Name the manager who..

[flourbasher]

OK Patts.
You usually post some good stuff on here and some of it quite amusing but I still think you,re being very harsh with this one.

I'll leave you with one last thought before I go and do something else with my evening.
England,s performances and achievements in Russia are light years ahead of Brazil only 4 yrs ago and the Euro,s only 2 yrs ago. Perhaps the World Cup final and winning it were just a step too far considering where we were in recent times.

A bit like RUFC in the c,ship capitulation season compared to last season.

[Pattylallacks2]

I may be being a bit harsh Flour, and do actually care very much about the national side. However, since 1966 supporting England has usually been 4 years of hope and expectation followed by 2 weeks disappointment. Don't see things changing in the foreseeable future but you never know.

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

I may be being a bit harsh Flour, and do actually care very much about the national side. However, since 1966 supporting England has usually been 4 years of hope and expectation followed by 2 weeks disappointment. Don't see things changing in the foreseeable future but you never know.

Enjoy it while you can.

We've peaked, this is the highest we will ever get.

[DaveyJohn]

I may be being a bit harsh Flour, and do actually care very much about the national side. However, since 1966 supporting England has usually been 4 years of hope and expectation followed by 2 weeks disappointment. Don't see things changing in the foreseeable future but you never know.

What you're saying is very accurate but harsh in many respects. This World Cup has felt different, it's felt fresh. I don't feel angry at the whole set up like I did in 2014 and 2010.

For years I've felt a bit indifferent to the England side. I've still watched every game, supported them, but felt like the players didn't give a toss. Turning down international call ups, playing to avoid injury, it all felt very stale for so long.

It's become a cliche but Southgate seems to have brought some passion and humility back into the England set up and as a result the fans have started to reconnect with them.

Did I get caught up in the carnival atmosphere this last fortnight? Yes. Did I feel a genuine excitement and pride at watching England play again? Yes. Did it feel good seeing so much of the country show their support and excitement? Yes! Did I REALLY think it was coming home? No. Just like 1990 I thought England would find a way to lose a match they could have won and we'd rue all the missed chances and speculate on the what ifs (no doubt we have years of clip shows and interviews to come). Did it feel painful when we lost? Yes. But was the whole experience enjoyable? Of course it was, and thats what football is all about. We follow the game because we enjoy it and for the first time in a decade I'm enjoying watching England again.

I doubt I'll ever see us win a World Cup, but if thats all what mattered I'd apply for Brazilian or French citizenship. Do I feel silly for singing "It's coming home" and other songs that allude to us winning something? Of course not, it'd be a pretty boring singalong if the lyrics were about expecting us to qualify from the group and maybe winning a penalty shootout. I'm sure when Peruvians and Koreans were singing their hearts out they weren't chanting "lets hope we don't finish bottom of the group!" or "we're gonna get a respectable goal difference!"

I'm not expecting Southgates "revolution" to bear lots of fruit but if the next Euro's or World Cup are half as good as this one then I'll happily spend a few weeks in cloud cuckooland

[Grist_To_The_Mill]

What you're saying is very accurate but harsh in many respects. This World Cup has felt different, it's felt fresh. I don't feel angry at the whole set up like I did in 2014 and 2010.

For years I've felt a bit indifferent to the England side. I've still watched every game, supported them, but felt like the players didn't give a toss. Turning down international call ups, playing to avoid injury, it all felt very stale for so long.

It's become a cliche but Southgate seems to have brought some passion and humility back into the England set up and as a result the fans have started to reconnect with them.

Did I get caught up in the carnival atmosphere this last fortnight? Yes. Did I feel a genuine excitement and pride at watching England play again? Yes. Did it feel good seeing so much of the country show their support and excitement? Yes! Did I REALLY think it was coming home? No. Just like 1990 I thought England would find a way to lose a match they could have won and we'd rue all the missed chances and speculate on the what ifs (no doubt we have years of clip shows and interviews to come). Did it feel painful when we lost? Yes. But was the whole experience enjoyable? Of course it was, and thats what football is all about. We follow the game because we enjoy it and for the first time in a decade I'm enjoying watching England again.

I doubt I'll ever see us win a World Cup, but if thats all what mattered I'd apply for Brazilian or French citizenship. Do I feel silly for singing "It's coming home" and other songs that allude to us winning something? Of course not, it'd be a pretty boring singalong if the lyrics were about expecting us to qualify from the group and maybe winning a penalty shootout. I'm sure when Peruvians and Koreans were singing their hearts out they weren't chanting "lets hope we don't finish bottom of the group!" or "we're gonna get a respectable goal difference!"

I'm not expecting Southgates "revolution" to bear lots of fruit but if the next Euro's or World Cup are half as good as this one then I'll happily spend a few weeks in cloud cuckooland

Some good points there.

Note also that some teams have found success by putting in "citizens" born in their ex colonies.

Our ex colonies tend to be non football countries, so we don't have that supply route.

[flourbasher]

Yes France being a prime example

[Pattylallacks2]

Well, England have the chance today to do something they haven't done since 1966 and that is to beat a decent team in the later stages of the World Cup.

[Pattylallacks2]

Oh well, best not be critical we don't want to be accused of being unfair or unpatriotic do we?

[animallittle3]

Make no mistake about it this was an opportunity lost .

The draw opened up which wasn't of our making and you can only beat what is put in front of you which kind of makes this even more disappointing .

Factor in we were a goal up and bossing the semi final it really drives it home the opportunity we have let slip .

Southgate knows it and the players deep down know it .

Croatia were better because we let them be better , Kane puts that away which in a PL game he would have done and then it's a totally diffferent scenario .

They don't press and we play on the counter and pick them off .

Unbelievably disappointment to be honest , should have made the final , it was all set up for them .

[Pattylallacks2]

Germany will be absolutely ruthless following their dismal performances and will start rebuilding immediately for the Euros and the next World Cup. Spain, Argentina and Brazil will come back stronger. Animal is right we will never get a better opportunity than the one we have just blown. We desperately need to unearth some new diamonds but with the Premiership dominated by foreign stars I don't know where they will come from. Southgate will become a better manager but he is not the Messiah and won't be able to work any more miracles in the future than he has this time round.