Surely the FA must take most of the blame.......

always going for the easy option, Macedonia at home was our downfall, this manager has been found wanting well before this disaster.
The FA have neglected time and again to listen to the supporters of England, there they sit in the plush surroundings of Soho pontificating upon all things football, when in fact their combined knowledge of this game of OURS, is nil, for the game to progress at international level a complete overhaul at FA level must be pushed through.
This coming summer will, I'm afraid, be a time for us footy fans to find a second team to follow, even writing those words gives me an hollow feeling, thanks Brian Barwick, thanks a fecking bunch.

 

or Franl Lampard

 

Can't really blame the FA for every player on the pitch bar maybe two playing like an absolute lovely person. Agree about the appointment though - totally uninspired.

 

ok Russ

... not wishing to defend the FA, but of the players available how would you change the team that played today and Saturday ?

 

These players perform week in week out at club level, this is a coaching problem, the right man would get those performances to transfer to international level, that man is Matin O'Niell.

 

Blame Selector

Pick your own from the following options: -

Shepherd, McClaren, Cryne, Russia, Colgan, Robinson, Rooney, Ritchie, Davey, Gerrard, Heckingbottom, Richards, Mattis, Reid, The FA, Waddle, Robinson, Referee, Lampard, Plastic Pitch, Weather, Jet Lag, Parkin, Machin, Iley, Steele, Spackman, Dennis, Wrong type of ball, Linesman, They all earn too much

Add your own option.

 

LAMPARD

 

sorry good point nt

 

true mate, but Rooney plays with Ronaldo, Ferdinand with Vidic, Lampard with Essien... it's the level of quality players who are not English plying their trade in the premier league which makes the league the most exciting alsomeans that I don't think we can develop our players.</p>

Also Refs decision.... penalty my arse !!!</p>

 

Hi Dave........

This is not a player problem Dave, this is a coaching problem, we all knew at the time of McClaren's appointment that he was not the man, even the FA went for other options, but we were lumbered with McClaren, he had a great honeymoon period, but the Macedonia game showed up his capabilities as bland to say the least, a coach with a wealth of talent should be rubbing his hands with glee, but he fails to inspire, now, on the other hand, Gus Hidinck, with limited resources has defied the odds to steer the unfancied Russians to the finals.

Hope you had a good holiday pal.

 

agreed

The one common denominator in a catalogue of international failures down the years has been the organising body for our national game. We've had the shambles of one poor managerial choice followed by another. We've seen good money go after bad. We've seen a talented generation wasted and under perform tournament after tournament, ill prepared and badly disciplined. We've seen nothing in the way of genuine vision or leadership coming from the centre - we've simply bounced from one manager to the next, apparently thinking 'a good manager is all we need - maybe next time?'. The F.A. is a house of old boys and fat cats - and as long as you have a hole in your arse, you're not going to see the current structure achieve anything worth being proud of. The fact that we currently have a middle of the road international rugby side punching well above it's weight only underlines the value of good and proper management - when is the last time we had a national football team that you could call 'full of character and determination'? Or 'better that the sum of it's parts'? In rugby we have it right, in football we are pathetic. Currently our domestic game is simply awash with money - but with all the money in the world, we still can't sort ourselves out. Maybe there is simply too much money? It's a dreadful state of affairs, and from the top down, it needs a total overhaul. I'm sick of watching England, and I'm sick of watching over paid, over valued, hyper inflated, play boys ruining the fecking game.

 

RE: Hi Dave........

brilliant place is Florence ... if the 6 numbers come up, that's where I'm living.. I'll have to be a <strike>Fioerotina Feriontoo</strike> err Florence footie fan.</p>

Not defending McClaren at all, but look what Sven can do with foreign players !</p>

 

RE: Hi Dave........

If thi numbers do come up, do us a favour, tek your Sam with you.

 

Could it be (serious point)

That Russia were to blame?

Sure they got a dodgy penalty, but before and after that they were murdering us - we were defending and blocking on the edge of our own 6 yard box and could have conceded at any time. Even though we missed chances we were conceding massive amounts of possession and only desparate defending was keeping them out.

The other team wanted to win too and sometimes we have to accept we can't win every game just because we are England. Credit to Russia for beating us. We dropped points in other, easier matches which have cost us, not this one.

 

RE: Hi Dave........

tha pillockin, mate

 

Fair point, previous games cost us, not this one. nt

 

Fair point, previous games cost us, not this one. nt

 

There is also the view

that the players are just crap at international football. Too many failures and terrible performances from this so called 'golden generation' for it too always be the manager and the FA.

 

How can you blame the FA?</p>

When they went along with the fans choice we got Kevin Keegan!</p>

</p>

 

I take your point but

I see what you're saying - but we have many footballers who compete at domestic level against many of the top international players, they also compete very successfully in European club competitions - so it's not the quality of the players as individuals. Somebody has to take responsibility for failing to bind them together as a successful team and prepare them properly. Before the last world cup the England football team had played the very least number of friendlies than any other nation in attendance - some teams had played three times as many to get ready - and it showed. We have a packed domestic calendar - between league cup and f.a. cup, uefa cup (anyone care for that?) - the F.A. could take the bold step of eliminating a club competition for the top flight teams for the sake of affording the national side more opportunities to train and play friendlies. It won't happen though - it would cost too much money in advertising etc and that's what it's all about now, the gravy train. The football is an after thought.