England

Post by **PeteC** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 10:53 pm

The star player who is out with a bad 6 month leg injury is named Cole, right? I seem to remember another star named Cole on a past England Cup team, or at least with a premiership team. I think he was black though? What's happened to him? Pete

Post by **roberto** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:31 am

Well it looks like the cup is coming home but only if you live in Munich or Rio

Post by **Wanderlust** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:11 am

Big Boy,
I have just returned from my partying but it has been somewhat truncated; would you care to explain why the mighty England have failed once again on the big stage? If you need some hints I refer you to my post fairly near the beginning of this thread....
prcscct,
I believe you are a bit confused - the star player you refer to is Michael Owen. The player you remember was Andy Cole, who is still playing in the English Premier League I believe, but I have lost track of which club - maybe Manchester City?
Everyone,
England have now been knocked out. They have world class players, many of whom failed to perform as they do for their clubs, but the reason for that, and the blame has to be shouldered by one man - Sven Goran Eriksson. He was paid handsomely to deliver and has failed, not once, not twice but three times in major championships to go beyond the quarter finals. His squad selections, tactics, formations and motivational skills are completely lacking as far as the England team are concerned - GOOD RIDDANCE!

Post by **Toni** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:55 am

Big Boy wrote:It might be a few hours late because there will probably be a fair bit of partying to celebrate another famous English victory.

Feel free to join me at my house where there is a party in full swing! England bottle it again!

Post by **Toni** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:01 am

Wanderlust wrote: and the blame has to be shouldered by one man - Sven Goran Eriksson. He was paid handsomely to deliver and has failed, not once, not twice but three times in major championships to go beyond the quarter finals. His squad selections, tactics, formations and motivational skills are completely lacking as far as the England team are concerned - GOOD RIDDANCE!

You're right, but as England are constantly ranked around about 8th in the world, is that anything to be ashamed of? Quarter-finals is a decent performance, anything on top of that is a bonus. Perhaps, for once, England may just have to admit that at the very top level they are simply not good enough at the moment. Again, there's no shame in that. Bear in mind England have only ever reached 2 semi-finals in world cup history, 1966 and 1990.

Post by **caller** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:13 am

Sorry, but its not a decent performance, it was a crap performance! Who stood up to be counted, not those that counted?

Goodbye Sven, we just lost out to the most winnable tournament in living memory.

Lamps, Becks and some of the other names just did not deliver. Okay, the sending off was a joke, but did that merit a retreat against a very ordinary Iberian team?

Out of curiosity, what was Joe Coles remit? The flair player we know and love or the "be cautious, don't take any chances" player we saw?

What a waste!! Goodbye Swede, thanks for the memory Becks, lets now look forward to a real generation of winners captained by Terry.

No more time wasters please!

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:27 am

Big Boy's crowing is over - thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted!

Well guys, thanks to all of you who kept me going over the last few weeks - I enjoyed every minute of it, and it wouldn't have been the same without you all. Another 4 years of hurt

Another tournament where England have been dumped out without losing. At least this time it was not just one penalty taker to blame (although the missed penalties were not the best), it was a world class goalkeeper - it hurts to say it, but well done to that man - excellent goalkeeping.

As you may have guessed, my party came to a bit of an abrupt end. I'll write comments on the game on the referee thread.

Guess - you e-mail is coming. I think you'll enjoy it.

Post by **Guess** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:14 am

I T A L I A

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 4:22 am

Guess,

Apologies, but your e-mail service won't accept the truth. You'll just have to imagine what the video clip would have said:

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification.

Delivery to the following recipients failed.

xxxxxxxxx@hotmail.com

E-mail address edited.

Post by **Jaime** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:04 am

It will certainly be difficult to surpass the hype in four years time but I'm sure that the EBC et al will manage it somehow....

Post by **HansMartin** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 8:49 am

As a yank who doesn't fullly understand world "football", my comment is who put the lead weigts in your goalies shorts & shoes during the shoot out?

Post by **Bamboo Grove** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:56 pm

Should we add to Lineker: Football is a simple game. You play 120 minutes and then England lose on penalties. How many times now? 4 or 5? On the other hand I don't think you can only blame the manager. I think the team isn't that great that it should win the world cup. They did reasonably well to reach the top 8.

Post by **Big Boy** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:12 pm

Bamboo Grove wrote:

I think the team isn't that great that it should win the world cup.

There wasn't anybody at the tournament good enough to beat England. Please explain yourself, what constitutes a great footballing team? Surely, you don't believe a kids party game of one-on-one kicking the ball at the goal warrants being sent home from the world's premier footballing tournament. I don't just mean England - any team.

To lose and be sent home is a lot easier to take. To lose on a farce at the end of 120 minutes is a much harder thing to accept. England must have been sent home unbeaten from more tournaments than any other.

I'm sure if Carragher had managed to score his second equaliser, the ref would have found another excuse to make him take it again, and again until he missed.

Post by **Bamboo Grove** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:35 pm

I first thought, I'd make my comment after the feelings have cooled down a bit, however, changed my mind. I mean that the team that England had (I don't have any number one team in this tournament, mainly follow the individuals I like) didn't include any great player that would make the difference. A world cup winning team most often than not has a player who comes to the rescue of the team when times are hard. What comes to mind are: Paolo Rossi (Italia in Spain -82), Diego Maradona (Argentina in 86), Ronaldo, Zidane etc. England's midfield which was supposed to be great didn't perform that well and playing with a lone striker didn't work out (Rooney could have made the difference but he didn't.) Last night Hargreaves was the top performer in England's team but was quite on his own. Maybe if Walcott had been send in instead of Crouch, the result would have been different as Hargreaves seemed to be running through the Portugese difence with easy, what would have another quick runner done?
Don't get me wrong Big Boy but I just think that the team lacked something and it wasn't a motivational manager.

On the lighter side:

World Cup Funnies

Condom sales slumped by 63% before every England match, according to chemists Boots.

Gary Neville told off dad Neville before England lost their quarter-final for tempting fate by dancing ona table with a replica World Cup. (Sunday Express)

Takings in Garibaldi's, the Baden-Baden bar favoured by England's WAGs (wives and girlfriends), are up 500% on normal. (Sunday Express)

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:45 pm

Wanderlust wrote:prcscct, I believe you are a bit confused - the star player you refer to is Michael Owen. The player you remember was Andy Cole, who is still playing in the English Premier League I believe, but I have lost track of which club - maybe Manchester City?

Thanks, I realized that after I posted last night. I did see an A. Cole on the field last night for England so assume the same I am thinking of.

Pete

PS: I missed the portion concerning Beckham's injury. Did Rooney's following actions (revenge perhaps) have anything to do with that?

Hua Hin Forum

England - The best in the world already!

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