Euro 2016 Qualifying

[Leicesterpool]

Same here, I honestly only watched/had that on because I went through the rest of the channels and couldn't find anything better.

If they want to shift tickets and can't leave Wembley the team needs to provide something to make the effort and expense worthwhile.

Also lets play our real national anthem.

[Dan]

This might sound really bad and I'll probably get slated for saying it but I feel I have no emotional attachment to the national side. I'll watch the game because I'll watch any football but to be honest I couldn't really give a stuff whether we win or not.

Don't know if it's the constant disappointment or just international football in general. Don't get mw wrong I loved the world cup and always want us to do well in the tournaments but it's not even a millionth to the way I feel when I watch City. There's no nerves before games, no excitement during them and no disappointment when we lose

 

Qualifiers are shit to be honest.

 

It's like Leicester being in a group with West Brom, Barnsley, Gillingham, York and Oadby Town where you're playing for a top two place. It just won't inspire any interest.

[ScouseFox]

To be honest, I don't think it's bad and you shouldn't be slated for saying it. I think it's becoming fairly widespread, I know I don't really care about England either, it's nothing but constant disappointment

 

All you can do is not care, because if you did care it would be absolutely soul destroying.

 

not a dig at you personally, but everyone who always says this. would you care more, enjoy it more, watch more if we were better? if we won the euros 10 years ago? if we got to the semis of the world cup? 

 

isn't that exactly the attitude we despise as football fans? or would you not watch the world cup final and not celebrate if we won and go to work on monday morning and talk about coronation street instead because you don't care about england? 

 

i f ucking love england and i care if we win, i care if we lose and i want us to do well. and i'll care whilst we're quite shit, very shit, surprisingly good, disappointing, anything, because they're england and i'm english.

 

see you all not caring in a few weeks when we play again and you don't care enough to watch, comment, complain, support and get involved.   

[Guest Col city fan]

And we missed yet another weekend of Domestic football for that shite?

[orangecity23]

not a dig at you personally, but everyone who always says this. would you care more, enjoy it more, watch more if we were better? if we won the euros 10 years ago? if we got to the semis of the world cup? 

 

isn't that exactly the attitude we despise as football fans? or would you not watch the world cup final and not celebrate if we won and go to work on monday morning and talk about coronation street instead because you don't care about england? 

 

i f ucking love england and i care if we win, i care if we lose and i want us to do well. and i'll care whilst we're quite shit, very shit, surprisingly good, disappointing, anything, because they're england and i'm english.

 

see you all not caring in a few weeks when we play again and you don't care enough to watch, comment, complain, support and get involved.   

 

I think I'd care more if we were a bit shitter but actually played like a team that actually gave a stuff about playing, as opposed to watching the current mob strolling around making a brave attempt to bring 'Walking football' to the international game. The team treats playing for England like a chore, and as a fan, that's how it feels to watch them. I do really care, every fan does, that's why we post, that's why people complain, because it doesn't feel right. People don't care, but they wish that they did. Deep down, they know they care, and the fact that England aren't exciting, or even interesting to watch winds people up.

[Corky]

Second half was boring but we should've scored more, Ox and Rooney missing free chances and others trying to do a bit too much like weaving past three defenders instead of laying it off and creating space. Good free-kick to win it.

[Dan]

I do care but I could definitely care more. The entire set up is just so off-putting in my opinion. It's a chore.

[yorkie1999]

Watching England and f1 is proper falling asleep material. Twice in one day.

[StanSP]

Absolutely at a loss to understand how Andy Townsend named Wilshire as MOM. Yup! Some pretty poor performances in there, but Wilshire, (again), was generally shite to average at best....bit like a poor mans Ray Wilkins tbh!! 

 

Thought he did alright? Gave Rooney about 3 chances to slot away but Shrek couldn't finish them. 

 

Not saying he was anything extraordinary, but he was probably 1 of our better performing players tonight. 

[Donut]

Absolutely at a loss to understand how Andy Townsend named Wilshire as MOM. Yup! Some pretty poor performances in there, but Wilshire, (again), was generally shite to average at best....bit like a poor mans Ray Wilkins tbh!! 

 

I think in all fairness to him, Wilshere was decent today, and im normally his harshest critic. I think he was the best of an average bunch, perhaps thats a better way to describe things.

 

Whether or not people care about England, I think deep inside, everyone does care about England. We just want our England to represent how we feel as fans, enthusiastic, passionate and proud.

 

Countries like Northern Ireland for example, their fans are super passionate, because they realise the limitations of their team, and will drive them on. Every qualifiers win is precious, and they produce moments like beating us 1-0, or that infamous win vs Spain that is still talked about now.

 

With us, the expectation is that we need to be at the business end of major tournaments. And rightly too. We have the infastructure available to improve, we arent at our limit like Northern Ireland. We have the resources, we can improve. So i think naturally its an underwhelming feeling to be struggling past Estonia.

 

It was underwhelming when we were bobbing along in the championship, not having the realistic quality to challenge for promotion, losing to teams we felt we should beat. But, there were signs of the ship being put right under Pearson, he got us back on side, and the results are now there to see. A smaller version of what needs to happen at international level.

 

Even if we dont get to the latter stages of a tournament, if they give us a national team that people relate to, that will play good football, that show pride, determination, people will buy into that, IF they see the wheels of change being put into motion.

 

The journey back to being a big nation has to start somewhere. Germany were at their lowest ebb post 2002 world cup, but had a plan to rejuvenate their coaching structure, improve their technical ability, get their top league to buy into the idea that the national team meant something, and got managers and coaches on board that would bleed white when cut open.

 

People will stick by England when they see the green shoots of recovery.

 

People are turning off from England because its the same old same old, just with different players wearing the shirts.

[Stadt]

We play a diamond because Liverpool did, Liverpool relied on Suarez to score and create their goals and we don't have a player that is anywhere near his level so we're going to struggle to break sides down when they're really defensive and narrow because we don't have a Suarez.

 

41212 is ok on the counter but cramming the centre of the pitch with players won't work very well in an attacking sense.

[Dan]

Donut has pretty much word for word summed up my thoughts on England.

[Donut]

If you go back to say, Euro 2000, England were basically crap. Out in the group stages, we had a team that was low on quality, and a manager in Keegan who resigned, later stating that he felt at International level, he didnt have the quality to manage.

 

Its now 2014, and we had gone out in the group stage at the World Cup.

 

Barring changing managers, who have brought us the occasional high spots of notable results, and sometimes reasonably successful runs in tournament finals (all the while never touching what id call the "latter" stages which would be the semi final and beyond), I cant really see much of a change, when you look at the bigger picture of the national set up. You have managers that happened to be blessed with a decent crop of players, thats fine. But they dont grow on trees, that generation will end at some point and there needs to be sustained development.

 

Has there been a strategy in place when managers have come in? All of them from Sven, to Capello, to Roy, to (I shudder) McClaren, have all had a different philosophy, a different approach, has there been any continuity? Evidently there hasnt been as there was media rumblings when Pearce was under 21 manager about how little importance and communication was in place with the senior side and the youth sides. Is there any evidence that all the England teams have an overall philisophy in place for each team? im not sure.

 

As far as i can see, we have St Georges Park in place, which has taken far too long anyway, and changed managers around. That is literally it in the last 14 years and most likely more that the FA has done for the national team. And this has come at a time when pretty much all of the bigger european nations have put in wholesale changes to improve their own national teams.

 

Its like having a toothache. You could just take a Nurofen and itll give you some relief.....for a while. But your toothache is still going to be there and its going to hurt worse when your painkillers wear off.

 

Change your manager.......it might give you a boost. But ultimately, youre not evolving as a nation as your competitors are. Youre just ripping up the most visible parts of the set up and expecting some kind of change at the point where the scope for change is probably at its least.

 

Where is the long term strategy? Wheres this mystical commission, what are they putting in place? Will we see more 3G pitches? are we going to make the opportunity to become coaches more affordable and give people who want to coach the skills to improve people technically? are we going to see the FA and Premier League work more closely in harmony for shared aims?

 

The evidence of England throughout my lifetime says no. I never see anything being done.

[Bert]

People are turning off England and moaning about them because it's the in thing to do. It really pisses me off how much people slag us off. I've never understood and I never will, why can't people just get behind them? I can't speak for other nations but I would stake good money that none of them get slated by their own fans like ours do when they lose, let alone when we win!

Granted we're an average side at the minute and in the last 4 games we've not played anyone that are classed as European title contenders, but this is a side that is going through a massive transition period with only 3/4 experienced international players in the side. We are making the best of what we have with this crop of players . It's not like we can go and sign someone to play for us.

We've only failed to qualify for one major tournament this decade and are going to qualify with ease for the next one.

Look at Spain and how long it took them to finally fulfill their potential. But for them you had two crops of players that played with each other week in week out with the odd exception (Barca and Real Madrid) so they were already clicking before they became the best in the world.

Tonight our starting 11 had no more than 3 individuals playing from the same club side.

We've got one of the best international travelling supports around too.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Didn't watch for the third game running, still don't care. I'll do when they do.

[Bert]

And on the sterling tiredness issue. Seems only the Liverpool fans are getting their knickers in a twist about it, they'd not be kicking up this much of a fuss of it was anyone else, although that's understandable... I bet they'd be giving out stick of it was someone like Wilshere that had said he was tired. I'm sure the Sturridge incident has played a massive part in Hodgsons decision to rest him too.

If Hodgson hadn't have given a reason as to why Raheem didn't play he'd have been slated, he does and he still gets slated. Poor bloke can't win.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

People are turning off England and moaning about them because it's the in thing to do. It really pisses me off how much people slag us off. I've never understood and I never will, why can't people just get behind them? I can't speak for other nations but I would stake good money that none of them get slated by their own fans like ours do when they lose, let alone when we win!

Granted we're an average side at the minute and in the last 4 games we've not played anyone that are classed as European title contenders, but this is a side that is going through a massive transition period with only 3/4 experienced international players in the side. We are making the best of what we have with this crop of players . It's not like we can go and sign someone to play for us.

We've only failed to qualify for one major tournament this decade and are going to qualify with ease for the next one.

Look at Spain and how long it took them to finally fulfill their potential. But for them you had two crops of players that played with each other week in week out with the odd exception (Barca and Real Madrid) so they were already clicking before they became the best in the world.

Tonight our starting 11 had no more than 3 individuals playing from the same club side.

We've got one of the best international travelling supports around too.

 

Mate, before that Switzerland game I'd watched us time and time again, never missed a match via telly or being there in my entire life, but I couldn't feel more unattached from this lot if I tried. I felt nothing at the World Cup when Suarez bagged his second and normally I weep gently in a corner or throw furniture around my house.

 

I'm not doing it because it's the "in thing to do," I'm doing it because everything feels completely wrong - bar our fans. Even the other month when we pulled in 45k Hodgson still used that as a stick to beat the "the national game is in fine health" gimmick. It isn't, that's testament to the unwavering loyalty of hardocre England fans more than anything. Leeds still pull in 20k+ a week but it by no means translates to their fan's thinking their side is any good.

 

I can't get behind a side that doesn't match the same passion or pride for this country by any stretch. Bunch of losers and the sooner that clueless clown goes the better. I like Roy as a bloke but anybody else would've been long gone by now.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Fingers crossed we move away from Wembley in all and start playing all over the place, maybe then there'll be fewer tourists more concerned with Instagramming some no mark taking a corner than generating any kind of atmosphere.

 

Sack off the Wednesday band too for the love of Christ.

[Bert]

Fingers crossed we move away from Wembley in all and start playing all over the place, maybe then there'll be fewer tourists more concerned with Instagramming some no mark taking a corner than generating any kind of atmosphere.

Sack off the Wednesday band too for the love of Christ.

Sadly that'll never happen, thanks to the FA and how much money wasted on its development.

[Dan]

People are turning off England and moaning about them because it's the in thing to do. It really pisses me off how much people slag us off. I've never understood and I never will, why can't people just get behind them? I can't speak for other nations but I would stake good money that none of them get slated by their own fans like ours do when they lose, let alone when we win!

Granted we're an average side at the minute and in the last 4 games we've not played anyone that are classed as European title contenders, but this is a side that is going through a massive transition period with only 3/4 experienced international players in the side. We are making the best of what we have with this crop of players . It's not like we can go and sign someone to play for us.

We've only failed to qualify for one major tournament this decade and are going to qualify with ease for the next one.

Look at Spain and how long it took them to finally fulfill their potential. But for them you had two crops of players that played with each other week in week out with the odd exception (Barca and Real Madrid) so they were already clicking before they became the best in the world.

Tonight our starting 11 had no more than 3 individuals playing from the same club side.

We've got one of the best international travelling supports around too.

 

There's a significant difference with us and Spain - it took them a while whilst they actually improved. Are we improving? I'm not sure we are. We do have some exciting players, I'll give us that much, but I just think everything about the national team is half-arsed and it never seems to change.

 

Like Miquel, I don't do it at all because it's the in thing, I just genuinely don't feel that close to it all. I watch games in the hope of seeing change, and bar the odd result/performance, in the bigger picture, it doesn't change.

 

How do you seriously think we're going to do in France & Russia? It's one thing not having the players, but England have neither the players nor the character. The likes of Costa Rica, Chile, Algeria, USA etc... in the world cup all had a fighting spirit that we just don't have and it's something we as a nation seem to crave.

 

No-one is telling me this lot feel the same for England as they do for their clubs. Would Sterling have pulled out of a Liverpool game through tiredness? Would he fvck. It's half-arsed from top to bottom and that's what puts me off it.

[ScouseFox]

There's a significant difference with us and Spain - it took them a while whilst they actually improved. Are we improving? I'm not sure we are. We do have some exciting players, I'll give us that much, but I just think everything about the national team is half-arsed and it never seems to change.

 

Like Miquel, I don't do it at all because it's the in thing, I just genuinely don't feel that close to it all. I watch games in the hope of seeing change, and bar the odd result/performance, in the bigger picture, it doesn't change.

 

How do you seriously think we're going to do in France & Russia? It's one thing not having the players, but England have neither the players nor the character. The likes of Costa Rica, Chile, Algeria, USA etc... in the world cup all had a fighting spirit that we just don't have and it's something we as a nation seem to crave.

 

No-one is telling me this lot feel the same for England as they do for their clubs. Would Sterling have pulled out of a Liverpool game through tiredness? Would he fvck. It's half-arsed from top to bottom and that's what puts me off it.

 

that's the only bit i continually have an issue with. i don't get how us lot, especially on here, can say things like that. what did any of you do from 03-09 when city had no good players, no players who cared, no players any of us could even recognise half the time. did we stop supporting cos they were shit? did we bollocks, man; they were our team. 

 

people seem to think international football is different in some way but i don't really see how. people always say they can't "relate" to players etc. how many people "related" to fúcking momo sylla? josh low? etc etc. you still support your team, you still go the game/pub with your mates, still get a bevvie and cheer us on. still go nuts when we score. 

 

qualifiers are different because we're meant to win. any match your team is meant to win isn't as good as one it's not. we can even look at last week, we were "meant" to steamroll burnley, so the atmosphere was shit, the fans didn't seem as arsed, the celebrations were much more muted. when england get to tournaments everyone comes out the woodwork and gets involved because it means more, that's obvious. don't see why people just tell us for 20 odd months they "don't care about england" but they obviously do. people feel out of touch with the national team, i get that, but as soon as we are playing football surely they feel back in touch? all the crap stops and we're supporting england for 90 minutes. no? 

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

that's the only bit i continually have an issue with. i don't get how us lot, especially on here, can say things like that. what did any of you do from 03-09 when city had no good players, no players who cared, no players any of us could even recognise half the time. did we stop supporting cos they were shit? did we bollocks, man; they were our team. 

 

people seem to think international football is different in some way but i don't really see how. people always say they can't "relate" to players etc. how many people "related" to fúcking momo sylla? josh low? etc etc. you still support your team, you still go the game/pub with your mates, still get a bevvie and cheer us on. still go nuts when we score. 

 

qualifiers are different because we're meant to win. any match your team is meant to win isn't as good as one it's not. we can even look at last week, we were "meant" to steamroll burnley, so the atmosphere was shit, the fans didn't seem as arsed, the celebrations were much more muted. when england get to tournaments everyone comes out the woodwork and gets involved because it means more, that's obvious. don't see why people just tell us for 20 odd months they "don't care about england" but they obviously do. people feel out of touch with the national team, i get that, but as soon as we are playing football surely they feel back in touch? all the crap stops and we're supporting england for 90 minutes. no? 

 

Club and international football are completely different with regards to representation though - I see club football as a "job" whereas international football is a privilege, you're representing a country....

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

And I've supported England through being dogshit, McClaren came and went, South Africa came and went and I still supported, still cheered. Now I just can't be arsed. 

 

It isn't like we've become shit overnight and I don't fancy it anymore, it isn't as if they're trying but they're still wank. It's obvious it's club over country for this lot so why should I be any different as a fan?

[ScouseFox]

yeah but club vs country actually clashes if you're a player, you might tire yourself out or injure yourself when playing for england and not be able to play for your club. you ain't gonna miss city vs Newcastle next week just cos you cheered too much in tonight's win are ya?

i get that the set up is all wrong, quite a lot of the players are bellends, we aren't very good and the band is fu cking annoying, but all that talking stops when the national anthem starts and we're all english no? maybe that's just a dream not a reality but that's how I feel. yeah i don't really like wayne rooney, yeh most weeks I call jack wilshere a pussy etc but once he's englands pussy it's all forgotten and he's on my side now. he's my pussy. in a none gay way. if that is even gay.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

yeah but club vs country actually clashes if you're a player, you might tire yourself out or injure yourself when playing for england and not be able to play for your club. you ain't gonna miss city vs Newcastle next week just cos you cheered too much in tonight's win are ya?

i get that the set up is all wrong, quite a lot of the players are bellends, we aren't very good and the band is fu cking annoying, but all that talking stops when the national anthem starts and we're all english no? maybe that's just a dream not a reality but that's how I feel. yeah i don't really like wayne rooney, yeh most weeks I call jack wilshere a pussy etc but once he's englands pussy it's all forgotten and he's on my side now. he's my pussy. in a none gay way. if that is even gay.

 

I can see exactly where you're coming from and if you'd have told me even six months ago I'd feel as ambivalent towards our national side as I do I'd have never bought it but I can't get excited by it anymore. I want us to do well but I'm not going to make supporting them and stopping everything to watch England play the priority it always has been in my life.