Does this annoy you too?

[Kde7]

then theres the defence which i also think is top class

"Would you rather have England's quartet of world class defenders... or Roque Junior?" - can't remember where I read that but it was funny

 

[Weebull]

Actually it's the exact opposite that annoys me about national games, the idea that I have to be blindly optimistic about our chances or I'm somehow a traitor to my nation really irritates me.

At club level, any fan that goes around declaring that their club is going to win every trophy before the season has even begun would get royally laughed at (even the Chelsea fans ), and deservedly so. Yet this kind of thing is commonplace and expected for England, because we won one world cup, forty years ago. Why can't we be realistic about things, or just hopeful we do well instead of assuming we'll outright win?

And ditto everything youstolemyname said too.

 

[The Running Man]

there is some negativity, but are you simply mis-represinting lack of optimism instead?

i mean yea, we want to win the world cup, but realistically, u have to look at the facts in hand, and take into account our past form, we dont exactly have a trail blazing history at these events. so why the absolute blind optimism? it may pressurise the situation and have a negative impact upon our team?

 

[HangTime]

the idea that I have to be blindly optimistic about our chances or I'm somehow a traitor to my nation really irritates me.

At club level, any fan that goes around declaring that their club is going to win every trophy before the season has even begun would get royally laughed at (even the Chelsea fans ), and deservedly so. Yet this kind of thing is commonplace and expected for England

A fair point.

Also, remember that the role of the media is not just to set things up and report on events, they are also there to analyze things and if there are any weaknesses in the England setup then they are right to highlight them. The media has no obligation to 'get behind' the inclusion of Walcott, it's a very rash move and is in all likelihood a foolish one.

People can talk about the inclusion of players like Pele and Ronaldo all they want, but the only thing they have in common with Walcott was their age. In terms of experience, they dwarf Walcott.

The bottom line is, England are NOT the perfect football team, there ARE areas which can be improved, and to attempt to brush over these areas would be foolhardy. Just because I think there are problems in the England setup doesn't mean that I'm not supporting them or think that we cant be successful. I just think we'd have a better chance if we did things slightly differently.

 

[Vandle]

Supporting England is a funny thing. Given the choice, what would you rather have? The club you support winning the Champions League/ Premiership or England winning the World Cup.

I can safely say most people would want domestic success for their own club as opposed to success for England.

However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't support England. What it does mean is that the same passion seen at domestic games is not there for most people.

I agree with the OP's point- let's get behind the boys and cheer them on. I just find it hard to do with the same gusto as when Liverpool play.

I agree with that and one of the reasons I stopped going to England games , its just not the same.

I think England support , in the main is a more Southern thing imo.
It gets worse with the big tournaments with the majority of the home support being made up of kids , women and others who only seem to have an interest in football every two summers.
Add into this supporters of lower league teams who seldom get big occasions , big name players , big crowds to follow and at big stadia.
Just take a look around at names written on flags on display at England games to see this.

Club beats country everytime for me and I get sick of the constant media hype of it all , more so this year with the whole Michael Owen thing over the back end of the season.
"Oh lets rest him" "Only give him 10mins against Chelsea"
No lets not , lets put him on the pitch if hes capeable of running and win us some points in return for our investment.
If he hurts himself again - tough , get him fit again over the summer ready for August.

I love the world cup , I love 3 matches a day , I love the pure festival of football.
I love doing my own little scouting missions on unheard of players from azerbijan and seeing how they would fit into Newcastles system and inventing transfer fees for them.
I love cheap cases of beer from supermarkets and birds wearing skimpy St Georges outfits.

I just wont be upset if we go out in the group stage and Id bet that a high percentage of the harcore support from club sides would agree with me.

 

[ChroniC]

I think what is annoying me this year most, is that in previous years i can see why we would be pessimistic because we just werent up to the rest of the worlds standards.
But this team in my 24 years of life, is the best i have ever seen, so why start picking at it.
That midfield is the best in the world no doubt, not even the italians or spanish or brazilians can beat that imo. The defence is also very strong, we actually have a very reliably keeper. The only thing lacking is a slightly weak up front.
You cannot deny we have an amazing team, equal to to the others?

I have never been more excited about a tournement. i support my local team the same as every football fan, but thats such a regularity that it doesnt feel the same as the one chance you get to see such a spectacle of the best players in the world.

I have this feeling in my bones that this is our time. Our world cup. and by joe, with the spirit of d-day, and the great escape, we are gona go into german, beat the crap out of all of them, and come home with that cup. The summer is gona be boiling, and its gona be a great time to be english.
(this may not happen, but i can dream)

 

[Youstolemyname]

I think what is annoying me this year most, is that in previous years i can see why we would be pessimistic because we just werent up to the rest of the worlds standards.
But this team in my 24 years of life, is the best i have ever seen.
That midfield is the best in the world no doubt, not even the italians or spanish or brazilians can beat that imo.
So if there is a time to have a bit of blind faith and not think about the money of selling papers then now is the time.

I have never been more excited about a tournement. i support my local team the same as every football fan, but thats such a regularity that it doesnt feel the same as the one chance you get to see such a spectacle of the best players in the world.

I have this feeling in my bones that this is our time. Our world cup. and by joe, with the spirit of d-day, and the great escape, we are gona go into german, beat the crap out of all of them, and come home with that cup. The summer is gona be boiling, and its gona be a great time to be english.
(this may not happen, but i can dream)

Great post mate. Had me whistling the great escape while reading it!

I hope we do win it, I really do. Would be nice. Although my dual nationality means I want Espana to win as well!

 

[Vandle]

I reckon 1990's team was better.
Shilton
Parker
Pearce
Walker
Butcher
Robson
Waddle
Gascoigne
Barnes
Beardsley
Lineker

 

[ChroniC]

Great post mate. Had me whistling the great escape while reading it!

I hope we do win it, I really do. Would be nice. Although my dual nationality means I want Espana to win as well!

Thanks im watching the great escape on UKTV gold now im feeling all warm and patriotic

I reckon 1990's team was better.
Shilton - Robinson - shilton yes, but only just
Parker - neville - neville wins by a shade i recon
Pearce - terry - terry wins this round
Walker - Ferdinand - hmm close battle gona have to ask the audience
Butcher - Cole - cole wins by a nose
Robson - Lampard - gona have to give this one to lampard sorry!!
Waddle - Beckham - hmm think waddle might have got this on an all rounder
Gascoigne - gerrard - Fraid gascoigne being the legend wins, but he shouldnt
Barnes - cole- I recon this one goes to barnes, but maybe a false start
Beardsley - Crouch - Beardsley of course.
Lineker - Owen - No on beats the might lineker

so your probably right to close to call, or im probably talking out my arse, and seeing as i dont know all the 90's exact positions i cant compare the reasonably

 

[HangTime]

In terms of individual players I think our current team is pretty decent. Goalie, defence and midfield are all very solid - but it has to be said that we lack a genuine worldclass goalscorer who is in form.

HOWEVER, whether they will perform as a team is another matter. In spite of all the talk that gets rolled out all the time about English 'grit and determination' / 'passion and pride', when it comes to footballing mentality, I still think we aren't right up there with the most successful nations. Look at recent tournies, we've gone a goal up and then taken our foot off the gas, sitting back in our own half and letting the opposition play. You don't see that from Brazil. English players panic at times, diving in when they don't need to - compare and contrast with the calm and collected Germans with their oh-so-bloody-annoying efficiency.

Then look at the manager. Is Sven a tactical genius who can turn the course of a game? Can he give that extra 2% of motivation that could make all the difference?

Remember that having a great set of players doesn't guarentee success. I've seen some fantastic Dutch and Spanish squads which haven't delivered down the years.