The Football Thread

[Motorboater]

Watching Harry Kane play last night. I'm sitting there thinking I wish I was him!

[victor meldrew]

Originally Posted by Motorboater

Watching Harry Kane play last night. I'm sitting there thinking I wish I was him!

Yet another England player branded "World Class"
I just cannot understand how we fail at international tournaments with all the World Class players we have had.

[Motorboater]

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

Yet another England player branded "World Class"
I just cannot understand how we fail at international tournaments with all the World Class players we have had.

It's a cultural. Sure, you can get upset about not winning tournaments. But deep down, does the wider English public really want England to win? It's not just about the winning of the tournament.

Think about it? If England had won the 14WC , then that would mean Steven Gerrard would be immortalised as England's WC winning captain. Would you be able to handle that? I couldn't, and I have no connection with England!

But it's not just Gerrard. Terry and Beckham as well. Without knowing the history of West Ham. Dare I say, they're an inoffensive club. So it's alright that Bobby Moore has that status in British Sport.

It'd probably be comparable with the difficulties Spain has had to endure in the past?

[buttsie]

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

Yet another England player branded "World Class"
I just cannot understand how we fail at international tournaments with all the World Class players we have had.

World Class at club level (we're yet to see that at European level in any meaningful way)
is a world away from National

It doesnt help when your FA are world class fools

You'd think with the plethora of age groups they have they'd be turning out
2 world class first X1s instead of almost a 1st eleven

They've got themselves to the stage where the team is full of youngsters and veterans
outside the peak age groups 26-29 which wins you tournaments.
- thats a clear sign of bad planning.

kane in the system as the main guy at age 22 - just crazy pressure
In years gone by he would have been the heir apparent to a Shearer
learning the craft rather than being expected to be that go to guy at 22-24.

There was an interesting article on a England youngsters in one of those successful youth groups who chose to go Germany because they offered better educational opportunities besides football.

How Premier League starlets are cutting ties and going to Germany and Portugal

Arsenal youth-team graduates Chris Willock and Kaylen Hinds are just two players who have joined foreign clubs this summer, tempted by regular first-team football and new experiences

https://www.theguardian.com/football...s-cutting-ties



PS



Alan Pardew a pundit - thats a lucky break for some team somewhere

Alan Pardew's joke about 'Harry Kane's mum' went down like a lead balloon

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/...-lead-balloon/

[victor meldrew]

Originally Posted by mitchspur

After about a 2 mile hike from Stratford station, this was my view this season at the HOME of athletics!!!

I needed oxygen by the time I got to my seat!!!



Hopefully I will be nearer the pitch at my first visit to the Udders ground next week.

What with Wembley, I need binoculars for football this season!!!!

Nothing like a bit of exercise prior to sitting down for two hours with your bag of pic n mix and binoculars.

[judy84]

Originally Posted by countjimmoriarty

Peabrains more like.

Such clever, witty comments...why i keep coming back.

[countjimmoriarty]

Originally Posted by judy84

Such clever, witty comments...why i keep coming back.

A touchy Leeds fan. How unusual...

[judy84]

Originally Posted by countjimmoriarty

A touchy Leeds fan. How unusual...

How could I have the last word against a Count, especially one who is a vintage member?
My last word on the subject is that your awesome repartee has undoubtedly revised my estimation of the upper echelons of society.

[countjimmoriarty]

Originally Posted by judy84

How could I have the last word against a Count, especially one who is a vintage member?
My last word on the subject is that your awesome repartee has undoubtedly revised my estimation of the upper echelons of society.

He knows his place...

[pierrelm]

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

Yet another England player branded "World Class"
I just cannot understand how we fail at international tournaments with all the World Class players we have had.

Pardon me as I know I've harped on about this before, but as long as we allow our players to be feted for their ability rather than the application then we are doomed. German, Italian, Spanish, Brazilian...they listen to coaches, understand tactics and play as a team. We run about like stink, are tactically inept once on the pitch and almost to a man seem to think that they are somehow 'entitled' to success (as with our laughably named golden generation) rather than need to get out there and earn it. Like the professionals that they are supposed to be.

Kane is an honourable exception - like Ronaldo, he works and works and works at his game...wasn't it Gary Player who said the more he practiced, the luckier he got? Jonny Wilkinson said that in any team game, once you start playing like a group of individuals and get embroiled in little battles on the pitch, then you're going to lose - the way to win is to listen to what the team approach should be for each game and play as a team.

We are, I suspect, still doomed.