entire national game.
Yes, thats how football works, one goal can change everything. If Colgan hadn't saved that penalty.. (doh)
Plenty of people were saying all of the things they are saying today, before the match You look at the skill on the ball of the Croatians, and tell me one England player that has the level of ball control that almost all of their team had.</p> Qualification was not lost agaisnt Croatia, who were the better team and deserve to be top of the group. Qualification was lost against Macedonia at home and to a lesser extent Russia away and Isreal away</p>
Slavan Bilic's a clever lad played to the players strengths and it was obvious who was the boss, no player(s) bigger than the team as a whole. Everyone knew their job and wore the shirt like it was a privilege. Its no fluke that England best spell in the qualifiers came when the 'big stars' couldnt play & the team was just that
Englands world class players Beckham (in his heyday, not now) Terry possibly Rooney Owen (if ever he goes 2 months without injury) That's the problem Our international players are not international class. :'(
If what you're saying is true about all these Croations being so good, how come they're not all playing for the top teams in Europe? How come they're not all the biggest stars in the world?
So it's nowt to do with the Croation players being better than ours It's about the team. And that's down to how the manager molds the players. And we've sacked the manager. So we're reight aren't we?
It won't be the popular response, but I'd say the 'core' players within the England team, that will pretty much be the core players when the next England team runs out on a pitch for a friendly, all have the same/similar level of ball control. The problem is, as somebody mentioned earlier, that they play with fear, everytime they get the ball they're scared of losing it or making a mistake. As a result those mistakes happen more often then not, and when they do happen, people are onto it like hyenas. That's the problem the next England manager gets to inherit and it needs to be a manager, not a ******* coach, that changes that. Our team wasn't up to that game mentally, once that second goal went in for Croatia, every player began to panic and it turned into a shambles. Half time was a saving grace and then we actually faught our way back and took a lot of risks in doing so, but at least we took some......then like dicks we sat back again. Genius I'm sure there are plenty of top managers out there throughout the world that believe they could make that England team tick, sadly, it's not actually worth all the grief they'll face from day one. Oh and good luck finding another Beckham. SWP ffs.
Player psychology and an overly developed sense of their own importance. Not every talented player has the innate work ethic of a Beckham. Some were quite obviously coasting rather than using their undoubted talent by grafting like donkeys on Blacky beach. Instilling a sense of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts is indeed the managers/coach's role.
Good quote from Roy Keane on Sky Sports: "I don't think international football is that important to a lot of the players these days. Club football has taken over." Couldnt agree more.
Most of them play in Germany Anyway, who would you say on our team has the same level of ball control as these average players that don't play for big teams. I can think of one, maybe two players who I think could match them.</p> </p> </p>
The players are good enough skillwise to qualify for the tournament. They just don't perform for England when it matters. Nerves, confidence, lack of belief in the football system, whatever. Ask Sven, he knows how to get them through.
I don't care a toss what that **** thinks, I bet he doesn't think that when he's managing Ireland. Regardless of how poor we have performed, I will never believe that any of those players went out there thinking, "I can't wait to get this out the way so I can get on with playing for my club.......for cash" I'd rather remain naive then accept that our players don't want to win a World Cup/European Cup medal representing their Country. In saying that though, there's plenty of hypocrites posting on here about club before country, whilst saying Gerrard's a disgrace and getting shitty about England results? You either give a **** or you don't. I think most prefer when both are losing.
So how do you explain Sven and the last World Cup The players flopped under him</p> and he's showing himself to beanything but arubbish manager ... and he hasn't had the faith to bring any English signings in at City, he's chosen foreign players ... and the young englishplayers he's playing were brought in by Pearce because he was given no money so had no choice</p> The successful teams in England have very few English players, and those thay have came though someone elses academy and got bought in</p> Wright Phillips - made his name at Man City</p> Lampard - West Ham</p> Joe Cole - West Ham</p> Rooney - Everton</p> The only players who came upthrough the youth system of top 4teams are Terry, Beckham, Gerrard andA Cole. I can't see many players coming through the ranks of the top teams at the moment who are future England stars.</p> Youth players only seem to come through the ranks in teams who are not challenging at the top of the table. When will Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool next blood a youngster? ... even Man U are thin on the ground at the moment with home grown talent. Chopra couldn't get a game at Newcastle, but he's looking like he might be good enough for the Premiership ... possibly, but he had to go down a division first.</p>
but they were very poor at the last World Cup under Sven Too many players don't have any competition for their place, and we try and we insist on playing Lampard and Gerrard in the same team, despite it being clear that they are both woeful whenever they are in the same team
