Quote Originally Posted by champs95 View Post
In no way I'm trying to get a reaction. Its just how I see it. I want to see England win a World Cup. This one was great fun. Imagine if we won it? Surely we should aspire to do that? If such a lack of talent (in your opinion) can reach a a semi at such a tender age, then let's encourage and support them to going one step futher, and winning it. That's not controversial is it?
It's just I don't believe the best way of going about it is telling them they've been brilliant. They are young professional athletes who should want to win. And as a nation we need to find a way of doing that. Blowing smoke up their arse isn't the way ....imo.
Jon Stones....excellent all tournament. Turns off for one moment in a semi final and we go out.
Do we tell him he's been brilliant and a hero?
No ....imo....He's been excellent and needs to really improve in the next 2 years as a defender so he doesn't do that in the next semi final of the next tournament.
Which I do think we have a good chance of setting our sights on. Not disappear off for 30 years in glorious failure.
I think we have a great young squad, and a really decent manager. And a great platform to build from.
But I also maintain that Croatia are pretty average and at 1-0 up we needed to put them away. We didn't. We invited them in, and blew a monumental chance of winning a WC. Because I also think France are beatable.
This may never be the case again in my lifetime?
Or we learn to take the positives of this and push on. But improve and figure out a way of getting past a semi.
At this moment in time, France and Croatia are not average.. They are the 2 best teams in the world on CURRENT form.. That is what a world cup is for, deciding these things.