Comments on: England’s Euro 2008 Fate Is in Israel’s Hands

By: Corey

Corey — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 11:18:00 +0000

Oh, and that comment by Harry Redknapp about kids playing video games? Ridiculous…OK, so kids do play more games these days but managers were probably just as suspect about television when it was a nascent technology…all the hand-wringing about kids playing with newfangled devices & and the talent pool drying up is just people grasping at straws to explain something that seems so unexplainable to them: how can a group of highly trained, highly paid in their club teams, and highly visible players not be able to come together to even qualify? Well, chemistry is important and it is evident that the England team hasn’t been built with chemistry in mind for quite some time…this reminds me of the US Basketball team and its woes in some tournaments in the past years.

By: MJ

MJ — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 22:32:00 +0000

Gaffer, you mentioned how if Russia don’t take full points from Andorra, they don’t deserve to be in Euro 2008. England couldn’t beat Macedonia at Old Trafford in October 2006 (0-0 draw). Do they deserve to qualify? I think not.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 17:22:00 +0000

How pathetic is the national team right now? Even if they make it through, they will choke in a familiar fashion in Austria/Switzerland. England and Spain should be declared as the biggest losers in history of football.
The coach should obviously go. England has the talented players to win a Euro or World Cup title. They just haven’t had the right manager(Phil Scolari) to line them up the right way and bring in the right mentality. And that’s the bottom line.
There is a good possibility that Russia may choke at Israel. Why? Because the Russians are a disturbingly mediocre team.
4 or 5 of the teams going to Euro’08 are attrocious. Poland(most likely), Norway(unless they lose to Turkey at home), co-hosts(Austria will be the worse team in the tournament next summer), and Russia are teams that I will not bother watching come tournament time.

By: The Scout

The Scout — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:58:00 +0000

Harry Redknapp had a comment on the state of English talent the other day. It’s not the entire answer but it is another aspect which has not been given much press.

The Portsmouth boss recalled how he used to kick a ball in the street until it got dark during his childhood, adding: ‘Now I rarely see a kickabout in the park. All I see are the dazzling lights of bedroom windows from the glare of TVs and computers. It seems football cannot compete with an Xbox.’

By: Is this betting

Is this betting — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:31:00 +0000

I just don't think the older players have the desire anymore. Qualifying for a major tournament these days mean players can be expected to live like monks for up to six weeks away from family and friends.

The England management needs to identify the hungry young players who have a real desire to achieve something. The big time players look like they lack motivation for these games. It was Russia that looked hungrier and stronger.

Strange things do happen in international football so I'm not totally distraught yet.