World Cup 2010

[vanpeebles]

Qualifying doesn't count for anything if you bottle the main event. The only thing those pathetic players could teach the young ones is how to gamble or piss about. It should of been a proper strip down and rebuild job for the Euros.

[toythatkills]

Qualifying doesn't count for anything if you bottle the main event.

It doesn't count as a trophy, but they still count as good results and good performances. You can't just rewrite history because you played badly further down the line.

What a weird thing to say.

[abigsmurf]

Have to say, if I was a young player at the moment, I would be crossing my fingers that I don't get picked for the England team.

Insane pressure, booing crowds, press that has no issue doing stings against family members (which will happen if they can't find any dirt after trailing you for months on end). Even when England do have a reasonable cup run that meets expectations, there will be a scape goat for the game where they're knocked out.

Where's the pride to be had from that?

As I've said before, England put out the performances their fans deserve.

Lots of people bring up 'smaller' teams/countries as playing out of their skin and putting in brave performances. Their fans don't boo when they inevitably get hammered, outclassed or if a star player makes a costly mistake that loses the game. They cheer, ran or shine.

[merf]

Qualifying doesn't count for anything if you bottle the main event. The only thing those pathetic players could teach the young ones is how to gamble or piss about. It should of been a proper strip down and rebuild job for the Euros.

your comments are a bit 'Sun' and knee jerk, building teams isn't about changing 11 players simply cos the last lot were rubbish. Look at how Man Utd clicked with the addition of Cantona and think of players that look great in partnership with others who suddenly look a bit off without their favoured sidekick.

there are no doubts we failed dismally at the world cup but the plan has to be to work out who is worth keeping and playing the undoubtedly needed younger ones around.

one of the main things for me is to finally give up on shoeing Lampard & Gerrard into the same team, thats got to be an either or now.

[nakamura]

Have to say, if I was a young player at the moment, I would be crossing my fingers that I don't get picked for the England team.

Insane pressure, booing crowds, press that has no issue doing stings against family members (which will happen if they can't find any dirt after trailing you for months on end). Even when England do have a reasonable cup run that meets expectations, there will be a scape goat for the game where they're knocked out.

Where's the pride to be had from that?

As I've said before, England put out the performances their fans deserve.

Lots of people bring up 'smaller' teams/countries as playing out of their skin and putting in brave performances. Their fans don't boo when they inevitably get hammered, outclassed or if a star player makes a costly mistake that loses the game. They cheer, ran or shine.

Best.Post.Ever!

[Jebus]

That same first eleven that breezed through qualifying? SA was an anomaly, God knows what went wrong but I don't think anyone would believe that England are genuinely as bad as they were against Algeria.

I'm not disagreeing with the logic, but why come out and say there will be changes and then drop all the players who never had a decent chance, Heskey and Carragher (who have retired anyway) and James.

Also, to be honest I'm sick and tired of him calling up Cahill as well, always ****s up our plans for him to go and sit on an international bench and not kick a ball in anger. If you aren't gonna play him then stop disrupting our training.

Furthermore, I'd rather Cahill didn't hang around with the billy-big-bollocks wankers that make up our national team. He's quite happy with us, on a decent wage (unless you compare to Terry et all) for a player of his age and progressing nicely to boot.

[Team Andromeda]

[Have to say, if I was a young player at the moment, I would be crossing my fingers that I don't get picked for the England team

Silly think to say imo

there are no doubts we failed dismally at the world cup but the plan has to be to work out who is worth keeping and playing the undoubtedly needed younger ones around.

I think Van is right. England haven't looked like winning any tournament since 1996, Its not just the 2010 World Cup, England have been poor in the last few Word Cup's and Euro's. That said the day most fans and Press wake up the fact that England aren't that great on the World Stage, don't have some divine right to Win The World Cup the better.

one of the main things for me is to finally give up on shoeing Lampard & Gerrard into the same team, thats got to be an either or now.

I drop the both of them for now . I wouldn't even let Lampard wear a England shirt again.

[abigsmurf]

As bad as England were, at least the didn't do anything this stupid:

[prinnysquad]

re, vs Hungary

In the main, a poor half of football. The same old huffing and puffing turds. Poor touches and decision making. Barry very gash.
Rooney chod again. Can this man play with anybody? Now Heskey's gone, he can't demand the big plank to feed off. In that half, playing off Gerrard, he looked constantly crowded out.

[PeteJ]

Some good moves but mostly below average. Goal down now too.

Too many older players who we all know can't play for enland.

[PeteJ]

Ignore me

[prinnysquad]

Gerrard playing well and much more adventuorous now he doesn't feel obliged to seek out Ego Fatty.

[davesol]

wow, amazing how different people can see the same game so differently. I thought england played some very good football in the first half - plenty of quick passing which is generally what people critisize the team for. not always much end product but the movement was generally excellent. 2nd half we continued pressing and passing and deserved the 2 goals. thought zamora was unlucky not to score as well.

[abigsmurf]

Watching both the NI-Italy game and the Czech-Scotland game... It's like being back at the world cut (minus the swarm of bees). Dull dull dull

[abigsmurf]

The Women's World Cup final put the men's final to shame. First half wasn't great but the second half was full of drama.

Congrats to Japan.