Posts Tagged ‘England’

Why John Terry should never play for England again

Posted: April 27, 2013 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Terry: Petulant child

Terry: Petulant child

Just when you think John Terry might be going gently into the good night, he manages to find a way to put his massive ego slap-bang back in centre stage.

Stripped of the England captaincy, retired from international football and slipping down the pecking order at Chelsea it seemed that JT was in danger of quietly exiting the stage unnoticed.

So what does he do? He has a few trusted stooges put the word around the press corps that he fancies playing again for England. Cue tiresome hysteria.

You’d think that a man who has embroiled English football in a succession of crises – too wearisome to be worth repeating – would have the sense to spare us this latest farrago. Unfortunately, John Terry is too selfish for that.

Like a petulant child Terry flounced out on England back in September. Now he’s let it be known that he fancies a free holiday in Brazil next summer.

In a cowardly move, sadly typical of the man, Terry has not personally said that he is available for selection again. No, he’s put the word out indirectly via his advisers.

Should Roy Hodgson be anything less than effusive about a possible international return, well Terry can stay quietly retired, pretend he’s no idea where the rumours started, and save himself the embarrassment of public rejection.

In all this it’s Hodgson I feel most sorry for. No doubt still smarting from the debacle surrounding Rio Ferdinand’s recent call up, he now has the unenviable task of negotiating another call-up controversy.

Terry has treated a place in the national team as a personal right and not privilege to be earned. Even if it’s merited by form and fitness, Terry should never play for England again.

Written by James Albin

Season of the long knives leaves managers watching their backs

Posted: February 19, 2013 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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When Swindon boss Paolo Di Canio fell on his sword, he brought the number of managerial changes in the top four divisions in England to 41 for the season. Given that we’ve still another two and half months of the season to run, it looks inevitable that over half of the 92 league will have changed their manager by May. 

Mark Robins tries to remember which club he's at this week

Whilst we’re all caught up following our own clubs, we can perhaps miss the scale of the carnage across the wider football landscape. And when you start looking in to it, the rate of managerial attrition is staggering.

A quick study of the League Manager’s Association website shows that barely half – 48 – of current managers have been in their jobs for 12 months or less. Nigel Clough is currently the 10th longest serving manager just by making it through to his fourth season in charge of the Rams.

While the fact managers are being given less time is not a new observation, I would never have guessed the turnover would have been as high as this. Clearly, as the pressure for results has increased so the patience for them has declined.

But while you might assume that this demand would be most sharply felt in the Premier League – where the rewards for success and failure are so acute – it’s actually in the Football League who the bulk of the casualties have taken place. Of the 40 managerial changes this season, just 3 have been in the Premier League (QPR, Southampton and Chelsea).

That means if you support one of the remaining 72 football league clubs, there’s a 50% chance you’ve already changed your manager this season (even with the revolving doors at Blackburn and Blackpool partially skewing the average).

But the statistics tell us something interesting about the changing expectations in the Football League. Clubs no longer seem willing to accept their current status – whether that’s in League 1 or 2 – even if history tells us that is where many of them have spent the majority of their existence.

It now takes substantially less to push a chairman to remove their manager. The giant-killing of Liverpool wasn’t enough to save Paul Dickov, and Keith Curle was axed after a year in charge despite being safe and secure in mid-table. Chairmen are expecting more – and for it to be delivered quicker.

In this intensified climate you have to wonder whether certain managers would have survived in the past. Leicester fans were calling for Martin O’Neill to go only months his appointment – the board stuck with him and he went on to become one of their most successful managers. It took Neil Warnock 6 years at Bramall Lane to get Sheffield United promoted to the Premiership, during which there were numerous opportunities for him to be moved on.

Chairmen it seems want managers who can wave a magic wand and turn their ugly lower division frog into a handsome Premier League prince. And if they can’t cast that spell immediately they can start looking for another job. It’s an approach that’s unproductive and unsustainable and desperately needs to change.

Written by James Albion

Five talking points from the weekend’s football

Posted: October 22, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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1. Kirkland attack raises serious questions concerning the protection of players

By now everyone will have seen the dreadful scenes at Hillsborough on Friday night as a Leeds fan raced onto the pitch and assaulted Wednesday keeper Chris Kirkland. The image of him returning to the stand and being congratulated by those around him, whilst Kirkland received treatment, was sickening.

Luckily, the piece of human detritus is now in the hands of the authorities – and we can only hope that there will be an appropriately severe punishment. Bringing that one ‘fan’ to justice is just one element in a greater problem that needs to be addressed from this incident. Front and centre for examination is the effectiveness of banning orders. How can someone is in the middle of a seven-year ban from all football grounds be admitted into a ground? Did this person get given a ticket from another fan? If so, punish him too.

Wednesday fans will be very familiar with this sort of disgraceful incident, given a number of their own fans threw punches at Clint Hill in the season finale in 2010 as fans of both Palace and Wednesday invaded the Hillsborough pitch. Similar unsavoury scenes at Chesterfield in 2011 saw one Spireite fan punch Bury keeper Cameron Belford. One Sheffield United fan back in 1998 punched a linesman in an away game at Portsmouth. Stewarding and policing in these situations is too often ineffective, and without change it’s only a matter of time before someone is serious hurt.

2. Warnock ruined what would have been a great interview with a horrible throw-away remark

In the immediate post-match interview on Sky, Leeds boss Neil Warnock made some clearly emotional comments on the “moron” that attacked Kirkland: “Put him in bloody prison. I’m not proud to be Leeds manager when I see that. I’m embarrassed.”

Warnock divides a lot of opinion. By and large we quite like him at 1FITG, but that interview was ruined by one of the most brainless, ill-considered comments he has ever made as manager – and there have been plenty. “He went down like a sack of spuds” was a pathetic thing to say – and he should have known better. He has since apologised to Kirkland, and it was noticeable that he didn’t repeat the line in his radio interviews that evening, but even so it was utterly unnecessary. Had that happened to Paddy Kenny, it’s impossible to imagine Warnock tolerating a comment like that from another manager.

3. Kick It Out campaign losing all credibility

The public shunning of the Kick It Out campaign by Jason Roberts and Rio Ferdinand, in addition to the unanimous decision by Swansea and Wigan players not to wear the campaign’s T-shirts has completely undermined its credibility.

Rio, prior to ‘being dealt with’ by Sir Alex

We now have the on-the-face-of-it ridiculous sight of black footballers criticising a campaign to get rid of racism in football. The conspicuous absence of Kick It Out in the most recent high profile racism cases makes their decision completely justifiable, and Sir Alex must surely be regretting both his remarks prior to the weekend and his subsequent comments that Rio Ferdinand would be ‘dealt with’ for taking the stance he took.

4. Home Nations need a reality check

After the latest round of international fixtures, almost all the managers of the home nations sides are under pressure. The jobs of Trapattoni, Levein, and Coleman all appear to be hanging by a thread, while even Hodgson found his credentials questioned after a listless draw in Poland. Only Northern Ireland’s Michael O’Neill seems safe in his job at present.

Leaving England aside, the idea that managerial changes will miraculously transform the prospects of these sides seems to us absurd. In recent years, these sides have rarely featured in international tournaments and to make qualification the benchmark for their manager’s success is ridiculous.

Bosnia and Montenegro have shown that smaller nations can compete with the established continental ‘big guns’. And whilst comparitively bigger, fans of Wales, Scotland and Ireland would do better to ask how, for instance, does Sweden (pop. 9m) regularly qualify for tournaments. You can’t help concluding that time would be better spent on grass roots coaching structures than on worrying about who exactly is picking the national team.

5. Dark days at Kettering

As the recent non-league day hopefully reminded people, football in this country is about so much more than the bloated hype machine of the Premiership. Despite being nearly 140 years old, Kettering Town could go out of business unless the club can scratch together £3,000.

The money is the latest sticky plaster needed to stop the deal the club struck to clear its £1m plus debts falling apart. Such is the disarray at the club, Kettering fielded just 10 players for one Southern League match earlier this month, and more recent games called off due to lack of players. As a takeover continues to be mooted, we can only hope that it comes in time to save a club with a long and proud tradition.

By @josephclift and James Albion

5 people who benefit from John Terry’s international retirement

Posted: September 24, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Steven Gerrard celebrating John Terry‘s international retirement (or possibly just a goal)

After announcing his decision to spend more time with his – or possibly someone else’s – family, we pick 5 people who are likely to benefit from John Terry’s retirement from international football.

1. Steven Gerrard

Even without the armband, John Terry liked to style himself as the de facto leader of the England team – casting a long shadow from which it was hard for players to escape.

The accumulated baggage that Terry brought with him to the England camp was a burden the rest of the squad never needed or benefitted from.

With Terry’s departure that’s now gone, leaving Gerrard as as the undisputed leader within the England team. Galvanised by his appointment as captain, Gerrard was arguably England’s best performer at Euro 2012. Hopefully, without Terry to cramp his style, his influence over the squad will grow.

2. Roy Hodgson

Despite regularly praising JT’s virtues as a player, Roy Hodgson is also likely to be breathing a sigh of relief. As we pointed out during Euro 2012, Terry’s days as a top level international looked increasing numbered due to his declining pace and vulnerability to the ball in behind the defence.

Terry’s decision to go into self imposed exile has spared Hodgson the inevitable soap opera which would have followed attempts to phase out, let alone drop, the Chelsea defender. And given that Terry did on occasion seem to believe that he was the England manager and in charge of team selection (see the fiasco at the World Cup in South Africa) Roy will no longer have to worry about him sparking another mutiny.

3. Phil Jagielka

With one of the big beasts of the England squad put out to pasture there is, what I like to imagine anyway, a Phil Jagielka shaped hole in the centre of England’s defence. A consistent performer over many seasons, he’s missed out at international level due to the plethora of centre back options and a preference for Champions League hardened defenders. Back in the spotlight with Everton’s impressive start to the season, Jagielka finally has the chance to make the England no.6 shirt his own.

4. Rio Ferdinand

Could the door to an England return for Rio Ferdinand have opened? Whilst the obstacle that was John Terry has been removed, it is Hodgson himself who now remains the problem.

Ahead of selection for the Euro’s the England manager was put into an impossible situation by the bad blood between the two players. Dealt a bad hand, Roy played it as best he could, enduring several awkward media grillings as he tried to justify excluding Ferdinand from the squad. Having been through the mill on that it’s hard to imagine Hodgson putting himself through a similar inquiry by selecting Rio. Stranger things have happened in football though.

5. Roberto Di Matteo

I’ve long thought that John Terry wouldn’t play much after 30. Injuries have taken their toll and the aforementioned lack of pace is catching up with him. Reluctant ever to miss a game, the Chelsea captain has played with injuries on many occasions, often to the detriment of his performace.

But with the international weeks providing regular for rest and recuperation, the ultimate beneficiary of Terry’s retirement may be Roberto Di Matteo who will have a fully fit player in his dressing room, eager to show people what their country are missing.

 Written by James Albion

Tackling technology – is there even still an argument?

Posted: September 20, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Monday night’s failure by the officials to spot Victor Anichebe’s effort cross the line brought to life a debate that had been dormant since way back in….well June, as what should have been registered as a despairing attempt by John Terry ended up denying the Ukraine a clear goal.Is there anything even still to debate? Our co-editors James Albion and @josephclift give it a go…

Ghost Goal during the England vs Germany game ...

The Ghost Goal of World Cups Past…

JA: If TV replays and goal-line technology are introduced to football it will be one of the sport’s darkest days. Just imagine how dull football would be if referees could never makes mistakes?

You see, I like it when referees make mistakes. When they get it wrong it can make a football game. An utterly turgid nil-nil bore-athon can suddenly be brought alive by a referee’s decision that defies common sense.

There’d be no more journeys home sniggering at how you’d robbed the opposition blind after an utterly unjustified sending off or penalty had changed the game.

JC: For starters, bringing in video technology means you’d be spared those tedious journeys home hearing others sniggering at how they’d ‘robbed the opposition blind’ after an utterly unjustified sending off or penalty had changed the game.

If you’re a small club, potentially within a whisker of a historic result, it will come as scant consolation for them to hear that at the very least the appalling decision costing them the match ‘gives us something to talk about’. It is akin to a family member hearing about a terrible defeat, uttering the phrase: ‘well, it’s only a game’.

The days when this was an accepted part of the game in this country changed with the advent of the Premier League – instant replays becoming available en masse. Video technology should be treated the same way as the introduction of goal-keeping gloves or a type of football that doesn’t seriously injure those that persistently head it. Technology’s moved on, the game’s moved on, and frankly I’m annoyed that this conversation hasn’t moved on.

JA: But refereeing cock-ups can elevate meaningless matches to legendary status! Would anyone ever know that Reading played Watford back in 2008 if it wasn’t for the phantom goal? People will still be talking about that match in 50-years time – which simply wouldn’t be the case if a video review had corrected the mistake.

JC: Yes, and unfortunately I’m still going to be talking about the non-award of a blatant foul on Luton Shelton in the Man United box in 2007, denying a likely goal that would have kept Sheffield United up on goal-difference, for likely the next 50 years. Or the host of other similar goal-denying refereeing blunders. Nobody wants to hear me talk about this sort of stuff – especially you.

JA: The problem is goal line technology or video replays would create an anaemic utopia. One which is boring, dull and safe. One which robs us of the ‘what if……..’

What if Frank Lampard’s goal against Germany in the 2010 World Cup had been given? Well, I don’t think the result would have been any different, we’d still have been handed a humiliating loss. But we’ll never know will we? I’d rather have the reassuring ambiguity of ‘what if’, rather than be forced to concede we were utterly outplayed for 90 minutes.

JC: I think there’s a solution without having to go all the way to the ‘anaemic utopia’ you describe. I’ve enjoyed the introduction of the challenge system in tennis. You have the benefit of improving the quality of decisions, with the restriction that the ‘second-look’ isn’t something that you can just use all the time. I witnessed an even better example of this in the hockey in the Olympics. Again, a limited number of challenges, with minimal disruption. How much fun would it be to see Neil Warnock witness a dodgy decision, only to realise he erroneously used his remaining challenges flippantly mere minutes before? This wouldn’t eliminate all errors – but it would be a definite improvement on the present.

JA: We’d do well to remember that England won it’s only ever international trophy courtesy of a blunder by a Russian linesman.

JC: Yes. Bloody disgraceful.

Are England better off without Wayne Rooney?

Posted: September 8, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Rooney: does absence makes the side grow stronger?

Are England better off without Wayne Rooney?

Heresy? I don’t think so. Because the more I watch England the more I become convinced that the team would be better off without Wayne Rooney.

Last night’s match against Moldova and Tuesday’s match against Ukraine are a chance to see what an England side could look like without the Manchester United front man.

For all his individual talents, Rooney distorts the England team. Tactics are centered around “getting the best out of him”. However, whilst the rest of the side are expected to sacrifice their own games for the sake of Wazza’s, the scouser rarely returns the favour.

For such an experienced international, Rooney continues to cause problems with his tactical indiscipline. All too often, when he’s frustrated with a game, Rooney will drop deep into midfield to involve himself in the game.

Despite the frequency with which this happens, I’ve yet to see the match where this has ever made a difference. It only ever results in England’s midfield becoming clogged and the remaining striker becoming isolated.

We were given a chastening example of this during the European Championship and England’s quarter-final match against Italy. With Pirlo the danger man, Rooney and Danny Welbeck were tasked with dropping onto him and restricting his influence.

The plan worked perfectly – for 20 minutes. England started the match brightly, causing Italy problems with some well-worked attacks. During this spell, Welbeck and Rooney stuck to their task, sitting on Pirlo when England lost possession.

But Rooney just couldn’t help himself. After 20 minutes, bored of his sporadic involvement in the game he again drifted into midfield in search of the ball. Pirlo suddenly started pulling the Azzuri’s strings and England had no-one to play the ball up to and relieve the ever growing pressure.

The fact England somehow made it to penalties in the match was more to do with the heroic efforts of his team mates than anything Rooney contributed.

I can only imagine the frustration Roy Hodgson felt watching the game and seeing his carefully conceived strategy torn up, by one player who’s got the hump about how much of the ball they’ve had.

Euro 2012 also reminded us of a another long-standing Rooney problem: his continued failure at international tournaments. It’s now a long time since Euro 2004, but it remains the only time where Rooney has fired on all cylinders at a major competition.

Given that he neither plays well, or can be relied upon to stick to a plan, it’s legitimate to ask whether we want to go Brazil in 2014 only to see Wayne fail. Again.

England’s qualifying group is as close to a passport to Brazil as you could realistically hope for. In the fixtures ahead Hodgson has the chance to build a team without Rooney. Most importantly, a team which can actually function as ‘a team’, and not as servants to a selfish talent.

Why does everyone hate Michael Owen?

Posted: August 17, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Owen: the man we love to loathe

You’re a former European Footballer of the Year. You’re one of your country’s greatest ever goal scorers. You’ve led a trouble and scandal free life. You’re even nice to animals and children. So why do so many people hate Michael Owen?

The recent volley of abuse fired at him when he attempted to engage in a live Q&A on twitter demonstrated that his current public stock has hit rock bottom. With the latter part of his career marked more by jeering than cheering. How did he turn from a teenage sensation to a figure of derision and ridicule?

The prevailing perception of Owen is of a fading force. Yet despite this, he continues to score goals. Owen’s career record remains just shy of 1-in-2 – despite the injuries and the increasing role as a substitute. Clearly, this negative public view of the former England international can’t be about what he delivers on the pitch.

Intriguingly, Owen is little loved even at the clubs he’s served. At Liverpool, he had the misfortune to displace club legend Robbie Fowler. Never considered a true scouser, Owen burnt his bridges on the Kop by later signing for arch-rivals Manchester United.

At Newcastle he was hailed as the second coming – or possibly fourth, after Keegan and Shearer – but the initial fervour quickly fizzled out. Opinion amongst the St James Park faithful being blighted by unfortunate injuries, but also by the self-inflicted wounds of a contract clause which left Owen free to jump ship for ‘bigger’ clubs.

Had Owen fired in the goals that kept Newcastle in the Premiership in his final season, his reputation may have survived his refusal to sign a new contract. Unfortunately, Newcastle were relegated.

But this only explains the feelings of football fans in Tyneside and Merseyside and not how he became an orphan of the nation’s affections.

Part of the answer lies in his international career. After announcing himself on the international stage by hurtling through the Argentinian defence in 1998, we see again a similar pattern of promise followed by lingering disappointment. Here, Owen was unlucky in that his international career coincided with the rise of the much derided ‘golden generation’.

Whether they were really good enough or not, fans and certainly the players themselves believed the hype. Successive tournament ‘failures’ have subsequently tainted a goal scoring and tournament record which compares favourably with any England international – with the exception of the Class of ’66.

Then there’s the man himself. When Owen broke through as an 18 year old, he earned just as much praise for his composure off the pitch as he did on it. Confident and fluent, his interviews seemed to come from a relaxed media veteran not a footballing ingénue.

But what was at first charming, quickly become dull. Yes, he spoke coherently and didn’t ‘um’ and ‘ah’, but nothing he said was ever really that interesting. A perception heightened by an off-the-field life which failed to provide any fuel for the tabloids.

Perhaps just a private man, the end result was that Michael Owen was, well, just a little bit boring. No crime in itself, but far lesser players have been elevated to footballing legend status on the basis of an ability to deliver a pithy one-liner whilst stumbling out of Stringfellows with a former Miss World on their arms.

During Owen’s time at Manchester United all these views seem to have crystalized and become the prism through which we view events. Did he really meekly accept a bit-part substitute role in exchange for trophies – or did he just keep his frustration to himself?

When he announced this summer that he was unprepared to drop down a division, he was hardly the first player to make such a comment. Yet the vitriol which met the statement showed that different standards apply to Owen. A point echoed again in

Pointless twitter spats with journalists about his record and ambition haven’t helped. Touchy and arrogant? Or just tired and irritated at trying to defend himself from unfair accusations?

So with the new football season cranking into gear, Michael Owen is football’s lonely man. Without a club and without anyone seeming to care that the career of one of Britain’s most talented footballers is about to limp to an end.

Will this be how he’s ultimately written into our football history? I fancy that, given a bit of time and distance from his football career, the public’s attitude will soften and he’ll end up a respected and popular figure. In which case that transformation will make as much sense as the current jaundiced view towards him.

Written by James Albion

Five things we learnt about Hodgson’s England

Posted: June 20, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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1. Euro 2012 should be John Terry’s last tournament

England celebrate

Celebrations involving Terry should soon become a thing of the past (photo via Daily Mirror)

In a telling moment in the England Sweden game, Zlatan Ibrahimovic – hardly the world’s quickest footballer – accelerated past a lumbering John Terry. Last night, a lapse in his positioning was only saved by a blundering official. It illustrated just why this should be Terry’s last international tournament for England. Never the quickest, Terry’s advancing years and injuries are only going to diminish his speed. In recent years, Chelsea have compensated for this lack of foot speed by having the right defensive partner alongside him. However, it’s a problem that his club and country now need to address. As AVB discovered last season, Terry’s lack of pace is a tactical impediment to a whole team – stopping his plans to maintain a high defensive line, enabling Chelsea to press aggressively in the opposition’s half.

Ultimately, with a court appearance looming next month, the decision to phase-out or ditch Terry may be taken out of Roy Hodgson’s hands.

2. Playing in straight lines will take us straight out the tournament

England play in straight lines, with the holy sacrament of English football continuing to be the desire to play in two banks of perfectly symmetrical four.

This rigidity, coupled with England’s poor ball retention, will not take us much further in the tournament. You can choose the strength of your own adjective (inept, poor, disappointing) to describe England’s performance at this competition, but we can all agree that haven’t played well. We’ve failed to dominate a single game, and the tactical ease with which a very average Ukrainian team gave us the run around, highlights how limited we are as a team.

We can only look on enviously at the tactical fluidity of Slaven Bilic and the Croatian team. Their performance against Spain, and their second half showing against Italy – after a half-time change of formation and tactics – have been two of most impressive showings at Euro 2012. But then Croatia are out the tournament and England are still in, so hey, what do we know?

3. Johnson’s defensive frailties are limiting who gets picked in front of him

The fact that Johnson is not a great defender is nothing new. But the absence of Walcott or The Ox starting directly in front of him suggests that Hodgson simply doesn’t have enough faith that England won’t be torn apart without a more defensive-minded right-winger. While James Milner ‘puts in a good shift’ (i.e. runs around a lot, normally to cover for the AWOL Johnson) he often seems like a worker-bee in a flower-free environment – lots of buzzing around, but no nectar at the end of the day.

Does Johnson really offer more going forward than one of the attacking wingers not in the side?

4. Gerrard is excelling as captain

The best player coming out of the group stages. It’s remarkable to think that giving Gerrard the captain’s armband was even in question not too long ago. He’s clearly relishing the role, and now anchored in that central role he’s delivering the goods – leading by example in each of the three games so far. Which makes you wonder why we didn’t do both things years ago.

5. Lescott has greatly exceeded expectations

With all the brouhaha about Gary Cahill’s injury and the exclusion of Rio Ferdinand from the squad, Joleen Lescott’s promotion to first team duties have gone somewhat under the radar. Which is unfortunate, as the Manchester City centre back has been an assured performer in all three matches. Given the way that England have made heavy weather of the group, no-one can claim he has yet to be properly tested. As we’re unlikely to win the tournament with attacking flair, defensive solidity is our best hope of progressing further – and Lescott has contributed as much as anyone towards that.

Written by James Albion

Anglo-Euro 2012

Posted: June 10, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Uncategorized
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Everyone’s got what they want. England once again has an Englishman, managing the national team. The fans, players, media and FA are all happy. We can rejoice.

Well actually, not quite. The Englishman now in charge, isn’t the one that the fans, players and media originally wanted. The FA threw a red herring and landed a kipper.

Harry Redknapp was the popular choice. A talented manager, who has resurrected the fortunes of Tottenham Hotspur in recent years. Redknapp, was the England manager-elect. Surprisingly ignored, when the vacancy was last available in 2008. Surely the FA wouldn’t deny good old Harry this time? Let’s just say that the FA are acutely aware, of Redknapp’s ‘extra-curricular activities’ (for want of a better term). His face just does not fit, at the Wembley headquarters. So rightly or wrongly, the FA have plumped for Roy Hodgson.

Let’s take a look at Roy Hodgson. 64 years of age. Has had an extensive club and international managerial career. Highlights include, guiding the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup, and reaching the UEFA and Europa League finals (with Inter Milan and Fulham respectively). To say that Roy Hodgson is qualified for the job of England manager, is a huge understatement. His 36 years of managerial experience testify to that. However, I can’t help thinking that the FA has got this appointment wrong, very wrong.

Imagine the scenario.

A reputable global business clinches a deal, on a brand new multi-million project. Months before the start of the project, the team leader resigns. Due to an alleged bust-up with the board. This particular team leader, was the businesses’ top salesperson, for the last 5 years. So what do the board do?

1) Do they appoint the number 2 salesperson in the company, with a slightly questionable past?

2) Or instead opt for the reliable guy who’s been with the company for 20 years, but never really amounted to much?

Ok, all this might be a little harsh on Roy. However, the rational and logic by the FA is still highly questionable. They’ve hounded out a man with a proven track record (Capello), and ignored the credentials of a suitable replacement, due to ‘off-field’ concerns. The FA believe that they’ve got their man. Most of the football fraternity think differently.

On February 8th 2012, Fabio Capello resigned as England manager. The reasons behind his resignation are still unclear. However, many believe the removal of John Terry as England captain (without Capello’s consent) was the main contributing factor. I personally like Capello. He’s a winner with a forthright opinion. Very clear on his objectives, and how he wants to go about them.

However, the media and certain sections of the English public, never quite understood Fabio. Some blamed his accent, and occasional jumbled grasp of the English language (very xenophobic in truth). Others would criticise his stand-offish nature, with the English media. It is here where Capello’s downfall started. He didn’t give the media, the sound bites they craved. They would often complain about his reported £6 million a year salary, and pick holes in his team selections, and press conferences. Capello was constantly ridiculed, and undermined.

The performances of the England team however, meant that Capello was virtually untouchable. His win percentage of 66.7%, is the highest of any England post-war manager. Like I said previously, Capello is a winner. Yes, he made mistakes. Such as some of his decisions, at the 2010 World Cup. Sources say that Capello treated the players like children. Too controlling, rigid, a disciplinarian etc. Confining them to their hotel rooms, on days off.

However, lessons were learned from that experience. Let’s not forget, it was Capello’s first foray into international tournament football. He admitted post the 2010 World Cup debacle, that change was needed. Fluidity and flexibility crept into England’s style of play, during the 2012 European championship qualifiers. We also saw a number of debutants during this time, like Jack Wilshire, Andy Carroll, Phil Jones and Danny Welbeck. Change was certainly taking place. I am sure Capello wouldn’t make the same mistakes at Euro 2012.
Unfortunately, we will never get the chance to find out.

Now England are on the eve of a major tournament, with a manager who has only had 2 games in charge. The squad has been decimated by injury, and English optimism is now at an all-time low. Could you imagine this type of disarray happening anywhere else?

So roll on Euro 2012. The nation doesn’t expect, we just hope.

Five things we really don’t want to hear at Euro 2012

Posted: May 16, 2012 by onefootinthegame in Championship, England, Euro 2012, Euros, International
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1) “England are one of five or six teams with a realistic chance”

Ever since I was old enough to comprehend a football commentary, I’ve heard this mantra intoned with a confidence normally reserved for a fundamental law of physics. So immutable is this law, that even when England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 we technically still remained “one of a handful of teams that could win it”. The fact that England have rarely troubled the latter rounds of this tournament remains an inconvenient detail which is best ignored.

2) “I don’t know much about this team.”

Little Englander attitudes have generally disappeared over the years. Globalisation has exposed us to a myriad of different cultures and broadened our horizons. However, there remains one last bastion of narrow sighted nationalism, where international ignorance is casually accepted with diffidence: football punditry.

Qualification may have finished 9 months ago, providing ample time for leisurely research, however, unfortunately our pundits will have been too busy working on their golf games than swotting up.

Players with long established careers in major European leagues like Serie A or the Bundesliga (even our boys are now aware of La Liga) will be labelled as “surprise packages” for simply having failed to make it onto Mark Lawrenson’s football radar.

And expect to hear complete ignorance of the current tactics and style of any team disguised with such blandishments as: “They always make it through” or “It wouldn’t be a tournament without them.”

3) “I just wish Italy would attack”

Usually heard on ITV, commentators and pundits bemoan that Italy, with all their talent, are never allowed off the leash. Usually followed by; “oh the Italians – so cynical and dogged in defence”. They seem to forget the 2006 semi-final, where Italy went toe to toe with Germany, and with the game stretched decided to bring on another forward rather than to shore up the midfield. Or what about the 2000 Euro final where Italy dominated the match, only to lose on a Golden Goal. It’s also worth noting that for a team supposedly obsessed by ‘catenaccio’ the Italians averaged the 3rd highest total of passes in qualifying, and usually play with 3 forwards with one of whom is Mario Balotelli. It’s not 1982, get with the script.

4)  That Denmark came off the beaches in 1992 to win the Euros

If you mention Denmark most pundits and commentators cannot avoid mentioning the beaches. You’d think the Danes victory looked like the Normandy landings, with Peter Schmeichel leading the Laudrups and trusty corporal John Jensen to battle. In reality, it was more Club 18-30, than June 1944.

Tiresomely, despite being 20 years ago, the Danes beach sortie is likely to be mentioned by pundits contractually obliged to find reasons why England could win the tournament. Yes, the Danes won the Euros, yes they’d been on holiday, but don’t let that trick you into thinking that a lack of pre-tournament expectation translates automatically to a winning formula.

5) Spain have no Plan B

A charge that English football pundits have taken to hysterically shouting at the current Spanish team a bit like that crazed bloke you get in sci-fi films who’s trying to alert the world to the fact it’s being quietly taken over by aliens. The fact remains that Spain’s Plan A has successfully secured both the last European Championship and the World Cup. The last thing we need is for Spanish football tacticians to invent an even more sophisticated plan for world domination, so for God’s sake men, stopping harping on about it.

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