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Saturday 4pm Greenwich Mean Time I was curiously confident. Undoubtedly a bad sign of course, but even when Rooney went off and with penalties imminent I kept the faith. Maybe it was because I’d been there before: I’ve been through Turin 90, Wembley 96, St Etienne 98, Lisbon ‘04, (with Charleroi ’00 and Japan ’02 along the way for variety), but I thought maybe
England’s luck would hold out. Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)
After all they’d hardly played well this World Cup. As it was England proved they couldn’t take the pressure and didn’t convert their penalties. One can ask any multitude of questions as to why all of which are irrelevant when it comes to that moment. That Gerrard, Lampard and Carragher didn’t score means that in this one penalty competition England have missed three times as many penalties as Germany have EVER done in World Cup penalty competitions (For the statto's amongst you 18 from 19 - the guilty man Stielike having his penalty saved, ie it was on target - against France in 1982 in Sevilla). They simply don’t miss, we do (One could point to the only ‘English men’ who scored being one who has plied his trade in Germany since he was 16). Bet just $20 at Canbet and get a FREE $20 World Cup Bet. Click Here! As for the other moment of controversy: I have to say I was flabbergasted by the Rooney decision. Initially, like many others I couldn't make out whether it was for the 'challenge' with Ricardo Carvalho or the push on Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. If the Ref saw the 'stamp', which is subsequently what he says Rooney went for, then he should be refereeing the final because he evidently has eyes in the back of his head. I didn't see it and even now I think it is fairly marginal as you are applying 'intent' on Rooney's part without asking where else could his foot go or their being any particular previous between the two during the match? Nonetheless, I’m sure Carvalho was no doubt telling Rooney throughout the whole game that he was the one who put his World Cup in doubt. Equally, Rooney was always more likely to get wound up playing up front on his own and that nobody was telling him to keep calm reflects a lack of man-management. I shall not be sad to see Sven go - not that that would surprise anybody who has spoken to me for the last four and a half years. As former England captain, Terry Butcher has said today we are no further on that when he arrived. The system Sven was wedded too simply didn't work with the players he had. He failed to develop a real team (in contrast to what Scolari has evidently done with Portugal and Klinsman in a shorter period with Germany). Sven’s disregard for friendlies when he could have developed a real ‘team’: that is one which does not necessarily include the best (read marketable?) individual 11 players on the pitch. That the England fans were chanting the name of the previously maligned Owen Hargreaves with ten minutes to go on Saturday says a lot for them being willing to get behind a ‘team’. So after five and a half years, the only difference is that the Football Association have paid out £24 million on Sven’s salary. Money that could have been invested in future generations of England players to better effect I would suggest. Get a 20% FREE Bet on your first Deposit (to a maximum of £20) Try Eurobet!
And with Sven going, and entirely appropriately, David Beckham announced his resignation as captain. There is certainly a case of jumping before he was pushed but this decision reflects the poise and respect (if not the talent and inspiration) that Beckham has brought to the role. Steve Maclaren will welcome the opportunity to name his own captain, with Terry and Gerrard likely candidates, in order to stamp his authority on the England Squad when they first meet in just over 5 weeks time. And yes it is just that long, so for all the tears yesterday and the long faces today international football begins again and England (again) have the chance to progress. Then again…
By J Simon Rofe,
Englandfans member since 1995, England fan since birth.
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