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Good documentary on Euro 1996 summing up the whole feel good vibe of that summer, the luck (Spain's goal incorrectly ruled out for offside (VAR?🤔) and Gazza missing by a toenail 😢). And The birth of that song that will haunt the current and future generations until England win a big tournament. 😝

Euro 2028 perhaps? 🤞🙏
 
die_mole said:
if it wasn't for rugby highlights on YouTube leading me to British comedy I wouldn't find it so funny when England bombs out of tournaments.
Click to expand...
Is that when you're not finding it funny when USA bomb out?
 
Now Southgate has confirmed he's staying, only 3 months to go to first Euros qualifier v Italy in Naples. A very tough game there.

I suspect there will be very few changes from the team we saw v France. Maybe Phillips for Henderson.

Going forward, I would like Gareth to aim for
following starting team to play in Euros in 18 months time (assuming they qualify, which they should) but that means playing those players in between now and the Euros to give them experience:

Pickford; James, Stones, Tomori, Shaw; Bellingham, Rice, Foden; Saka, Kane, Rashford.

And also make use of subs at right times to keep or reverse momentum during matches as we saw Deschamps do in the final.

More pace at centre back - Maguire should be fazed out as a starter. Foden to come back into a deeper role in midfield, with him and Bellingham trusted to run the game and dictate England's game.

Need more depth at Striker. Kane will likely still continue and will want to redeem himself and also break the scoring record. IMO needs to temper his dropping deep into the number 10 role and trust his young Foden and Bellingham to make the play. Stay as a main striker and spend more time in the penalty box.

Otherwise of the alternatives Wilson did well at the WC and should be given more opportunities.

WC reminded me that matches are about big moments and executing in those moments, whilst also managing those moments when under the cosh. Something England have failed to do in the past and need to quickly embrace if they are to end their tournament misery.
 


Argentina losing on pens in the 2016 Copa America Final - Pre Martinez. And Messi missing the first one. So they just save it for WCs then. 🤔

Just got me thinking of England's record at major championships. Only won 2 in the major championships played - v Spain Euro 1996 and v Columbia WC 2018.
 
"UEFA should be at the governing table with us. And if they aren't, we could find investment from a country outside the EU with resources to organise a competition. I think football needs it. But I always try to create dialogue, [whether] with UEFA, LaLiga... we are open to talking."
www.espn.com

Laporta: Football 'needs' ESL to stop Prem power

Joan Laporta wants UEFA to back a European Super League because football "needs it" to stop the Premier League running away from the rest.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
someone come up with a funny ***le with Roman numerals for a Saudi funded soccer tournament
 
RIP Pelé

World Cup Yes GIF by FIFA
 
For me greatest of all time,
Played on plowed fields,
Was kicked out of 1.5 world cup,
1 copa of America.
Did what others do know without playing on a billard table and not being touched.
For me as a really non footy fan

1.Pele
2.Messi
3.Maradonna.
4.Ronaldo.
Saw him play 1972 at villa on poo patch and he was sublime.
RIP.
 
Gazza documentary on BBC iPlayer. A case study of a very talented but very messed up individual and also the part of the whole phone hacking saga of 90s and 00s. Sad indictment of the obsession with celebrity culture in this country.

All the more reason to dislike the likes of Piers Morgan Rebekah Wade, and Rupert Murdoch and confirmation that we have some of the worst press in the world.
 
Rewatched the Italy v England game from September as the first Euros qualifying match v Italy is less than 3 months away in Naples. All that was lacking v France was evident in this match: a lack of a link between midfield and attack - hence why Kane constantly had to drop deep to find the ball and no striker in the penalty box to occupy the central defenders and pin them back and score.

Crazy how England have lacked that midfield pass master. According to Southgate -England just don't produce that type of player. Gazza was one that springs to mind, but was very flawed as shown by the documentary.

Was that man who made those killer passes to Lineker in Italia 90, but summed up his career with that yellow card which ruled him out of the final. And then of course Euro 96, where he was a toe poke away from getting England to the final. But Reckless challenges which got him injured and the alcoholism wrecked his career.

Hoddle was the arsehole who ended his England career. But then he had Paul Scholes, the next pass master who did it for Man U but ultimately not in the big matches for England in the knockout matches. Apparently (according to SGE) he suffered from Asthma and could only last 60 mins in the heat of SK/Japan and Portugal. Hence why he ended his international career early. Not getting shoved out to left of midfield.

A lot has been made of Bellingham as the next great midfielder who will galvanise England in the major tournaments. He has a bit of everything to his game, and very mature for his age. But he's admitted himself that he sees himself as a number 8 or box to box midfielder and England have produced many of them in the past (Gerrard, Lampard, Robson). And none of them really took an international game by the scruff of the neck and produced those killer passes to unlock tight international defences. The type Messi produced v the Netherlands, which very few can.

Shame really. England actually winning a tournament in our lifetime would really lift the country. For that I think they will need a Great team, great manager and home advantage ala 1966. Euro 2020 (1) final was such a great opportunity missed. Next great chance Euro 2028 should UK and Eire host? But First got to qualify for the next one.
 
And Bale retires from club and international football. Who will Wales rely on now?
 

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