Originally posted by Sicilian SmaugI disagree. By some distance, Sven is the worst manager England have had.
He's certainly not the worst manager we've had and also not the worst we could have had.
I'm aware of his record (just 3 losses and 2 penalty shootout defeats in 38 competitive internationals - though it's a bit less impressive if you exclude qualifying tournaments), and you'd think he must be doing something right for all the players to retain their loyalty to him, and to one another. But it's not so easy to find anything that he has got right :
* He's a grossly overpaid leech who's screwed the FA for millions of pounds a year while showing no loyalty to the team (remember the fake sheikh ?)
* His private life is disgraceful (Faria)
* He provides no inspiration for the England fans, and it's hard to imagine that he gives much inspiration to the players. His touchline coaching skills are non-existent.
* He has consistently failed to turn games around by use of substitutions. His bizarre and negative substitutions contributed heavily to England's failure against Portugal last time round, to cite just one example.
* England's record in the second half of matches under Sven has been consistently shabby - further evidence of his lack of inspirational leadership and poor use of substitutes.
* The way he treats friendlies (using every available sub) is an utter joke which has short changed fans who've paid good money to watch these games, and provided little in the way of useful preparation for the big tournaments.
* He is too close to Beckham, who has rarely looked like an appropriate choice for England captain.
* He has never had the guts to drop his big name players when they haven't been performing. Nothing has been more pathetic than watching an obviously out of sorts Frank Lampard struggle through the last few games while Sven passed up every opportunity to take him off the field.
* Again and again he has robbed his stars of their effectiveness by playing them out of position. The way he's used Rooney in the last two matches is a crime, and as far as I'm concerned Sven is entirely responsible for the red card.
* Sven made a colossal blunder in failing to bring enough strikers to the World Cup, and in bringing along a player - Walcott - who just didn't have the necessary experience. It's clear that Sven had it in his mind from the start to use a 4-5-1 formation in some games.
* The tactical formations used by Sven - particularly in the last 3 weeks - demonstrably failed to bring out the best in his players, and to showcase the real strengths of English football.
In the end, Sven's legacy is that he wasted the promise of one of the most talented generations of English football for many years, blundered and underperformed in the games that really mattered, and destroyed the hopes of a legion of travelling English fans whose behaviour had for once been a credit to the nation. Never has there been a more appropriate scapegoat for an England defeat.
Originally posted by jimslyp69Most Jocks are bitter and twisted when it comes to England and sport.
I'm not quite sure it is me that the twisted one here.
I used to support them when they occasionally qualified for something - don't know if I will again after their disgraceful attitude this time.
Originally posted by bolshevikI disagree on one important point- his private life is his own business. only in England, where you have some remnants of Victorian morality which expresses itself to the masses via the tabloid press, would the manager shagging his secretary be a scandal.
I disagree. By some distance, Sven is the worst manager England have had.
I'm aware of his record (just 3 losses and 2 penalty shootout defeats in 38 competitive internationals - though it's a bit less impressive if you exclude qualifying tournaments), and you'd think he must be doing something right for all the players to retain their loyalty to him, a ...[text shortened]... nation. Never has there been a more appropriate scapegoat for an England defeat.
In every civilised country, he'd be expected to be shagging his secretary. Moralising on that is a real drag.
And you wonder why Scolari steered clear of the job? Bah.
Otherwise, yes, Sven was rubbish. But it's not all his fault. Alot of your players are rubbish too, don't forget them.
P.S. What about Graham Turnip Taylor- he was pretty bad too, wasn't he?
Originally posted by sjegYes he was, but when things weren't going right for him at least he showed some sort of emotion also he had a "plan B", admittedly not a very good one but it was definitely different from "plan A with more defensive players"
P.S. What about Graham Turnip Taylor- he was pretty bad too, wasn't he?
Originally posted by cadwahYes, but Plan B for him was impersonating groceries.
Yes he was, but when things weren't going right for him at least he showed some sort of emotion also he had a "plan B", admittedly not a very good one but it was definitely different from "plan A with more defensive players"
Originally posted by Dr StrangeloveHow do the Irish team impersonate potatoes? Please explain. I'm sure it was really very witty. Maybe because we eat potatoes sometimes. Well, you got our number, anyway. Roll on your next piece of satire.
Unlike the Irish team who impersonate potatoes. Haha. 😀
Still, I'd fairly fancy those 'potatoes' to wipe your sissy boys off the pitch, along with any halfway decent team in Europe or beyond.
'Ja, vat ve do ease ve fluke-eh ze gol, unt ve zen defend-eh for ze rest of ze match'. It's not Sven's fault you're dull, you know. He was just playing to your strengths.
By the by, when was the last time you played well in a competition, might we ask? You're rubbish- lower those expectations, and you'll be fine.
Originally posted by sjeg🙂 Funny enough for rec!
How do the Irish team impersonate potatoes? Please explain. I'm sure it was really very witty. Maybe because we eat potatoes sometimes. Well, you got our number, anyway. Roll on your next piece of satire.
Still, I'd fairly fancy those 'potatoes' to wipe your sissy boys off the pitch, along with any halfway decent team in Europe or beyond.
'Ja, vat ve do ...[text shortened]... petition, might we ask? You're rubbish- lower those expectations, and you'll be fine.
Actually Chris Waddle seems to have understood the problem on the BBC website, check it out.
Originally posted by Sicilian SmaugGood God.
We'll be back come the Euro Championships in with a good chance of winning. Sadly, I think your lot won't.
You English never cease to amaze.
What makes you think you will have a good chance of winning it other than misplaced, unfounded and frankly pathetic confidence?
The last four teams in the WC 06 are all European.
All of them are far more likely to win Euro 08 than useless, over rated England.
As always, the English hordes professed the cup was theirs and we may as well all just give it to you and not bother with the tournament, and yet again, England fails to do anything at all AND YET AGAIN the cries of 'we woz robbed' resound with great alacrity.
Spare us.
We've seen it all before and quite frankly have had enough.
Only sing when you win mate.
Otherwise you just look like an idiot.
England win Euro 08… *sigh*
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Originally posted by ASROMAWe wuz robbed.
As always, the English hordes professed the cup was theirs and we may as well all just give it to you and not bother with the tournament, and yet again, England fails to do anything at all AND YET AGAIN the cries of 'we woz robbed' resound with great alacrity.
Spare us.
England win Euro 08… *sigh*[/b]
Ingerland to win Euro 08 - no probs. 🙂