The Search For England’s Next Victim (Manager)

Apologies for my lack of posting recently, I have been sunning myself in a country far better at football than ours – España. Now I am back and much like Spain we are all qualified and signed up for Euro 2012. Considering we didn’t make Euro 2008 we should definitely be thankful for this, even if it came in unspectacular fashion.

We know Fabio Capello is leaving after next summer’s tournament. He’s said it and the FA have said it. I don’t think anyone is dying for him to stay either. In fact, if it wasn't going to cost the FA the earth then they may even have got rid of him before next year’s Euros.

Along with Sir Alex and perhaps one or two others, Fabio Capello came to England as one of Europe’s greatest managers. Foreign yes but no English manager could have come close to his managerial achievements. He leant a solid amount of English in a very short amount of time and promised to usher in a new period of English football. A period of discipline where players would be picked on form and not reputation. Players would have to fight for their places, everyone of them.

A stellar qualification campaign followed and all was good. Then there was the shambles that was the 2010 World Cup. Player selections, tactics on and off the pitch. It was an embarrassment and things haven’t exactly improved since then.

Too often were players picked because of their name. Frank Lampard has poorly performed for England for an age but was only recently dropped. Too often was Capello inconsistent in disciplining his players. To strip John Terry of the captaincy to give back to him a year later just sends out the completely wrong message. Too often has Capello been stubborn in team selection. Ignoring pleas of fans and pundits alike he has stuck with an ageing team often playing his better players out of position.

Also, has nobody actually noticed that Capello’s English has never really improved? He learnt a commendable amount to start with and then doesn’t really appear to have learnt anymore since. The man is being paid nearly £6 million a year to manage a team about 8 times a year. He should be completely fluent now surely? This may not seem like a huge issue but it affects his communication with his team and just smacks of a lack of commitment.

It is no surprise that the masses will not be sad to see Capello leave our shores after Euro 2012. Who though will replace him? Who is the next man to take up the seemingly mammoth task of turning our national team into something we can be proud of?

The consensus is that our next man should be English. He should understand the English way of life, the expectations on the national team. Step forward Harry Redknapp.

Harry never represented the national team as a player. His reputation as a manager though is second to no Englishman. Having built his reputation with long spells at Bournemouth and then West Ham, Harry then transformed Portsmouth from Championship dwellers into Premiership mainstays and FA Cup winners. This then lead him to current club Tottenham where he took them to the Champions League proper, something that hadn’t been managed by a team outside the traditional ‘Big Four’ for just under a decade. On top of this he has spoken in glowing terms about the England job itself, the man actually wants the job.

Redknapp likes to his teams to play attacking football and he has a good record of blooding in young, talented players. It appears he also doesn’t mind speaking his mind, something I think would be refreshing and beneficial for an England manager. The fact remains though that he hasn’t really ever challenged for the league title or faced the kind of pressure that the England job carries. Spurs’ showings in the Champions League last season suggests though that pressure is something Harry could enjoy.

Whether he could command the players respect, a point where Capello has somewhat failed, would remain to be seen. As far as home-grown managers go though, Harry is the best option.

What if the manager was not English but British? David Moyes would be an option but a Scotsman in charge of England probably isn’t going to happen. What then about Martin O’Neill? O’Neill interviewed for the post five years ago when the FA overlooked him for er...Steve McClaren. Is it possible for us to get a new FA as well?

O’Neill has done a quality job wherever he has gone and if he had of been better financially backed at Villa then perhaps they too would of reached the Champions League. He is known for his motivational skills and getting the best out of his players. I think we could all agree that a lack of motivation has too long been a problem for England’s big stars. O’Neill is no yes man either and would not be daunted by punishing players who do not obey his rules.

If O’Neill is appointed next year he will have been out of management for two years. He will be a gamble and the FA aren’t exactly the most daring of people. I think though it is a challenge that he would relish.

Something that the FA hasn't quite grasped is that managing a national team is starkly different to managing a club team. Tactics, team selection, man-management, it’s all different. So why not go for someone with international experience, someone who knows how it works.

Roy Hodgson would be the main English choice on this front. Whilst a fine manager I think the FA will look for a bigger name. His spell at Liverpool doesn’t help his cause. Guus Hiddink certainly fits this bill. Speaks good English and bags of international experience. It seems pretty apparent though that we will not see another foreigner managing the Three Lions for a while.

Match of the Day commentator Steve Wilson blogged a few weeks ago putting forth another candidate, see www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/stevewilson/2011/09/fa_headhunters_should_look_bey.html. Not an Englishman but someone who knows the English game throughout and has been very successful in the Premier League. A certain Arsene Wenger.

Wenger has always shown more of a liking for bringing in younger players than gambling in the transfer market. This is what managing the national team is all about. He also likes to play very attractive football, the likes of which we see from our Spanish friends.

The Frenchman though will not be taking up this role. He has shown he is not one who reacts well to criticism so why would he put himself in a position where criticism will be one of his only friends? Wenger will also be astutely aware that the current England crop will not have the talents and technique that is required to play his kind of football. The job would be a losing battle for Arsene and he will be all too aware of this.

Is the manager to blame? Should we not be finding a new squad? The amount of money and status that some players have at their clubs suggests that the international scene means little to them. It is just not as important. It has been argued that some players see a major tournament as a free holiday and that they care little about their country’s fortunes. But surely the likes of Spain and Germany have similar players who have massive statuses at their own clubs YET still love performing for their country. It will be up to the new manager to change this viewpoint of some of the players or actually change the players themselves.

Whoever gets the nod from the FA has an arduous task to say the least. They will need to be thick-skinned but also flexible and willing to listen to others around them. They need to motivate and turn our national team into a hard-working one, a side we can actually be proud of from time to time. It’s an extremely tough prospect there is just no denying it. At least the new man though won’t be intimidated by the triumphs (or lack of) made by their successors. Unless Fabio surprises us all next summer. I won't hold my breath though.

The Delicate Ingredients Needed For The Perfect Tournament

England expect to all but secure Euro 2012 qualification this evening by brushing Wales aside with the ease in which they took apart the Bulgarians last week. The planning for Ukraine and Poland will probably begin next month as Capello’s men board their plane out of Montenegro – assuming they have been successful. So, England in a major tournament. Always cause for excitement yes? Well that’s what I used to think. South Africa 2010 however, has a lot to answer for.

From both an English and a neutral point-of-view, the last World Cup was for the most part a disappointment. Actually from an English perspective, we had an absolute shitter. Apologies for the language but if you’re failing to score past Algeria then profanities are required.

So I have compiled a collection of ingredients. A group of dynamics that I feel are required for Euro 2012 or any future tournament to be successful in the eyes of the fans. I can remember about nine major tournaments but I feel I have seen enough archival footage to know what is required to get the pulses racing – both for England supporters and for the neutral.

The Song:

What have been England’s best results since Sir Alf’s men lifted the World Cup in ’66? Italia ’90 and Euro ’96 when they reached the semi-finals. The common denominator in these near misses? A great tournament song. ‘World In Motion’ and ‘Three Lions’ are still belted out by the England faithful down the pub and rightfully so, they are fantastic tunes. And 2010? The FA banned an official song so that the team could be “fully focused on the football.” They didn’t seem too “focused” when Thomas Müller banged in Germany’s fourth in Bloemfontein.

A good tournament song excites the fans. It unites England’s followers when they sing it together in the pub or the stands. Remember the effect ‘Three Lions’ had in 1996. It should be fun! Think John Barnes spitting rhymes with New Order. Even watching Ant’n’Dec running around in 2002 dressed as SGE and Tord Grip was more than entertaining. Although unlikely I pray The FA would bring back a tournament song for next summer – one that involves the players. It’s an easy-to-follow formula, you need a good English group performing a song written by a comedian. Perhaps with a player rapping at some point. I foresee Arctic Monkeys performing a Noel Fielding-penned hit whilst Andy Carroll freestyles lyrics in the background. Perhaps I’ll start a petition.

The standout player:

Ronaldo ’02. Zidane ’98. Baggio ’94. Maradona ’86. Cruyff ’74. See what I mean? Not all of these were awarded the FIFA Golden Ball for being voted the tournament's best player. They didn’t need to be. These players aren’t loved for their efficiency or resilience. They’re loved because they excite, because they are artists. They make the beautiful game beautiful. When September comes and kids return to school these are the players they pretend to be, I myself was a Baggio/Romario. All of these players mentioned could carry their teams at times and they all made the final. When you look back and think of tournaments you remember the best matches and the players that you made you say “WOW”.

Whilst Spain as a collective were something to be marvelled at, 2010 never really had this kind of player. Nor did Euro 2008 or World Cup 2006.  Can Euro 2012 produce a standout superstar? I sure hope so. It’d be nice to tell the grandkids that I once saw Joe Bloggs round 8 players and chip the keeper with his ear in the final of the Euro Championships. Worryingly though I can’t think of the player that will do this next summer. C. Ronaldo and Ribery would have to be frontrunners. May have to start waiting for Messi in 2014.

Nothing to complain about:

As a nation we like a good moan, we’re quite talented at finding things to complain about.  We don’t need to be handed gift-wrapped grievances to wax lyrical about. Enter SA 2010 with its dodgy ball and the vuvuzela. Vuvuzela being Afrikaans for ‘Pain-In-The-Arse’. Whilst this last statement isn’t strictly true, players and fans alike agreed that the dreaded horns had a significantly detrimental effect on the atmosphere at last year’s tournament. Whether there was a goal scored, a sending off or actually nothing going on at all, the same annoying monotone drone reigned supreme.

What was wrong with the ball? It was perfectly spherical and immensely technologically advanced. So why could most people not play with it then?! Players struggled to pass/shoot with it and ‘keepers didn’t know what the hell was going on. Why fix something that isn’t broken? You get the best players in the world together for a few weeks every 2 years. Just give them something that is kinda round and bounces. Don’t ruin it. I hope it’s just football doing the talking in 2012.

The underdog and the upset:

Seeing a footballing giant crumble at the hands of relative minnows is always somewhat enjoyable. Reigning champions France being humbled by ‘The ‘Wardrobe’ Papa Diop in Seoul, Italy falling to hosts South Korea later in the same tournament. We enjoy seeing the underdogs progress, particularly if they are from Africa for some reason. Cameroon, Senegal and Ghana have all had the neutral support over the years as they reached the last 8.

Whilst we appreciate an Italy or a France going out in the first round there is a fine line to be considered though. The draw of a major tournament is to see the best teams competing against each other – not to see a group of underdogs fighting for the trophy. At Euro 2004 Spain, Italy and Germany all exited in the group stage, in 2002 the same fate fell for France, Portugal and Argentina. The 2004 tournament was won by Greece and in 2002 South Korea and Turkey made the semis. Whilst people appreciated Greece’s achievement it wasn’t exactly enjoyable to watch. We want to see great football and like it or not that generally comes from the best teams. So whilst a successful tournament run from an underdog would of course be welcomed next year, let’s see the best players and teams flourish.

The moment of English glory:

I think we should have a reality check. England first played in a major tournament 61 years ago. In that time we have reached one final so we need to grab hold of whatever bit of fantastic elation that is sent our way. Can you think of one of these moments in 2010? I sure as hell can’t. Remember Rooney tearing Croatia apart in ’04? Beating Argentina and Germany at the start of the millennium? Michael Owen announcing his talent in unbelievable fashion at France ‘98? In my lifetime these are the moments that I cherish of the national team. The moments that endear the Three Lions to myself. As England fans we are usually optimistic, at least at the start of a tournament. The bitter truth is though we haven’t come close to a trophy in a long time now. When these moments of glory happen we need to embrace them, they makes us feel like our country can beat the best the world has to offer.

I don’t expect England to be lifting the Henri Delaunay trophy in July 2012. To be brutally and depressingly honest I don’t expect England to even be in contention. When (hopefully if) we go out I will, like all others, be somewhat drunk and somewhat inconsolable. When I reflect though I would be happy enough just to know that England were knocked out gracefully. Perhaps after Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick against Ze Germans in the previous round. I did say I was optimistic.

That’s my super-tournament recipe. It is not an exhaustive list and I would welcome any suggestions. If Poland and Ukraine could follow my recipe we may have some spectacle next year. If Euro 2012 does not meet expectations though, we can still be exceptionally happy. Knowing there will be no vuvuzelas in attendance will always keep me happy.       

England Shine - But How bright?

England strolled off the field in Sofia yesterday evening and had the right to feel pleasantly smug with themselves. From start to finish England controlled a lacklustre Bulgaria who offered little threat. Rooney shone with two goals and an increasingly more prosperous hairline whilst others also impressed. Despite all this it would be almost ludicrous to get carried away with this victory which some England followers are almost guaranteed to do.

Firstly let me address the potentially gargantuan issue of the evening – the new kit. Oliver Holt (The Mirror) and Matt Dickinson (The Times) were quick to criticise the electric blue/navy ensemble. Apparently it just isn’t England. Yeah? Well fan-bloody-tastic. Perhaps if it isn’t ‘England’ then they may actually get to a semi-final in it. Or at least go out of a tournament gracefully. The top itself looks good (I think) so who cares? England have had blue, grey and even yellow away tops over the years so it’s not exactly a complete change of tradition. And judging on last night’s performance the team seem to get on quite well with it so let’s just move on shall we. Kit = thumbs up.

I don’t want to undersell yesterday’s performance, it was good – very good. The back four looked solid, Cahill and Smalling fitting into their respective roles with ease. Scott Parker and Gareth Barry provided regimented protection and allowed the front four to flourish – which they did. Rooney was always a danger and he was aptly supported by the craft and pace of those behind him.

Bulgaria were however, for want of some better words, bloody awful. England carved them opened far too easily and their attack provided very little to worry Joe Hart’s goal. They are now without the retired Dimitar Berbatov but I don’t think his lethargic presence would really have changed much. But you can only beat what is put in front of you.

England seemed somewhat departed from the static performances that we have become used to in recent years. There was a bright fluidity to their play particularly in midfield. The fact that they still have Jack Wilshere and Steven Gerrard to welcome back is obviously a bonus. For me the fact that Frank Lampard was dropped is also a bonus. Lamps hasn’t played consistently well in an England shirt for over 5 years now. He was very disappointing in the last 2 World Cups and at age 33 his international career is probably on the wind down now. England managers have too often selected players on reputation rather than form and thankfully that looks to have changed here. He has a new career beckoning as a celebrity couple with Miss Bleakley anyway, so every cloud.

Wales’ surprising win against Montenegro last night means that England’s progression from their group is almost in touching distance. What does this all mean for Euro 2012 then? Well, to be honest not much. Whilst we take hope from England’s performance it doesn’t really mean too much when it comes to facing the big teams on the big stage. Keeping the ball against Bulgaria is nothing compared to what it would be like at trying to keep it against a Spain or a Germany. In fact getting hold of the ball would be tough enough. Whilst the promise of the likes of Smalling, Cahill and Wilshere is obviously something to be excited about, it may be too soon to expect them to get the better of Europe’s elite on a regular basis.

But what about the main man? Could he not fire England to Euro 2012 victory? No not Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney of course. The Sun thinks so. However this is the kind of idiotic optimism that puts immense pressure on the England players. Pressure that they seem to regularly wilt under. Rooney has had a fantastic start to the season but his goals last night were his first for England in just under a year. Not exactly stunning form. Especially when even Capello seems to be somewhat undecided on where to play Rooney. Is he the out-and-out striker or should he be playing in the hole, linking midfield and attack? Whilst he is rather good in both positions, for me he needs to play as England’s main striker. Purely for the fact that there are no better options. He is easily our best choice in terms of scoring goals and should be utilised as such. Goals are hard to come by at major tournaments and I think it must be clear that Rooney is the only potential man who could step forward and get 5 or 6 goals next summer. But I don’t think that A. This will happen and B. It will be enough to see England into the last 4 in Poland/Ukraine.

If anything, Rooney’s sensational early club form this year demonstrates the need for more breaks for the England players. ‘Wazza’ himself has attributed his great start to having a relaxing summer, taking a break and coming back much more refreshed. And of course having a new rug on his forehead. England managers and players alike have often bemoaned the lack of a winter break in the Premier League and the effect that it has on England players in major tournaments. To be fair, they are right. England often looked burnt out when it comes to summer. Other European nations have winter breaks and it must allow for the players to be fresher when the season ends. The problem in this country though is that the Premier League and The FA are two separate identities. It doesn’t matter much to the Prem if England crash out next summer. Unless these two organisations can agree on some common goals, don’t expect a winter break to be gracing our domestic seasons anytime soon.

All in all we should be pleased with England’s performance yesterday eve. Of course we should. But for god sake let’s not get carried away. They dominated the match, Rooney looked very dangerous and we have promising new blood coming through. But Bulgaria aren’t half the team of some of Europe’s elite. Our technique is inferior to Spain et al and that is just a fact. Can I see England going out in the quarters next summer with 20 different excuses and crying that they were too tired? Unfortunately yes. But in some of Kevin Keegan’s famous words, “I would love it, love it” if I was to be proved wrong.

Has England’s Firepower Burnt Out?

Amidst all of the transfer deadline chaos I found a moment to look at the England squad for the upcoming (and crucial) Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Wales. Any slip could leave England in real danger of not qualifying as group winners with their final game away at Montenegro in October. Montenegro being their main rivals to topping the group. A country that has existed for 5 years and has a population of 625,000. Christ, times have changed.  

Like most English football fans I am the most eternal of optimists when it comes to the national team. Or at least I was until the morning of 27^th June 2010. That day England were absolutely tore apart by their worst of enemies – Ze Germans. The English defence was pitiful whilst its attack looked completely devoid of ideas. Although the defending that day was awful it was actually a rarity to see it that bad. The woeful attacking however had been a recurring theme in that simply embarrassing World Cup. 3 goals in 4 games against backlines from the likes of Algeria and Slovenia. Looking at the current crop that Fabio has called up I can’t help but think, when did our forward line begin to look so average?

Wayne Rooney, Andy Carroll, Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe are the four strikers that Mr. Capello has selected for the impending qualifiers. There aren’t any possible striking selections out injured at the moment so we would assume that these four players are the England coach’s best options. Let’s compare these players with the four forwards that Glenn Hoddle selected for France 1998 – Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham, Michael Owen and ‘Big’ Les Ferdinand. They say the stats don’t lie so shall we see if there is a talent gap?

The class of ’11 have a collaborative total of 128 caps and 45 goals at a rate of a goal every 2.84 games. The class of ’98 had at that stage a collaborative total of 94 caps and 33 goals at a rate of a goal every 2.85 games. So, unless you are the most nit-picking of readers, it’s even stevens.

What about league form, the criteria that qualifies these players (past and present) to play for the national team. Well we are talking about strikers here, how many times have these guys scored 20 league goals in a top flight season of English football? Between Fabio’s current crop they have done this twice, Rooney and Bent both achieved this in the season preceding the 2010 World Cup. Some would have thought this was a good omen. Some would have been bloody wrong then wouldn’t they?

Alan Shearer et al really prove their worth in the domestic stakes. At the time of France ‘98 between the four English strikers they had scored 20 goals in the top flight EIGHT times. Shearer himself had scored over 30 league goals on three different occasions. This dwarfs the efforts of the current England marksmen.  Surely this shows that over the last ten years or so that the strikers of this country have lost their edge and weakened in ability as a collective.

Sure you could make excuses for England’s current four front men. Wayne Rooney hasn’t often been played as an out-and-out striker. Andy Carroll is still only 22, his career is still ahead of him. Fair points. However – Teddy Sheringham rarely played as an out-and-out striker. In 1998 Michael Owen was only 18. By age 22 Owen had scored far more goals than the ‘Geordie Ponytail’ currently has to his name.

Where have these problems come from? The increasing influx of foreign players into the Premier League cannot be discounted. Out of the top 4 teams last season only one of them had an English Striker – Rooney. If more English forwards played for top 4 clubs then you would have to think that they would be hitting the 20 goal target more often. But the reason they’re not playing for these clubs is because they’re not good enough! There was no mention of Jermain Defoe or Bent replacing Carlos Tevez at Manchester City this summer.

Are they being given the chances and the experience to be good enough? The amount of money that can be rewarded in the top flight means that so much depends on teams scoring goals, could be to stay up, could be to qualify for Europe. So these teams are unlikely to put their complete faith in young English strikers, there’s too much at stake. Perhaps if they did English fowards could improve in their abilities and would be used to pressure – the kind of pressure that can be faced at international level. The excellent performances of Daniel Sturridge during his loan move to Bolton last season illustrate this point.

So there is much room for improvement. England’s frontline is not what it was in the 1990’s, particularly on the domestic scene. No longer are the majority of the best strikers in this country actually from this country. Until this problem is addressed in some way I wouldn’t expect goals galore coming from the Three Lions in Poland and/or Ukraine. In fact I wouldn’t hold out much hope for anything particularly special happening next summer. Unless you’re watching Spain.