France have made 5 Semi Finals. England - 2.

So of those 5 semi finals they have one World Cup to show for, THAT is failure. We consistantly do ourselves proud. But I don't really care, everybody is entitled to their own opinion.

One thing we have that no other team has ever or will ever have is superb fans. The second tier in English football is the 4th most watched league in Europe. That says alot.

Even though we 'consistantly fail' as you put it. We still have the most loyal, passionate supporters in the World. No-one will ever be able to say that, but us.

If that's failure then what's Englands 2 Semi-Finals from 6 Quarter-finals?

Anyway, I get it, you are a patriot and therefore a little bit biased.

No. He's not patriot. He's Ingulish.

TBH I think the BIG problem of England NT is not their coach, or not only their coach at least. I think the English media always overrating them and all their players is not good.

England NT is one of the best in Europe/World. Everybody knows it but they need to calm down a bit. I remember before the Portugal-England in the WC2006 an English reporter asking Deco if Rooney can be consider at the same level as Pelé...

Sometimes they seem the brazillians. Before the quarter-finals they're already discussing which team they'll play in the final.

Exactly what Porty said...

What I like in the English team is that they are the only team that take friendly matches seriously!!

I am biased, of course. Everybody is of their own country. But to say we're failures or over-rated is a bit over the top.

In the history of football there aren't many teams better than us.

Brazil, Yes.
Italy, Yes.
Germany, Yes.
France, over history? They've had too many bad spells of not qualifying for tournements at all to be considered better, but recently they are better.
Argentina, over history they're better than us, recently. Well, our recent results vs them show who's boss.
Holland, Spain and Portugal I would consider very similar to us, even without their World Cups, they're still very succesful.

I'd put the teams in this rank over history. 6th isn't too bad out of 200+.
1) Brazil
2) Italy
3) Germany
4) Argentina
5) France
6) England
7) Holland
8) Portugal
9) Spain
10) Uruguay

England is a big team with good players, but just ain't successful like some. I agree with the rating.

They were the best team in the 19th century

I'm taking that as a compliment.

This is very true !!!

English media have also done this in this years CL .. They had a poll of whom out of Liver, United, or Chelsea would reach the final .. erm Milan anyone

Then there is this thing of over-hyping their players .. In Euro04, I was made to believe that a new Pele was being unfolded infront of me .. We all know how Rooney plays now (not 1/4 of his Euro04 performance).

Then there is this coach issue .. TBH, England need Mourinho They needs someone who will bench a player without even thinking twice. That is if England want to reach a final

Nobody like Mourinho would ever be coach, the FA like somebody they can completely control, and if one mistake is made you're out. Mourinho would end up getting is into trouble with something he'e said or done. The FA wouldn't like that, they're boring.

Scolari is pretty fvcked too.

In Brazil he fvcked Romario. Not even Brazil President asking him to call Romario... changed his mind.

In Portugal he did the same with Vitor Baia (FCPorto legendary keeper). Not even an explanation. Simply... not calling him.

Mourinho is better coach than Scolari (tactics). More arrogant and fvcked too. But the special thing is that both can motivate the players like no others. That's the big difference and what makes them top-coaches.

I don't see a foreign coach coming in at all. Maybe someone from Northern Ireland (Stay away from MON!) but I can't see anybody else,, not after Sven.

I don't siagree with that, personally I think every country should have a coach from their home land, I'd even go as far as only picking home based players, but that's just me.

No .. u have a point .. But the problem doesn't stop there. England doesn't have a decent goal tender .. I mean after Seamen (His names actually seamen ), there was no goal keeper left and looking at the EPL, (though u might disagree and bring in some youth goal keepers..) there ain't non for the forseenable future.

There lies a HUGE England problem ..

I completely agree. Robbo's not good enough for England.

David James has returned to top form this season, and is clearly good enough to play, but at 35 he has no future.

The main reason for us having no future keeper is this. Arsenal, Liverpool anf United.

We've had some top young keeper come through in recent years but they destory them:
Richard Wright: Superb for Ipswich, Arsenal bought him in as a future keeper, he got tired of sitting on the bench and left. By then he'd wasted his ability away. Now he's Everton's 2nd keeper.
Stuart Taylor: Was bought through Arsenals youth team, tipped as a future prospect, Arsenal bought in loads more keepers so he lost his place. Villa's number 2 now.
Chris Kirkland: Superb at Coventry, Liverpool bought him and loaned him out a few times, eventually sold to Wigan when they bought in Reina.

Currently we have Scott Carson and Ben Foster as the two future keepers. They play for Liverpool and United though, so they'll become average eventually.

^^^

Wow kurt, tht's an interesting point...but it seems to be the case everywhere. Spain are just lucky with Casillas.

And Italy well, there'sGigi and then Amelia?? He's not playing for a world conquering side yet is he?

There aren't many top keepers around at the moment by the looks of things. When you get past Buffon, Casillas, Cech and Dida there aren't many big names left. Guys like Palop at Sevilla, Boruc at Celtic are very good keepers, but not at the highest level.

The World needs more keepers, why don't ou try out, Jack?

Naah...the world needs more Andy Ps....how many people can u think of who play his role. Xabi Alonso ok...then?? Heck Pirlo practically invented the Pirlo position...

Just thought I'd give some news on a match in the Norwegial league.
Lyn vs. Brann, 70 minutes played and Lyn are 5-0 up! The Brann keeper has been sent off.
Whats so strange is that Lyn is a medicore team while Brann were runner-ups last year, and this year they were clear favourites.

Antunes, Portuguese young LB, could be on his way to... Juventus.

Aston Villa, Celta, FC Porto, Sporting Lisbon are on the list too but obviously the biggest challenge for him would be the Vecchia Signora.

Source: Reports in Italy/Portugal

Typical Villa, we show interest in a player, a month later a Euro giant wants him.

Go to germayn, that's where are the good GKs come from (and where we have a good playmaker only once in a decade ).
Seriously with Enke, Weidenfeller, Wiese, Jentzsch, Schäfer and Hildebrand there are many good GKs, while Neuer and Adler will be on top of the world in a few years.

True. German keepers = Top-class.
Enke... the one who left Benfica. That guy was/is loved by the Benfica fans.



My favourite german keeper from all the time was Andreas Köpke.

Don't bring that name up again.

Ahhh, Köpke, what a goalie he was. With him we won the Euro 1996. As good as he was in the NT he never had any luck in club football.


Maybe Köpke is something like a german Geoff Hurst

Unfortunately for us, you're still bringing out top keepers, whereas we seem to have dried up in the striker department for the time being.

I'll have to hope Darren Bent turns into Alan Shearer.

Well...it won't happen. Shearer was a great striker....I really liked him a lot. Along with gary Lineker he was the best english striker in the last 20 years IMO.