Reply to: Fabio Capello to remain England manager

[gingerjedi]

Gutted, my ancestral brothers are out.

Football really is a hit and miss game, it seems fairness™ rarely has much to do with the eventual outcome.

[shaunbhoy]

Seriously, the England side of last year seemed pretty strong - and would have walked all over their group with a game to spare.

How did something so promising fall apart so easily.

I believe a whole host of teams from across the globe had the temerity to turn up and show just how ridiculously skewed in favour of the "big" (i.e. financially lucrative) teams the FIFA rankings actually are.

[centurian]

Yes, it seems that when Capello told the current lot to "score", they might have mis-understood him.

Although I wonder if the younger generation might get equally misunderstood with the use of that word.


Seriously, the England side of last year seemed pretty strong - and would have walked all over their group with a game to spare.

How did something so promising fall apart so easily.

[shaunbhoy]

The thing is I heard this rumour a few months back so I'm starting to think it was made up by some man u knobhead, of course even the rumour could have been enough to cause instability and mistrust in the camp.

It would be just a bloody great shame if it turns out the poor performance was due to their stupidly fat egos being more important than their country and the fans that put them there.

In all honesty, shelving the entire "Golden Generation" might not be such a bad thing. The Germans elevated over half of their U-21s to the full team and are still in the competition. The England U-21s comprised how many of the WC squad? Not sure, but I am guessing between 0-3 players, and few if any of them started any WC match. (Milner?)
As even a footballing novice like Spod/Churchill has mooted, starting afresh might be no bad thing.
Even Mrs SB came up with the idea of having an England squad of youngsters that have not actually made the grade at Club level yet, who train and play full time for England before moving onto Club Football. She has had worse ideas, trust me!!

[gingerjedi]

I had no idea Stevie G. was into the "older woman".

Of course, it could all be scurrilous gossip with no foundation whatsover. Watch this space.

The thing is I heard this rumour a few months back so I'm starting to think it was made up by some man u knobhead, of course even the rumour could have been enough to cause instability and mistrust in the camp.

It would be just a bloody great shame if it turns out the poor performance was due to their stupidly fat egos being more important than their country and the fans that put them there.

[shaunbhoy]

Especially if those salacious rumours turn out to be true.

If that is the reason behind a split in the camp which lead to their dismal performance there will be hell to pay.

I had no idea Stevie G. was into the "older woman".

[gingerjedi]

Fully agree about Terry. I think Gerrard may have had his day for England TBH. And I say that as a Liverpool fan.

Especially if those salacious rumours turn out to be true.

If that is the reason behind a split in the camp which lead to their dismal performance there will be hell to pay.

[shaunbhoy]

Why would they want to sack someone that is such a clever operator - after all he managed to negotiate the sacking clause out of his contract with the FA

Yeah, but to be fair, every England manager sorts that out before it all goes Pete Tong. Even Sven managed it, and he spent most of his time doynking B-class celebrities!

[moorfield]

The FA will live to regret that. When he fails again they will be the ones that get the blame.

They already are. Nothing to do with how "good" Capello is. They've kept him because the twits amended his contract (in his favour) and now, having no doubt taken legal advice too, they've decided they can't afford to sack him.

If his contract had not been changed, he would have gone by now.

[Zippy]

Does anyone else think he looks like Sam the American eagle from the Muppets??

Oh ..... just me then ...

You can't just blame Capello. The spoilt,whinging little prima-donnas must take the blame too.

[Pogle]

Does anyone else think he looks like Sam the American eagle from the Muppets??

Oh ..... just me then ...

[Clippy]

Why would they want to sack someone that is such a clever operator - after all he managed to negotiate the sacking clause out of his contract with the FA

That would have been his manager who negotiated that who also happens to be his son!

[centurian]

Why would they want to sack someone that is such a clever operator - after all he managed to negotiate the sacking clause out of his contract with the FA

[doodab]

I hope he sacks all the stars, starting with that overated twunt Terry, and starts again.

Keep just Gerrard and Rooney of the current lot.

Fully agree about Terry. I think Gerrard may have had his day for England TBH. And I say that as a Liverpool fan.

I think we need to look to rebuild and qualify for the Euros with younger players forming the backbone of the team and playing together regularly. Sure, we'll need a few experienced players in the mix as well, but I reckon maybe three or four of the older guys who went to SA can really justify displacing their younger counterparts, and they'll all need understudies.

I would give Joe Hart a regular birth, Rooney obviously although a break might do him good, and Milner and Dawson have to be given a proper run in the side. Other than that I think we need to look to the likes of Theo Walcott, Keiren Gibbs, Tom Huddlestone, Micah Richards etc and a few of the other guys who are supposedly good enough for the U-21s but rarely seem to turn out for their clubs.

I also think we need to find a way to encourage the premier league sides to play their younger English players a bit more.

[Drewster]

I hope he sacks all the stars, starting with that overated twunt Terry, and starts again.

OK - Hands up... I agree with you.