Quote Originally Posted by Exiletyke View Post
On my many visits to Spain I take the opportunity to watch some local football on a Sunday morning [while wife is looking round the shops]
They play on 3g or astroturf mainly & the ball is invariably played on the ground with quick passing so ypougsters are brought up on this type of game from an early age
Perhaps that has some bearing on the game from this level & is built into the national psyche
Can't comment on Croatia or Belgium
That's a decent point exile and when kids start off on the right footing it becomes natural to them because they don't know any different .

The Spanish last night weren't hitting 50 or 60 yard glory balls , just short passes based on movement and finding just enough space to operate in .

Is this really that hard to coach ? , surely not , during the semi final against Croatia I cringed with embarrassment in the second half , Modric and co had too much and yet Croatia is a small country with limited facilities and yet .....

We try to play the right way under Southgate but we still look behind the elite when it comes to keeping the ball , which is key at that level .

There's much made of the young teams representing England who have won world cups at that level but I'm still far from convinced it will lead anywhere at the highest level .