England!

 

The older I get the more I appreciate the achievement of this team. Especially when I reflect (not often) on what has followed!!!

 

Alf Ramsey from 1963 to 1974 (69-17-27)
Joe Mercer in 1974 (3-1-3)
Don Revie from 1974 to 1977 (14-7-8)
Ron Greenwood from 1977 to 1982 (33-10-12)
Bobby Robson from 1982 to 1990 (47-18-30)...
Graham Taylor from 1990 to 1993 (18-7-13)
Terry Venables from 1994 to 1996 (11-1-11)
Glenn Hoddle from 1996 to 1999 (17-5-6)
Howard Wilkinson from 1999 to 2000 (0-1-1)
Kevin Keegan from 1999 to 2000 (7-4-7)
Peter Taylor in 2000 (0-1-0)
Sven-Goran Ericksson from 2001 to 2006 (40-10-17)
Steve McClaren from 2006 to 2007 (9-5-4)
Fabio Capello from 2008 to 2012 (28-6-8)
Stuart Pearce for a single game in 2012 as a caretaker (0-1-0)
Roy Hodgson...

(win-draw-loss)

Our managers since we won with Sir Alf (who also ended up getting slaughtered) in 66. Luckily I was old enough (9) to remember it, the win that is. Since then we've tried home legends, top coaches and foreign gurus. ALL have failed to win anything. They can't all be useless?

We've also had some great players BUT they rarely perform when the heat is on. 6 tournament knock out wins since 66!!! Other countries players seem to grow when they put the shirt on, we shrink.

 

ALL players feel "pressure" but others handle it better. Our learning curve must stretch to the moon by now.

I want my country to win as much as the next man/woman but I can only come to the conclusion that we lack one thing.

Politely you could call it TEMPERAMENT or more bluntly BOTTLE!

The players should react to the game and show leadership and fight ON the field. Why was Wayne Rooney marking the target for the long throw? Why did Walker leave his man? Why couldn't Hart throw his cap on that shot? etc GUTTED.

Next season we'll all be watching the England players doing extraordinary things for their clubs, which will be even more irritating. Thing is, that's small potatoes compared to stepping up and performing for your country on the BIG stage. Look at the Irish and Welsh!

This morning I'm hearing the "Big Man" theory. Andy Carroll should have gone. Maybe but again a desperate tactic. Bring him on and hump it up! Surely we're better than that? Ex-players coming up with their theories, the same players who also failed.

We now have the next manager merry-go-round. Will it make any difference...do me a favour!

The fans deserve more, much more but maybe we just haven't "got it"?

Tragic really..

Had to get that off my chest