Disgrace

[WageSlave]

Well if they are to sack him they'd better do it pretty quick.

I think we have to suffer him until the World Cup has been lost (following a tame QF submission to Belgium, I expect). However, the FA should seriously start grooming a replacement, which they should have been doing since the first day of Sven's appointment.

It hasn't been this embarrassing to watch England since the turnip was manager. At least he had the excuse of a generally poor bunch of players, whereas Sven has a great team to work with. If this was simply a freak result then I wouldn't mind, it happens from time to time to the best. But under Sven we seem to struggle in the same unimaginative way, regardless of the opposition. I know weaker teams can make it difficult by putting ten men behind the ball and defending deep, but FFS, we are in a group with N.Ireland, Austria, Wales, Azerbaijan and Poland - hardly world beaters

[Bovvered]

The sports editor on Today reckoned the contractual severance package is more than the FA can afford right now.

Which is nice (for Sven, on £4m/year).

Well let's see if he can turn it around. I hope so!

[wendigo100]

I'll tell you what the problem is. David Beckham.

A coach should not be mucking around with his team to try and accommodate one man who is no longer good enough to be in it, and hasn't been for over a year.

What next, stick him in goal?

I suspect the rest of the players are privately p1ssed off with this, from Rooney, who is forced to play way out of position, to the likes of Parker and Hargreaves, who are the proper holding players for that role.

Gerrard almost said it afterwards - out on the pitch they didn't know what they were supposed to be doing. And when it came to substitutions, who was the only midfield player not to be taken off?

This is the best set of players I can remember England having, and it won't last forever. I'd bite the bullet and fire Sven now, and I've never said that about an England coach before. Several teams have done well in world cups after appointing a new coach to stir things up with less than a year to go.

[WageSlave]

And when it came to substitutions, who was the only midfield player not to be taken off?

Agree, the subs were a joke. First half I thought Wright-Phillips was our liveliest player, full of running and passion. Taken off. He then takes off Gerrard only to send on Hargreaves a few minutes later?! Owen was a gamble, clearly not match fit but always capable of stealing a goal.

[Chico]

Whats the big dealwith Owen Hargreaves anyway? Whats the fixation with 4-5-1? Whose bedroom was Sven sneaking into last night? Where is Terry Venables?

[WageSlave]

Where is Terry Venables?

Probably flogging watches down an alley somewhere
To be honest, I don't think he was the greatest England Manager. I've always had a lot of time for Hoddle (despite his many faults), given that he really started the Chelsea revolution.

Hargreaves is okay for a specific role; midfield donkey. He is a safe player, experience of playing German football, no thrills or added glamour. Sometimes you need that. Maybe we would be better off starting Hargreaves rather than playing both Gerrard and Lampard. Squeezing both into identical roles means neither is performing to their expected standard.

[WageSlave]

Big Sam for England

From the BBC. Sam Allardyce wants the England job. He's a good manager, and despite appearances, advocates the latest thinking. My only concern is that he hasn't experienced European competition.

Bolton manager Sam Allardyce wants to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson when he leaves his job as England boss, according to his agent.
The Swede is under pressure after England's shock World Cup qualifying defeat against Northern Ireland.

And agent Mark Curtis said: "Sam wants the job whenever Sven leaves - and the Bolton chairman knows it."

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside is a prominent member of the Football Association board.

And Allardyce's former right-hand man at Bolton, Derby boss Phil Brown, also backed his claims to succeed Eriksson.

He said: "There would be no better man to replace Eriksson. Sam would have no problems dropping big-name players.

"He has proved he can handle the superstars. He has worked with some of the best at Bolton, like Jay-Jay Okocha, Fernando Hierro and Ivan Campo. He has left them all out at some time.

"Sam was always ahead of his time. He was using technology long before other managers and could give you the lowdown on every team in the league and every individual player."

[BoredBloke]

What would Beckham have to do to get dropped? If he got dropped it might make the poncey tw@t realise that he is not indispensable and get him to start playing. Personally I have never thought he was world class. Yes he can put a good cross in and yes he used to have a high work rate. Now he is just a marketing gimmick.

[wendigo100]

What would Beckham have to do to get dropped? If he got dropped it might make the poncey tw@t realise that he is not indispensable and get him to start playing. Personally I have never thought he was world class. Yes he can put a good cross in and yes he used to have a high work rate. Now he is just a marketing gimmick.

His wife will have to go back to singing to support him.

Singing!

[AlfredJPruffock]

His wife will have to go back to singing to support him.

Singing!

For a dreadful moment Wendigo I thought you said "swinging"" rather than "singing."

Not sure what would be most odious though ..