"You're a man, my son!" - Fabio Capello kept his head while all around him were losing theirs. (Rudyard Kipling makes exceedingly good quotes). 
We were aided when Croatia lost their heads after Robert Kovac's aerial assault on Joe Cole.But the team followed Capello's orders, showed great discipline - and our key players demonstrated in spades, what we know each of them for.
Lampard - skill, poise and the trigger at set-pieces. Unlucky with his disallowed goal. Rooney - full of running, clever passing in the final third of the pitch, non-stop harrying and chasing. Walcott - pace, quick feet and self-assurance. (Post-match audio interview).
Now the Premier League, with its pockets of self-interest will be forced to sit up. After a rousing 4-1 win to kickstart his England tenure, the Italian's demands will be harder to repel. The Big Clubs need a winning England side to keep the domestic game bubbling. It's time they got on board and supported Capello fully.
And under this coach, the players the Premier League donates to the England cause will return to their clubs the better for it.
The domestic game doesn't need a successful national side - England footy and club footy work against each other. Don't tell me that Carragher is the only England player who puts club before country! Of course, the players allegiance should be to their clubs before the national side - the clubs pay their wages and that's the bottom line - I also think that the majority of club supporters put their clubs before the national sides - Newcastle is my priority, not England.
ReplyDeleteEngland simply isn't a national side country, we're a club football nation and the fact that our Prem footy is the most competitive and most exciting in Europe, the fact that continental players want to come here (yes, I know, don't ignore the money!) whilst, at the same time, the England side is miles away from the top national sides is my case's evidence.
Adding to what Jamie says even our manager is not English. It is no longer 100% country v country.
ReplyDeleteI doubt very much that club managers care 2 hoots about England. Try explaining to Ferguson, Rafa or Wenger that their players ‘will return to their clubs the better for it’ if they come back with an injury or if they play for England in the middle of a hectic club period.
For managers and most fans their club come first and England comes a distant second.
You’re right – as of today – I know what you're saying. United and Co think nothing of holding players back.
ReplyDeleteBut in the future to keep the Premier League hype up at current levels, it needs to understand a basic tenet:
The Premier League is the football industry – and England is the showcase for that football industry.
To engage new fans – and fast – there’s no better way than presenting millions of English people with a winning England team. No club or group of clubs on their own can do that.
i dont think we have to worry about the England side at all, regardless of what goes on in the PL. The reason is we invented the game, therefore we must be the best at it and we are therefore favourites win every competition. in fact we could send out a team of coalminers and they would be favorites in my book to beat the likes of Brazil and Argentina!
ReplyDeleteVery good performance by Enland and Walcott in particular. But Wenger is right to say that "Trio" Walcott's exploits were probably a one-off. Nice to see other players on the scoresheet, apart from Joe Cole.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Jonny..
ReplyDeleteThat was an exceedingly good performance. Do you think Fabio tucked into one of my mother's Bramley apple pies afterwards??
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