We had a great assistant for a number of years, specifically appointed to get opportunity and experience under Southgate to be ready for his own opportunity… and then we chose a German successor.
Bring back National Service, outside toilets and ricketts. We were good at football when we had them.
100% of England's World Cup wins have been achieved within 4 years after National Service was abolished. So bring it back for a month, abolish it again and that should do the trick.
Two dreadful performances. Rarely under Southgate would we get shown up like that by weaker opposition. And even in the June games we would perform as expected.
The last time we had these sorts of games in June 2023 we put 11 goals past Malta and Macedonia collectively, and the players looked motivated.
That connection between the players doesn’t seem like it’s anywhere near what it used to be.
Only highlight was being able to visit the City Ground for the first time in about 10 years. Beautiful stadium.
I think it was the right time for Southgate to go - he looked tired of the job by the last Euros, and the positive energy around his England squad was starting to fade - it had gone from the whole 'it's a treat and a privilege to play for England', all in this together as a country thing that he'd created (really well) into a 'us against the press/fans' atmosphere at the last Euros. We were also turgid for the first four games and could so easily have had a really embarrassing exit to Slovakia in the Last 16.
The current squad feels very much back to the Capello/Hodgson days of it being the end of an era of one generation, they're a bit tired of playing for England and it's a chore with too much pressure and not a thrill anymore.
In hindsight, it was a good time for Sputhgate to get the job - the older guard had largely gone and he sacked off Rooney quickly after one minor discretion, dropped Hart etc quite quickly leaving a reasonably fresh canvas . He also had Kane just reaching the standards we've seen, and could build tactically around that Spurs axis of Dier, Alli, Kane, Walker, Rose, Sterling doing what Son did for Spurs etc. That let him concentrate on the psychological side and culture of the squad more - and again, he did that really well.
Maybe we should therefore have gone for a manager that was more likely to be a 'fun' one, someone who makes training a bit different, plays on the front foot etc, rather than going for someone chosen for apparently being tactically better than Southgate in an attempt to make that last step we couldn't under Southgate? Did we need someone who maybe could have reversed that slip back into bad habits and bad attitudes? I don't think Tuchel being German is the issue, more him being on the surly/disciplinarian side and that not being what we need right now.
I think we definitely should have looked to move on from Walker and Henderson while we look to freshen things up. Kane is that bit younger, still scoring loads, and is a good captain, plus there's no other strikers, but there's no need to be carrying on with the other two.
Who that 'fun' manager was who could have freshened things up a bit is another question.
Walker is watching his fitness as he will be opening numerous cards and presents on Sunday, hard work. Wonder if there's a price on Carsley being in charge in a year's time
A lot of English players have gone backwards in the last couple of years, players who were regulars.
Sterling, Sancho, Rashford, Grealish are all way off their best. Foden has had a poor season, age is catching up with Walker and Henderson, Stones, James, Shaw, Mount struggle for fitness, Kalvin Phillips fell down a Man City hole and never recovered...
Comments
Looks like we've got "our" England back.
Fuck off FIFA with your countless friendlies & Club World Cup. Season should end with the play offs at the end of May.
Pointless match. And it ended "pointless".
That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?
They made Gareth quit and appointed a German twit
We're fucked under Turtle.
That connection between the players doesn’t seem like it’s anywhere near what it used to be.
However, the squad selections, player usage, performances and outcomes…this is going about as well as organising a first date at a sewage farm
The current squad feels very much back to the Capello/Hodgson days of it being the end of an era of one generation, they're a bit tired of playing for England and it's a chore with too much pressure and not a thrill anymore.
In hindsight, it was a good time for Sputhgate to get the job - the older guard had largely gone and he sacked off Rooney quickly after one minor discretion, dropped Hart etc quite quickly leaving a reasonably fresh canvas . He also had Kane just reaching the standards we've seen, and could build tactically around that Spurs axis of Dier, Alli, Kane, Walker, Rose, Sterling doing what Son did for Spurs etc. That let him concentrate on the psychological side and culture of the squad more - and again, he did that really well.
Maybe we should therefore have gone for a manager that was more likely to be a 'fun' one, someone who makes training a bit different, plays on the front foot etc, rather than going for someone chosen for apparently being tactically better than Southgate in an attempt to make that last step we couldn't under Southgate? Did we need someone who maybe could have reversed that slip back into bad habits and bad attitudes? I don't think Tuchel being German is the issue, more him being on the surly/disciplinarian side and that not being what we need right now.
I think we definitely should have looked to move on from Walker and Henderson while we look to freshen things up. Kane is that bit younger, still scoring loads, and is a good captain, plus there's no other strikers, but there's no need to be carrying on with the other two.
Who that 'fun' manager was who could have freshened things up a bit is another question.
Sterling, Sancho, Rashford, Grealish are all way off their best. Foden has had a poor season, age is catching up with Walker and Henderson, Stones, James, Shaw, Mount struggle for fitness, Kalvin Phillips fell down a Man City hole and never recovered...