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» Insipid, spineless and lacking quality: Fan's view of England 1 Iceland 2 at Euro 2016
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Oli Fell's view of England's Euro 2016 exit at the hands of Iceland in the second round:
Insipid,
spineless and lacking quality. England's own 'brexit' from the European
Championships last night didn't even feel like a shock, more a
reluctant acceptance.
Hodgson
resigned soon after, and perhaps fitting to the performance, already had
a resignation statement prepared. When was that written? Before the
tournament? After the Slovakia game? During the second half? It's great
to know that Hodgson had an exit plan.
England's squad is arguably the strongest
it's been since the days when fans complained about a Gerrard-Lampard
pairing in midfield (how we'd love to have players of that quality
back).
It
is, frankly, a disgrace that an England side filled with superstars,
has lost to a country managed by a dentist, and has a pool of around 23
players to choose from.
Iceland's
population is the same as Coventry, it's not right that this continues
to happen. Algeria, Slovakia, they aren't bad teams – Iceland too – but
look at our squad! Rooney, Kane, Sturridge, Hart – I could go on. These
are all professional footballers who deservedly earn their wage every
week. How can the team get it so wrong every year?
At
no point in the game last night, except for 38 seconds in the first
half, did it look like England had the quality to win that game.
Hodgson's risk to play Sterling and Kane didn't pay off as both put in
sub-par performances, forcing Sturridge out wide in an unnatural
position.
Rooney and Alli couldn't
create the link between midfield and attack, and Dier was sacrificed at
half-time for the more forward thinking Wilshere. None of the front six
threatened the goal all game, having to rely on half-chances.
It
was a horror show at the back; Walker switched off to allow Sigurdsson
to equalise, before Cahill backed off and Hart failed to stop
Sigthorsson's weak drive. England's only moment of real quality in the
final third was when the penalty was won.
But
the buck doesn't stop with the players, or the management. It's the FA
who need to fix up. Look at the state of grass-roots football, look at
the amount you have to pay to earn your coaching badges.
This is
football. This is what children want to play in the street, on the
pitch, everywhere. If you price out normal, working class people from
football then you have to expect repercussions. If you keep on
appointing 'FA yes men' as manager of the national team, then you have
to expect repercussions… Not winning anything.
Last
night has to serve as a wake-up call for English football, we need
someone in who will invigorate the team and has tactical nous.
I
would have gone with Rodgers before he went to Celtic, and I think it's
another failure on behalf of the FA that we had no exit plan for a new
manager should Hodgson left.
Our best bet for manager now is not Southgate, not Pardew, not Shearer. It has to be a top-class manager.
CREDIT TO:http://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/insipid-spineless-and-lacking-quality-fan-s-view-of-england-1-iceland-2-at-euro-2016/story-29452240-detail/story.html
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