Football writers on SSN last night

[New York Red]

Henry Winter and all those other t*rds last night were going on about how bad Sven was (agreed), and that he'd blown the chance for the "Golden Generation" to win the World Cup.

 

What a lot of cr*p. I'd like to remind them about where we were when Sven took over. Keegan bottled it after losing to Germany at Wembley. The team was in complete disarray. Dennis Wise was a regular and Gareth Southgate was in midfield.

 

Nobody thought at that time that England would do anything for years let alone be the Golden Generation.

 

Sven was far from perfect, but let's be honest. England were total rubbish when he took over and they are in better shape now than then.

[Stevie H]

Henry Winter and all those other t*rds last night were going on about how bad Sven was (agreed), and that he'd blown the chance for the "Golden Generation" to win the World Cup.

 

What a lot of cr*p. I'd like to remind them about where we were when Sven took over. Keegan bottled it after losing to Germany at Wembley. The team was in complete disarray. Dennis Wise was a regular and Gareth Southgate was in midfield.

 

Nobody thought at that time that England would do anything for years let alone be the Golden Generation.

 

Sven was far from perfect, but let's be honest. England were total rubbish when he took over and they are in better shape now than then.

 

don't think they're any further down the line nor any closer to winning a tournament than they were when sven took over to be honest.

 

agree that the 'golden generation' is a load of crap though.

[DanielS]

I don't, in all honesty and without any intent to try and be funny, think that any of the people I have met off this forum could have done worse with the England squad that Sven eventually assembled. I have no idea why he got it wrong, but he was completely incompetent with the squad he brought together. The thing Sven did get right was picking a better squad than most of his predecessors.

I have a feeling that he didn't have as much to do with who played as he would like though...

[Ripley]

Henry Winter and all those other t*rds last night were going on about how bad Sven was (agreed), and that he'd blown the chance for the "Golden Generation" to win the World Cup.

 

What a lot of cr*p. I'd like to remind them about where we were when Sven took over. Keegan bottled it after losing to Germany at Wembley. The team was in complete disarray. Dennis Wise was a regular and Gareth Southgate was in midfield.

 

Nobody thought at that time that England would do anything for years let alone be the Golden Generation.

 

Sven was far from perfect, but let's be honest. England were total rubbish when he took over and they are in better shape now than then.

Why not judge him by where they are from his own first competitive match than Keegan's last, shambolic one?

 

The Portugal game on Saturday was little different to the Germany game that terminated Keegan. The fact is, he has had one high point against a shocking German team and went backwards thereafter. Let's not forget it was not so much Beckham's last minute free-kick against Greece that sent England to the finals without the worry of the play-offs, as that same Germany's inability to beat mighty Finland at home on the same day.

 

We know who reached the final nevertheless. And may well do again.

 

Manufactured expectations

Media madness surrounding Rooney

John f***ing Motson

Flags on cars

Loud renditions of God Save the Queen by the likes of Terry, Beckham and Lampard (good lad, Gary Neville)

 

For Dennis Wise in the team and Gareth Southgate in midfield, read David Beckham in the team and Rooney a lone striker. So, not much difference really.

 

France expected f*** all and bugger me, they can still win it. And I'd bet the farm on their WAGs being more intelligent and better looking than "our" lot.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Ripley

[McBain]

They aren't a golden generation. but he did have at his disposal the most talented group of players i've seen in my time watching England. Which isn't that long perhaps but still

 

I still find it astounding just how truly awful he managed to get them playing. If he did it on purpose I could understand it. But to know he spent 6 years with those players trying to make it work, and after 6 years to perform as they did in the WC. Amazing

 

No leadership, no confidence, no basic plan, no plan b, no pace, the inability to pass the ball forward without losing it, and the best midfielder in the world playing like he's scared to make a mistake

 

And all that's without even mentioning Beckham. The show pony of a joke of a footballer

[Knox_Harrington]

And I'd bet the farm on their WAGs being more intelligent and better looking than "our" lot.

And not becoming the bulls*** tabloid imaging whoring sideshow to the main attraction, roll up, roll up, see the great disappearing man Mr F Lampard, that the English ones managed to achieve.

 

If anything ever needed a Glengarry Glen Ross Alec Baldwin it's the England team explaining that wives and girlfriends are for closers only.

[Ripley]

If anything ever needed a Glengarry Glen Ross Alec Baldwin it's the England team explaining that wives and girlfriends are for closers only.

You've done it now. I'm off to get the video off the shelf.

 

Maybe Lampard didn't get the GOOD leads.

[Benzo-13]

It's a known fact women weaken legs (as Mickey said in Rocky), it's bizarre they weren't seperated for the tournaments duration..

 

If I was coming back from training and Ms. Tweedy had her a**e in the air and legs apart etc. I wouldn't be able to stand never mind run.

Edited July 3, 2006 by Benzo-13

[Guest Red Mist]

He took over from a crap bunch of players, so it's wrong to say he inherited the 'golden generation'. However some of the most talented English players have emerged during Sven's time in charge and he hasn't made the most of their talents. He's been an overwhelming failure.

[Rimbeux]

He's indulged a group of players hyped and paid beyond their ability, addicted to the celebrity. There was the bones of a very good football team, that with proper focus on winning football matches rather than fulfilling some deserved individual destiny, they had a good chance. When faced with the task in hand, they froze, with poor preparation, focus, and over-inflated expectation.

[New York Red]

I was more p*ssed off at the writers to be honest. The Golden Generation is bullsh*t. Nobody expected them to be a great team when Sven took over.

 

But, he is absolutely useless there is no doubt. A passionless, self-centred fraud is what he is. I really expected more from this lot this time around.

 

And by the way, does anyone think that one writer (for the Sunday people I think) looks like Tommy Cooper?

Edited July 3, 2006 by New York Red

[Benzo-13]

He's indulged a group of players hyped and paid beyond their ability, addicted to the celebrity. There was the bones of a very good football team, that with proper focus on winning football matches rather than fulfilling some deserved individual destiny, they had a good chance. When faced with the task in hand, they froze, with poor preparation, focus, and over-inflated expectation.

 

Your dead right. The completely missed the age old adage of earning what you get.

Some of their heads are so far up their own rectum though so it wasn't all that surprising plus the preparation was mind-blowingly bad. All those friendlies to rely on a perfume seller, a crocked thug, an injury ravaged shell and a player with an ego so inflated that he honestly thinks he's earned everyone's respect - how?

Edited July 3, 2006 by Benzo-13

[RP]

I disagree - everyone has known for years that this should be the tournament for this group of players - yes the "Golden Generation" is a lazy media tag, but it was based on fact. The current generation of English players in their peak years is as good as anything that the country has seen for a very long time.

 

And all Englishmen should say thanks to Sven for f***ing it all up to an astonishing degree - takes some real doing that, to never look like a team (barring one game in Munich nearly five years ago, which was a Liverpool performance anyway, f*** all to do with that d***head).

[Knox_Harrington]

I disagree - everyone has known for years that this should be the tournament for this group of players - yes the "Golden Generation" is a lazy media tag, but it was based on fact. The current generation of English players in their peak years is as good as anything that the country has seen for a very long time.

 

And all Englishmen should say thanks to Sven for f***ing it all up to an astonishing degree - takes some real doing that, to never look like a team (barring one game in Munich nearly five years ago, which was a Liverpool performance anyway, f*** all to do with that d***head).

I'd agree with that and say there was genuine depth beyond (and not including some of) the 23 he went for.

[Ombudsam]

We didn't play very well did we.

[Knox_Harrington]

We didn't play very well did we.

England didn't perform from 2002 onwards and it was continually apologised for with a variety of excuses. No one taking the right amount of responsibility.

[Ombudsam]

I think the manager had a decent record but over 6 years he should have produced a team which could play better than that. The players are also the ones actually on the pitch and they could have done more. The media need to stop overhyping some players and sticking the boot into others. I thought the only squads better than ours were the big two's but they're out. At the end of the day our performances ranked us lucky to be in the top 8.

 

Guttening for me, I thought we might stand a chance this time.

[Knox_Harrington]

I thought the only squads better than ours were the big two's but they're out.

Potential squad maybe. Include SWP, Nolan, Barton, Reo-Coker, Ashton, Defoe/Bent/Johnson and then you're getting somewhere. Not to mention a fit Ledley King.

 

The Italian squad has looked very strong.