Euro 2016

[TheSage]

We should be doing better but we've never cracked it since 1966 when we were playing at home, save the odd decent effort on rare occasions. You would think that a better manager might do the trick but we've tried many since 66 and got nowhere.

 

Are the players burnt out? Are we the only league not to have a winter break and play so many matches every season?

 

Has money become the root of all evil now and players are more bothered about the Champions League and club football than England?

 

Do we invest in enough coaches and bring up players the right way?

 

It seems to me that we are still behind the better teams in technical ability, the odd exception apart. Their lads can kill a ball, control it easily and pass it accurately, run off the ball more intelligently and all the other things we expect of top class footballers.

 

At one time our superior fitness and strength gave us an advantage but not any more. Teams can match us now for that.

 

Above all, has the Premiership killed the national team as everything now revolves around Sky, money and the gravy train, and clubs come first now.

 

I think if you picked two top Premiership teams you would struggle to fit in one English player out of 22. Is that the real problem? We are now picking from a smaller pool of players and English lads don't get the same chances as they did in the past.

 

Answers on a postcard to our useless FA at Lancaster Gate.

[davidatpreston]

We should be doing better but we've never cracked it since 1966 when we were playing at home, save the odd decent effort on rare occasions. You would think that a better manager might do the trick but we've tried many since 66 and got nowhere.

 

Are the players burnt out? Are we the only league not to have a winter break and play so many matches every season? To some extent, yes

 

 

Has money become the root of all evil now and players are more bothered about the Champions League and club football than England?

 

Yes , Sky and others to blame, including the FA, UEFA and FIFA.

 

But whatever the players think, many FANS - and this is controversial but Im convince it is true - are now MUCH more interested in their club than their national team. There is nothing wrong with this in my opinion- place of birth is random, choice of club is deliberate after all - and I would rather Vale get promotion than England win the World Cup, probably I'd settle for a Vale cup semi-final than a WC win for England. This is the same for many people.

 

Do we invest in enough coaches and bring up players the right way?

 

Can you interfere with an individuals life to 'bring them up' a certain way? Who is to say what is the right way ?

 

It seems to me that we are still behind the better teams in technical ability, the odd exception apart. Their lads can kill a ball, control it easily and pass it accurately, run off the ball more intelligently and all the other things we expect of top class footballers.

 

At one time our superior fitness and strength gave us an advantage but not any more. Teams can match us now for that.

 

Above all, has the Premiership killed the national team as everything now revolves around Sky, money and the gravy train, and clubs come first now.

 

I don't mind clubs coming before the national team if all clubs are treated equally, but the Sky money is doing far more than that - it is only for the megarich and that is the real issue and diisgrace.

 

I think if you picked two top Premiership teams you would struggle to fit in one English player out of 22. Is that the real problem? We are now picking from a smaller pool of players and English lads don't get the same chances as they did in the past.

 

People seem to want the worlds best players in the PL. I have mixed feelings on if this is good, but you surely can't have both, and could you be sure 'English lads' would prosper with less outside players or would the level of skill etc in the PL just drop, as 'English lads' more often than not play computer games and don't kick a ball around any more.

[geosname]

I think england have good players they just cant put together a good team

[For Us All]

If we don't know our best team going into a tournament and worse still we don't have a system of playing it's not going to go well.

[Fosse69]

David at Preston, your comment

 

 

Surely those are the basics to be taught through school etc in sequence, by proper coaches. Kids certainly seem more interested in ball control and tricks that they have seen on TV than in my day when it was kicking a casey around spare ground between jackets. So maybe there is a future. Perhaps the FA should organize academies away from the Prem, and allocate the gradutes to the Championship or L1: depending on appearances, fees to passed back to the FA to repay the education costs.

[Fosse69]

I think england have good players they just cant put together a good team

Qualifying usually takes a couple of years, so pick the team and let them play together, not chop and change just before the competition unless you have to due to injury. Even then replace players with ones of a similar style, ageing players learning

a new role should not do it in a international competition.

[davidatpreston]

David at Preston, your comment

 

 

Surely those are the basics to be taught through school etc in sequence, by proper coaches. Kids certainly seem more interested in ball control and tricks that they have seen on TV than in my day when it was kicking a casey around spare ground between jackets. So maybe there is a future. Perhaps the FA should organize academies away from the Prem, and allocate the gradutes to the Championship or L1: depending on appearances, fees to passed back to the FA to repay the education costs.

 

Hi Fosse69,

It seems things are getting a bit mixed up here. What you quoted as mine above was actually written by Old Sage and quoted by me - apologies, probably my fault for not making it clear in the post my words were the BOLD type, his originals not in bold.

Doesn't matter much, just wanted to point it out.

All the best, David.

 

 

re the rest of the Euros -

 

Im hoping for Portugal to shine and Ronaldo to show us his best

Germany v Italy....would be wonderful if Italy could sneak it, I expect ET/Pens

Wales...wonderful effort but cant see them stopping a very good Belgian side

Same for Iceland, who will push France but find the home crowd too much.

 

So Im going for Portugal,. Italy, Belgium, and France.

Probably miles out, and Germany losing is asking a lot, but.....

 

anyone else care to predict 90 min results and the 4 to go through ?

[Aussie Rules]

Not too sure about predicting the final 4 David, but if my memory still ticks in my dotage years Football 2016 will be remembered for 2 especial reasons - Leicester City and Iceland :)

[davidatpreston]

Not too sure about predicting the final 4 David, but if my memory still ticks in my dotage years Football 2016 will be remembered for 2 especial reasons - Leicester City and Iceland :)

 

Can we make that 3 by adding Vale for going right to the top of the league at the end of the year with the influx of new boss and a 'conveyer belt of talent' thrilling fans as Vale Park rocks with classy, high-tempo football and Vale get win after win.:porto vale:

[Aussie Rules]

Can we make that 3 by adding Vale for going right to the top of the league at the end of the year with the influx of new boss and a 'conveyer belt of talent' thrilling fans as Vale Park rocks with classy, high-tempo football and Vale get win after win.:porto vale:

 

A tad previous David, but hopefully :bruno: too :)

[davidatpreston]

A tad previous David, but hopefully :bruno: too :)

 

Yes, good wishes for success and just as importantly, an enjoyable stay at Vale Park for:bruno:

 

[Aussie Rules]

Right now Germany is my pick for Euro2016. They seem to in cruise control at this point in time. Still, it's about what happens in their next game as to whether they stay or leave :D

 

Sorry, couldn't resist :)

[Bea Smith]

[

 

There is a thread for next England manager. that's 8 posts in a row that are on that subject not Euro2016, - would it please perhaps be possible for Admintyo move these as Euro016 is still rather interesting to most of us. Thanks

[Bea Smith]

I rather think messrs Nani and Ronaldo might have something to say about Poland being tipped to win tonight.

[Bea Smith]

[

 

There is a thread for next England manager. that's 8 posts in a row that are on that subject not Euro2016, - would it please perhaps be possible for Admintyo move these as Euro016 is still rather interesting to most of us. Thanks