On the subject of England and Italia 90

[Ernest]

Italia90 was crap, Robson hadn't a clue, everyone in the country hated football and it is looked on with rose tinted specs. The final was one of the worst in living memory.

The only highlight was the Cameroons kicking f*** out of the Argies in the opening match, one of the most brutal matches in history.

 

[Beach Hut]

Italia90 was crap, Robson hadn't a clue, everyone in the country hated football and it is looked on with rose tinted specs. The final was one of the worst in living memory.

The only highlight was the Cameroons kicking f*** out of the Argies in the opening match, one of the most brutal matches in history.

Watched that on my honeymoon in Laganas in Zante in the hotel bar, Caneggia got a total kicking which was hilarious and also the protested innocence of the Cameroon players was farcical.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Three against Ireland (Shilton, Waddle, Lineker), two against Holland (Shilton, Lineker) and one against USSR (Lineker).
So those I've 'eulogised' weren't entirely responsible.
And that group was much more difficult than that we faced last year. Ireland were always hard to beat at the time (still are, really) Holland were brilliant, and the USSR beat them as well as us in winning the group. They both went on to contest the final.
Correct me if I'm wrong but USA, Slovenia and Algeria didn't perform in the same way, did they?

Fair points all but I don't recall the English public showing any great belief or support of the team until Belgium were beaten. We limped through the group stages and played dull and uninspired football throughout the three games. Very much like in South Africa.

For me, people tend to look at Italia 90 through rose-tinted spectacles. It was a dreadful tournament for football.

 

[Austrian Gull]

Italia90 was crap, Robson hadn't a clue, everyone in the country hated football and it is looked on with rose tinted specs. The final was one of the worst in living memory.

The only highlight was the Cameroons kicking f*** out of the Argies in the opening match, one of the most brutal matches in history.

As ever, Ernest is the voice of reason.

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

Better still, read All Played Out on which it was based, although the book may have the same name now. Superb account of the tournament from the fans, played and press's view.

Truly great book. Including a true story about Waddle and Barnes wandering down the beach and casually having a chat with England fans.

Can't see that happening these days.

 

[Mellotron]

Surprised no one has mentioned Euro 96 - by a long way our best performance at a tournament and easily our best chance of a win.

Ripped apart a brilliant Dutch side and very nearly knocked them out, such was the beating.

Watched the full game against Germany recently - they looked utterly terrified of us and I've never seen us so pumped up and full of confidence. If Gazza had reached that cross or Anderton scored rather than hitting the post, there is no doubt we would've destroyed the Czechs in the final.

 

[Gritt23]

1990 had the look of a winning team for me.

A lot of teams go into any World Cup with enough basic talent to win it IF you hit form and confidence at the right time. The media often say it's about hitting form for that 4 weeks, but it is often less than that. My first World Cup that I followed closely was 1982, and Italy were absolute GASH in their group, but found their form in the secondary round of Group games, especially that heart-breaking (I absolutely LOVED that Brazil team!) 3-2 win over Brazil. The form lasted 3 matches and that was all it needed. While England had started brilliantly, 3-1 against a very good France team, but we just ran out of steam.

Well, come 1990, WE looked like the team that had built slowly from teh group, and were getting better and better. We had the talent, both old experienced heads, and young fresh fearless players as well, but crucially we were coming good at the right time. It was a very good team, who looked set to peak in the Final against an Argentinian side that was riddled with suspensions by the Final. We really could have won it that year!

 

[tottenhamseagull]

Surprised no one has mentioned Euro 96 - by a long way our best performance at a tournament and easily our best chance of a win.

Ripped apart a brilliant Dutch side and very nearly knocked them out, such was the beating.

Watched the full game against Germany recently - they looked utterly terrified of us and I've never seen us so pumped up and full of confidence. If Gazza had reached that cross or Anderton scored rather than hitting the post, there is no doubt we would've destroyed the Czechs in the final.

I was just going to say this! Euro 96 was the last time I got excited about an England side.

 

[Storer 68]

Totally recommend watching 'One Night in Turin'
Really under-rated Football documentary. Gives a very balanced view of the Italia 90 for an Englishmen. Brings back some great memories and you realise what a great English manager Bobby Robson was.

Although at the time I seem to recall Robson waling back to the dressing room at Wembley with TENS OF THOUSANDS England fans telling him to quit...................................

A friendly 0-0 draw v Sweden springs to mind. and that was 1989........

 

[Storer 68]

Surprised no one has mentioned Euro 96 - by a long way our best performance at a tournament and easily our best chance of a win.

Ripped apart a brilliant Dutch side and very nearly knocked them out, such was the beating.

Watched the full game against Germany recently - they looked utterly terrified of us and I've never seen us so pumped up and full of confidence. If Gazza had reached that cross or Anderton scored rather than hitting the post, there is no doubt we would've destroyed the Czechs in the final.

.....

 

[Ernest]

In Euro '96 we DREW against the Swiss, struggled TO beat the Jockos THANKS to them missing a penalty, BEAT a Dutch team who DID not turn up, BEAT a Spanish team on PENALTIES that they should HAVE won thanks to a DODGY offside and couldn't BEAT a poor German team.

WHY do people WEAR rose tinted SPECS all the TIME ?

Next thread will be WE were UNLUCKY at Euro 92 and TURNIP Taylor was a GREAT manager.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Although at the time I seem to recall Robson waling back to the dressing room at Wembley with TENS OF THOUSANDS England fans telling him to quit...................................

A friendly 0-0 draw v Sweden springs to mind. and that was 1989........

Sweden was a qualifier.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Next thread will be WE were UNLUCKY at Euro 92 and TURNIP Taylor was a GREAT manager.

Euro 92, what a tournament.

Wholesale changes for each game, David Batty playing at right back and who could forget Tony Daley...

 

[Mr Blobby]

When we played Moldova away in 1996 the midfield line up was at one time Le Tissier, Beckham and Gascoigne (although Le Tissier was only a sub and may have replaced Gazza so I could be wrong). I think it was Hoddles first game in charge after Venables left at the end of Euro 96.

What a line up.

1990 was my first World Cup and the best one I have ever been too. Passion and fight from the players and in a country where everyone is football crazy! It was 5 weeks of pure enjoyment.

 

[Common as Mook]

The main thing about World Cup 90 was that the players were actually likeable; to a man.

Not one **** amongst them.

 

[nicko31]

The reason we did well in Italia 90 was we avoided the big teams until the semi's, then got knocked out.

So Italia 90 was consistent with every other WC since 66.

England are very very consistent in World Cup's...

1970 - Brazil
1982 - Couldn't score so we went out
1986 - Argentina
1990 - Germany
1998 - Argentina
2002 - Brazil
2006 - Portugal
2010 - Germany

Met a big team, OUT. I'm really mythed why there is always so much expectation with England.

The only performance at a finals that really stood out in my lifetime was Euro96, then we really did look like winning

 

[Ernest]

The main thing about World Cup 90 was that the players were actually likeable; to a man.

Not one **** amongst them.

Mark Wright

 

[Storer 68]

1990 was my first World Cup and the best one I have ever been too. Passion and fight from the players and in a country where everyone is football crazy! It was 5 weeks of pure enjoyment.

Not if you were following England tho. Stuck on Sardinia for a fortnight with noting to do and nowhere to go (whilst the rest of us who were up north Italy were having a ball - a game every day at fantastic stadiums for a fortnight!)

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

The reason we did well in Italia 90 was we avoided the big teams until the semi's, then got knocked out.

So Italia 90 was consistent with every other WC since 66.

England are very very consistent in World Cup's...

1970 - Brazil
1982 - Couldn't score so we went out
1986 - Argentina
1990 - Germany
1998 - Argentina
2002 - Brazil
2006 - Portugal
2010 - Germany

Met a big team, OUT. I'm really mythed why there is always so much expectation with England.

The only performance at a finals that really stood out in my lifetime was Euro96, then we really did look like winning

We met a big team, France, in 1982 and won 3-1.

 

[Brovion]

The 1990 team wasn't brilliant, and as has been mentioned Robson got lucky. We scraped a few results but got some momentum and it almost got us to the final. As I say, not a great side - but by the standards of England performances in major finals they were the best squad since 1970. Not that that's saying much, but there haven't been significantly better England finals sides before or since, although perhaps the 1996 Euro side could run them close.