04-11-2018, 14:07
The United Kingdom
That Island where full backs clear their lines, centre halves whack it into row Z, centre forwards chase a ball over the top, its lots of running round and at a fast pace, this country invented football yet we are Neanderthal`s compared to the rest of Europe-At least that is what we have been told many times over the last 50 years
in 1966 England won the World cup and haven't had the players since, should be pointed out that SAR was more Mourinhio than Guadiola for all those in rose tinted specs
Something strange happened this year when our National press got behind the National team and even us non-belivers started telling anyone who would listen "it`s coming ome" especially as England had a rather bladdy decent World cup
We were shown up though against Croatia weren't we though? Actually no, we were great for the first forty minutes until the Croats used a trick employed by the English team some 22 years ago against the Dutch! Yes we all recall Macca and Anderton pushing back Holland`s wingers in a 4-1 victory at Euro 96, seem`s we havent always been so tactically naive.
Gazza of course was the only World class player between 1966 and last years World cup final team, those dark years in the 1970`s where England didnt even qualify proves it
Yet easy to forget our home sides when a foreign player might represent the ROI(!) were made up of UK players-all those European trophies from Nottingham Forest, Everton, Ipswich Town, Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and some club called Liverpool must have all been won by luck and hoofball.
1966 was the last time England had a World class team but most say 1970 was even better
Whilst Holland have a population of only 13 million and can boast Cryuff, Gullit, Van Basten, Van Nistelrooy, Krol, Neeskens, Bergkamp et al all they have ever won is the Euro Championship in 1988
Belgium for all the Scifo`s, Ceuhlemans, Hazards and Lukaku`s have won nothing
The Soviet Union won one Euro Championship despite owning half the World and blew it at every World cup
Between 1966-and say the EPL formation there has been Bryan Robson, Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, Frank Worthington, Laurie Cunningham, Matt le Tissier, Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, Peter Shilton, Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins, Tony Currie, Rodney Marsh, Peter Beardsley, Mark Hateley, John Barnes, Terry Butcher, Colin Todd among the many names who could play in any league in the World comfortably
Same with our Celtic cousins- Liam Brady, Danny McGrain, Kenny Daglish, Pat Jennings, Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, John Toshack, Jim Leighton, Neville Southall, Willie Miller, Gordon McQueen, John Robertson, Norman Whiteside, Archie Gemill, Davie Cooper, Graeme Souness, Alan Hansen, Gordon Strachan, Paul mcGrath among many others
The UK ban on clubs entering Europe did not devolve our game one bit, I`m sure at times there was quantity over quality player wise, and many managers did use route one to success (Some actually knew how to do it proper) but really the UK as a whole has a rich story of great football, great players and a lot of entertainment, I totally
am against the media tying it into some kind of Dark Age.
That Island where full backs clear their lines, centre halves whack it into row Z, centre forwards chase a ball over the top, its lots of running round and at a fast pace, this country invented football yet we are Neanderthal`s compared to the rest of Europe-At least that is what we have been told many times over the last 50 years
in 1966 England won the World cup and haven't had the players since, should be pointed out that SAR was more Mourinhio than Guadiola for all those in rose tinted specs
Something strange happened this year when our National press got behind the National team and even us non-belivers started telling anyone who would listen "it`s coming ome" especially as England had a rather bladdy decent World cup
We were shown up though against Croatia weren't we though? Actually no, we were great for the first forty minutes until the Croats used a trick employed by the English team some 22 years ago against the Dutch! Yes we all recall Macca and Anderton pushing back Holland`s wingers in a 4-1 victory at Euro 96, seem`s we havent always been so tactically naive.
Gazza of course was the only World class player between 1966 and last years World cup final team, those dark years in the 1970`s where England didnt even qualify proves it
Yet easy to forget our home sides when a foreign player might represent the ROI(!) were made up of UK players-all those European trophies from Nottingham Forest, Everton, Ipswich Town, Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and some club called Liverpool must have all been won by luck and hoofball.
1966 was the last time England had a World class team but most say 1970 was even better
Whilst Holland have a population of only 13 million and can boast Cryuff, Gullit, Van Basten, Van Nistelrooy, Krol, Neeskens, Bergkamp et al all they have ever won is the Euro Championship in 1988
Belgium for all the Scifo`s, Ceuhlemans, Hazards and Lukaku`s have won nothing
The Soviet Union won one Euro Championship despite owning half the World and blew it at every World cup
Between 1966-and say the EPL formation there has been Bryan Robson, Alan Shearer, Kevin Keegan, Frank Worthington, Laurie Cunningham, Matt le Tissier, Glenn Hoddle, Chris Waddle, Peter Shilton, Trevor Francis, Ray Wilkins, Tony Currie, Rodney Marsh, Peter Beardsley, Mark Hateley, John Barnes, Terry Butcher, Colin Todd among the many names who could play in any league in the World comfortably
Same with our Celtic cousins- Liam Brady, Danny McGrain, Kenny Daglish, Pat Jennings, Ryan Giggs, Ian Rush, Mark Hughes, John Toshack, Jim Leighton, Neville Southall, Willie Miller, Gordon McQueen, John Robertson, Norman Whiteside, Archie Gemill, Davie Cooper, Graeme Souness, Alan Hansen, Gordon Strachan, Paul mcGrath among many others
The UK ban on clubs entering Europe did not devolve our game one bit, I`m sure at times there was quantity over quality player wise, and many managers did use route one to success (Some actually knew how to do it proper) but really the UK as a whole has a rich story of great football, great players and a lot of entertainment, I totally
am against the media tying it into some kind of Dark Age.