What wavelength is Roy Hodgson on ..?

[david in sweden]

..with the media going full pelt for Jay Rod and Rickie in the next England squad......and also tipping Shaw and Clyne for honours, is it any surprise that Roy H. is suddenly criticising Prem.club managers for not backing him and supplying him with the England players he wants....!

 

BUT listen Roy....if you haven't noticed , there are barely half-a-dozen ENGLISH managers in the Prem. nowadays, and most of those are in clubs in the lower half of the table..

 

.....all the other Prem. managers (of foreign extraction) are looking after no.1 and couldn't care a tinkers cuss about the ENGLAND team. but MP isn't among them.

[Dalek2003]

..with the media going full pelt for Jay Rod and Rickie in the next England squad......and also tipping Shaw and Clyne for honours, is it any surprise that Roy H. is suddenly criticising Prem.club managers for not backing him and supplying him with the England players he wants....!

 

BUT listen Roy....if you haven't noticed , there are barely half-a-dozen ENGLISH managers in the Prem. nowadays, and most of those are in clubs in the lower half of the table..

 

.....all the other Prem. managers (of foreign extraction) are looking after no.1 and couldn't care a tinkers cuss about the ENGLAND team. but MP isn't among them.

 

Brilliant post. The thing is club football in England always trumps international football. This is not the case in some other countries.

[Window Cleaner]

It's the same problem as everywhere else. International managers are always afraid that players from smaller clubs won't fit in with

the overpaid snouts already in the trough. It's far better to rely on Emile Heskey or Jermaine Defoe cos they've been there and done that in their way of thinking.

[captainchris]

Brilliant post. The thing is club football in England always trumps international football. This is not the case in some other countries.

 

With respect the plight of the national team is more to do with an obsession with the old Guard and big team players rather than those with current good form whoever they play for..... It's always the same as soon as a player moves to a big club he overnight becomes 'good enough' it's a bloody joke.

[St Marco]

With respect the plight of the national team is more to do with an obsession with the old Guard and big team players rather than those with current good form whoever they play for..... It's always the same as soon as a player moves to a big club he overnight becomes 'good enough' it's a bloody joke.

 

Exactly.

The problem is that the England team is a "clique" of players and staff. Rooney could have two broken legs and not play for his club for 6 months but would still get picked over whoever the current top form English striker is.

People have lost interest in International football, not just here but worldwide. As someone said the other day on the radio playing for your country has been made too difficult in comparison to how it used to be. Look at Lambert. Top English striker in a relegation battling team. How would he do in a team like Man Utd or Arsenal where the players are better and he would get more chances? You could argue he would do even better. But he won't get that chance because Roy or whoever is in charge has to abide to "Brand England". People won't pay the ticket prices if the likes of Rooney, Gerrard etc are left out. It is all about money. And because of that people have lost interest. It is below club football in competitiveness. I think most people now see the international break as a nuisance.

[Crab Lungs]

The blokes a complete plank. Outside the top four's bench and reservists there are plenty good footballers to make a competitive English football team.

 

Something I posted on FBTPRO...

 

You'd have to be a head mental to replace Jack Cork. He's better at what he does than any other English equivalent. Scott Parker? Nope, no dynamism. Carrick? Steady, but not the same energy levels. Cork can pass, tackle, intercept and with a good central midfield partner, dictate the rythym of a game, helping the team quickly switch from defence to attack. Since he's returned, we've won 8, drawn 8 and lost 5. Incredible.

 

The fact he rarely scores is completely irrelevant as there is a forward quartet who are tasked with that role - and Schneiderlin has chipped in with a few this year too, further adding to his reputation. I bet France, unlike England, won't deny their most gifted players the opportunity to play for their country just because they're from a provincial club and not one of the "big boys" like Marseille, PSG or Lyon. They're not short-sighted like that.

 

As for our other England hopefuls, well, like Cork, they're good enough to play for England and anyone who knows football can see that. Again, look at the competition. Lallana - who can do what he does in the Premier League and is English? The answer is one player - Joe Cole, and he's 31 now. You don't see Rodwell, Shelvey, Cleverley, Livermore or Henderson doing the things he does with the ball and he's that little bit of class that can help turn again. Still, old Owl Head thinks those players (and the likes of Milner) are better options so you can see where this country is headed with regards to it's football if we keep ignoring this kind of talent.

 

Lambert? Yes, he's 31. Yes, he "lacks" pace - but since when has pace been a pre-requisite for international football? If it was, Walcott would be one of the best strikers in the world. Still, owl-head prefers the likes of Welbeck (who has the first touch of a sunday league footballer - and not a very good one at that, 18 games, 1 goal in the EPL too), Sturridge (potential, but inconsistent) and a chugging Rooney as the only creative force. And please, can the media stop with the Carroll and Holt comparisons. Technically, like the rest of the Saints squad, Lambert is streets ahead of his peers. Not only is he the highest scoring Englishman in his first season playing in the top flight but he's also the 3rd in Europe's league of strikers for overall contributions (goals, crossing, assists, passing etc). He is so phenomenally underrated it's unreal.

 

In fact, it's insulting to think Zamora, Kevin Davies and Emile Heskey (60 odd appearances) have got caps for their national side. None of the above have never had the level of expertise as Lambert on a football pitch. It's embarassing, really, but it's great for our opponents. Who would you rather play against? Heskey, or Lambert? Milner, or Lallana? I rest my case.

 

Same applies to Jay, but he's a different type of player. Still, we'll probably go with Man City/Arsenal/Man Utd/Liverpool reservists/bench warmers over genuine talent and these guys will miss out.

 

Fullback wise, I haven't seen a better English right-back this year (with the exception of Walker at Spurs) than Clyne. He has absolutely everything and at 22, has the scope to improve. Once again, I'm sure owl-head will go for the labourious Glen Johnson.

 

At left-back, Luke Shaw has a more difficult task despite having an exceptional first half-season in the Prem. Ashley Cole isn't really showing any sign of waning despite his age and Baines is a more than capable understudy. That said, Shaw's 17 and he will definitely be capped by England at some point.

 

As Southampton fans, we are both blessed and cursed to have so many technically exceptional and underrated footballers. Blessed, because we get to keep them all to ourselves, yet cursed because we just know our players can improve our flagging national side... and if they don't get a look in here, they might be tempted to go elsewhere.

 

I just hope they can realise their ambitions at St. Mary's.

[Convict Colony]

Like ^

[The Kraken]

Where has this obsession with top 4 club players come from, anyway? It wasn't always like this. Steve Bull going to Italia 90 and he didn't play one minute of top flight football. Peter Taylor got picked for England when he was playing in the third division.

 

The Sky generation has a lot to answer for.

[skintsaint]

Top Clubs always whinge about burning out their players with the odd international friendly...and then preseason whisk them all round the world to play in a couple of preseason tourneys in the space of a few weeks.

[VectisSaint]

Top Clubs always whinge about burning out their players with the odd international friendly...and then preseason whisk them all round the world to play in a couple of preseason tourneys in the space of a few weeks.

So if players from top clubs are burned out play top players from other clubs, some of who have not even played 35 games all season. Roy's bit today makes him look totally stupid.

[Smirking_Saint]

Picking top four players is often a lot more intricate then just placating the top four managers and appeasing the general masses.

 

The consensus is generally that in international football you do not have time to make players gel, so you pick players used to playing with each other. Added to this you have the fact they are pitted against better players in elite competition, and so yes I can understand that concept.

 

From a Saints perspective, Cork seems ready made for what Hodgson wants to achieve especially if played next to Carrick to allow Gerrard to play a more expansive role. Then you have Clynne who coukd add competition to Walker and Johnson.

 

J Rod if he carries on his form till the end of the season is probably worth a look and Lambert, has the ability IMO but his age is a hinderance.

 

I think the OP has gone a tad OTT though, our players have not played that many games, we are safe really, and are not really first team (england) quality so MP isnt going to moan really. You can understand the likes of AVB etc wanting to keep their players fresh for the run in, no idea how but something needs to happen to make the international team the pinnicle again.

[The Kraken]

Picking top four players is often a lot more intricate then just placating the top four managers and appeasing the general masses.

 

The consensus is generally that in international football you do not have time to make players gel, so you pick players used to playing with each other. Added to this you have the fact they are pitted against better players in elite competition, and so yes I can understand that concept.

 

From a Saints perspective, Cork seems ready made for what Hodgson wants to achieve especially if played next to Carrick to allow Gerrard to play a more expansive role. Then you have Clynne who coukd add competition to Walker and Johnson.

 

J Rod if he carries on his form till the end of the season is probably worth a look and Lambert, has the ability IMO but his age is a hinderance.

 

I think the OP has gone a tad OTT though, our players have not played that many games, we are safe really, and are not really first team (england) quality so MP isnt going to moan really. You can understand the likes of AVB etc wanting to keep their players fresh for the run in, no idea how but something needs to happen to make the international team the pinnicle again.

 

Exactly right.

[Latheal]

Got a feeling some will be called up for the post season games as they'll be loads of withdrawals. To be honest, the enjoyment has gone out of watching England. Some of the selections are mind boggling. I'm one of the few who prefer Welbeck to Sturridge but never at the expense of Lambert. The guy deserves a call up at the end of this season.

 

Ashley Young on the left, Milner on the right...for an England team that's both shocking and embarrassing.

[the saint in winchester]

It's a fact of life now that club teams in this country are multi-national. Look at your Chelsea, Arsenal, Man City squads to confirm.

As David correctly points out, few managers are English too so their priority is their club side. There is no incentive to provide the next generation of England's elite, nor to rest any current internationals for an upcoming international fixture. Diversity and relaxation of quotas of overseas players has resulted in this. I'm not saying I believe either is right or wrong. It's just a consequence.

Of course, as Saints fans, we would recommend Clyne, Shaw, Cork, Lallana, Puncheon, J-Rod and Lambert to Mr Woy as players he should be seriously considering for his upcoming England squads.

Stop watching the Manchester and London clubs, Roy, get down to St Mary's. The future is bright, the future is predominantly red with a splash of white.

[SNSUN]

If Oxlade-Chamberlain had stayed with us, my guess is he wouldn't currently have received a full cap on our run up the leagues. Move to Arsenal, capped for England. This is perhaps why I'm worried we'll lose Shaw, and perhaps even one or two of the other jewels, unless Saints can really progress next season and try to hit the top 6-8.

 

(Personally I prefer club football, so I really am not too fussed with the England team, despite patriotically supporting them (in vain) in competitions.)

[John Boy Saint]

What beggars belief is when a numpty ITV commentator notices that Gerrard has just told Welbeck that in future he should be on the other side of the defender to recieve the pass, this is supposed to be the cream playing for England not the bloody YTS.

 

Woy in his gripe about teams putting player before country just stepped on a landmine in the eyes of supporters of 86 teams. Take the bloody blinkers off and grow a pair Roy when selecting the team then you might have a leg to stand on when you moan.

Rio mugged you and the FA right off but you still kiss his backside, what was a possible solution? Maybe we can play Carrick at centre back? In 92 teams in the professional game there is not one single centre back of English birth who could fill just one hole.

 

Sorry it's early Saturday morning and the home measures have kicked in.

[angelman]

The England side really isn't very interesting to watch, and TBH, I don't bother most of the time. If I have nothing else to do, then I'll turn the TV on, but I certainly don't anticipate their games, at least not at the qualifying stage. To me the problem comes down to passion. The players picked certainly have the skill (or most of them do) but it always seems that club (who pay the wages) comes before country. Thinking that every Saints player could and should be there is a little too partisan, and looking at things trough rose tinted glasses. Looking at the team for the last game

 

01 Hart

02 Johnson

03 Cole

05 Lescott

06 Smalling

04 Gerrard

07 Milner

08 Carrick

11 Cleverley (Young - 78' )

09 Welbeck

10 Rooney

 

Look at that make up - 3 from ManC, 2 from Liverpool, 1 from Chelsea and 5 + 1 sub from ManU. While 3 of those teams are at the top of the league, it does rather send out the message that unless you play for them, then you aren't going to be picked. I sometimes get the feeling that the England manager, and Roy is not unique in this, is scared of being criticised by the press should something not work out. The defence being, that they all play for the big teams and are therefore they have to be good players.

 

Hart - no probs there. Smalling has only started 10 PL games, a few subs, a couple of appearances in UCL and FAC - really, is that the best we can find? Cleverley is a bit better having started 16 games, but he hasn't finished many (5 to be exact). WEllbeck has started 12 times in the PL this season (being subed 7 times, albeit coming on as sub 9 more times, often in the last 5-15 minutes). Milner is a bit better and has started 14 times in the PL this season etc etc etc. This is the failing of the PL and foreign players are first choice, but those 4 have started only 52 games this season between them - Lambert has started 29 times. I think Johnson has started 30, but given his performance at SMS, it isn't hugely reassuring! I know that that is not a sign of how good a player is, as I am sure that some of those players would have had a lot more games if they were playing for other teams, such as us, but there is still something very wrong picking players who start so few games. Carrick - I think people are being unfair here, as he is the dynamo for Utd and somewhat an unsung hero and a regular starter.

 

I sometimes wish that the England manager would pick players who would sell their mother to play for the national side, even if they were potentially not the best player in that position. Surely someone who isn't quite as good but gives his all is preferable. Certainly as a spectacle it would be better. I look back at England's showing in South Africa as the final nail in the coffin - a more disinterested national side would be hard to find. Things were a little better in Euro 2012, but not hugely so, and we seem to have regressed back again. Pundits seemed to be dismayed that England have fallen 3 places in the FIFA rankings (and use Brazil's 19th place to try and justify that the standings are all wrong), but really, look at the recent results (disregarding friendlies). A draw against Montengro, Poland and Ukraine. A couple of meaningless wins against San Marino, and another win against the power house that is Moldova (ranked 138 out of 207 - San Marino are bottom, Poland 63rd, Ukraine 37th and Montenegro a dizzying 27th)

[david in sweden]

 

I think the OP has gone a tad OTT though, our players have not played that many games, we are safe really, and are not really first team (england) quality so MP isnt going to moan really.

You can understand the likes of AVB etc wanting to keep their players fresh for the run in, no idea how but something needs to happen to make the international team the pinnicle again.

 

I don't think I was so totally inaccurate - was I ? To say that our players " are not England standard " is a fair comment, but .....tell me what IS " the England standard " nowadays?

I'd put Gerrard on my team sheet - every time -even if he wasn't 100%....and Hart (simply because we don't have a viable alternative at present)..but after that. who is an automatic choice ? Very few.

Defoe is selected - when fit, but is the same generation as Rickie and has less Prem.goals this season. It says something for Rickie's ability that he scored most of those goals whilst the team was in the relegation zone, whilst the above-mentioned are playing in top four clubs dominated by foreign players.

 

Welbeck has scored 1 goal in Prem. league (?) and Cleverley (so poorly named IMO).....are selected because they are in the same club as Wayne Rooney. But how often do they play on the same pitch.

Some smart nerd came up with stats. showing that despite a 50+ games tally for the top four clubs, some of the English players had scarcely played half of the Prem.games and some of those apps. were as sub.

 

I'm not suggesting that all of our prospects should be in the next England squad, but we have at least 4 ENGLISH players who are worth a second look, but will fall by the wayside 'cos were Saints.

 

Roy has forgotten .....play your best in-form players.

Edited 13 April, 2013 by david in sweden

[rudi7s]

For me recent England managers seem out of touch with the PL outside the top 5 to 6 teams and also lack the impetus or energy to bridge that gap in knowledge. The job normally comes to those with experience and with that, the appointment appears a 'safe' choice but it would be great to see a youthful, enthusiastic manager given the job.

 

I actually quite like Hodgson, but can't help but feel we won't progress without some fundamental changes. Klinsmann was an unlikely choice for Germany in 2004, perhaps our next boss should be someone of a similar ilk. Gary Neville? Pearce?

[chestersaint]

Being England manager is a piece of **** nowadays. Simply look at the top 6 teams in the premier league (this can be done over a nice brew watching MOTD on a Sunday morning). Have a pen and paper to hand and systematically go through each position, noting which players are English. For example, left back; Man Utd - Evra, City - Cliche, Cheslea - COLE, Arsenal - Monreal, Spurs - Assou-Ekotto, Everton - BAINES. Ok so that is Cole and Baines. Continue through the rest of your squad and by the time Lineker starts waffling, job done. Under perform massively and pick up cheque safe in the knowledge that because you picked the players from the top teams, you are free from reproach and the problem is with the current crop of poor players. Eventually you will be removed from office after several tournament failures with a tasty severance sum only to be replaced with a new robot who's first priority in the new job is to check what time he needs to be up on a Sunday morning for a thorough bit of scouting courtesy of BBC1. It really is as simple as that and it is heart breaking that I among others are so apathetic regarding the whole thing.

[lordswoodsaints]

Football is all about money and the world in general wants to watch the likes of Rooney,lampard,gerrard etc etc not lambert,Rodriguez,shaw......unless they move to a club that is recognised world wide of course.

Exactly why I don't give a flying **** about England and exactly why they will continue to fail.

[The Kraken]

You also have to consider the impact our press has on the England manager. Its hugely pressurised, and even friendly games (where we should be experimenting) are treated as a total disaster if we lose.

 

Saying that I've been disappointed with Hodgson, in that I genuinely thought he would bring something different to the table and wouldn't be afraid to take a punt on players outside the establishment. He's almost been blinded by the lights of it all and reverted to type of taking the extremely safe option each time.

 

He really could have been a breath of fresh air; and with each squad call up 2 or 3 newer players who have been performing superbly at club level. Christ, he could even have done this without any genuine intention to pick them and create a squad over time that has 30 or 40 players very used to going away on international duty. As it is we've got this core of his and you can predict what the squad will be despite how well any of them are playing for their home sides.

[kpturner]

Brilliant post. The thing is club football in England always trumps international football. This is not the case in some other countries.

 

I think "brilliant" is overstating it a tad

[angelman]

Brilliant..................http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2310368/Roy-Hodgson-bemoans-lack-English-players-Premier-League.html

[Glasgow_Saint]

Saints fan in Saints player bias shocker

 

X is better than Y bla bla bla............... with all these world class players why have we been flirting with relegation all season?

[Pilchards]

From a selfish point of view I don't want any Saints players turning out for England as they come back crocked or confused from a knob of a manager.

[Saint Garrett]

Funny that the list of games when a team has no Engllish players, the majority are Wigan games who haven't had any English.

 

You can't moan about having no English players to watch when there are plenty out there playing out of their skins and don't get a chance.

 

Noble, Jarvis, Britton, Holt last year, Cork, Lallana, Lambert, Clyne, Shaw, Rodriguez, probably a few coming through at Villa.

 

I do agree there is a problem that the top sides don't have that many English players, but surely that means that a few of the others should be given a chance. Personally hate the fact that England players are picked even if they don't play every week. If they made this pretty much mandatory, it would also stop these good young players just going to the top teams and sitting on the bench.

[chestersaint]

Refer to post #20 - 'Under perform massively and pick up cheque safe in the knowledge that because you picked the players from the top teams, you are free from reproach and the problem is with the current crop of poor players' Only Roy is getting his excuses before the inevitable failure.

 

The bloke bemoans that he can only pick from about a third of all EPL players and then adds a self imposed restriction on only considering those inside the top 6-7 teams and thus reduces his options by a further 60-70%. He is a complete f00ktard. Would it kill a manager to try thinking outside the box at least in a friendly. Surely the sign of a good manager is to spot talent early. Not wait for Ferguson et al to do it for you. Tell the press what you are teying to achieve and they will buy into it as will the general public.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Agree with those saying that Woy needs to take his head out of his backside and start walking the walk when it comes to selecting in-form English players to play for their country, rather than the names we usually see. There'll be no change though because the English FA is rooted in the past propping up the old guard and protecting their own little world from anyone who wants to modernise. If this were not true, then we would have seen a step-change by now.

[wireframebox]

Brilliant..................http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2310368/Roy-Hodgson-bemoans-lack-English-players-Premier-League.html

 

If there are no English players at some of the games you attend, Roy, then you've gone to the wrong games, you pillock.

[alpine_saint]

Brilliant..................http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2310368/Roy-Hodgson-bemoans-lack-English-players-Premier-League.html

 

Isnt it nice to know the future of the national team is under the stewardship of a blind, incompetent bell-end....

[BotleySaint]

It's odd really... I thought Hodgson would be the kind of guy to give people a fair go and not go the usual way. But it seems the England managers job brings out the worst in people. No manager is willing to stamp their own mark on the position, they just keep going as the guy before. Something going on higher up perhaps?

[melmacian_saint]

Funny they say there aren't enough English players in the Premier League, when you then look at the Scottish, Welsh and both the Irish national teams and half of the players are born and raised in England, most of which actually play in the Premier League.

 

Maybe it's not just the nasty clubs that aren't doing their job properly aye Mr. Hodgson?

[Smirking_Saint]

It's odd really... I thought Hodgson would be the kind of guy to give people a fair go and not go the usual way. But it seems the England managers job brings out the worst in people. No manager is willing to stamp their own mark on the position, they just keep going as the guy before. Something going on higher up perhaps?

 

Like I said before, I think its difficult. Even at a low level (Talking sunday league or tyro) have you ever tried to play properly in a team that has players your not used to ? In a formation your not used to ? Its not easy

 

And from the way they are coached and trained tactically it is only harder at higher levels, different players are used to different ways of playing, relying on others etc

 

For that reason he is more likely to pick players that play together and so will call up players of which the majority play together. Also the theory is that higher placed teams in europe etc will play better opposition. Added to this I have no doubt the FA will probsbly much prefer to see bigger names on a teamsheet then some nobody from stoke etc

 

Its not hard to see why he picks what he does if you take the saints glasses and ultimately the England are dire glasses of, he hasnt that much choice really. Though I woukd much rather see him give players a go, certainly in friendlies. But lets br honest now, cork probably deserves it more than any in a Saints shirt. Lambert yes but age is an issue, Clyne could but Walker is there and Johnson looked good last tourney (but pretty poor this year), and lallana hasnt been back from injury yet.

 

All in all though I think we need to look at Englans and realise we arent that good. Gerrard, Rio, cole are all on there way out. Much of the promising 'youth' doesnt get enough game time, and most of the rest arent good enough

[AussieDog]

England for the World Cup or Saints for the Premiership? Neither is really likely, but I wonder which is the longest shot?

Either way, if I was given the choice, there is no contest (and yes, I am English) - it would be Saints every time. Of course it is probably every players dream to play for their country....or is it???? If Rickie (or any other English Saints player) was guaranteed a place in the England team or the Real Madrid or Barcelona team for a season (we're in fantasyland here...bear with me...) which would he/they choose? Playing with either Spanish team is likely to bring more money and more glory. An England cap he can keep in the trophy cabinet, because he won't win anything else playing for them....

[alpine_saint]

LOL. Getting plenty of stick on the Daily Mail site for his treatment (or lack of) of our players.

[alpine_saint]

Explains everything.

 

Why, are you saying that their pointing out of his selection myopia is incorrect ?

 

This week has been interesting for me. It really has pointed out the weaknesses of the human pysche. If somebody dislikes something or someone, they are completely incapable of admitting that said entity or person is capable of getting something right occasionally. Having said that, I see it in the reactions to my posts every day, of which you are usually a classic example.

[Picard]

It's very nice to see a lot of very good English players are coming through thanks to their incredible academy system and they are going to be very important for me.

 

That is of course a major bonus.

 

It's a particular bonus when I go to watch matches because when I go to see United play, there's a good chance I'll see a number of English players, which unfortunately isn't always the case when I watch matches.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22268871

[Wade Garrett]

Hodgson is another MacLaren, and is getting found out at this level.

 

I have gone right off international football. Players, generally, aren't interested either, and pull out of squads at the drop of a hat. Only when the opportunity to market their individual 'brands' at a World Cup do they even start to give a toss. Playing for your country, no longer seems to have the honour that it did with players of yesteryear.

[John Boy Saint]

The joke is Manchester United play to a system that SAF drills into the players, that's how players no one as ever heard of just seem to slot into the system and sparkle because they are bought to fit it. Their academy players, like ours now, are brought up to play to that system. Hansen famously said "you will win nothing with kids" about United and was proved wrong as the crop that came through from their academy were the cream who could execute the system with aplomb.

So when winkle Roy goes to watch them at OT every week the likes of Cleverly, Welbeck, and Jones look bloody dynamite in the system, but as soon as you he takes them out of that system to play his England way they look to be wanting.

For goodness sake take the blinkers off Roy.

[jayrivers]

Hodgson is another MacLaren, and is getting found out at this level.

 

I have gone right off international football. Players, generally, aren't interested either, and pull out of squads at the drop of a hat. Only when the opportunity to market their individual 'brands' at a World Cup do they even start to give a toss. Playing for your country, no longer seems to have the honour that it did with players of yesteryear.

 

Sums it up for me. Never been that big on international football and even less so now....

[Soggy Bottom]

Hodgson is another MacLaren, and is getting found out at this level.

 

I have gone right off international football. Players, generally, aren't interested either, and pull out of squads at the drop of a hat. Only when the opportunity to market their individual 'brands' at a World Cup do they even start to give a toss. Playing for your country, no longer seems to have the honour that it did with players of yesteryear.

 

I think they should only pick players from 4th down, they will give everything for the shirt, the top four teams & players think the Champions League is more important. The don't seem to give a ****e on the pitch in an England shirt.

[.comsaint]

Here you go Roy. This should help...

 

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/opta-english-scorers-table.png

[Saint_clark]

Only just saw that article...he can't be for real? Wasn't he at our wins over Man City, Liverpool AND Chelsea? Was he just ignoring our players!?

[Saint_clark]

Here you go Roy. This should help...

 

http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/opta-english-scorers-table.png

 

Where do they source that from? Can't find an updated one anywhere.

[sunrise]

Right now, I have an apathy toward international football and couldn't care if England do or do not make the World Cup. Certain players(i.e Rooney) will get picked regardless which isn't right. It's not just Lambert and Jay-Rod, there are others who get overlooked because Woy only really looks at the top 4/5.

[.comsaint]

Where do they source that from? Can't find an updated one anywhere.

 

They're official OPTA stats :

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2311539/how-premier-league-table-look-players-english.html

Edited 25 April, 2013 by .comsaint

[david in sweden]

Hodgson is another MacLaren, and is getting found out at this level.

 

I think this was my original thought on the OP... there seems to be very little variation to the " MacLaren model "

...choose all the English-born players from the top six teams..(not so hard).. and put in one or two of the legends.....(Gerrard, Cole)....the goalie spot chooses itself and that's about it.

 

No imagination needed, and you or I, or the FA's tea lady .or the Wembley groundsman could do as much.....but it doesn't make a proper England team..when they / he (Roy) ..refuse to even recognise the on-form players, just to satisfy the Cockney media.

 

If he gets it wrong......they'll be at his throat....and then the hunt will be on for the next England manager, if there is one to be had..

The majority of the English-born managers are sitting (or should I say near-drowning)..precariously near the bottom of the Prem.....not a good recommendation to have on your CV.

Edited 25 April, 2013 by david in sweden

[Wade Garrett]

Hodgson is another MacLaren, and is getting found out at this level.

 

I have gone right off international football. Players, generally, aren't interested either, and pull out of squads at the drop of a hat. Only when the opportunity to market their individual 'brands' at a World Cup do they even start to give a toss. Playing for your country, no longer seems to have the honour that it did with players of yesteryear.

 

And to prove my point, John Terry now wants to play for England again at the next world cup after quitting international football.

 

Nothing whatsoever about putting himself in the shop window when his Chelsea contract runs out at the end of next season. What a tosser. I hope the FA, and Roy, tell him to f*ck right off.

[david in sweden]

interesting to see that many people have other similar views, but I still go back to my OP when I think of the total difference between Prem. football and international fixtures

 

...and I ask myself......how often do you see an England side play games that even faintly resemble..... Premier League football ?