Player bashing

[Les Biehn]

What is with the constant slagging off of England players? I don't mean performance wise but people keep going on about lack of passion, being overpaid, being arrogant, etc... It's getting really boring. As far as I can tell they all really want to win the World Cup, if I was offered £100,000 a week I would probably take it and of course they are arrogant, they are premiership quality footballers who probably got there (and to the World Cup) because of their arrogance (as well as ability).

Now I don't agree with the massive sums paid in football but let's be realistic we want these guys to win the World Cup for us. So they are all a bit chavy and spoilt, most of us didn't bother giving up our teenage years to barely drinking and training in all our spare time so lets give them some credit. They appear to me to have the passion to want to win (so please lets not mention this tiring 'lack of passion' again) so can we have some intelligent debate about the tactics and ability rather than jealous moaning of those who earn more money than us and get to play at a World Cup.

 

[HP Seagull]

There was absolutely no passion on Friday, or will to win, whichever way you look at it. It was the most spineless performance I have ever seen from an England team and it was embarrassing to watch.

I agree that the players (presumably) want to win the World Cup but that doesn't mean they showed passion on Friday, the performance was devoid of any commitment or class. I'm not sure how you can defend them after that, or ask people not to mention 'a lack of passion', which was clearly evident.

I'm only feeling slightly more positive after Terry's interview yesterday, as he is obviously willing to lead the team in the absence of any alternative captain and knows something has to be done about our woeful form. I just hope we change the formation/ personnel for Wednesday's game, after last night's meeting.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Did you not watch the game on Fri - absolutely hopeless. Don't know about passion, but they showed little skill. Algeria looked fitter and generally faster. Whenever we got the ball they closed us down very quickly. If we had lost, we could not have complained at all.

 

[Blackadder]

We obviously have the skilled players. Its a confidence thing. I thought the players looked terrified at times on Friday.
Normally Gerrard would go fo goal. He had 2 (of the 3) chances and opted to pass at the last moment to invisible colleagues.

Oh, and give Joe Cole a chance Fab!

 

[Tooting Gull]

I'll tell you what's really 'boring', as you put it. The endless hyping up of these players - not least by themselves - as world class, or playing for the best clubs in the world, in the best league in the world.

Intelligent debate about ability? Here it is. They are nowhere near as good as they think they are. More importantly right now, egos and the arrogance are getting in the way of a proper team ethos and dynamic. What you are effectively seeing is a lot of jostling, spin and positioning from 'big-name' stars who are already looking to shift the blame onto Capello if it all goes wrong, rather than what they should be doing, accept some of the responsibility and concentrate on winning the last, crucial match.

It's all beginning to look like a particularly unpleasant episode of The Apprentice, with Capello cast as the sacrificial task leader by the snipers.

 

[Simster]

I never liked Jermaine Defoe but he is one f***ing irritating twat. He's got a FRONT to tell us they're a "great" side.

No you're not. You can't even beat USA OR Algeria you thick plum.

 

[El Presidente]

I'm a bit confused as to why not having the WAGs out there is affecting performance, just because you can't shag Colleen one up the arse or get a soapy titwank from Abby Clancy shouldn't affect your ability to trap a ball like a bag of cement or misplace a five yard pass..........or am I missing something?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I'll tell you what's really 'boring', as you put it. The endless hyping up of these players - not least by themselves - as world class, or playing for the best clubs in the world, in the best league in the world.

Intelligent debate about ability? Here it is. They are nowhere near as good as they think they are. More importantly right now, egos and the arrogance are getting in the way of a proper team ethos and dynamic. What you are effectively seeing is a lot of jostling, spin and positioning from 'big-name' stars who are already looking to shift the blame onto Capello if it all goes wrong, rather than what they should be doing, accept some of the responsibility and concentrate on winning the last, crucial match.

It's all beginning to look like a particularly unpleasant episode of The Apprentice, with Capello cast as the sacrificial task leader by the snipers.

This is a fair assessment of the situation.

I would have put egos in bold though, especially John Terry's.

Can we please have some England players that we could actually like.

 

[Was not Was]

I'll tell you what's really 'boring', as you put it. The endless hyping up of these players - not least by themselves - as world class, or playing for the best clubs in the world, in the best league in the world.

Intelligent debate about ability? Here it is. They are nowhere near as good as they think they are. More importantly right now, egos and the arrogance are getting in the way of a proper team ethos and dynamic. What you are effectively seeing is a lot of jostling, spin and positioning from 'big-name' stars who are already looking to shift the blame onto Capello if it all goes wrong, rather than what they should be doing, accept some of the responsibility and concentrate on winning the last, crucial match.

This.

 

[Rookie]

Because they didn't turn up on Friday and despite numerous managers they have been unable or unwilling to fulfil their 'potential'. they get an easy ride its always someone elses fault

 

[Questions]

Arrogance ....having or showing an exaggerated opinion of one's own importance, merit, ability, etc

That,s not what gets you to the top L.B.
Its accepting that you always need to try to improve yourself.
Confidence is good.
Complacency is bad.

 

[Digweeds Trousers]

I have to say I'm rather enjoying this world cup.

It's been fantastic viewing so far with some great performances from the unfancied sides. Not focusing on England in particular but it is rather nice to see some colossal egos come crashing to the floor.

The French, the italians and Germans in recent games........thoroughly enjoyable spectacle all round one has to say.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

Because they didn't turn up on Friday and despite numerous managers they have been unable or unwilling to fulfil their 'potential'. they get an easy ride its always someone elses fault

This

 

[Les Biehn]

I'm ashamed that a thread I started has released such a torrent of bullshit. People seem to want to have a go at the players no matter what. I'm not asking for people to give them their sympathy but just to realise that they actually probably want to win the world cup and the problems are not complacency and egos but tactics and team selection. France, Italy, Spain and Germany have all struggled at some point so far and I'm not sure it's because they all have egos that are to big and lack the necessary passion.

 

[Napper]

I'm ashamed that a thread I started has released such a torrent of bullshit. People seem to want to have a go at the players no matter what. I'm not asking for people to give them their sympathy but just to realise that they actually probably want to win the world cup and the problems are not complacency and egos but tactics and team selection. France, Italy, Spain and Germany have all struggled at some point so far and I'm not sure it's because they all have egos that are to big and lack the necessary passion.

I think the replys are inevatable. Problem is non football fans suddenly have an opinion and they seem to voice this the loudest, whether this is down the pub , up the shop wherever. Then the real fans who would normally stick by England start swaying and its oh so easy to chuck in the towel.

The USA game was actually ok but there were no positives from Fri. For me the positive is how the team are reacting since. The interviews look positive and genuine. We could of reacted like France.

This if nothing else is giving me hope and stopping me short of totally wanting all their heads......yet

 

[Pot noodles for everyone]

Dougal, That was a crap response, if you don't mind me saying

"non-football fans" is crap. Are we on this board who think the players deserve the kicking they are getting 'non-footie fans' or so easily swayed by supposed non-footie fans?

What a load of tosh

 

[Rookie]

I'm ashamed that a thread I started has released such a torrent of bullshit. People seem to want to have a go at the players no matter what. I'm not asking for people to give them their sympathy but just to realise that they actually probably want to win the world cup and the problems are not complacency and egos but tactics and team selection. France, Italy, Spain and Germany have all struggled at some point so far and I'm not sure it's because they all have egos that are to big and lack the necessary passion.

There is only so many times you can blame team selection and tactics before you have to look at the players though. Think we will win on Wednesday but some of the criticism towards the players has been correct

 

[Napper]

Dougal, That was a crap response, if you don't mind me saying

"non-football fans" is crap. Are we on this board who think the players deserve the kicking they are getting 'non-footie fans' or so easily swayed by supposed non-footie fans?

What a load of tosh

thats fine

just think that as everyone is ranting, the papers are ranting, the tv are ranting that eventually it wears down even the most positive.

Lets wait until after tomorrow before we want blood is my point

 

[Pavilionaire]

Tooting is right. Three whole days after the Algeria match and the manager's still having to work hard to reassert his authority.

The harsh words should have been said on Saturday behind closed doors, and we should now be 2 days into the build-up. Instead of that tomorrow promises to be another day or he said/she said headlines that will further destabilise the squad.

It was never going to be easy to win the World Cup, but now it seems practically impossible. The decent sides like the Argies, Brazil, Spain, Germany, the Dutch and the Portuguese have all shown some real class in their first 2 matches, and we are nowhere near that level of intensity.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

No, the players fully deserve the criticism they're now recieving. I admit I have had one or two doubts about capello and his decisions BUT this is basically the same group of players who have massively underperformed for about 7/8 years now.

In that time we've had three managers, the first won leagues in Sweden, Portugal and Italy. The second has won the Dutch league and assisted a champions league win and the current manager has won numerous titles in Italy and Spain. All three are clearly very good managers yet the players did not perform for them. We cannot keep changing the manager and continually blaming them, the buck has to eventually stop with the players. I hope after this tournament, whoever the manager is (and I hope it's fabio), that theresix a radical shake up of the squad.