Is failure to win Saturday the end for Steve McClaren?...

[Man of Harveys]

What was wrong with Martin O’Neil?

Not English enough for the mongs and not stupid enough to want to bring the personal abuse that goes with the job on himself, at a guess.

 

[Hannibal smith]

Not English enough for the mongs and not stupid enough to want to bring the personal abuse that goes with the job on himself, at a guess.

Apparently Martin O Niell wanted the job and to bring in his own back room staff but the FA wanted an incompentant yes man and to keep some 89 year old back room staff on the pay roll rather than people who might make a difference.

The FA are the biggest failures in this. Sacking the lot of them might help.

 

[Brovion]

I'm not going to go into the whole 'Golden Generation' myth thing again - I want to look to the future. (But MoH is right)

All I want is a Manager who plays square pegs in square holes. For example if a guy plays right-midfield for his club you do NOT ask him to play left back. Instead take the best left-back available and play him instead.

At least no one is falling into the usual English trap of under-estimating the opponents. I've seen/read/heard nothing along the lines of "It's only Israel, we should be able to beat them." They may not be Italy but they will be a competent, well-drilled side. Square pegs, Steve; it doesn't matter if you have to leave out supposedly 'better' players.


PS - I see we've had to pick a player from the Championship. Remind me again how foreign players help English football?

 

[Les Biehn]

And didn't Platt become a better player in travel? I personally think he was a bit rubbish before and after, but he learnt to understand the strengths of his game more.

Platt did improve but he is the only one I can think of.

 

[Les Biehn]

Not English enough for the mongs and not stupid enough to want to bring the personal abuse that goes with the job on himself, at a guess.

MoH, what did you think of my statement that I wanted an English coach on the grounds of sporting rather than nationalistic reasons.

I realise it is perhaps a bit stupid because it is not best for England but I would apply it to all countrys, I would say the rules for being a player have to apply to the coach. He is an integral part of the team is he not?

 

[sten_super]

On the broader point England were awful in the last world cup. We beat Ecuador, Paraguay and T&T with no more than 2 goals scored in a match against, in some cases, part time defences. We drew against an average Swedish team and went out on Pens to Portugal who were comfortably the worst of the last 4 teams left in. It is surely re-writing history to suggest Sven was a good manager who got the best out of the team. His was mediocre. Steve 3-5-2 Mclaren is worse.

What was wrong with Martin O’Neil?

Sven didn't do a brilliant job, but he qualified us for the major tournaments with a minimum of fuss, which McClaren has made look very difficult. In the same way that Strachan 'became' a better manager when he left Southampton because they subsequently went down, Sven has 'become' a better manager because we've seen how much worse he could have been.

I agree with Brovian, in that a large part of McClarens problem is that he's inherited Svens clique - the players that were there under Sven because they played for the 'big 4', or because Sven liked them, are there under McClaren for exactly the same reason, because McClaren was as much as a problem in Svens reign as Sven was. McClaren was the England coach (he took the vast majority of training sessions etc) while Sven managed the team - all they've done now is removed any management at all!

 

[Man of Harveys]

MoH, what did you think of my statement that I wanted an English coach on the grounds of sporting rather than nationalistic reasons.

Personally, I'd say that all national associations have to operate within the context that they find themselves and if that includes, say, a German coach winning the Euros for Greece, so be it - those are the parameters. England's current dilemma involves Fleet Street and many England fans wanting to rise above That Sort Of Thing, which is a square peg in a round hole.

I see big tournaments far more as contests between competing national football organisations and their ability to marshal their resources (Does anyone really care anymore that the Ireland cricket captain is as Aussie as Dame Edna Everage? I don't. ) So all the while the FA's in charge...oh deary me...England are fuckered. This supposed big emotional connection between a dubious form of patriotism and national sports teams that the press bangs on about should really have gone out of the window by the time, say, Michael Robinson was playing for the Republic of Ireland because of his grandmother.

 

[Storer68]

Actually (and rather disappointingly for those of us who thought he wasn't up to it.....) the Swede's record is not half bad...........................
Plad 67 Win 40 Drawn 17 Lost 10 (15%) For 128 Ag 61 Goal Diff +67

Sven-Göran Eriksson - Record - All Matches by Venue
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home 30 20 6 4 68 25 +43 2 13 2.267 0.833 76.7 +16
Away 21 11 6 4 32 21 +11 4 5 1.524 1.000 66.7 +7
Neutral 16 9 5 2 28 15 +13 2 8 1.750 0.938 71.9 +7
Total 67 40 17 10 128 61 +67 8 26 1.910 0.910 72.3 +30

Sven-Göran Eriksson - Record - All Matches by Type
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
World Cup 26 18 6 2 45 15 +30 3 15 1.731 0.577 80.8 +16
European Championship 12 8 3 1 24 11 +13 1 5 2.000 0.917 79.2 +7
Minor Tournament/Cup 2 1 1 0 7 2 +5 0 0 3.500 1.000 75.0 +1
Friendly 27 13 7 7 52 33 +19 4 6 1.926 1.222 61.1 +6
All 67 40 17 10 128 61 +67 8 26 1.910 0.910 72.3 +30

Sven-Göran Eriksson - Record - Major Tournament Matches
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCP 2000-02 6 5 1 0 16 5 +11 0 2 2.667 0.833 91.7 +5
WCF 2002 5 2 2 1 6 3 +3 1 3 1.200 0.600 60.0 +1
ECP 2002-04 8 6 2 0 14 5 +9 1 3 1.750 0.625 87.5 +6
ECF 2004 4 2 1 1 10 6 +4 1 1 2.500 1.500 62.5 +1
WCP 2004-06 10 8 1 1 17 5 +12 1 6 1.700 0.500 85.0 +7
WCF 2006 5 3 2 0 6 2 +4 1 4 1.200 0.400 80.0 +3
All 38 26 9 3 69 26 +43 5 19 1.816 0.684 80.3 +23
Sven-Göran Eriksson - Record - World Cup Matches

Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
WCP Total 16 13 2 1 33 10 +23 1 8 2.063 0.625 87.5 +12
WCF Total 10 5 4 1 12 5 +7 2 7 1.200 0.500 70.0 +4
WC Total 26 18 6 2 45 15 +30 3 15 1.731 0.577 80.8 +16
Sven-Göran Eriksson - Record - European Championship Matches

Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
ECP Total 8 6 2 0 14 5 +9 1 3 1.750 0.625 87.5 +6
ECF Total 4 2 1 1 10 6 +4 1 1 2.500 1.500 62.5 +1
EC Total 12 8 3 1 24 11 +13 2 4 2.000 0.917 79.2 +7