What now for England?
Saturday 19th June 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Fabio Capello was today attempting to pick up the pieces from a night of World Cup disappointment that left pub-goers crying into their beer.
Furious supporters vented their fury with England after a dismal 0-0 draw – including one that managed to breach security to storm into the team’s dressing room.
England have been left with a make or break game against Slovenia on Wednesday after a night that left millions feeling flat. More than 20 million people tuned into the Algeria game at home and thousands crammed into pubs across the West Midlands.
They were left with that familiar feeling of anti-climax as England threaten to leave the World Cup party at the first hurdle. Today an inquiry was being launched by Fifa after one unhappy supporter managed to walk into the England dressing room to remonstrate with players after the game.
David Beckham, who is now part of the coaching team, had to intervene and calm the fan down.
Capello, who was celebrating his 64th birthday, and his England players were stunned when they were faced with the furious supporter, who was wearing an England shirt.
Moments earlier Princes William and Harry had been in the changing room at the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town to see members of the team.
The incredible ending to England’s appalling World Cup display came after supporters turned on the team as they left the pitch. Hundreds were angry that striker Wayne Rooney made a disparaging remark about them.
Reacting to boos from the crowd, Rooney snarled at a cameraman: “Nice to see your own fans booing you.”
Fans packed into pubs across the West Midlands last night, doubling normal takings for a Friday night. But pre-match optimism was replaced by incredulity as Algeria dominated large parts of the game.
Hero of 1966 Roger Hunt, who was at Cannock’s Bar Sport last night, said: “I don’t think we looked like scoring a goal all night. The players looked like strangers. No one played with confidence. Rooney had one of his worst games.”
Doors were closed at the Cleveland Arms in Moseley 45 minutes before kick off because so many fans wanted to watch the match.
Micheala Lea, a 22-year-old occuptional nurse, from Simmonds Road, Ashmore Park, Wolverhampton said: “I thought we were going to win three-nil and get to the semi-finals. I can’t believe this result.”
Richard Nicklin, a 29-year-old plumber from Cannock Road, Featherstone, said: “It was absolute rubbish. What a let down after everybody was looking forward to the game so much. The atmosphere was fantastic at the start but by the end the atmosphere was as flat as their performance.”
By John Scott and John Corser
UK Sport
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i was born in world cup year 1966,43yrs on and i am no further on to being proud of my national team,back in 66 that was what it was a team,all we got now is 11 has beens that think they have a god given right to to wear the england shirt,we only had one manager that got a team to play as a team since alf ramsay and that was bobby robson if ever we where ever goin to lift the cup bob would have done it ,instesd the media and fa hounded him out,now we have to have thease forigners come in who know nothin of the english game and how team players and those who earn the right to play ,i could get a bunch of players who where proud of the country and had the commitment ,they wouldnt be premier players niether,.time for tommy coopers brother to go and we get hodson or someone like that in who is english
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What next is easy. 4-5-1 with Cole and Lennon wide and Gerrard behind Rooney. It’s like 1980 all over again – a manager who has overthought the problem and needs to change to a formation the players believe in. My worry is that, unlike Robson, Capello might be too stubborn to change. The one thing that went right was Carragher getting suspended so we can have Dawson in and not a centre half who has to foul anyone who knocks the ball past him.
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Where was the effort? Algeria put themselves about a bit, we didn’t. May I offer a view that could get me hanged for treason? The clubs pay their wages, roughly £5million each per annum. “Don’t come back hurt, your wages are halved when you aren’t in the team”. You cannot deny they played like it was a training session. There isn’t a manager around who can combat indifference. Capello needs to put on his boots with a sharp nail in the toe end. Then use it!
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Abject performance particularly from Rooney who is surely unfit, and Heskey lacking match practice. Thanks largely to Gareth Barry and David James for the point.
Exasperatingly the team have gone backwards since qualification. Paceless Carragher walzing into the squad and now team at the last minute; the inclusion of injury-prone King; and the omission of Walcott and his goals were questionable at the time the squad was announced, and seem crass decisions now.
Without wholesale changes to the offensive players we have little chance of beating Slovenia.
So disappointing after the qualification promise.
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All the pundits in press and on TV have been debating the formation, Gerrard out position etc…etc…
Amazes me how these so called experts couldn’t see the main problem staring them in the face..the players were crap and that had nothing to do with systems, formations or tactics! When proven high performing players like these cannot pass a ball a few short yards when under no pressure then you can play any formation you like but you’ll still end up with a dire performance. These are the same players who, week in week out, make the same type of passes with their eyes shut in the prem but looked like had never seen a football before last night! Lampard has played 180 mins now but i can barely remember him having a touch! Drop him for the next game, and consider dropping Rooney too, who is clearly not up to 90 mins fitness-wise. Rooney could be used off the bench to good effect and dropping him and Lampard would give ALL the players the kick up the backside they need, no time for pussy-footing around now its win or bust against Slovenia, BIG BIG calls for Capello, we are on the verge of going out of this competiton. WAKE UP!
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And Rooney got angry with fans for booing the team? What did he expect from the half hearted performance that they put in. If Rooney can’t perform then he shouldn’t have his place in the team – why keep him on the pitch if he’s doing nothing? At least Heskey, although he doesn’t score goals, can hold up play etc. Everytime Rooney got the ball he gave it away, he couldn’t control it. Then he threw his rattle out of his pram when the fans booed – they’ve paid good money to be there to watch that load of twaddle they have every right to boo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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If we reach the next round It will be a bonus, the problem goes much deeper,the players are living out of reality,£80/£140’000 per week please no player is worth that and the problem is down to the FA,the Prem receives to much money from Sky, it should be shared more with the lower league’s this would enable more kids to come into the game so building a greater base of British players,if it carry’s on as it is in 10yrs if not sooner we’ll be down to 3 leagues. 20/30 yrs ago there would be 6/7/8 players competing for each position now there is 3/4. The lack of reality and awareness of real life of these players is there to see just look at Rooney’s reaction,he could not understand why the were booing.I have been critical of England for a long,long time and I know I say it a little tongue in cheek but I have’t seen England play well since Bobby Charlton retired.
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Come on England I’m very dissapointed sitting in my livingroom watching these games – It’s bad enough having tom deal with everyone asking me if I saw the Woods goal – I had to buy my UK cap, and badges last week when I was in Ontario Canada – better play well in the next match or I will have to mothball the fan stuff for another 4 years.
Wake up and play!!!!
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Although I am marginally reluctant to say it, I have to agree with almost every word Kev says. (I said ‘almost’ so we can still have a pop at each other). On other posts I have commented that something is wrong with the England set up. Now the news-boys have hounded it out and there is. Big Time! The Rooney ego is about to crack its shell, just like Humpty Dumpty, with a few others who are getting their heads wedged between the goalposts. England comes second to our super stars.
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Drop Rooney to the bench, Play Gerrard behind either Defoe or Crouch, and play Joe Cole on the left. We would qualify with ease with that being done. Rooney is a class act, but is either not 100% or his ego is getting to big, either way, being dropped would do him and the team the world of good. Gerrard needs to play in the middle, just behind the striker, as hes leaving a void on the left when played there. Heskey has never been good enough to play in a world up, and shouldnt have even made the journey to the world cup.
Cappello said he would select the squad on form, but Bent who was the second highest english scorer gets ommited from the squad in replace of heskey who has never been prolific in front of goal. Please Cappello, make the changes that are so clear for everyone to see, and guide us through the group stages.
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2. What the hell are you on about? There was no WC in 1980
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I live in America – there are a lot of folk watching the world cup , curious about all the fuss, many just dont get it, but many get to comment on the obvious , i heard many talk about lack of passion, team work and whats with this Rooney guy , he looks un -fit and appears to not know what he is doing.
I have to agree with the these comments , usually when American’s talk about “soccer’ it is received with the apathy and dismay . My thoughts … we are not as good as we think we are, we need a radical review of our system , name 3 england players that would get into a brazil, argentina, spanish, blah blah,
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#2 hits the nail on the head. I too fear our manager, especially after being practically humiliated by Terry’s speech, will stubbornly refuse to switch from the stall he set out, will play the same formation, and worse still, play the same team. How Emile Heskey gets a game for a top Premiership side, let alone England is beyond logic. 3/31 games for Villa? His international ratio is not worth even mentioning and the look on his face after he was taken off the other night was the look of a broken character. For Capello to pull Rooney to pieces in front of the media, I think, has drained the last drops of confidence any of the players had in him. Who wants to make the next mistake and become the next scapegoat derided by our own coach? If he puts that team out, and the same formation, which went out of date in major tournaments twenty years ago, I see nothing but a repeat of our pathetic showing against Algeria. Somewhere, somehow, things have fallen apart between this squad and their manager. As relations grow worse by the day, I fear a calamitous exit. And let’s all remember The Sun headline. E.A.S.Y
It is never easy with England.
I will sign of by wondering, that if we can’t even get out of this group, is there much point in bothering to qualify for the next one. I hope with all my heart they prove me wrong, but I actually fear they will be on that plane come dinner time Thursday.
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