Why Are England So S hit?

[peterknowlesburnside]

I was reading a piece by Martin Swain in the E+S last night on this subject and it was very depressing. He was basically saying England are so far away from the top world teams that there isn't much hope. On a personal level I would say that the race we are most likened to in the whole world is the Germans. They have won three World Cups, been beaten finalists four times, and even got third place four times. They have been semi-finalists in the last four World Cups. None of those German sides (and I have been watching them for 50 years) have been spectacular to watch. So what is it that they are doing right and we are doing wrong?

[JonDeWolf]

Lack of belief- the likes of Germany never walk out expecting to lose

Lack of team ethic- supposedly 'inferior' teams like Costa Rica progress by working their asses off as a team

Lack of desire- they're already rolling in money so what's their incentive- nothing like the patriotism shown by the likes of Brazil, Chile, etc

[1877wolf]

Lack of belief- the likes of Germany never walk out expecting to lose

Lack of team ethic- supposedly 'inferior' teams like Costa Rica progress by working their asses off as a team

Lack of desire- they're already rolling in money so what's their incentive- nothing like the patriotism shown by the likes of Brazil, Chile, etc

Great post that sums it all up in a nutshell.

[wolves71]

Added to what JDW has posted, Germany have a winning mentality and know how to close games down. If they do fail, they look at ways of re-inventing their football philosophy. Starting with coaching and also blooding players in and giving them tournament experience at U21 level. All the German players are good technically.

[1877wolf]

Also, we haven't learnt to dive and feign injury yet at international level.
Arjen Robben makes me sick, Klinsmann was the same.

FIFA probably claim it is "part of the game".

[theplater]

Simple! The system, compounded by the expectation!

Swain has written nothing new to what many of us have been banging on about for, at least, the last 4 years!

Actually, at the minute we're not so far in the mire as some of you seem to think we are!

[theplater]

Simple! The system, compounded by the expectation!

Swain has written nothing new to what many of us have been banging on about for, at least, the last 4 years!

Actually, at the minute we're not so far in the mire as some of you seem to think we are!

Ok! Here's a couple of things to think about.

Just after we'd lost to Uraguay, and were almost certain to go home without getting out of the group stages I wrote a post saying there were some positives to take out of this tournament. I stand by everything I said! Infact I'll go a bit further!

I think to some extent some of the gap that was a mile wide between us and the rest of the best after South Africa has narrowed, not because we've necessarily improved but because some of the rest haven't only not improved but have actually got less talent available now than we thought they would have.

Look at Brazil? No way is their squad on a par of that a decade ago! Germany? A Country I agree we should base our blueprint on for the future o

[TundraWolf]

I will throw out my observations and hope someone else can respond to it through expansion or criticism.

England's footballers would seem to have the following priorities:

1) the individual;
2) salary/money;
3) club;
4) country.

Pts 2 & 3 expand on pt 1, inasmuch as each player looks after themselves and see success in their well publicized salaries...relative to their peers. Thus a competition is bred amongst and between fellow footballers as to one's personal accomplishments, who has the bigger salary, and which club can they jump to who is willing to top their present offer more!

Take these spoiled, narcissistic, self-centred louts and every four years attempt to whip them into a self-less, team of players willing to sacrifice for others...sorry, can't be done.

Until one's country is placed before their selfish interests then we will be stuck with a group of self-centred narcissists who cannot see beyond their personal fame and fortune! And, thus, will never bring 100% of thems

[JonDeWolf]

Personally I'd say it was unfair to include Belgium as under-achievers- yes they've inherited the lazy journalistic header 'Golden Generation' but for all but Van Buyten, this is their first experience of tournament football- the trick will be how they take it forwards from here. At Euro 2016, Origi and Januzaj will be the grand old age of 21, Lukaku 23, Hazard and Benteke 25- even Kompany will only be 30. They're also currently under a rookie manager in Wilmots- should they decide to change they'll attract bigger and more experienced managers and as long they're not called Eriksson or Capello they should improve the team. We'll see but quarters for first time out isn't too bad.

Briefly back to England... expectation ? I think in the past I'd have agreed but this tournament had probably the lowest expectations of an England team in a finals tournament I can remember. Didn't make much difference.

[Stourportwolf]

[quote="theplater"]Simple! The system, compounded by the expectation!

Swain has written nothing new to what many of us have been banging on about for, at least, the last 4 years!

Actually, at the minute we're not so far in the mire as some of you seem to think we are!

Ok! Here's a couple of things to think about.

Just after we'd lost to Uraguay, and were almost certain to go home without getting out of the group stages I wrote a post saying there were some positives to take out of this tournament. I stand by everything I said! Infact I'll go a bit further!

I think to some extent some of the gap that was a mile wide between us and the rest of the best after South Africa has narrowed, not because we've necessarily improved but because some of the rest haven't only not improved but have actually got less talent available now than we thought they would have.

Look at Brazil? No way is their squad on a par of that a decade ago! Germany? A Country I agree w