Anyone else think England Might Not Qualify?

[Milky]

I guarantee Russia will not beat Israel.

[Daggers]

Russia were so woeful at Wembley that it would be a monumental upset, even allowing for the pitch, if they beat us.

there is enough quality in the England side to come back from Moscow with at least a point, and perhaps even the win which will settle qualification once and for all.

The one disadvantage we may have is playing Joleon Lescott at left-back...but even this shouldn't disrupt the balance and rhythm of the side.

How many Russia players would be good enough to follow Alexei Smertin into the Premiership?

If Israel, with far more issues to contend with then us, could force a draw there, I see no reason why we shouldn't do likewise

Finger on the pulse as always...

[Mikey]

We still can qualify. I have hope and optimism within me

Israel is a very hard place to go no matter what team you are. If Russia just draw 0-0 with Israel we only have to beat Croatia whatever scoreline.

Basically we have to trust Israel.

[Milky]

Georgia just completely outplayed Scotland. Well done to them. .

[Ashley]

I hope England Qualify.

We'll do a Greece game again ..... Beckham last minute freekick

[purpleronnie]

I really think we would be a great team if we just knew how to kill games off.

Oh yes and learn how to score penalties.

[Brainy]

I hope England Qualify.

We'll do a Greece game again ..... Beckham last minute freekick

I think you'll have to change that free kick taker to Yossi Benayoun, as it's out of our hands now.

[Asha]

I really think we would be a great team if we just knew how to kill games off.

Oh yes and learn how to score penalties.

To be fair we have won the last 4 games 3-0, so it's not like we always give the lead away, but even so it's absolutely not an excuse we should have had this in the bag.

[Head Honcho]

It's simple win they're through lose they have to rely on Israel to do them a favour.

Russia at 7/4 to win is a huge price, the bookies aren't wrong often but I may take a chance with Russia.

[Joe.]

Bloody hell England.

This group should have been starightforward, not with our fate being left in other team's hands with one game to go.

[The Reverend]

Cant see us qualifying now tbh.

[Geo V]

Were fooked now.

Israel are good at home against teams who are scared of them but Croatia went 4-1 up there I think and did it easy. Russia will be going to win and will win easily. Its just England who have this weird problem when it comes to playing away from home by thinking "lets grind out a result with the bulldog spirit". Bollox to that, go out and give the teams like Israel, Russia or whoever a beating.

[purpleronnie]

To be fair we have won the last 4 games 3-0, so it's not like we always give the lead away, but even so it's absolutely not an excuse we should have had this in the bag.

No but I'm talking about crucial parts of games, we are usually great up to a point, but like today 20 minutes away from qualifying and we blow it. The list is endless.

[Trumpet]

What will I do? I've never, in my life, watched a major tournament without England. It might aswell not be happening.

[Finnegan]

What will I do? I've never, in my life, watched a major tournament without England. It might aswell not be happening.

That's the attitude I'm worried of and the only reason I hope you qualify. It'll be crap if it's a major tournament and no one cares 'cos you aren't there.

[Manwell Pablo]

Finger on the pulse as always...

All due respect to the geezer, I'm through slagging him off. He had his reasons for saying what he did and he was quite right in some of what he said.

But, I know my European football, I know my European players, just because a certain player can't play in the Premier League doesn't mean they can't do a job in international/Serie A/ La Liga etc etc football and today, I don't care whether it was a peno or not, we were beaten by a side that deserved to beat us.

And I will say now Exactly what I said at the start of August last year, McLaren is not good enough, Sven may have had his problems but, as he is now proving, He is ten times the manager Stevey Mac is. Get him out and lets rebuild for the world cup.

[Thracian]

I said we wouldn't quality months ago. The manager has been appalling. Which was most important, he inept tactics or his failure to inspire basically capable players I don't know.

But the final result will be a sporting disaster for our nation - a totally indefensible embarrassment.

And good will only come out of it if we accept we're doing things wrong.

So many English coaches these days seem like McClaren clones. Essentially negative, far too fearful and insufficiently adaptable.

We need positive, inspiring, imaginative people in charge, not just our national team but our football teams and clubs in general.

People who can develop and motivate a far bigger choice of player than is presently emerging and who are visionary enough and strong enough to limit our foreign intake to QUALITY players only.

The present situation is ridiculous with people arriving who will never be much better than Conference or lower league standard. They are helping to slow or stiffle the development of our future internationals.

People have long predicted this would happen and now it almost has.

We will fail to qualify not because of one result in Russia. But because our standards have slipped. The standard of our players our managers and our coaches.

Where are larger than life personalities who can lift a team beyond expectations - where are the English Shanklys, Fergusons and Wengers?

How can you succceed with people whose philosophies seem irreversibly riddled with fear? With people who do not want a second goal and a third. People who don't love the game so much they HAVE to entertain and HAVE to make a statement with their team because the the team represents the specialness of the manager himself.

And how can even larger than life personalities succeed if the volume of material they have to work with continues to shrink?

[ASH17LCFC]

I said we wouldn't quality months ago. The manager has been appalling. Which was most important, he inept tactics or his failure to inspire basically capable players I don't know.

But the final result will be a sporting disaster for our nation - a totally indefensible embarrassment.

And good will only come out of it if we accept we're doing things wrong.

So many English coaches these days seem like McClaren clones. Essentially negative, far too fearful and insufficiently adaptable.

We need positive, inspiring, imaginative people in charge, not just our national team but our football teams and clubs in general.

People who can develop and motivate a far bigger choice of player than is presently emerging and who are visionary enough and strong enough to limit our foreign intake to QUALITY players only.

The present situation is ridiculous with people arriving who will never be much better than Conference or lower league standard. They are helping to slow or stiffle the development of our future internationals.

People have long predicted this would happen and now it almost has.

We will fail to qualify not because of one result in Russia. But because our standards have slipped. The standard of our players our managers and our coaches.

Where are larger than life personalities who can lift a team beyond expectations - where are the English Shanklys, Fergusons and Wengers?

How can you succceed with people whose philosophies seem irreversibly riddled with fear? With people who do not want a second goal and a third. People who don't love the game so much they HAVE to entertain and HAVE to make a statement with their team because the the team represents the specialness of the manager himself.

And how can even larger than life personalities succeed if the volume of material they have to work with continues to shrink?

I heard people talking about jose mourinho coming the next england manager. That is utter crap and im sorry but anyone who thinks the English F.A will hire jose mourinho need their head testing. The English F.A haven't got no balls ...Cloughie and O Neil will tell you that for free.

[Bert]

I heard people talking about jose mourinho coming the next england manager. That is utter crap and im sorry but anyone who thinks the English F.A will hire jose mourinho need their head testing. The English F.A haven't got no balls ...Cloughie and O Neil will tell you that for free.

I can guarentee he won't.

[escape2victory]

It wasnt tonights performance or result which has decided our fate, it was last year drawing with Macedonia and Israel and to a lesser extent losing to Croatia. I thought we did ok tonight. Maybe would have took Joe Cole or Wright Phillips off a bit earlier and shut up shop, but I carnt really fault Macca tonight for selection or game plan cuz it was pretty much spot on. If Gerrard had tucked away that chance then we would now be talking about what an excellent and professional performance it was. As it is though, its now out of our hands, but lets see where we are when everyone has finished their 12 games, cuz I fancy Israel to hold Russia to a draw, as this isnt a good Russia team by any stretch of the imagination.

[Manwell Pablo]

I can guarentee he won't.

Me either, If I was the main man at soho square I would call a meeting tomorrow, first thing, and sack dickhead. I would then try and get Mourinho, if he's not interested then I would have a look at who else is out there.

The man was a cop out from the start, He is the international version of Sammy Lee. If we had beaten Macedonia at home we wouldn't be in this mess, even if we had managed a point in Zargreb we wouldn't be in this mess, then there is Irseal away. The one reasult we shouldn't of been relying on is Russia away.

Pissed off, majorley.

[Ultra]

I can guarentee he won't.

Nigel Clough would. He probably knows more about the game than that clueless ginger fcukwit in charge of the national team.

[Ultra]

I said we wouldn't quality months ago. The manager has been appalling. Which was most important, he inept tactics or his failure to inspire basically capable players I don't know.

But the final result will be a sporting disaster for our nation - a totally indefensible embarrassment.

And good will only come out of it if we accept we're doing things wrong.

So many English coaches these days seem like McClaren clones. Essentially negative, far too fearful and insufficiently adaptable.

We need positive, inspiring, imaginative people in charge, not just our national team but our football teams and clubs in general.

People who can develop and motivate a far bigger choice of player than is presently emerging and who are visionary enough and strong enough to limit our foreign intake to QUALITY players only.

The present situation is ridiculous with people arriving who will never be much better than Conference or lower league standard. They are helping to slow or stiffle the development of our future internationals.

People have long predicted this would happen and now it almost has.

We will fail to qualify not because of one result in Russia. But because our standards have slipped. The standard of our players our managers and our coaches.

Where are larger than life personalities who can lift a team beyond expectations - where are the English Shanklys, Fergusons and Wengers?

How can you succeed with people whose philosophies seem irreversibly riddled with fear? With people who do not want a second goal and a third. People who don't love the game so much they HAVE to entertain and HAVE to make a statement with their team because the the team represents the specialness of the manager himself.

And how can even larger than life personalities succeed if the volume of material they have to work with continues to shrink?

The players are far more than "basically capable". Their performances week in, week out, in the Premiership and Champions League prove that - which begs the question of why they so often underachieve for England.

Part of the reason lies in the woeful ineptitude of a succession of national managers, which has been a constant theme since Euro 96.

Compare and contrast with the achievements of Clive Woodward and now Brian Ashton in the oval-ball game. A key to their success has been to instil the value of teamwork into whoever plays for them, the complete opposite to the megalomaniac, galactico, WAG-ridden culture which has infested English football for too long. Rugby players show respect for the fans, whereas too many England footballers only show respect for the next endorsement cheque that comes their way.

Those who bemoan the influx of overseas players into our game should question why so many clubs import them. Two reasons spring to mind, the first one being that they are more technically gifted than their British counterparts, and the second because many of the home-grown players attach themselves to greedy, parasitical agents who value them way in excess of their true worth and thus place them at a disadvantage in the job market.

The reason that no English manager of genuine quality has emerged since the late great Brian Clough (and even that was nearly FORTY years ago) is because the prevailing system and culture doesn't allow for it. Both boards and fans demand instant success, and aren't prepared to give time to managers wishing to develop a long-term strategy. In recent times, as we know, we have also witnessed the phenomenon of the "celebrity" chairman, who is often unwilling to be overshadowed or even contradicted by the managers below them. These individuals are fundamentally incapable of providing the stability and support a quality manager needs in order to develop his skills and broaden his experience.

It's therefore no wonder why the fear factor is so predominant within the English game, or why it often filters through to international level.

But if we want to eliminate negativity from the national side, we have to make a start at club level first. And that means NO more plaudits for managers who pick SIX defenders for a home game, with predictable consequences.

English fans are rightly lauded as among the most loyal in world football. But many of them are feeling betrayed, even cheated.

It may not be too long before many of them start to walk away from the game altogether.

[Daggers]

Anyone else think England Might Not Qualify?

[Master Fox]

There appears to be an occurring theme going on here.......can’t quite put my finger on it ..