Raheem Sterling - deluded or just stupid?

[Elite_Pie]

So the legend that is the great Raheem Sterling has decided the reason we don't do well in major tournaments is down to the fans. So it's nothing to do with overpaid, overrated and gutless tw@ts like you Raheem who play like little girls in an England shirt, it's the fans who are at fault. Apparently we need to "give them more love" in Russia, and then they'll perform better. I don't think many nations are better supported at these big events than England, but that support is repaid by pathetic performances like the one against Iceland (you were especially sh!t Raheem), where they beat us simply because they wanted it far, far more than our 'superstars' did. I used to be a passionate England supporter, but prima donnas like this mega-rich deluded arsehole have left me with a sense of indifference.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43547567

[legs77]

The main reason is we just aren’t good enough I think most people can see that and we always play such a negative style my attitude is just have a go and if you lose then you lose having Woy certainly didn’t help how he managed to stay for as long as he did was incredible.

As for the money side they don’t get paid a lot to play for England so it’s not that and after all they could just “retire” from international football Raheem does come across as thick/arrogant but he is still a kid in reality and the stick he took as a 19-20 year old won’t help him just because he is a millionaire doesn’t mean he is super confident.

In saying all this the only time I bother watching internationals is when it’s the World Cup or Euros cannot be bothered with friendlies completely pointless and you can tell nobody really wants to play in them

[jackal2]

To answer your question, Raheem is deluded and stupid.

The true reason England consistently fail in major tournaments is because we give away possession too easily and have to work harder than most other teams to get it back. If you're playing a game every four or five days, that's going to catch up with you by the time you get past the group stages (if you get that far) and the opposition gets progressively tougher. It's no coincidence that the most successful teams of recent years like Germany, Brazil and Spain are very efficient in possession, letting the ball do the work.

England might have a slightly better chance in Russia because the climate is relatively cool. In the warmer and/or higher altitude countries we're knackered by the second week.

[i961pie]

So the legend that is the great Raheem Sterling has decided the reason we don't do well in major tournaments is down to the fans. So it's nothing to do with overpaid, overrated and gutless tw@ts like you Raheem who play like little girls in an England shirt, it's the fans who are at fault. Apparently we need to "give them more love" in Russia, and then they'll perform better. I don't think many nations are better supported at these big events than England, but that support is repaid by pathetic performances like the one against Iceland (you were especially sh!t Raheem), where they beat us simply because they wanted it far, far more than our 'superstars' did. I used to be a passionate England supporter, but prima donnas like this mega-rich deluded arsehole have left me with a sense of indifference.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43547567

You will get splinters in yer @rse EP sitting on the fence, come out and say what you mean man

[queenslandpie]

So the legend that is the great Raheem Sterling has decided the reason we don't do well in major tournaments is down to the fans. So it's nothing to do with overpaid, overrated and gutless tw@ts like you Raheem who play like little girls in an England shirt, it's the fans who are at fault. Apparently we need to "give them more love" in Russia, and then they'll perform better. I don't think many nations are better supported at these big events than England, but that support is repaid by pathetic performances like the one against Iceland (you were especially sh!t Raheem), where they beat us simply because they wanted it far, far more than our 'superstars' did. I used to be a passionate England supporter, but prima donnas like this mega-rich deluded arsehole have left me with a sense of indifference.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43547567

Whilst I dont like the guy his comments are a bit more general than just pointing to fans. The biggest problem is actually the media if you are going to get onto the criticism side of it who look for any possible angle to drag the team down at precisely the wrong time each and every tournament.

[ncfcog]

I currently have absolutely no time for the national team. I also have no time for the premier league and the money involved in the game.

I have to agree with EP, there was a time I was very passionate about the national team also, but now I really couldn't give a hoot and it is Sterling and his ilk that have made me feel that way.

[Notts78]

To answer your question, Raheem is deluded and stupid.

The true reason England consistently fail in major tournaments is because we give away possession too easily and have to work harder than most other teams to get it back. If you're playing a game every four or five days, that's going to catch up with you by the time you get past the group stages (if you get that far) and the opposition gets progressively tougher. It's no coincidence that the most successful teams of recent years like Germany, Brazil and Spain are very efficient in possession, letting the ball do the work.

England might have a slightly better chance in Russia because the climate is relatively cool. In the warmer and/or higher altitude countries we're knackered by the second week.

Have you got the stats to back this up?
Portugal had the 12th highest of 24 teams in terms of possession, and won the championship.
This was in the same season that Leicester City won the league with less than 40% possession.
England had loads of possession, in fact Roy, much to my annoyance would always mention it.
You can have all the possession in the world but if it is ineffective possession, which is where England are guilty, it’s pointless. Keeping possession for possession sake by passing back and side ways is not the way to go. So I don’t agree with your point about possession, we have enough.
However, England’s problems are more to do with our technical shortfalls. Our inability to take a man on. Our inability to create space.
We don’t have that one player that has the X factor like all the top sides do that can do something magical to change a game, despite what our media says.
We seem to be pinning our hopes on Harry Kane who looked like he forgot how to play football in the last tournament.
England need to create there own identity instead of wanting to be like Spain. We need the players we have to play like a team, with the English bulldog spirit. Play at pace. Get into the oppositions faces. Be like a typical Premiership side. I think any reasonable fan would appreciate if the players looked like they at least tried.

[sidders]

England might have a slightly better chance in Russia because the climate is relatively cool says JACKAL2. Well, it certainly will be cool especially towards England. In fact, with today's expulsions of embassy staffs, the World Cup is looking increasingly at risk. Right now, the world is a very dangerous place. The fact that Russia as a team are pants might make the mighty Vlad think he has nothing to lose.

To a large extent I agree with Elite on the substance of his post. 'Pound' Sterling (as I have always labelled him), is in no position to call for love and understanding because of his attitude on and off the field.
However, fans are quick to side against England and feel the hurt long before it's actually there. On one level Pound is simply saying 'give us a chance and we might have one'. Certainly some of the movement against the Dutch looked promising. Let's see if the Italians can smother the English game and nick a winner in time-honoured style. After all, they won't be in Russia so England would be a worthy scalp.

[DomdomPie]

You only have to look at the comments section beneath any England story on any website to see the negativity he's talking about. I don't know why anyone would play for England with all the abuse they get.

The media don't help of course... You only have to look at the difference between the Welsh & English performances in the Euros. Wales played like they had a whole nation behind them; England played against Iceland like they could already see the headlines back home. I've never seen grown men look so terrified... and I don't believe it was the opposition that scared them.

I think the future of the England team looks really bright. The youth teams are winning things left, right and centre AND young players are now getting game time at the likes of Dortmund, Vitesse, Mönchengladbach as well as the English leagues. This World Cup has come too soon, but if we put in some good performances I hope we can at least start to put the last decade or so of bitterness & disappointment behind us.

[Elite_Pie]

The media don't help of course... You only have to look at the difference between the Welsh & English performances in the Euros. Wales played like they had a whole nation behind them; England played against Iceland like they could already see the headlines back home. I've never seen grown men look so terrified... and I don't believe it was the opposition that scared them.

If these "grown men" really were so terrified by a possible media reaction then they should never wear an England shirt again. Maybe a radical idea, but how about they man up instead of being terrified and bust a gut to ram those words right back down the media's throats?