European Championships, Germany 2024

[Walken]

So long as it's not channel5. Which pundits do I dislike the most, need to rack em up bbc vs itv and poll it.

The bbc have been so poor for the last few tournaments, despite the adverts ITVs coverage is way better

 

[Drico]

In 2004 and 2006 I would argue there wasn’t an outstanding team. England underachieved in those two tournaments IMO

I might have agreed with one “underachievement” but this core group flopped in 2004, 2006, 2008 (didn’t even qualify) and 2010. That’s not underachievement. That’s consistent failure. They found their collective level: competitive on a good day, but massively overrated.

 

[Billy Dean]

I might have agreed with one “underachievement” but this core group flopped in 2004, 2006, 2008 (didn’t even qualify) and 2010. That’s not underachievement. That’s consistent failure. They found their collective level: competitive on a good day, but massively overrated.

I think 2004-2008 was simply bad management. By 2010 they were mostly past their best, and Capello lost the plot a little bit in the run up to the tournament

 

[Rita_Poon]

I think 2004-2008 was simply bad management. By 2010 they were mostly past their best, and Capello lost the plot a little bit in the run up to the tournament

like man utd now, a collection of massive egos all competing with each other to be the big name, the star man, the huge cheese. team game. not enough team in those sides. the british scum press doesn't help matters.

 

[Billy Dean]

like man utd now, a collection of massive egos all competing with each other to be the big name, the star man, the huge cheese. team game. not enough team in those sides. the british scum press doesn't help matters.

Yeah I definitely think the ego side of things was a factor. But a manager with a spine wouldn’t have pandered to them so much. Sven was completely star struck IMO

 

[Drico]

I think 2004-2008 was simply bad management. By 2010 they were mostly past their best, and Capello lost the plot a little bit in the run up to the tournament

I won't argue with you. You may very well be right. But I can't help feeling that with England it is always anybody other than the players who are to blame. Whisper it: maybe English players are not as good as the hype merchants of the Premier League would have us believe. And to those who counter that these players won Champions Leagues - they did, but with many numerous quality foreign players to bring the best out in them. In the end, one has to ask if these English players were so good individually, why didn't they win some Ballons d'Or? Only Michael Owen managed that.

This summer is a big summer for England. Gareth Southgate is likely to be scapegoated as England managers always are, but these players need to be good enough to win despite the manager.

 

[LEONARD]

Enjoy it every one, but I will be watching the cricket.

 

[DualityNSNO]

Hope England fail in a funny way, again.

 

[Moomin]

It's coming home.

 

[Billy Dean]

I won't argue with you. You may very well be right. But I can't help feeling that with England it is always anybody other than the players who are to blame. Whisper it: maybe English players are not as good as the hype merchants of the Premier League would have us believe. And to those who counter that these players won Champions Leagues - they did, but with many numerous quality foreign players to bring the best out in them. In the end, one has to ask if these English players were so good individually, why didn't they win some Ballons d'Or? Only Michael Owen managed that.

This summer is a big summer for England. Gareth Southgate is likely to be scapegoated as England managers always are, but these players need to be good enough to win despite the manager.

Yeah they were definitely over hyped but at the same time there were no teams that you could say they were clearly worse than. Sven was a bit star struck and just put the 11 biggest names on the pitch and hoped for the best. Players like Michael Carrick or Owen Hargreaves would’ve given the team more balance but were underused. But yes they certainly had no divine right to win anything

 

[Brett Angell Delight]

A summer of footy and not an Everton in sight. We’re all winners, here.

 

[Drico]

Yeah they were definitely over hyped but at the same time there were no teams that you could say they were clearly worse than. Sven was a bit star struck and just put the 11 biggest names on the pitch and hoped for the best. Players like Michael Carrick or Owen Hargreaves would’ve given the team more balance but were underused. But yes they certainly had no divine right to win anything

Paul Scholes - the one English player other than Rooney who would genuinely have gotten into the France, Spain, Germany, or Italy sides - was criminally underused. Gerrard and Lampard - the types of English midfielders that English football prefers - were always given priority, yet neither could run a game. And that's what it's about at international level: running the game like Xavi, Modric, Pirlo, or Kroos. In this sense, the omission of Scholes WAS about the manager. England had the right player, for once, but didn't use him.

For all their swashbuckling ability, Gerrard and Lampard were nowhere the class of Zidane, Figo, Nedved, Pirlo, or Modric, most of whom destroyed England at one time or another, with one or both of those in the side. Yet they were elevated by the hype merchants. Scholes and Rooney were the true English street footballers that belonged somewhere in that company. One was underappreciated and underused, the other never did it in major tournaments unless he was an Everton player. Alex Ferguson was allowed to get away with prioritising club over country in a way that, say, the Germans would not allow with one of their superstars. But that's the culture of the Premier League overwhelming the needs of the national game, once again. That's a bigger impediment to the English national team's chances of success than whatever limitations people think England managers have, in my view.

 

[barneygumble]

Looking forward to it now; arrive into Frankfurt in 37 days.

Hopefully meet up with a few blues when over there.

Going to be a belting tournament!

 

[Billy Dean]

Paul Scholes - the one English player other than Rooney who would genuinely have gotten into the France, Spain, Germany, or Italy sides - was criminally underused. Gerrard and Lampard - the types of English midfielders that English football prefers - were always given priority, yet neither could run a game. And that's what it's about at international level: running the game like Xavi, Modric, Pirlo, or Kroos. In this sense, the omission of Scholes WAS about the manager. England had the right player, for once, but didn't use him.

For all their swashbuckling ability, Gerrard and Lampard were nowhere the class of Zidane, Figo, Nedved, Pirlo, or Modric, most of whom destroyed England at one time or another, with one or both of those in the side. Yet they were elevated by the hype merchants. Scholes and Rooney were the true English street footballers that belonged somewhere in that company. One was underappreciated and underused, the other never did it in major tournaments unless he was an Everton player. Alex Ferguson was allowed to get away with prioritising club over country in a way that, say, the Germans would not allow with one of their superstars. But that's the culture of the Premier League overwhelming the needs of the national game, once again. That's a bigger impediment to the English national team's chances of success than whatever limitations people think England managers have, in my view.

Scholes rarely performed for Sven’s England. Sven couldn’t be bothered coming up with a system that would’ve got the best out of him. Ironically when he got pushed out to the left in Euro 2004 that was the best he’s played for England in years

 

[helpimonfire]

As Sweden did not Qualify I shall cheer on the mighty Danes.

France will probably win it, Italy are over priced.