Euro 2016 Thread

[LUX]

I reckon it was a betting scam

[leon]

I reckon it was a betting scam

Not sure how, everyone knew England would shit it up.

[bcubed]

Why, after every tournament, do the FA and players and management concerned say we'll learn from this and be better next time only to make exactly the same mistakes (or worse) all over again when the next time finally comes round?

What do these overpaid so called experts actually do other than just blab what they think everyone wants to hear ?

Waiting for the next finals and an exit in the usual manner after the standard struggle to get through the group stage, presuming they can actually handle a qualification process of course.

All comes down to the worst thing that ever happened to football in this country; SKY money and the Premier League.

We were though screwing things up long before SKY

[From Despair To Where?]

Why, after every tournament, do the FA and players and management concerned say we'll learn from this and be better next time only to make exactly the same mistakes (or worse) all over again when the next time finally comes round?

What do these overpaid so called experts actually do other than just blab what they think everyone wants to hear ?

Waiting for the next finals and an exit in the usual manner after the standard struggle to get through the group stage, presuming they can actually handle a qualification process of course.

All comes down to the worst thing that ever happened to football in this country; SKY money and the Premier League.

We were though screwing things up long before SKY

Maybe not the advent of Sky but certainly the advent of the megabucks, "money is no object" clubs. If we are to learn anything from this season domestically and Internationally then maybe it's that a bit of team spirit and organisation is more important than a sack load of money.

[John Madejski's Wallet]

On the team spirit front, anyone hear Chris Waddle's massive rant about modern players?
He touched on one thing that really irks me too, namely players and headphones

Before the match, England players were walking around the training ground (and then the stadium) either nattering in 2s, or else just all walking around in their own worlds with their headphones on. You see the same thing in prem games when players are getting off the bus

They are all pampered and allowed to be loners and individuals. How anyone thinks you get a group of people like that to play as a team is beyond me

[6ft Kerplunk]

Other than 1966 (and to a lesser extent Euro 96) we've always underperformed at international tournaments. Even during the times our teams were dominant in Europe in the late 70s/early 80s our international team did nothing. Bit unfair to just blame it on the last 20 years of Sky the issues were around way before that.

[wingnut]

Interesting stuff in The Grauniad...

No other country in Euro 2016 stops its officials staying in the same hotel and forbids them from eating with the players because the coaching staff prefer it that way. No team bar England has a set of players who are given their lines, like homework, before interviews instead of being trusted to talk for themselves. Nobody else has made one of Euro 2016’s training grounds look like a woodland prison, surrounded by 7ft-high fences, police lookouts and flying drones.

Covering England, one quickly learns there are rules in place. Players were told not to mention anything that related to their clubs or talk about opposition players. This is how silly it became: the players were even under orders not to discuss their games-room dart tournaments. Whose idea was Kit? “Senior players,” came the FA’s stock answer. Only a little thing, perhaps, but just compare the secrecy surrounding a cuddly toy with the way players from other teams hold themselves in front of the cameras.

"Kit" is a stuffed lion with its own UEFA tag that the players hilariously carried around with them on the training pitches.

[Sutekh]

Other than 1966 (and to a lesser extent Euro 96) we've always underperformed at international tournaments. Even during the times our teams were dominant in Europe in the late 70s/early 80s our international team did nothing. Bit unfair to just blame it on the last 20 years of Sky the issues were around way before that.

While that is true, there were occasions (96, 90, 82) where our national team showed promise and was well worth watching but since Hoddle was kicked out by the FA it has been pretty much a predictable load of pants with over protected players, a toothless FA and continuous attempts to knock everything British/English out of the players because Spain or France or whichever foreign flavour of the month play a certain way.

To my mind nearly all of the last 20 years or so has been the most depressing, miserable, unexciting and dreary time to be an England fan.

[bcubed]

Other than 1966 (and to a lesser extent Euro 96) we've always underperformed at international tournaments. Even during the times our teams were dominant in Europe in the late 70s/early 80s our international team did nothing. Bit unfair to just blame it on the last 20 years of Sky the issues were around way before that.

While that is true, there were occasions (96, 90, 82) where our national team showed promise and was well worth watching but since Hoddle was kicked out by the FA it has been pretty much a predictable load of pants with over protected players, a toothless FA and continuous attempts to knock everything British/English out of the players because Spain or France or whichever foreign flavour of the month play a certain way.

To my mind nearly all of the last 20 years or so has been the most depressing, miserable, unexciting and dreary time to be an England fan.

As I said above I don't think you can blame SKY (not for this anyway)

We messed up in 1970, saving Bobby Charlton for the next round, messed up big time in 1973 (and didn't qualify for 1974) didn't qualify for 1978 and in fact 1982 was our first competitive qualification for twenty years as we had qualified as hosts in 1966. I could go on but the catalogue of disasters is just too depressing.

At least we are qualifying regularly now but England don't know how to win in a knockout format - simple as that

[Sutekh]

Other than 1966 (and to a lesser extent Euro 96) we've always underperformed at international tournaments. Even during the times our teams were dominant in Europe in the late 70s/early 80s our international team did nothing. Bit unfair to just blame it on the last 20 years of Sky the issues were around way before that.

While that is true, there were occasions (96, 90, 82) where our national team showed promise and was well worth watching but since Hoddle was kicked out by the FA it has been pretty much a predictable load of pants with over protected players, a toothless FA and continuous attempts to knock everything British/English out of the players because Spain or France or whichever foreign flavour of the month play a certain way.

To my mind nearly all of the last 20 years or so has been the most depressing, miserable, unexciting and dreary time to be an England fan.

As I said above I don't think you can blame SKY (not for this anyway)

We messed up in 1970, saving Bobby Charlton for the next round, messed up big time in 1973 (and didn't qualify for 1974) didn't qualify for 1978 and in fact 1982 was our first competitive qualification for twenty years as we had qualified as hosts in 1966. I could go on but the catalogue of disasters is just too depressing.

At least we are qualifying regularly now but England don't know how to win in a knockout format - simple as that

Yes but even in the event of cocking it up in 70 and 73 the team's performance, organisation and effort generally couldn't be criticised it was just bad luck and/or a simple cock up rather than just a general malaise of not having a clue that has bedevilled the last 3 England managers.

Even 78 was explainable seeing as we got put in the same group as Italy but I think only failed to qualify because we didn't bag enough v Luxembourg.

Also 1982 wasn't the first time we qualified for a finals since 1962, the gap was 18 years as we made the Euro finals in 1980 (remember the hooligans v Belgium?)

The Euros, and general qualification for it, has always been a big problem for England down the years (84, 88, 92, 08), no ideas why it just seems that England don't put their minds to it properly.

That said though the passionless, clueless and insipid management we've had since Keegan quit has really been the main cause of why England are where they are. It'll be interesting to see which yes man the FA come up with next...

[Silver Fox]

Since Keegan quit or since Hoddle was kicked out?

[AthleticoSpizz]

Apparently the returning players were not paraded through "arrivals" to meet the welcoming fans and press.

They were instead met by a team of umbrella carrying flunkies, who kept them dry for their short walk to the awaiting cars that whisked them away.

Typical example of how much elitist detachment there has been recently and where some of the current problems grow from.

[harry]

A caller on 606 last night made a good point. When you think of the top teams in Europe the best teams have an identity and way of playing that often reflects the best teams in the country.

Italy: Strong emphasis on defence and organisation - Juve
Spain: Tiki-taka football, high possession - Barcelona
Germany: High work rate, quick movement, disciplined - Bayern

I feel England have lost theirs, that physical aspect, good pace, playing to the qualities of the strikers. I felt more than a few parallels with England and Reading actually

England: promised a lot before the critical run-in, choked & let their fans down - Spurs

[Brosef Stalin]

A caller on 606 last night made a good point. When you think of the top teams in Europe the best teams have an identity and way of playing that often reflects the best teams in the country.

Italy: Strong emphasis on defence and organisation - Juve
Spain: Tiki-taka football, high possession - Barcelona
Germany: High work rate, quick movement, disciplined - Bayern

I feel England have lost theirs, that physical aspect, good pace, playing to the qualities of the strikers. I felt more than a few parallels with England and Reading actually

England: promised a lot before the critical run-in, choked & let their fans down - Spurs

Spurs came third in a two horse race

[harry]

A caller on 606 last night made a good point. When you think of the top teams in Europe the best teams have an identity and way of playing that often reflects the best teams in the country.

Italy: Strong emphasis on defence and organisation - Juve
Spain: Tiki-taka football, high possession - Barcelona
Germany: High work rate, quick movement, disciplined - Bayern

I feel England have lost theirs, that physical aspect, good pace, playing to the qualities of the strikers. I felt more than a few parallels with England and Reading actually

England: promised a lot before the critical run-in, choked & let their fans down - Spurs

Spurs came third in a two horse race

[Sutekh]

An Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman go into a pub for a drink. The Welshman was still in France.

[Ascotexgunner]

An Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman go into a pub for a drink. The Welshman was still in France.

I'm gonna use that. There's at least another 24hours in that joke.

I heard Bobby Charlton this evening, when asked how the boys of 66 would do against Iceland, say "Well we would have lost in a very close 1-0 game. But then again most of us are over 70 and some have passed away"

[TFF]

RonaLOLdo

[Royal Rother]

Tedium personified.

Not bothering with ET and likely pens.

[double d]

I would LOVE it if ROFLOLnaldo shanks his pen and they go out and he starts crying. I just despise him.