England V Italy

[prk888]

i have a Thai message on channel 1 - does this mean the match will not be shown? 10 minutes to kick off !!!!

[marstons]

well its a cracking game if thats any consulation. Pattaya cable i use has free but in Thai commentary. Its showing the Gmm Grammy logo so its on thai channel 3 for subscibers and some cable.

[honda99]

well done italy, that pirlo is some player, well deserved.

[MrPlumbs]

Always a shame when it comes down to penalties....

[JaiLai]

Always a shame when it comes down to penalties....

I don't think the Italians would think that.

[dogleg]

Always a shame when it comes down to penalties....

I don't think the Italians would think that.

from what I saw - 90 minutes - the Italians needed the shooting practice

They sure deserved the win anyway.

[underthemoon]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

[StevieH]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

i'm not sure i could think of three worse names than that to be honest. unless you want to throw paul gascoigne into the mix.

[underthemoon]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

i'm not sure i could think of three worse names than that to be honest. unless you want to throw paul gascoigne into the mix.

So who do you recommend? In my opinion its got to be ex-players running the show, not business men that have never played the game, Im not talking about managing England but actually being involved with a day to day running of English football.

[nev]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

i'm not sure i could think of three worse names than that to be honest. unless you want to throw paul gascoigne into the mix.

So who do you recommend? In my opinion its got to be ex-players running the show, not business men that have never played the game, Im not talking about managing England but actually being involved with a day to day running of English football.

What Stevie mean's they are not ex Liverpool players

[StevieH]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

i'm not sure i could think of three worse names than that to be honest. unless you want to throw paul gascoigne into the mix.

So who do you recommend? In my opinion its got to be ex-players running the show, not business men that have never played the game, Im not talking about managing England but actually being involved with a day to day running of English football.

oh i agree with you in theory mate, it's just that i'd want ex-players involved who are capable of independent thought, coherent sentences and opening childproof aspirin bottles. so not braindead morons like pearce, shearer and beckham. chris waddle for one was quite interesting on the radio this week, genuinely livid about the state of the english game, youth coaching etc. southgate is quite smart but may lack the gumption to take the job on properly.

the FA is still even in this day and age made up of home counties blazer-wearing masonic lodge <deleted> who have been riding the sky sports gravy train for years while essentially holding back the game's development. it needs a root and branch overhaul. but i don't see it happening any time soon unfortunately.

[StevieH]

What Stevie mean's they are not ex Liverpool players

no, it isn't.

by the way, LOLing at your own posts - particularly when they're not funny - is a slippery slope.

[nev]

What Stevie mean's they are not ex Liverpool players

no, it isn't.

by the way, LOLing at your own posts - particularly when they're not funny - is a slippery slope.

Scouse wit goes out of the window again

[underthemoon]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

i'm not sure i could think of three worse names than that to be honest. unless you want to throw paul gascoigne into the mix.

So who do you recommend? In my opinion its got to be ex-players running the show, not business men that have never played the game, Im not talking about managing England but actually being involved with a day to day running of English football.

oh i agree with you in theory mate, it's just that i'd want ex-players involved who are capable of independent thought, coherent sentences and opening childproof aspirin bottles. so not braindead morons like pearce, shearer and beckham. chris waddle for one was quite interesting on the radio this week, genuinely livid about the state of the english game, youth coaching etc. southgate is quite smart but may lack the gumption to take the job on properly.

the FA is still even in this day and age made up of home counties blazer-wearing masonic lodge <deleted> who have been riding the sky sports gravy train for years while essentially holding back the game's development. it needs a root and branch overhaul. but i don't see it happening any time soon unfortunately.

Cant see it happening at all. Like you say the blazer brigade will stop at nothing to make sure it stays that way. I was in favour of sort of sacrificing the Euro's by playing under 21s and some of the younger players in order to have a fighting chance in Brazil, but no, we wheeled out the same old aged pensioners of football who couldn't win anything when they were in there prime so who makes the tactical decision that they could win it now? Obviously someone getting paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions.

[StevieH]

Cant see it happening at all. Like you say the blazer brigade will stop at nothing to make sure it stays that way. I was in favour of sort of sacrificing the Euro's by playing under 21s and some of the younger players in order to have a fighting chance in Brazil, but no, we wheeled out the same old aged pensioners of football who couldn't win anything when they were in there prime so who makes the tactical decision that they could win it now? Obviously someone getting paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions.

genuinely believe that hodgson will take england further backwards though. he only knows one way to play and that's how england will line up against moldova at home in the world cup qualifiers, two banks of four, lovely and flat, lovely and deep, lovely and clueless.

[carmine]

Cant see it happening at all. Like you say the blazer brigade will stop at nothing to make sure it stays that way. I was in favour of sort of sacrificing the Euro's by playing under 21s and some of the younger players in order to have a fighting chance in Brazil, but no, we wheeled out the same old aged pensioners of football who couldn't win anything when they were in there prime so who makes the tactical decision that they could win it now? Obviously someone getting paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions.

genuinely believe that hodgson will take england further backwards though. he only knows one way to play and that's how england will line up against moldova at home in the world cup qualifiers, two banks of four, lovely and flat, lovely and deep, lovely and clueless.

Sad but true. What is even sadder is that this was a golden oppotunity to blood the youngsters in a competition where there were no aspirations and no chance of winning.

I'd love to see Roy put on the spot and asked to explain a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation because i really doubt if he could. His 4-4-2 is a flat static defensive line up, totally negative and lacking any flair. In the quarter final the whole game initiative was handed to their midfield on a silver platter.

[alfieconn]

I watched this in the UK before flying out and as usual the media was saying we will win easy and as soon as we lost they were on top instantly. England will never win a major championship until they get rid of the dated FA, we need to bring in recently retired ex-players, such as pearce, shearer, even Beckham to be the main part of the FA committee and rebuild from the beginning.

You missed off Julian Dicks

[StevieH]

Cant see it happening at all. Like you say the blazer brigade will stop at nothing to make sure it stays that way. I was in favour of sort of sacrificing the Euro's by playing under 21s and some of the younger players in order to have a fighting chance in Brazil, but no, we wheeled out the same old aged pensioners of football who couldn't win anything when they were in there prime so who makes the tactical decision that they could win it now? Obviously someone getting paid a lot more money than me to make those decisions.

genuinely believe that hodgson will take england further backwards though. he only knows one way to play and that's how england will line up against moldova at home in the world cup qualifiers, two banks of four, lovely and flat, lovely and deep, lovely and clueless.

Sad but true. What is even sadder is that this was a golden oppotunity to blood the youngsters in a competition where there were no aspirations and no chance of winning.

I'd love to see Roy put on the spot and asked to explain a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 formation because i really doubt if he could. His 4-4-2 is a flat static defensive line up, totally negative and lacking any flair. In the quarter final the whole game initiative was handed to their midfield on a silver platter.

roy's second game as liverpool manager away to man city - they were clearly playing a 4-2-3-1 with players playing between the lines, roy went there with a flat 4-4-2 and conceded the midfield straight from the off. that was the minute we just knew that he wasn't a top manager.

[RichBKK]

I think people may slowly be starting to realise that what you see with the hodge is what you get

My dad [whos scottish] said that he reminded him of Ron Greenwood. My own era's comparison was Sven Goran eriksson but with players of a slightly lesser profile

A little better as it turned out than Graham Taylor mark 2, but not massively better. In terms of taking England forward or backwards, I sense he will simply tread water. Mediocre tactics, but a team which could fiddle and fuss its way through to a QF spot at the next WC. The FA may be content with that as hes cheaper than Sven and wont be shagging the secretaries

in terms of innovation and embracing the kinds of players who could fit in to a possession keeping outfit, he wont see that in his remit. style will be sacrificed for famous draws away from home and just simply being 'solid'

some will accept it, others will not, but we will all be bored along the way. Its not progressive but there shouldnt be too many embarassments

thats what that game told me, basically it could be worse, but a aprt of me felt that our players had just as many big trophy winners as they did, we didnt have to completely stop playing as soon as we crossed the halfway line

Think a beige era of football for the national team beckons, an era of instant forgettableness, in keeping with what had gone on before