Scolari is new England manager? (No, it is now MCLARENG)

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4949118.stm

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 21:49 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/bosombud.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

DISASTER !

He doesn't even follow Pedro Mendes ! So what hope for Gary O'Neil a recent England U21 Captain

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 22:00 (nineteen years ago)

Scolari will turn the job down, the FA will look like total idiots, and McClaren will start his tenure looking like a total imbecile. And then continue on the same route.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 22:15 (nineteen years ago)

Ned, you've got me foxed with that pic.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

Peter Scolari & Tom Hanks isn't it? I think Ned is posting the only Scolari he knows or something.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 22:42 (nineteen years ago)

Onimo is a wise man.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 26 April 2006 22:45 (nineteen years ago)

I thought Scolari would be a popular choice. Especially as noone seems to want McLaren.
Those crazy englishmen are never happy when it comes to who manages their team..

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 27 April 2006 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

TS: World Cup-winning manager vs Carling Cup-winning manager. Hmmmm

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 27 April 2006 06:25 (nineteen years ago)

I thought Scolari would be a popular choice. Especially as noone seems to want McLaren.
Those crazy englishmen are never happy when it comes to who manages their team..

Do people *not* want him as manager though? Certainly any message board postings I've read don't seem to be widely against it, but then again I'm not looking very hard. If you are going by this board, no-one has expressed any real opinion yet, which is what happens if you start a thread when everyone in the relevant country has gone to bed,

x-post except Hello Sunshine, who seems to be fairly keen.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 06:37 (nineteen years ago)

When I say "don't seem to be widely against it", I'm ignoring the deluded "the manager has to be English" fools. I think most sensible folk will realise that Scolari has a decent track record and if he can get a half-decent Portugal team to the final of Euro 2004, he can do the same at least with an England squad who have arguably better depth than Portugal.

I for one would love it if they got McLaren or Big Sam as their manager but, then again, I would, because I am petty and childish and full of schadenfreude as discussed ad infinitem on a whole bunch of threads.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 06:50 (nineteen years ago)

Plenty of Big Phil Love here: Sven Goran Eriksson c/d

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Thursday, 27 April 2006 06:50 (nineteen years ago)

From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luiz_Felipe_Scolari

He is a big fan of Nottingham Forest Football Club. [citation needed]

That's good enough for me!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 27 April 2006 06:52 (nineteen years ago)

OTOH, that self-same Euro 2004 final also showed he has problems changing things around if things aren't going well against a side that are inferior on paper. So, he'll fit right in in the England job.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 27 April 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

But I thought there was a broadly accepted line that Big Phil changed Brazil around against England in the QF of the last World Cup, and that Sven couldn't cope with the changes?

If he accepts, I'll be quite pleased. I am not really expecting England to win anything in the near future, so I find it difficult to get worked up about the whole thing. I don't believe there's a manager who will magically turn the England team into the best in the world, but I think Phil will be phun, and the fact that he does know how to win proper tournaments dangles that thread of irrational hope. I love the dangling thread of irrational hope.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 27 April 2006 07:57 (nineteen years ago)

also he's going to p!$$ the currant bun etc off something chronic.

my bet on his first managerial decision if he is appointed: DROP BECKHAM AS CAPTAIN (and give it to ledley king probably)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:02 (nineteen years ago)

I'm ignoring the deluded "the manager has to be English" fools

Errrrrrrrrrrrr, i.e. most English managers and players I've seen interviewed on the subject

I think most sensible folk will realise...

Case closed!

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:20 (nineteen years ago)

I've convinced myself that whoever takes over, England will flop at Euro 2008 anyway. But would be happy enough with Scolari, but he won't know what's hit him re tabloids, if he is taking over.

I think all this talk must be pissing Portugal off no end.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:34 (nineteen years ago)

Errrrrrrrrrrrr, i.e. most English managers and players I've seen interviewed on the subject

People who have a vested interest, you mean?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

But they don't have a vested interest unless they are McClaren, Allardyce, Curbs etc! I think Hiddink would have been a better choice but obviously this has to be better than the above mentioned

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:40 (nineteen years ago)

I've voted for Big Sam's Big Face on every Internet poll I've seen. I hope that helps.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

What's happening with Martin O'Neill? Has he fallen out of the reckoning altogether?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Vested interest from players/managers = I might get a game/I might keep my place in the team because although I am shit, an English England manager may understand that players from Teh Premiershit are worth a place in any England team even if they are rubbish/an English England manager gets the importance of managing a Premiership team and will respect me and my players in times of club v country etc etc etc.

Also keeping the job English means any such manager, say, I dunno, Stuart Pearce might get a crack at it further down the line.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

xpost - wife's still ill, I think, I doubt he'd go back into a high-pressure role until his home life is more settled.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

Teh Scottish hacks reckon Martin O'Neill is waiting to see if McLaren is offered the job. If so he's going to Boro and buying Petrov and Balde from Celtic.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

Or Newcastle.

Or Sunderland.

Depending on what idiot you listen to on the way home from work.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

VOTE RESULTS
Is Luiz Felipe Scolari the right choice as England manager?
Yes 61%
No 39%
2556 Votes Cast
Results are indicative and may not reflect public opinion

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

See, I said that. "I doubt he'd go back into a high-pressure role" = he'll be the next manager of Middlesbrough. (xpost - or Newcastle, or Sunderland. Has he been spotted in the North East recently, then?)

He can have Balde and Petrov if he likes. As long as we get squillions of cash.

I suspect he's not going to be the England manager because he won't be able to play Neil Lennon.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:03 (nineteen years ago)

I'd like to thank Mad Martin can do for Celtic what Souness did for Rangers i.e. use other clubs' cash to get his old club out of debt.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

I had a fiver on Sarah Beeny. What a waste of cash.

Big Phil for me seems the next best option.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I'm pleased. Go Big Phil!

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

Martin O'Neill was never going to manage England tho was he? I mean, I suppose if you paid him enough money he would, I would!

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

A quick flash forward to a secluded FA outer office:

"I'm Big Phil - try me."

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

"Nah, screw that, get that bloke dadaismus in off the internet, he said he'll do it"

― Masked Gazza, Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

If we must have an English manager, the FA's best option is to dig up Clougie and give him the job. Even 18 months after his death, he'd still be better at it than McClaren.

As that's unlikely to happen, why not pick the best man based on availability and pulse, rather than passport?

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

FA's best option

Manager: Harry Redknapp

Assistant: Stuart Pearce

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:37 (nineteen years ago)

A loyal man like arry would never leave Pompey when they're on the cusp on International Global Mega Success!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:39 (nineteen years ago)

And we don't want cut-price Bulgarians in the England team.

I think it all came down to the quesiton: How many World Cups have you won? Curbishley lied and said Uruguary 1950, but they checked his references and twas a lie.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:41 (nineteen years ago)

FA's best option

Manager: Sir Clive Woodward

Assistant: Sir Bobby Robson

Kit man: Sir Steve Redgrave

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:41 (nineteen years ago)

Is it tonight that Channel 5 are showing a nice programme about the 1966 World Cup?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:47 (nineteen years ago)

Every night from now until England win the War, sorry, win the World Cup

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

They showed one about how we always lose to the Germans (except in September 2001) last night.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Thursday, 27 April 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.nme.com/news/the-darkness/22914

ustin Hawkins to release controversial World Cup song
It mentions the war...

The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins is to release his own World Cup anthem - and it's bound to prove controversial.

Going up against Embrace's official Germany 2006 England song 'World At Your Feet', Hawkins has previewed his own song, 'England', under his solo name British Whale.

The star told The Sun newspaper that he thinks England's bid for glory is being undermined by political correctness, with people being too scared to mention the Second World War triumph of 1945.

In response, 'England' mentions the event in the lyrics.

Hawkins said: "The whole point of an England World Cup song is to assert our national identity and talk about the achievements of a great nation.

"Why can't we commemorate all those men who gave their lives in the name of freedom in the war? And, of course, in this case - to bash The Hun? It's a national sport."

The lyrics include lines like: "Football will be our only weapon / skill and power will be our only shield / we've fought them on the beaches / now we'll play them on the field."

http://www.myspace.com/britishwhale

Hawkins used the name of British Whale last year for his debut solo single, his cover of Sparks' 1974 glam classic 'This Town Ain't Big Enough For The Both Of Us'.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 27 April 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*sound of chin hitting floor*

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Prat.

― Johnny B Was Quizzical (Johnney B), Thursday, 27 April 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Justin hawkins (The Darkness) To Release Anti-German World Cup Song

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 27 April 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

I'm not biased, ahem. The obvious answer is give the job to Sam Allerdyce. No one comes back from adversity better than him and that's what being England manager is about most of the time. Balls to Scolari. But apparently I heard it won't be lovely Big Sam (aka my ideal Dad) 'cos his son's erm 'unusual' footie business deals.

― Nobodys Prawn (Nobodysprawn), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

Every night from now until England win the War, sorry, win the World Cup

What did I tell ye? (xpost)

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

From this here BBC article, wherein my point about people with a vested interest being disgruntled is proved:

Former England midfielder Peter Reid was disappointed that an English coach had been overlooked.

"I have done my pro license like Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley and Steve McClaren," said Reid.

"We paid £7,000 to do them and then when it comes to the top job none of the English lads get it, which I find really disappointing."

Yes, Peter, and I paid several thousand quid to get a degree in Philosophy. Doesn't make me Rene Descartes.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

WEll, at least that's the end of his career. British Whale, I mean.

Although it would be good if the World Cup was basically just two sides involved in skirmishes at unexpected times at unlikely venues.

(That must have been the programme I meant.)

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

I take it back. It is an excellent song, and a suitably boisterous performance.

Has anyone noticed how similar the word 'Lowestoft' is to 'Luftwaffe'?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

can anyone recall how Portugal lined up at euro '04? or even Brazil's formation at the last world cup?

― mason_storm, Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/euro_2004/portugal/players_to_watch/3708595.stm

quotes "an aggressive 4-2-3-1 formation with Pauleta upfront on his own.". If you want the team, go google it yourself.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't Portugal start unimpressively with the old guard, and then ruthlessly dropped the famous old men and brought in the youngsters to do some damage?

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

Brilliant but eccentric, prone to gifting goals

Often caught out of position
Slow liability
Likes to push forward
Sturdy but old-fashioned

Played out of position but 'deserves to be in the squad'
Hoof it up the park
Fannydangle
Past his best

Injury prone and out of form
Dips worryingly in and out of form, temperamental

Bench:
Even more eccentric
Injured liability
Fannydangle
Fannydangle
Out-of-favour potential matchwinner

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

Portugal and Pauleta really struggled with just one man upfront for much of Euro 2004. As with Greece they looked bereft of ideas against England until sticking the formidale predator Helder Postiga on towards the end.

Sometimes I think this approach would work better with England though, Gerrard and Lampard coming fwd from midfield to support a lone Rooney or Owen ahead. but probably not.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

This article shows he's not afraid to muck around to get results. He also sounds like the kind of guy I hate when he's not in charge of my team - threatening refs, encouraging players to get booked rather than lose a game, encouraging time-wasting and diving...

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

He won't need to do much encouraging for the likes of Joe Cole to dive

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Big Sam sez Kevin Nolan should be in the England squad, What will Big Phil say?

A: Who is Kevin Nolan

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

But thats alright according to BBC/ITV pundits as it levels the playing field with all them cheating foreigners!
x-post

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

Big Sam sez Kevin Nolan should be in the England squad, What will Big Phil say?

A: Who is Kevin Nolan

Wrong. He can't speak english yet.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Big Sam can speak English!

― Kids Will Eat Them Till the Cows Come Home (Dada), Thursday, 27 April 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

I'm ignoring the deluded "the manager has to be English" fools

Errrrrrrrrrrrr, i.e. most English managers and players I've seen interviewed on the subject

I think the word 'fools' covered 'most managers and players'

― Dave B (daveb), Thursday, 27 April 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

'THE MANY FACES OF LUIS FELIPE SCOLARI... ALL OF THEM MAD'

― rtcotm (mwah), Thursday, 27 April 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

I think this is great news.

Anyone but McClaren!

― the bellefox, Thursday, 27 April 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

i would have chortled if mclaren had got the job, i'm kinda disappointed it didn't happen. it would make my week if that clown crashed out of the uefa cup tonight as well.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 27 April 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

I don't understand the Portugese FA's issues here. His contract runs out after the World Cup - surely they can't prevent him from finding work afterwards? There must be some kind of employment law regualtion that prohibits such things, no?

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 27 April 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

it does also beg the question, if the powers-that-be are happy for it to be a non-british manager, why didn't they make more of a play for guus?

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, 27 April 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.crankycritic.com/qa/qaimages/cleese.jpg

― ken c (ken c), Thursday, 27 April 2006 16:23 (nineteen years ago)

"Harry Redknapp? We want you to be the next England manager!"
"Find me a decent English lad called Camara I can pick, and you're on."

I'm pleased. There is such a gap in stature between the English contenders and someone like Scolari that I can't see any sane argument. If England had a Ferguson, Wenger, Mourinho or the like, with their success at the top level, I wouldn't want us to look abroad, but we clearly don't. I mean, if keeping Man City somewhere around mid-table in your first full year of management makes you a contender, the problem is clear. He'll learn English. As for the notion that he won't know the players, we've seen Sven go to a hell of a lot of games and, right from the beginning, come at it with a fresh mind - so I don't see that Kevin Nolan's chances are hurt any more than Chris Powell's were when Sven arrived. I don't know how well Scolari will do, but he strikes me as one of the most plausible candidates worldwide.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

mcClaren's midas touch takes Boro to the UEFA cup final

mcClaren for England !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 27 April 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

Hoho, the BBC News are going silly with this. "the one thing he [Scolari] has in common with Sven is that he's foreign".

Hey, guess what, McLaren's in a European final. Give him the job! (so sayeth the BBC)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

"it does also beg the question, if the powers-that-be are happy for it to be a non-british manager, why didn't they make more of a play for guus?
-- weasel diesel (kilian(dot)murphy24@mail.dcu.ie), April 28th, 2006."

I heard that Guus was interested but got huffy when told he'd be on the short list, feeling he should just be offered the job if they were keen to have him. Fair enough.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

Guus would have been better than all the others. Anyway, this is bollocks. Big Phil has won the World Cup. The English managers can muster one Carling Cup between them. The language issue could be a genuine problem (for someone who has gone through both Christian Gross and Jacques Santini), but that's the only major problem.

Unless one of the English managers forces their way into the Champions League (Allardyce had a chance with Bolton this season, and blew it), I can't see why the FA would risk it. Money isn't the issue either - look how McClaren has failed to build properly at Middlesbrough despite ample funds. Look at Newcastle's boatloads of cash.

I sort of hope that Stuart Pearce will have matured into a really good manager by the time this next comes around so we won't have to do it again, but really none of the top clubs are likely to take a chance on an English manager in the near future, and where can McClaren or Allardyce or anyone else go from here? Arsene Wenger is nigh on unsackable, Benitez will be safe at Liverpool for some time to come, there's no way Abramovich will go for any of them and, well, god knows what will happen at Man Utd.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:45 (nineteen years ago)

Also, can I rant about Ian Wright now? "I'd rather see England not win the World Cup at all than win it with a foreign manager". So you'll be urging your son on to fuck up this summer then, and not getting gibberingly excited on MoTD? Cunt.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 27 April 2006 21:47 (nineteen years ago)

England seem to overpay the likes of Sven [4 Million a year] and Big Phil will be on a phat salary. What do they do for this? select the squad, select the team, analyse the opposition, formulate the tactics / team formation, sort out the squad training sessions, half time team talk - surely there are British managers that can do this - it's not rocket science?

Re: England Manager, someone like Redknapp or Martin O'Neil could easily select the right squad, they have far more experience of watching English football compared to Big Phil]

Then all you need are a couple of good coaches like Peter Taylor, plus get a positive personality around for match day motivation like Stuart Pearce.

To demonstrate you don't need the likes of Sven, I can select the likely England Squad today.

guessing the England Squad of 23 for the World Cup

Goalkeepers

Paul Robinson
David James
Rob Green [Sven could name someone else?]

Defenders

Gary Neville
Ashley Cole * fitness ?
Wayne Bridge [can also play left wing]
Luke Young
Rio Ferdinand
John Terry
Jamie Carragher
Ledley King * fitness? [should be ok] [can also play central defensive midfield]

Midfielders [Only 7 listed, as there are defenders in the squad that can also play midfield]

David Beckham
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Joe Cole
Shaun Wright-Philips
Michael Carrack
Stewart Downing or Owen Hargreaves [* how has he played this season ?, sven normally selects him for the squad]

Strikers

[personally i would take 5 strikers instead of 4, due to utility cover eleswhere in the squad]

Wayne Rooney
Michael Owen * question of match fitness
Peter Crouch
Darren Bent
Jermaine Defoe

Fringe / stand by: some of these are likely to be named as stand by players ala trevor sinclair last world cup. [remember he was sent back to England, then recalled !]

the unlucky? fringe players ? 13 named below:

[maybe a couple could get in the squad, depending on injuries]

Scott Carson - GK
Phil Neville - RB / M
Paul Konchesky - if ashley cole is not match fit. LB
Sol Campbell * is he match fit? - CD
Wes Brown - CD
Owen Hargreaves - M
Scott Parker - M
Jermaine Jenas - M
Kevin Nolan - M
Aaron Lennon - Winger
Kieran Richardson -Winger
Dean Ashton - S
James Beattie - S

Injured: not able to make world cup squad

Jonathan Woodgate
Alan Smith
Matthew Upson
Kieron Dyer

In the next 4 years post 2006 world cup: which of these players will be called or recalled into an England Squad ? and which of the currently uncapped players are most likely to earn England caps?

AKA Should Big Phil bring back England B matches?

Indicative ENGLAND B Squad candidates - April 2006 [* some of these players are injured at the mo]

Goalkeepers
Scott Carson
Richard Wright
Chris Kirkland
Stuart Taylor

Left Back / Left Wing Backs
Matt Taylor [According to Vince Hilliare on the Quay 107.4, Matt Taylor has been the best English left back on current form, well Ashley Cole is out at the mo.]
Paul Konchesky
Gareth Barry
Leighton Baines
Stephen Warnock
Paul Robinson [WBA]

Right Back / Right Wing Backs
Glen Johnson
Tony Hibbert
Phil Jagielka
Liam Rosenior

Central Defenders
Wes Brown
Michael Dawson
Nicky Hunt
Anton Ferdinand
Micah Richards
Steven Taylor
Curtis Davies
Anthony Gardner
Zat Knight

Midfield
Scott Parker
Jermaine Jenas
Nigel Reo-Coker
Kevin Nolan
Phil Neville
Gary O'Neil
Danny Murphy
Aaron Lennon
Jimmy Bullard
Jermaine Pennant
James Milner
Steve Sidwell
Lee Cattermole
Sean Davis
David Bentley
Kieran Richardson
James Morrison
Dean Whitehead
Wayne Routledge
Tom Huddlestone
Michael Tonge
Matthew Etherington
Liam Lawrence

Strikers
Dean Ashton
James Beattie
Andy Johnson
Marlon Harewood
Theo Walcott
Carlton Cole
Darius Vassell

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:33 (nineteen years ago)

...

― rtcotm (mwah), Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

Kudos to DJ Martian for saying what the rest of us were thinking.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 27 April 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know many of the people in that England B Squad, so I'm ruling myself out for this job.

Good things about Scolari:

He is a third world superstar, like Bob Marley.

He will want revenge for the Stockwell shooting.

He looks like he would thrive under a military dictatorship.

The kind of 'pressure' an England manager gets will be like water off a duck's back.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 06:00 (nineteen years ago)

First fan to sing 'Scolari' to the tune of 'Volare' gets a slap.

― dr lulu (dr lulu), Friday, 28 April 2006 06:04 (nineteen years ago)

Very promising start from a top comedy point of view:

"The official said, 'We should speak English'. I said 'Speak what you want.'

"I didn't speak Arabian in Arabia, but I am learning English."

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 07:14 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear.

According to Tim Vickery, who has interviewed him at length, 'Big Phil' is an outspoken admirer of General Pinochet, on the grounds that "you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs".

and from here

A controversial and outspoken coach, Scolari is often in the news for his cavalier views.

For example, in June 2001 he was quoted by Argentine magazine El Graphico as saying that "Pinochet tortured a lot, but there is no illiteracy in Chile".

He has also upset the Brazilian homosexual community by declaring that if he discovered that one of his players was gay he would throw him off the team.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Sometimes I am cleverer than I would like to be.

So how do we stop this?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

Him and Mourinho should get on like a house on fire

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe Scolari meant 'bring him off' and 'in front of the team'.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear. Considering what happened to Hoddle I give Big Phil about a month before he put his foot in it.

What happens if Portugal lose all their group games, and England do really well under Sven?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps those of you who work for news organisations could see if this is a) true, b) of interest.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Well, consider that England and Portugal could end up meeting in the quarter-final again, provided they both make it that far (and this also relies on Portugal beating either Argentina or Holland which is sure to be v tough and I think, unlikely, in the end).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:37 (nineteen years ago)

apparently scolari has prejudices against homosexuals which may be a problem.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

oops xpost with dave b

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 09:40 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't see the problem, cos no footballers are gay. Ever!

― Pete W (peterw), Friday, 28 April 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Exactly. I mean it's not as if it means the end of, say, Sol Campbell's England career, does it. Allegedly.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Well there will always be a place on the bench for Ashley Cole, but he'd better remove his mobile phone before sitting down. Allegedly.

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2002390000-2006190502,00.html

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

What's the problem with his language abilities? I heard him speaking to a fairly advanced standard in an interview with one of the Today programme sportsblokes (Richardson?). He said he needed to improve his English and the sportsbloke told him not to be so silly. Give him a couple of weeks in England and he'll be flying.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

I think he looks like George Galloway

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

That's one for Up The Arse Corner.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

Does he smoke? He looks like he does.

I'd rather watch Scolari chain smoking on the sidelines than Big Sam DJing on Ableton Live anyday.

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 28 April 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

...piloting a secret rendition flight.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

flying, I mean.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

I am concerned that we will no longer be bale to criticise other countries for having fascist-leaning managers, like Spain.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

Well, did Sven ever comment on his wife's "interesting" political career?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

'none of the top clubs are likely to take a chance on an English manager in the near future, and where can McClaren or Allardyce or anyone else go from here?'

Matt DC is spot on here. Anyway, Wenger is easily the best candidate for the England job. I wonder whether the FA would have made a genuine bid for him if David Dein didn't have conflicting interest?

― Pete W (peterw), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

i think scolari has way better sex scandal potentials than mcClaren/alladyce/curbishley etc. and is therefore winner

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

why is Wenger easily the best?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

best dressed

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Seems to me that each season (most seasons) one club which is not Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool or Arsenal gets into the top 4, on sums of money comparable to those spent by Bolton or Middlesbrough. What these English managers who are good enough to win World Cups (!) have to do is to take their teams into that 4th place now and again.

Another answer is for English coaches to try working abroad for a bit. This would involve (a) speaking another language and very likely (b) not earning as much in the short run. That's a way out of the vicious circle which goes "the richest clubs only want managers who have proved they can win things" / "the only clubs in England which can win things are the richest clubs".

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

Because Wenger is so good and developing and encouraging English football talent perhaps?

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Roy Hodgson for England manager!

(x=post)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Or those former minor England internationals of the 80s who all manage in Hong Kong now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

For England Manager.....Terry F-Twit Fenwick

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

turning english football talents

xxxpost

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Holland and Germany have really gambled on young managers with little coaching experience. After the World Cup we'll see how well the gamble has paid off. Van Basten seems to be doing okay but if Germany go far with Klinsmann I think it will be down to luck more than anything else (but it's not just his fault as they don't seem to have any amazing players right now*). Wonder if he'll be replaced by Rehhagel sooner rather than later...

*and of course the prospect remains of England having to play Germany in second round and messing it up somehow - would much rather lose to Argentina in the quarters!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

I so want Germany to win the World Cup

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

There's fat chance of King Otto becoming in contol of the Mannschaft

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

germany will win the world cup by not conceding a single goal in 8 games and "super mann" saving all the penalties

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

7 games

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

Wenger gets the most - and has done consistently - out of relatively limited resources, I reckon. (relative to Man U, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle.)

― Pete W (peterw), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

remind me why that is so, Dave?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

It is always funny when other countries have the most obvious candidates the national job but for whatever reason it doesn't happen. Fabio Capello is another example (and indeed it is a shame he has not been a serious contender for the England job, despite indicating that he might be interested). And then there's all those terrific Scottish coaches...

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

I imagine most Italian managers don't consider managing the Italian national team to be that important... ditto Spain

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

Probably the same reason as with Scotland. Noone wants the job as its a thankless task where you get hounded by the press.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

Plus managing Juventus and Milan is a bigger job than managing the Italian national team

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

Otto is a 'spiky' character; he's like the German Brian Clough.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

really? how so? and why wouldn't they want to manage Italy? esp. with national pride in Italy and Spain being arguably greater than in England. they seem far more resistant than many England fans to the idea of someone of another nationality managing the national squad. of course England broke some new ground in this respect as the other big nations still prefer to 'stick to their own', if only because they usually do have decent candidates lined up.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

But much more right-wing (not that Clough wasn't without his right-wingisms.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Alt' Gross Kopf?

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

esp. with national pride in Italy and Spain being arguably greater than in England

Errrrrrrrrrr, that's very arguable - all sortsa regional rivalries in both countries and club sides are really what it's all about. No need for most "major" footballing companies to look for outside manager because they have better managers and coaches perhaps?

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

all sortsa regional rivalries in both countries and club sides are really what it's all about.

no more than in England I say.

No need for most "major" footballing companies to look for outside manager because they have better managers and coaches perhaps?

Absolutely, but the question of 'why' remains (comparative richness of Premiership to other leagues one factor I expect).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Are Catalans and Basques extremely patriotic about supporting the Spanish national team? And isn't the North/South divide in Italy much more bitter than any North/South divide in England? I don't know, maybe. I've never really heard, say, a Man Utd fan say "I'm not supporting England, they're always picking Arsenal players", I think that does happen in Italy and Spain.

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

When I was at school my friends dad said he wouldn't support Scotland because they always left out celtic players for rangers players in the 60s. (I have no idea if that was true or not but I find it doubtful)
I also have no idea if there was many like him.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

I wuv Roy Hodgson.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:41 (nineteen years ago)

I think that level of tribalism is worse than nationalism (as in national pride or supporting the national team) ultimately. Although it is not taken as seriously.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

Doubtful? How many caps did GREAT players like Jimmy Johnstone, Billy McNeill and Bobby Murdoch win for Scotland in the 1960s? Mind you, Jimmy Johnstone said he hated playing for Scotland in the 60s because of "All the abuse I used to get... from Scotland fans". I don't think this was an uncommon occurrence for Celtic players at the time

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

I mean, when Willie Henderson fluffed a corner kick for Scotland it was, "Henderson, ya useless wee shite" when Jimmy Johnsotne fluffed a corner kick for Scotland it was, "Johnstone, ya useless Fenian bastard"

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

And isn't the North/South divide in Italy much more bitter than any North/South divide in England? I don't know, maybe. I've never really heard, say, a Man Utd fan say "I'm not supporting England, they're always picking Arsenal players", I think that does happen in Italy and Spain.

I was living in Italy at the time of the last World Cup and I didn't encounter anyone (Italian) who wasn't supporting the national team. And I have come across English Man Utd fans who say they don't support England (though not for the reason given above), but I am not one of them.

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

eh? rehhagel was offered the germany job before klinsmann -i think he said he'd honour his contract, or he was tempted but the greek outcry of love made him reconsider.

― rtcotm (mwah), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

Is this true? I thought Everton last season was the exception, not the rule. Off the top of my head I would have thought the only other teams to get in the top four in recent years are Newcastle (who have frittered a fortune away) and Leeds (who famously spent much, much more than they could ever hope to earn).

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

I've never really heard, say, a Man Utd fan say "I'm not supporting England, they're always picking Arsenal players"

To be fair, not many of the Arsenal team can be selected.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Friday, 28 April 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

i feel the emphasis on an english candidate having champs league experience is a bit overstated sometimes (and despite what a magnificently bitchy beckham said to cut down allardyce str8 away). isn't it more pervasive that none of the candidates show any signs of real tactical big game aptitude, of growing into potential? curbishley put out midgets vs bolton last week, and its only ppl's patronising of charlton that lends him any credit; mclaren is dour however many eastern euro randoms he scrapes past (i'm sure ppl would be thrilled to see england come back from behind in the 90th minute vs san marino); and while allardyce had a good case he's played his england cards disastrously and now everyone wishes he'd eff off and die. i'll get robert flak for saying this but glenn hoddle looked more promising than any of this bunch in 96.

the other thing ppl dont consider is the england team themselves - it's probably only gary neville whose heart would swell if some browbeating old northerner came along singing jerusalem, everyone else will take a sip of their frappaccinos and put in their headphones. shearer and batty are dead!

― rtcotm (mwah), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

Well fair enough. I wasn't born then dadaismus. I can't remember a time when Rangers fans did support Scotland in great numbers.

I do remember McAvennie not being picked and my mates dad said that was proof it still happened.

But when Andy Walker got capped along with Peter Grant I hope he shut up hehe

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Basle and Steaua are hardly the Euroclub equiv. of San Marino.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

Btw according to todays Daily Record Scolari was the guy who signed Rafael Scheidt on professional terms.

Remember him, Dadaismus?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

I've just been looking at the international rankings list and it seems to me it'd be hugely more enjoyable if it worked as a ladder system. Are Lebanon really better than New Zealand? Play an international and swap them round if the All Whites win! Surely only Mexico could have issues with such a fair concept.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

I remember him, however I don't remember all the names of the 15 or more equivalent donkeys who've signed for Rangers in the 10 years - some of whom never even got to play for Rangers - but then, I'm in good company, nobody in the Scottish press can seem to remember their names either (funny that) (xpost)

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

I can name you plenty of donkeys that signed for my team. But Accies never paid £5m for any of them.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

(HoBB "the big 4" have only taken up all four places twice in the last ten years. You're right that the fourth has been Newcastle and Leeds for a lot of that time, and it's looking like Tottenham this season. Also it's not like Middlesbrough haven't splashed large sums of cash over the years, and I understand that Bolton spend heavily on wages (though less so on transfers obv.) My point is that these fellows need to be making themselves stand out among their peer group if they are going to have a serious chance of stepping up.)

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

shearer and batty are dead!

Why did nobody tell me?!

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

Btw according to todays Daily Record Scolari was the guy who signed Rafael Scheidt on professional terms

Ha ha, trust the Daily Ranger to manage to shoehorn Rafael Scheidt into the story!

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

It's one way to get a story that appeals to both sets of the old firm I suppose.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

just reported:

newsflash..Big Phil has withdrawn his interest in the England job.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, Scolari's withdrawn his application!

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 28 April 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Crikey, David Dein looks pretty foolish now. Maclaren must be rubbing his hands in glee.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

He's blaming the english media!!!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

congratulations to mcclaren and all his supporters?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

A VICTORY FOR ENGLISH FOOTBALL!

― KEVIN NOLAN (Matt DC), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

(He's probably right).

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

It must be because the Raphael Scheidt signing has resurfaced.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

What does this actually change, though?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

It stops Martin O'Neill becoming Newcastle manager, for the moment at least.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

BBC: Luiz Felipe Scolari appears to have ruled himself out of taking over as England coach after the World Cup.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4955490.stm

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Sky news is going nuts because noone has ever dared turn down the England job before!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

*stifled giggles*

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

They're not stifled at all!!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

excellent, now let's get Cruyff in

― Porkpie (porkpie), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

I bet O'Neill gets the job now. But whoever gets it is so obviously second choice.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Sven must be pissing himself. This takes all the abuse off him onto the FA and Scolari for daring to turn the job down!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

This Cruyff doesn't have the experience !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordi_Cruyff

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Rafael Scheidt is a fantastic defender ~~in FIFA 2001 for the PS2~~!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

It has to be McClaren. But is absolutely certain that Big Phil's blew them out?

― They're Dairylea Mad, Them Kids (Dada), Friday, 28 April 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Your latest login name has me saying "Would you give Veronica Dribblethwaite a kiss?" to myself.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

How come I'm the one that always get accused of turning all threads to Scottish football?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

But is absolutely certain that Big Phil's blew them out?

After all this I doubt the FA will wait til after the World Cup for Scolari.
I wonder how the papers will cover it tomorrow. Will they abuse the FA or Scolari?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:37 (nineteen years ago)

abusing the FA

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

David Dein in particular ?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

NOPE: this is the clown with egg on his face:

chief executive - Brian Barwick

Chasing after a manager under contract to another country before the World Cup when he [Big Phil] already mentioned no decision about his future would be made until after the world cup.

The whole methodology of installing a new manager has been an utter farce, why do they do need to make a decision BEFORE the world cup.

They could have interviewed the ENGLISH managers after the seaon ends in May. Reflected in June, and make an appointment when the World Cup ends.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:21 (nineteen years ago)

indicative press echoing my thoughts:

ANOTHER FINE MESS

By Frank Malley, PA Chief Sports Writer
http://tinyurl.com/j7nan

Yet while the FA were hiding behind a statement which said they would reflect on Scolari's comments, chief executive Brian Barwick must think he has gone to sleep and woken up in a Laurel and Hardy sketch.

'Another fine mess' just about sums up Barwick's entire work these past 12 weeks.

Not only have the FA, with their nonsensical insistence on pursuing the new coach before the World Cup was done, managed to blow the lid on the simmering gasket which is Scolari's psyche, they have alienated just about every manager and football man in England.

By going to Scolari after having interviewed the British shortlist of four, in effect they publicly announced that Sam Allardyce, Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren and Martin O'Neill were not up to the job.

A wasps' nest was stirred up among chairmen such as Birmingham's David Gold, bodies such as the League Managers' Association and football figures such as Gary Lineker who all believe the FA have betrayed English managers.

......

Where does it leave the FA now?

Reeling probably. Chastened certainly. No doubt about to do some grovelling, probably in the direction of McClaren, who appeared to be the favourite before Scolari surged ahead at the start of the week.

Ironically, since then McClaren has only enhanced his position by reaching the UEFA Cup final with Middlesbrough.

The FA's reputation for smooth and shrewd recruitment, however, has never been lower.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

The Scolari saga
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/4954810.stm

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

Potato Head Barwick

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41614000/jpg/_41614194_barwick203x152.jpg

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 28 April 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently he was getting DEATH THREATS. From the Portuguese, not the FA.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 28 April 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

It's going to be fun if England play Portugal in the world cup.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/video_and_audio/help_guide/4304501.stm says Scolari received death threats.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 28 April 2006 23:55 (nineteen years ago)

according to the BBC site
Steve McClaren still wants the England manager's job despite revelations about his private life. (The Sun)

What revelations?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Saturday, 29 April 2006 00:12 (nineteen years ago)

Scolari received death threats.

That wouldn't be the press attempting to deflect attention away from the fact that they are inherently culpable for this entire fuck up, would it?

Now come on Portugal, go on and win the bloody thing.

― Venga (Venga), Saturday, 29 April 2006 01:14 (nineteen years ago)

What revelations?

He shagged his secretary. Didn't do Sven any harm...

I thought for someone so adept at cutting and pasting news articles, you might have followed up on what the Sun had to say. Don't know when this article went online, but I saw it when they did the "look ahead to tomorrow's headlines" bit on the ITV news last night.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 29 April 2006 04:49 (nineteen years ago)

I dunno. Maybe people should hate on the tabloids. They've forced the issue, and once SGE was going, the FA had a problem. It would have been more sensible to wait until after the WC, but the clubs wanted a speedyish resolution. Yet again, club vs country problem hamstring the FA.

― Dave B (daveb), Saturday, 29 April 2006 07:21 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe people should hate on the tabloids.

Ha, just a tad. They're putting everybody off the job, even their PRECIOUS NATIVE ENGLISHMEN.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Saturday, 29 April 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

Strange that the McLaren story should break once it looked like Scolari was back peddling. Seems the media have picked their man (MON?) and are intent on weeding out the opposition.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 29 April 2006 08:32 (nineteen years ago)


Steve McClaren 		11/10 		 
Sam Allardyce 		5/2 		 
Martin O' Neill 	4/1 		 
Luis Felipe Scolari 	6/1 		 
Alan Curbishley 	13/2

I like that Curbs is still longer odds than someone who's categorically stated he isn't taking the job.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 29 April 2006 09:58 (nineteen years ago)

Steve McClaren 11/10
Sam Allardyce 5/2
Martin O' Neill 4/1
DJ Martian 6/1
Alan Curbishley 13/2

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Saturday, 29 April 2006 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

MARTIAN FOR ENGLAND

― Markelby (Mark C), Saturday, 29 April 2006 10:36 (nineteen years ago)

IT'S THE ONLY SANE OPTION

mind you, the team sheet would be 50 players long, consisting entirely of Portsmouth reserves

― Porkpie (porkpie), Saturday, 29 April 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

"The frogs legged it!"

- DJ Martian press conference, June 2010

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 29 April 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

"It's time someone set up a proper football magazine to take on 4-4-2, concentrating on truly inventive football teams rather than the same old Murdoch-endorsed rubbish"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 29 April 2006 11:39 (nineteen years ago)

GARTH CROOKS: "So Martian, that's quite a turnaround, beating Spain 3-0 after that defeat to Azerbaijan. How did you do it?"

MARTIAN: "Well, I could see the lads were a bit dispirited, so I took them to a massage parlour and said "boys, go wild". Also, I put up a big poster of Annie in the dressing room. I tell you, they were like a different team tonight. Except Ashley, for some reason."

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Saturday, 29 April 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

I'm hearing that Rooney's OK.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 29 April 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Oops, wrong thread. Kind of.

― Alba (Alba), Saturday, 29 April 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Curbishley has announced his resignation from Charlton. Does this suggest he has another job lined up? If so, is it England, Newcastle, or replacing someone who hasn't announced anything yet at Boro, Bolton or some such?

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Saturday, 29 April 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

BBC Murray told Charlton fans before the game: "I sat down with Alan on Friday to discuss our plans for the future, and Alan was as honest as he has always been throughout his time at Charlton and told me he would not be extending his current contract.

If it was Friday then Scolari was still going to be England manager so probably not that?

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Saturday, 29 April 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

[spam removed]

― levitra, Monday, 1 May 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

Terry Butcher makes a good point

Useless fucking bunch. What do the FA actually do, other than appoint England managers? (Rhetorical question, I know, I know, they run footballing programs on a million different levels of the game and keep kids of the street etc) How hard must it be to fuck that up?

We always fucking knew it would be McClaren didn't we? The Scolari thing was just a ruse to suggest that as an organization they had a single set of balls between them.

In truth McClaren can't be as bad - or as sodding expensive - as Eriksson, who is possibly the most waste-of-money white elephant ever to manage a football team. I still would prefer either O'Neill or Curbishley, two managers with a proven track record of making the value of a team far greater than the sum of its parts. Given that we currently have the best 11 first team players we've had since I've been watching football and the only problem is they aren't so very well coordinated as a team, this is exactly the kind of manager we need. I'd be happy with Big Sam as well for more or less the same reason.

Fro the big big money managers, even though i'm an Arsenal fan, I'd be willing to let 'em take Wenger. But nonetheless, as Butcher says they should shut the fuck up until after the World Cup.

― uptoeleven (uptoeleven), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 01:33 (nineteen years ago)

I am pleased it's not going to be that Pinochetista tosspot, though.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 06:22 (nineteen years ago)

Aren't the FA a bit hard done by in this case? It's not necessarily their fault there is no decent English candidate or that nobody from overseas wants the job. You can't blame them for trying to get Scolari to commit before the World Cup, and you can't really blame Scolari for rejecting the offer out of loyalty to Portugal, using media intrusion as the excuse (as Bobby Robson says, surely it was just as bad if not worse in Brazi?) just so he can focus on Portugal in the meantime. Perhaps Scolari would've preferred to not have been asked until after the World Cup where he could've given a definite yes and now it's too late. An awkward situation for both sides. Both he and the FA were put in a very difficult position and I think the media have probably been more short-sighterd than either of them.

I'm a bit sick of the BBC/whoever constantly asking Motherwell manager Butcher for his predictable, cynical two cents as well. What does he really know about these things - compared to any other random former England international?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 06:52 (nineteen years ago)

psst.
harry rednapp is going to be the next england manager innit.

don't tell anyone i told you

― secret betf41r staff (ken c), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

It's not that Terry Buitcher's opinion is more valuable than enyone else' , just that in this particular instance, he makes a fairly valid point.

Given the inevitabilty of the press attention this would gnerate the whole thing should have been done far mroe discretely. Firstly, The FA should have held off announcing Erkisson's departure until after the worl cup anyway - they're not a PLC, there was no obligation to them to announce it to the stock market or anything.

Secondly, they shouldn't have been so brazen about who they were planning on short-listing int he first place. Of course the papers were going to speculate but if they have no ammunition from the inside it's not going to get them very far is it?

I agree about the media being something of an excuse but the FA certainly haven't handled things.

On the other hand, the issue of whoever gets the job knowing they would be second choice shouldn't be as much of a problem as he's making out should it? Hoddle was was down the pecking order and he did alright didn't he? Oh....

― uptoeleven (uptoeleven), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

What's the point of discretion really? If they were covering it all up people would be moaning about lack of transparency. Given the voraciousness of the media, the insatiable hunger for every scrap of rumour, hint, prospect, I don't really see how the FA could've kept a lid on things anyway. Surely it's better for them to announce things like 'We are talking to Scolari' rather than just have the press report 'OMG THEY'RE TALKING TO SCOLARI SHOCKAH' having found out for themselves via their sources, some of whom may or may not be ensconced within the FA ranks directly. They're damned if they do, damned if they don't. People like to make these sweeping authoriative judgements despite not having a clue how the whole process is 'supposed' to work themselves. I would say it's an unprecedented situation but it must've been difficult when every previous England manager left the post (tho I remember the clamour for Venables being particularly unanimous). The English candidates Mclaren and Allardyce should realistically already know that they would not be 'first choice' even before the FA started approaching other foreigners to replace Eriksson - look at their (lack of) achievements both as managers and players (achievements as players tends to appease critics and fans to some extent - see Van Basten and Klinnsmann for recent examples - but they still have to prove themselves).

Hoddle WAS doing alright until the tabloids stitched him up. I always thought the FA let him down there so have been pleased with the way they've supported Eriksson.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

Neil Warnock

― Ed (dali), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Konal is correct re. Glenn.

Eleven or whoever is correct re: no need to appoint before World Cup - bad timing - should wait.

Say no to McClaren.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 2 May 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

alan shearer should be new england manager

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

Face not red enough

― You'll Never Put a Better Bit of Butter On Your Knife (Dada), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

it doens't matter who it is anyway. they will probably quit/be sacked before the next euro thingie innit. and england will scrape through the qualifiers no matter what.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

spend the money instead on staging a "tough enough" kind of show where all wannabe england players contest and some get cut out each round until you get to the final 22 or whatever.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

TS after Euro 2008: Neil Warncock vs. Stuart Pearce.

― caek (caek), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Strictly Come Diving (xpost)

― You'll Never Put a Better Bit of Butter On Your Knife (Dada), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

and euro2008 = THE NATION DECIDE. before every match, fans call in to channel 4 with their starting 11 and formation, and the most popular 11 wins.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

The most popular eleven formations, and they change every 8 minutes.

Won't be that different to an Erikson friendly!!, amirite, etc.

― caek (caek), Tuesday, 2 May 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

The answer is staring us in the face - PROMOTE TORD GRIP!

Grip told the Sun: "We're working on Plan B now - but just how that plan looks, I really don't know.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 08:34 (nineteen years ago)

The most pertinent comment seems to be the one from Graham Taylor. He sdai something like 'there are 6 people still living who have been England managers and yet no-one has asked any of us what we think the job entails'.

Quite. The process is little more than 3 or 4 people who have never played, managed or coached sitting in a pub with a blank piece of paper listing people who they think should be the ebngland manager, except their pub happens to be the FA and the drinks are on us.

They should have interviewed all 6 of them and asked them about the job - what are the skills they felt were required to do the job. Identify the common strands from Bobby Robson way back when, and identify the newer demands on the person. Write it down. Agree it, and call it a job spec. Then you can appoint against it.

This is the flaw I think all through it - they don't know who they want because they haven't answererd the question of what they want. The automatic assumption still remains that the english manager needs to be a good club manager, but no real investigation of how the job might be the same or might overlap. Look at the ducth - they've appointed two people to the national team job with no previous experience. Why does the person need to coach them after all? They're supposed to be the best, and if they're not, they 3 weeks out of 52 isn't going to make much difference.

This idea that recruitment processes are a hinderence is yet another symptom of the closed bubble of the football world. We don't need any of that nonsense, they say. Just leave it to the football men. We'll sort it out. The arrogant world view of a 1930s civil service permanent secretary with the intellectual capacity of a half brick.

― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

I think Hoddle was lucky in that his tenure coincided with the emergence of Michael Owen, which at the time had the whole country very excited indeed and helped obscure Hoddle's flaws. He's never done particularly well with any club he's managed whatever their resources and not playing Beckham and Owen from the start in 1998 was a mistake.

That Tord Grip quote is amazing. It's almost as if the possibility of Rooney not being fit hadn't occurred to them.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

Achtung Dadaismus! Tonight's helping of 1966ery.

WEDNESDAY 03 MAY

Sport

England v Germany: The Legends

7:15pm - 10:00pm

Five

VIDEO Plus+: 46447241
Subtitled

With the World Cup just weeks away, this match sees two teams of legends meet to establish the early bragging rights. Bobby Robson manages an England team packed with stars like Gazza, John Barnes, Paul Merson and Ray Wilkins alongside celebrities such as Lawrence Dallaglio, Nigel Benn and Sean Bean. The German side, for whom losing is not an option, includes Lothar Matthaus and Boris Becker. A great night of entertainment at the Madjeski Stadium in Reading is promised. Colin Murray is our host.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:05 (nineteen years ago)

Hoddle did well with both Swindon and Chelsea (tho his time there was short) but it's the unpleasant England exit that seemed to undermine the potential in the end. Now like Gullit he's judged on the failures more than the successes. Eriksson has faced this problem himself ever since World Cup 2002 and it's a miracle he is still here really.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

The silver lining to all these farces is that they inspire classic Boyler posts.

― Tom (Groke), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:09 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't it his massive severance clause that's kept Sven there? Presumably.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:10 (nineteen years ago)

"A great night of entertainment at the Madjeski Stadium in Reading is promised. Colin Murray is our host."

Does not com etc etc etc

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:14 (nineteen years ago)

Hoddle turned Chelsea round, but was very unpopular with the players and staff. I think he left the England job more cos of his book than the disabled/reincarnation nonsense. His real problem was that he took the England job too early, before he had the chance to make mistakes and learn from them.

I can't help but think McLaren = less crazy Keegan. I'd go for Big Sam. At least he'd face down the egos.

Also, though, it's the culture of coaching. As DaveB says, the Dutch appoint managers without experience but that's cos every Dutch player thinks they're a manager. they're encouraged to discuss tactics right from the start, which is why they're such disruptive bastards. English players are still largely told to do as they're told or show little interest in anything other than themselves.

― Pete W (peterw), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'd go for Big Sam. At least he'd face down the egos.

That's only because his face is big enough, surely.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:20 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't it his massive severance clause that's kept Sven there? Presumably.

It is a miraculous sum of money, yes.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:23 (nineteen years ago)

I think Pete may be onto something. Maybe the England players need a posho manager, to exploit the class system. Or an ex-services man like Alf Ramsey.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:26 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.morethings.com/pictures/music/james_blunt_377.jpg

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:41 (nineteen years ago)

That would be just fantastic.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 09:48 (nineteen years ago)

lame

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

Can I insure myself against the trauma of failing to win the lottery?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 10:11 (nineteen years ago)

i like how theo walcott's name is EVEN BEING MENTIONED after all this rooney lark.

... actually, yeah fuck it why not

― rtcotm (mwah), Wednesday, 3 May 2006 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

Steve McLaren in Soho Square just now.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

I say, well-spotted, Cowpat.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

He must have been leaving when you spotted him. According to the beeb he arrived at 3.40pm.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

I say, well-spotted, Madchen.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

He shouldn't be hanging around Soho when he's in line for such a high profile job, if you ask me.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

It takes light half an hour to get to Bristol from London because of the worm hole at Newbury.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

I blame Swampy.

For everything.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

Even Ruth Badger? I don't think he's to blame anywhere there.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

McLaren getting the England job is just depressing. Where's our entertainment gonna come from now? Sven is alright, if a bit robotic, but a real shagger off-duty, which counts for something. Keegan was excellently nuts and Glenn was a fruitcake too. But now it's time for a proper Mr. Football again. You could argue that Tel was the last Mr.Football we had, although possibly a bit too spivish. So - I want a car-coat, a flat cap, a wheeler-dealer mentality. I want us to be worried about 'options at the back stick'. So my choice is a Pompey 'Arry/Jim Smith dream ticket with Peter Schweeves as a shadowy Tord Grip figure.

― Dr.C (Dr.C), Thursday, 4 May 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

Ah well.

So who will he now appoint as his assistant?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Thursday, 4 May 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

If you listened carefully enough, you'd have heard the collective 'meh' running across the country this afternoon.

Thing I don't understand is why O'Neill fell by the wayside at the end. Did he say anything at all throughout the whole process?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Thursday, 4 May 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

kudos to dom who ws otm right up the top there, ws it really that depressingly obvious? prob. hooray 4 derby nobody manc coach carling cup hero steve!

― danny invincible (michael w.), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:04 (nineteen years ago)

I'm quite impressed by my accuracy up there! Not having any emotional investment in the England manager obviously helped bring TRUTH.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

I guess the thread title needs a changing now.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

I'm most impressed by Brian Barwick's insistence that McLaren was their first choice and Big Phil was never in the frame at all.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 4 May 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

Thing I don't understand is why O'Neill fell by the wayside at the end. Did he say anything at all throughout the whole process?

I heard some pompous twerp from Scotland (no, not me) on a Radio 5 phone-in talking about O'Neill, "Martin O'Neill could never be the England manager... he has Irish Republican sympathies!" Aka FENIAN BASTARD. Maybe it was Donald Findlay.

― Vitbe... *pause*... Is Good Bread (Dada), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't the *rumour* about O'Neill that instead of having cancer as reported, his wife has actually gone completely ding-dong cuckoo insane, and he's taking time off until she starts speaking in coherent sentences again? I'd guess any refusal to take either the Newcastle or England jobs is due to her still being down.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Well, she should be manager then.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:25 (nineteen years ago)

Why do you assume Martin O'Neill wanted to be the manager of England?

― Vitbe... *pause*... Is Good Bread (Dada), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

I thort the standard line on O'Neill was that he (a) wanted his own coaches and so on, which the FA weren't so keen on, and (b) the FA wanted someone who's super-keen on up-to-the-minute technological coaching stuff, and apparently RoboMacca fits that bill more than earthy old Mart.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

It is a bit weird though, how no one (as far as I have heard) has managed to get a peep out of him.

― Alba (Alba), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe he's one of those people who says he doesn't think this kind of business should be done in public, and actually means it.

― Tim (Tim), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:38 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe people spreading shite about his sick wife was enough to make him think twice about stepping into the spotlight.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

Point taken. Sorry.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Friday, 5 May 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Dom, I can assure you with complete sureness that that is not the case.

― Porkpie (porkpie), Friday, 5 May 2006 12:00 (nineteen years ago)

It's your Brian Kerr! Well done England!

Meanwhile somewhere in Bolton, a lonely Sam Allardyce has been looking at himself in the mirror and sobbing for 72 hours straight.

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 5 May 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

At least Mclaren has better players than Kerr to work with - hopefully this will make the difference!?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Friday, 5 May 2006 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

Meanwhile somewhere in Bolton, a lonely Sam Allardyce has been looking at himself in the mirror and sobbing ~~for 72 hours straight~~since January.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 5 May 2006 19:32 (nineteen years ago)

At least Mclaren has better players than Kerr to work with - hopefully this will make the difference!?

You're damn right. I wouldn't take any of the good players with me at all if I was manager of England!

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

Point taken. Sorry.

No need, it wasn't you that was regurgitating malicious football forum garbage.

(wee hint, putting 'rumour' in *asterisks* *doesn't* separate you from other bile spreading cunts)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 5 May 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

england squad to be named soon.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:35 (nineteen years ago)

All this "Take Theo Walcott even though he's not played a Premiership game yet" talk. It's so crazy it just might work.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

BBC prediction:
http://tinyurl.com/hcngm

Probable squad: Robinson, James, Green; G Neville, King, Campbell, R Ferdinand, Terry, Carragher, A Cole, Bridge; Beckham, Wright-Phillips, Gerrard, Lampard, Carrick, J Cole, Downing; Rooney, Owen, Crouch, Defoe, Bent.

Stand-by: Carson, Hargreaves, Lennon, Walcott.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

apparently announcement postponed till 2.30

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

"logistics delay" by the FA

...they are trying to find video footage of Theo Walcott?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:07 (nineteen years ago)

GK Paul Robinson, David James, Robert Green

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

D Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell, Jamie Carragher, Wayne Bridge

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

M David Beckham, Michael Carrack, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Owen Hargreaves, Jermaine Jenas, Stewart Downing, Joe Cole, Aaron Lennon

F: Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Theo Walcott

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Goalkeepers

Paul Robinson (Spurs)

David James (Man City)

Robert Green (Norwich)

Defenders

Gary Neville (Man United)

Rio Ferdinand (Man United)

John Terry (Chelsea)

Wayne Bridge (Chelsea)

Ashley Cole (Arsenal)

Sol Campbell (Arsenal)

Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)

Midfielders

David Beckham (Real Madrid)

Michael Carrick (Tottenham)

Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)

Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)

Jermaine Jenas (Spurs)

Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough)

Joe Cole (Chelsea)

Aaron Lennon (Spurs)

Forwards

Wayne Rooney (Man United)

Michael Owen (Newcastle)

Peter Crouch (Liverpool)

Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

No: Defoe, SWP, Ledley King, Darren Bent

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry for duplication.

Walcott!

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

No: Luke Young

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

odds on theo walcott being top scorer of tournament...

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Who are stand by players?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

so happy Walcott is going, the unknown quantity! defences don't know how to deal with this "Walcott"

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

Sven is a stoopid plank selecting only 4 forwards instead of 5 and one of them has a broken foot !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Only 7 defenders!

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Owen Hargreaves = should be OUT of the Squad !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Jermaine Jenas = Should NOT be in the squad

should have selected another defender or striker

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't see that coming. Poor Defoe. Poor SWP. But yes, two injured strikers and one who has never played in the Premiership before. Hmmm.

On the other hand OMG AARON LENNON IN THE WORLD CUP SQUAD!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Darren Bent and Defoe = must be Gobsmacked !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

They seem to have forgotten about the standbys.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

Ronan909: walcott is now like a hyped indie album
Ronan909: nobody has heard yet
charltonlido: walcott monkeys
Ronan909: yes
Ronan909: Simon Reynolds has been praising Walcott non stop

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

I am amazed SWP didn't make the cut - he looked great coming on for Beckham a couple of months ago. I'm not convinced Lennon is better. I'm glad for Downing, though.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

Sven gets paid 4 Million a year, and he selects an unbalanced squad overloaded with midfielders

stand by players:

Defoe
Reo-Coker
Scott Carson
Luke Young
Andy Johnson

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

Theo Walcott and Lily Allen should be the new Becks and Posh.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

WORST SQUAD EVEH

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

I like it, lacks a little Heskey, but otherwise pretty good. Owen or Rooney will make it I think but only one of them

Jenas is a good player, I'll stand by him.

Also don't forget that Gerrard and Cole can play as support strikers

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

SWP : Sven says "I think the players I have picked are the best for the moment. That is why he is not on the list"

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

Darren Bent top English goalscorer in the premier league = must be GUTTED

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

I really really really hope he didn't pick SWP just to piss Ian Wright off.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

SWP must be very glad he took his dad's advice to move to a bigger club.

I'm astonished a guy is in with a WC shout despite having played against the might of first division defences. Andy Johnson will be kicking himself.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

Haha no gambles then!

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

The other day I heard that all the talk in some country (Portugal?) was of PETER CROUCH.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

SWP = must be GUTTED

SWP thinking now: "Why did I leave Manchester City to sit on the Chelsea bench and not make the England Squad for WC"

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, that's Defoe going to the World Cup then. Poor Ledley. I reckon he'd be in there but for the injury and Sven won't take a chance on another crocked player.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Will Rafa now SWOOP for SWP as I read in the tabloids last week?

I hope so.

Even on Sunday SWP looked good.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

theo lolcott.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Matt Taylor has been the best English left back in the premiership over the past 2 months

Gary O'Neil is better than Jenas and Hargreaves FFS !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

What on Earth is Sven thinking putting Andy Johnson on standby ahead of Defoe or Darren Bent?? And picking Lennon and untried Walcott ahead of Wright-Phillips? Equally absurd.

Glad Carrick is on. Sad about no King (for the holding midfield role).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

oh i see, all the world cup talk is over here now...

martian, you are so obvious.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

ignore Defoe thing - guess he will get the nod in place of Rooney.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

Defoe is on standby. Carrick is a better bet than King for the holding midfield role (his style of play suits England better I think) and King *is* injured.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

"sometimes things works out well without being logic"-Sven Goran Ericsson, 2006.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

sieve, you have 0 sense of adventure, BEST 23 EVER.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

What are the rules about standby players? Up till what point can they be subbed into the squad? The start of the tournament?

oh i see, all the world cup talk is over here now...

Yes, I'm not sure why. The other thread is more appropriate. Crazy times.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

Alba, i think i read yesterday that is was 9 june, yes.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

but swp didnt completey make a mistake though its not like bent lacked games and he's missed out

― secondhandnews (secondhandnews), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

Poor SWP, shitty way to treat a man.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

0 sense of adventure vs 0 sense of logic...the eternal conflict

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

they should have put like gerrard lampard owen etc on stand by and then comes june 9th

SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111111

and they all crawl out from under the apron with steel chairs and knock out the other managers

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

actually i think we're all mostly gutted about SWP missing out because it means no lols when he and Crouch are brought on at the same time again.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

so this presumably means we are going to go with either cole or gerrard as a support striker. if so, i think its a wise move. this would also mean...a starting role for carrick. this is good also

i dont think swp can really have any complaints about not going. having said that, with svens stick-in-the-mud character, i thought he would be going, alongside one of downing/lennon.

i think bent, on the other hand, has cause for complaint. especially to lose out on even being a reserve, to...johnson?

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

I just don't get why he's waited till now to get all experimental on our asses – I mean Lennon, Walcott and Downing? They're all great (probably - as far as i;m aware walcott is only a rumour) but three players with jackshit experience at a WC? Is it crazy, or is it so crazy IT MIGHT JUST WORK.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

Sol Campbell lucky to get in? With Ledley King's injury

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

I think there is a rule about number of Jermaines in world cup, hence Defoe exclusion.

Walcott is the wildest of cards.

Do do do, Nigel Reo-Coker on do do do, stand-by.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

My theory is that Sven has given up having affairs and is taking his need for risk-taking out on the England squad selection.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

(NB. I am not suggesting that he is knobbing Theo Walcott)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

i've calmed down now. bravo Sven.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

For the first time since 1990, I have no sense of mindless optimism about England's ability to win the WC or a tournament. Maybe this bodes well.

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:16 (nineteen years ago)

you've changed your tune from a few weeks ago then!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Owen Fucking Hargreaves.

― Doktor Faustus (noodle vague), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Mark my words = Only 4 forwards is a BIG mistake !

Rooney = Injured
Owen = Not match fit
Peter Crouch = limited role
Theo = No premiership experience

Sven gets paid 4 million to botch up the squad selection and mess England's chances before the WC even starts !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

The only solution sack Sven NOW ! and install McClaren to select a proper balanced squad this evening

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

Yes that is the only solution. Sorry, solution to what?

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

Select a proper balanced squad FFS !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

WAKE UP HOPKINS !

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

bringing Crouch and SWP on at the same time would've provided the right balance.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

I want to hear what Ian Wright has to say about this squad ! only 4 strikers FFS !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Ian Wright: "nsefjsheouitrjsiojt! NAH MATE NAAAAAAH. EE'S FUCKIN FAMILY MAN EE'S BANG OUT OF ORDER BLUD"

btw how much will Mclaren be paid as England manager? £4 a year?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry DJ M, I'm still new to this whole football lark but isn't your whole schtick based on continually suggesting that Sven pick a load of fringe players?

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

Steve McClaren has played 4 strikers in one match !

Rumour 2 Million a year

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

2m is still a shitload of money but no-one will complain about the salary when Mclaren fucks up. good thinking by the FA!

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Hargreaves' goal in the german cup semi-final the other week was ACES, proper 30 yd screamer.

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

calm down everyone - the lack of strikers is not such a big deal if we're going to line up 4-5-1 (or perhaps 4-4-1-1 with J. Cole as deep attacker/Downing wide left or even 4-1-4-1 with Carrick in the defensive hole) as surely we must without a fit Rooney.

hargreaves has his uses as emergency fullback or cover for Carrick (if he should succumb to the pre-match lasagne again)

― mason storm (mason storm), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

Ha Tom chiming in with "I don't know the subject the matter" - get back to anticipating the new PSB album Mr Popist!

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

walcott is the only selection/ommission that really has WTF about it

― mason storm (mason storm), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Hargreaves makes a good doorstop, which at least makes him more useful than Jermaine bloody Jenas.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Judging by this squad, I reckon Sven is planning to pack the midfield and play Crouch or Owen upfront on his own. Are you sure Sam Allardyce isn't manager now?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Mmmmm flooded midfields, great big target man, fizz it up, hold it up, flick it on, whoosh!

Lovely.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

No ! if Big Sam was England manager Kevin Nolan would be in the squad

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

Come on guys we all know you're just going to lose on penalties again anyway!

"Downing........oh no off the bar! BITTER..............BITTER disappointment.......etc etc, 'when you try your best but you don't succeeeeeeeeeed" copyright sky sports.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Tom shows remarkable perception for a novice mind you.

Ronan, the worst thing is that Embrace already have about 3862 songs ready for the cup exit.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

hurrah for scapegoat and sacrifical lamb hargreaves n walcott!

best squad ever, obv.

― rtcotm (mwah), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Argentina in the quarter finals, isn't it? Marvellous. I can see Leo Messi's face light up now.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Jesus fuckin' Christ.
It will be 4-5-1, with hoofing balls for Crouch in the last 20 minutes. It will be fantastic.
No Ashton or Bent even as standby players... I can't understand that.

― zeus (zeus), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe Sven is bringing back the Venables Christmas Tree Formation back 4321 ?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

oh don't say that mason: the only reason i'm happy with SWP not being there is the thought that this might mean we'll never SEE that stupid 4-5-1 nonsense

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Did David Dein put pressure on Sven ? - select Theo or else !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

4-5-1 worked so well for Man Utd earlier this season though!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

oh shut up martian. are u graham taylor in disguise?

― rtcotm (mwah), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

Johnson has had an average season, by his standards. Nowhere near as good as Darren Bent's. That's a weird choice.

Walcott, who knows? Might work. His goalscoring record is better than Heskey's and he hasn't even played yet. Only joking, Heskeyites.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

jon stead should have been in the squad.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

rather than the Bolton comparisons i'd like to (somewhat optimistically) prefer to think of Arsenal in Europe as an appropriate model with Owen/Walcott doing their best Henry impressions with of course the added bonus of a Crouch-ified Plan B when all goes tits up.

― mason storm (mason storm), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:41 (nineteen years ago)

KRAZY Ken C

Debate: Scott Parker better than Jenas ?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

Isn't Messi out injured? Or are they going to pick him 'just in case'.

Has anybody actually seen Walcott play other than five mins on the news?

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

he scored a goal against pompey reserves

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

If you factor out Bent and Sol Campbell, this is for once a squad picked on the basis of form rather than reputation. And hooray for that.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

Ferdinand? Beckham?

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

You might want to factor out Walcott for that to be true, Matt, since he doesn't have any appreciable form, innit?

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't Brazil take a spotty Ronaldo in 1994 when he'd barely played a professional game?

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Ferdinand and Beckham have both been playing well for their clubs recently, haven't they?

Well yes, Walcott is the choice of the desparate manager, right?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

Desperation / inspiration, what's the difference.

England have no appreciable chance of winning the World Cup anyway. Might as well make a big pile of whatever we've got left, stick it all on zero and watch the wheel spin. That is why it's the best squad ever. Well, that and the fact that the chances are high of having a big lad on the pitch, to whom long balls can be fizzed.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

lampard hasn't scored many points on fantasy football league lately i can only assume that isn't good form.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

I can see it now, one-nil down to T&T, throw on Walcott to lumpen chant of "Theo, Theo" only for the youngster to get a yellow card for an over-zealous challenge.

England still have a decent chance, Tim.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

England have no appreciable chance of winning the World Cup anyway.

In your opinion, which teams do?

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

"teams"

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

what do you mean ken? they ARE teams.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/07/19/brazil.spill.wildlife/brazil.sao.paulo.curitiba.jpg

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry about the curitiba bit)

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe he'll try Geoff Hurst up front with Owen. Rio in nets, obv.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

Lampard been poor-to-rubbish since about Jan.

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

it's final Jaffa cake in the gob for Rio.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

Also it's just occurred to me we might see some of the madder elements of this squad play against Jamaica next month. Walcott's debut, yay!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

I think one of the obvious usual suspects will win it. I think England are quarter final material. Obv there's a chance because it's cup football but I don't think the squad is especially good, and several key figures are either out or in dubious form. I haven't seen England play very well for a long time, either.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Has Walcott actually played for Arsenal yet? No Darren Bent, oh dear!

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

The midfield of Gerrard, J Cole, Lampard and Beckham has loads of potential. The defence is sound, keeper's good. Can England score enough goals? Dunno.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

Consistently astonishing performances from wunderkind Walcott.
Tireless defensive hard work from Rio.
Inspirational game-breaking passes from Cap'n Becks.
Crouch for Golden Clown Shoe, he'll surprise everyone.

Oh all right then, we're doomed.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

I just looked on ILX. There are people talking about other stuff. Doctor Who etc.

???

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

where is dadaismus to see us in our hour of "dispair"???

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

Matt DC Jamaica are NOT in WC ! You mean Trinidad & Tobago ! T & T = the socawarriors

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

he's talking about the forthcoming friendly match fewl

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, but there is a friendly against them. Do pay attention.

x-post.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

I hope you're right, Mikey, but when I look at the spine of the team, I see a Rio who hasn't been in top form all year, a Lampard who's not right either, and a forward line which is either unfit or untried. All of the above could come right, but each of those pieces is a problem.

And Alan Ball said you should always look at the spine of the team when assessing it, so that must be right.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

from a pompey discussion list:

"Galling thing is that the Scummers get £2m when Walcott plays a
competitive game for England!!"

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

Clearly Sven has decided Bent is not international quality. And if he is playing one striker up front then Owen will be that striker with Crouch as backup for late in a game. Theo is backup for Owen and could be pretty good. He is an unknown quantity, quicker than Henry and comes reccomended by Wenger. Good enough for me.

The whole squad is great. England have struggled everytime we have been without Rooney. Sven knows this. So why pick the same old players and hope that it clicks this time. He has instead gone for an overhaul, and an exciting one at that - a lot of youth and a lot of pace.

I'm finally excited about our chances again. Seems like Sven is thinking "fuck it let's go out and play some quick, exciting football".

And if this Walcott gamble comes off then it could be the difference between winning the damn tournament or not.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

it looks like spurs got a bargain:

Aaron Lennon = transfer fee was only 1 Million? from Leeds
SWP = transfer fee was 21 Million ?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

So what's our assumed team then?

Robinson
Neville Terry Ferdinand Cole
Beckham Carrick Lampard Gerrard
Cole
Crouch/Owen

― Pete W (peterw), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

I have to say I don't think Sven is going to be going for exciting attacking football. Looks more like the best team is going to be a Mourinho/Benitez style.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Is it time for the '101 terrible Walcott headlines' thread yet?

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

"Cott Damn"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Robinson
Neville Terry Rio Cole[A]
Beckham Lampard Gerrard Downing
Cole[J]
Owen

Robinson
Neville Terry Rio Cole[A]
Carrick
Beckham Lampard Gerrard Cole[J]
Owen

― mason storm (mason storm), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

I think England will play exactly as Chelsea do actually. The way Sven was talking about pace on the bench is how Mourninho uses his pace players.

Wait until the 70th minute when they can cause maximum damage.

In the 75th minute against argentina would you rather see Theo Walcott (alledged wonderkid and superfast) come on or Darren Bent/Defoe?

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

DO NOT FORESAKE THEO MY DARLING

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

I'd go with that. There's no excuse for any wayward passing in that midfield. But yeah, there's a lot of pace in the fringes of that squad. Is Walcott really faster than Henry?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

"Theo World-cott"

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

TINY TOT HOT SHOT COTT!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

I'd go with that. There's no excuse for any wayward passing in that midfield. But yeah, there's a lot of pace in the fringes of that squad. Is Walcott really faster than Henry?

-- Matt DC (runmd...), May 8th, 2006.

Apparently he beat Henry 7 times in a some kind of race trial in training. And Touré was talking about him being incredible fast, and toure is no sloth so...

Look up theo walcott on youtube there's a good compilation with dr dre as backing music.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

owen stays and keeps his two houses but with diminished responsibilities. SWP is sacked from striking role and refused when offered a place as reserve sweeper. crouch promoted to first team second striker role. beckham to become right wing back: his 7th role in 7 years. sol campbell steps down to the reserves benches. etc.

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

Didn't we have Trevor Sinclair in left mid for the last world cup?

Surely anything is better than that.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

I think England will play exactly as Chelsea do actually. The way Sven was talking about pace on the bench is how Mourninho uses his pace players.

and also the way SWP is never used! :-D

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

no premiership experience = no credibility

― Fiery Dan (matthew james), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently he beat Henry 7 times in a some kind of race trial in training.

I am evil and think this reads a bit ha ha.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

Cott death - Baby Theo kills England's chances goodbye with spotkick agony

Theology! Sven says 'I need to learn more about his game'

Theocracy! Wonderkind World Cup Winner Walcott made king!

― Dave B (daveb), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

It was a race riot.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

boycott boycotts boy cott: geoffrey boycott expresses dismay at walcott's inclusion in the squad

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Ee Ay "Add Theo", We're going to win the cup.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

from theo to zero: theo fails to score after repeated chances as england crashes out of world cup

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Robinson
Neville Terry A.Cole
Beckham Lampard Gerrard J.Cole
Rooney Walcott Owen
BELIEVE
;-)

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

Walcottoning On At Last

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

or from theo: 2-0 i suppose! double strike from walcott sees england victorious over brazil

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

IN THEO-RY: Sven Defends World Cup Failure

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Walcott Montage Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGmJgyEdgLg

Walcott scores for Arsenal Reserves against Pompey
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1avmvfM9ip0

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

NOT VERY PRETTY I TELL THEO: Walcott reveals squad prefer Kaiser Chiefs to Embrace as warm-up music

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

Theodolite! Sven adds new angles to Englands attack.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

Robinson
Neville Terry A.Cole
Beckham Lampard Gerrard J.Cole
Rooney Walcott Owen
BELIEVE
;-)
-- Teh HoBBler

notice jamie has got a mars bar on top of the opposition's goal there to encourage rooney to get on the pitch ;)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

Theo Needin' Line: ready made for his first scandal.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

THEO FREEO - England wonderkid escapes from German jail

RENAULT THEO - Uncapped youngster goes for car with va-va-voom

THEO, RIO & LEO GO NEO - England stars and singer Sayer join Republican Neo-Con movement

― Teh HoBBler (the pirate king), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

THEO PEOPLES, Svens Temptation wonderkids 4 Tops Englands perfect World Cup.

― Jarlr'mai (jarlrmai), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

NOW, Y'SEE, THEO: Bill Cosby outlines his vision for England World Cup success

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

More from the Pompey mailing list: re: Matt Taylor

.. posed the question to an anorak posse on sunday of whom they
would want to see in the blue shirt against Liverpool in the left back
position out of;

Taylor
Cole
Konchesky
Bridge

The unanimous answer was Taylor based on form and fitness. The fact
that he didn't even get a mention tells you everything you need to
know about Sven. He will continue to pick the players he rates, form
and fitness are totally irrelevant.

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

Portsmouth fans in backing Portsmouth player shocker.

― Tim (Tim), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

The Wikipedia entry on David Dein is quite funny today. Every hour or so someone changes it to either pour abuse on him or say how great he is.

Last time I checked his listed interests included "sucking Sven's cock". Childish but amusing.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

martian, LET IT LIE!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

He will continue to pick the players he rates

HOW DARE HE!!!!

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

The fact
that he didn't even get a mention tells you everything you need to
know about Sven.

"For sure it is because I hate Pompey as much as your man Cabbage."

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

The best thing about Portsmouth is Liverpool 2-0 Portsmouth, 1992.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

Taylor is a decent premiership defender. But that doesn't translate into world class. Someone like Lionel Messi would skin Taylor alive.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Cott in Himmel!

― Porkpie (porkpie), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

Are U watching Sven !

Matty Taylor 40 yard wonderstrike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZx7Z52ZCwE

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Theo-nly One I Know
Walcott to win, Tord (um, Aztec Camera, btw)

― darren (darren), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

taylor is a good player, and underrated

he doesnt belong in the england squad though

― charltonlido (gareth), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

I think Sven is watching. And he's taking note of the fact Sunderland won't be fielding a team at the world cup this year.

― Hairy Asshurt (Toaster), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

The best thing about Portsmouth is Liverpool 2-0 Portsmouth, 1992.

Um, we beat Pompey on pennoes in the FA Cup that year, Ronan. We beat Sunderland 2-0 in the final.

― Venga (Venga), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

Harry for England manager!

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

THEO-NLY THE LONELY
(Arsenal youngster misses his mum and dad)

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

THE-O TEAM - England squad hole up in garage and manufacture ideal England striker to defeat evil hispanic villains!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:28 (nineteen years ago)

THEO RLY?

YA RLY!

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

A NIGHT AT THEO PERA - Walcott on song as England bring house down!

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

There is an England B international against Belarus at Reading on May 25th

When will the Squad be announced for this ?

Presumably the stand by players will be included?

Will Theo play this match, just for match fitness and international experience?

Will any player sulk off saying to Sven stuff the B Internationals i'm off on my hols ?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

carsmile wins

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 8 May 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

sven should have brought defoe instead of one of hargreaves and jenas. or maybe andy johnson instead of defoe, to keep up the continuity of "crazed gambling".

it is a tremendous squad, in the main, though. i love sven, and i love walcott!!!

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 8 May 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

"Theo needin' line" is a work of true genius. I am in awe.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 8 May 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently Sven has never seen Walcott play.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

Someone should send him the youtube links.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Monday, 8 May 2006 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

He's never seen him play live, but has seen video (presumably those youtube links).

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

He's never seen him play live, but has seen video

Oh noes Rafael Scheidt flashbacks again!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 08:06 (nineteen years ago)

hasn't he been to the last three arsenal reserve matches "to watch cole and campbell" and this is where he's seen him?

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 08:23 (nineteen years ago)

"He is well known for wanting hen fap" on the Dein Wiki entry - 4:03pm yesterday. OK, hands up who did that.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:21 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know how I got that wrong, I knew it went to a replay but forgot about the penalties, possibly cos it was a schoolnight...

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:22 (nineteen years ago)

Bridge in troubled waters

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4753709.stm

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ian Wright speaks:
http://tinyurl.com/fcd99

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:31 (nineteen years ago)

All season long I've kept him going by telling him the World Cup would be his chance to prove a lot of people wrong

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Ian Wright threw his toys out of the pram royally in the Sun today. I actually bought it for like the third time ever purely to laugh at him.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

Walcott WC call-up hailed by Harry
http://tinyurl.com/hr383

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 09:54 (nineteen years ago)

Wright admits he has never been a fan of Eriksson since the day he was first appointed England chief in February 2001.

He added: “I really wonder if Eriksson has dropped Shaun just to get back at me."

― rtcotm (mwah), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 10:04 (nineteen years ago)

Top Theo headlines. Very good. Too many skates on ilx though. One is too many ;o)

Sven's obviously gone mad, but it's a laugh isn't it? I was so sick of the tedious Swede that I wasn't going to bother supporting England, but I'm mad keen now.

I've seen Theo play about 5 or 6 times for Saints, and he's worth a punt. I saw his first team debut in a pre-season friendly against Anderlecht and there was one moment where he lured the marker in, did a trick and accelerated away, leaving two Anderlecht defenders on their backsides - and these were chaps who play in the Champion's League every year. In the Championship, he used to get mugged game after game. Teams just thought he's small he's 16, lets elbow him in the face kick the crap out of him, whatever (this was Millwall away particularly) and he just got up, got on with it, scored. So, good attitude.

The good thing about SWP not getting picked is that no-one will ever sign for Chelsea again.

― Jamie T Smith (Jamie T Smith), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.chelsea.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=18438

this article gave me a chuckle. maybe it was written by ian wright?

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

"Shaun of the Shed"

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 9 May 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

McLaren looks like Sid Vicious, apparently:

Steve McLaren es pelirrojo. Nació en York hace 45 años y cuando era joven le apodaban Sid. El sobrenombre tenía su explicación. Sus compañeros del Hull apreciaron que tenía un cierto parecido físico con Sid Vicious, bajista del grupo punk de los años setenta Sex Pistols, muerto por sobredosis de heroína mientras aguardaba el juicio por haber acuchillado en un hotel neoyorkino a su novia, Nancy Spungen. Al margen de ese anecdótico aire a uno de los mitos más absurdos del rock and roll, McLaren es un hombre de orden, devoto de la familia, que sólo se permite en alguna noche especial un vaso de vino tinto.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/41390000/jpg/_41390367_mcclaren_203.jpg

And so I face the final curtain... ha ha ha!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

They both said, "it's murder at the Chelsea"

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

england world cup badgers...

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/footy/

better than embrace.

― mason storm (mason storm), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

Congratulations to Middlesborough and their manager on a tremendous achievement.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 21:44 (nineteen years ago)

Being Scottish, there's no way I was going to say that.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 21:57 (nineteen years ago)

I think I prefer Sevilla to Middlesborough.

Whenever I have seen them in real life it has been 0-0.

However, I think that is only once.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 11 May 2006 06:52 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Robert Green OUT of the World Cup due to Groin Injury

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 25 May 2006 19:31 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

England Squad:

Robinson (Tottenham), Kirkland (Liverpool), Foster (Man Utd); Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Man Utd), Carragher (Liverpool), A Cole (Arsenal), Dawson (Tottenham), Ferdinand (Man Utd), G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Everton), Terry (capt, Chelsea), Young (Charlton); Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Jenas (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Richardson (Man Utd), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea); Ashton (West Ham), Bent (Charlton), Crouch (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham).

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 11 August 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

I think this is great news.
Anyone but McClaren!

-- the bellefox, Thursday, April 27, 2006 4:37 PM (Thursday, April 27, 2006 4:37 PM) Bookmark Link

i would have chortled if mclaren had got the job, i'm kinda disappointed it didn't happen. it would make my week if that clown crashed out of the uefa cup tonight as well.
-- weasel diesel (K1l14n), Thursday, April 27, 2006 5:17 PM (Thursday, April 27, 2006 5:17 PM)

mcClaren's midas touch takes Boro to the UEFA cup final
mcClaren for England !

-- DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, April 27, 2006 8:56 PM (Thursday, April 27, 2006 8:56 PM)

Ah, happy days. I've actually no idea if DJ Martian was being serious or not.

― Alba, Wednesday, 21 November 2007 23:28 (eighteen years ago)

one of Dom's better predictions

― That mong guy that's shit, Wednesday, 21 November 2007 23:32 (eighteen years ago)

4-5-1 worked so well for Man Utd earlier this season though!

-- Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 8 May 2006 13:39 (1 year ago) Bookmark Link

^^^4-4-2

― Dom Passantino, Wednesday, 21 November 2007 23:40 (eighteen years ago)

i woz mocking sven's side-kick mcclaren the smurking muppet puppet

― djmartian, Wednesday, 21 November 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

^^^ smugnessabounds

― whatever, Wednesday, 21 November 2007 23:43 (eighteen years ago)

one year passes...

RIP Scolari

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/7879638.stm

― StanM, Monday, 9 February 2009 17:53 (seventeen years ago)

"Well known Chelsea fan and former 606 presenter David Mellor said:"

Not known for being a politician at all, then. Figures.

― StanM, Monday, 9 February 2009 17:53 (seventeen years ago)

discus here Liverpool won't be on dis ting 2008/09

― O Supermanchiros (blueski), Monday, 9 February 2009 17:54 (seventeen years ago)

ah. sorry.

― StanM, Monday, 9 February 2009 17:54 (seventeen years ago)

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