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[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37293275 ]http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37293275[/url]
I know we're crap at football, but the fact seems to be endorsed by the Governing body - what motivation do the players have to even break out into a sweat?
Everyone's a winner these days!
Perhaps the England team need to find the kind of spark that motivates smaller nations to compete at major championships as if their lives depended on it, even though they know they realistically can't win the thing.
what motivation do the players have to even break out into a sweat?
Well clearly having not won a tournament while having arbitary goals means the motivation doesn't work. I'm sure the side will not go into a tournament trying to get knocked out. No serious professional does that.
I'm sure they will have a decent win bonus that is worth playing for along with the increase in wages following a major win or perfomance.
What does it matter? It's not like they were ever going to win it.
England's finishing position in the world cup since the second world war:
8th, 7th, 11th, 8th, 1st, 8th, dnq, dnq, 6th, 8th, 4th, dnq, 9th, 6th, 7th, 13th, 26th
(dnq = did not qualify)
Leaving out the years that they didn't manage to get to the start line their most recent World Cup campaigns are the worst they've ever had, hardly a mark of a team on the rise. Even in the European Championship they've only managed to come 3rd twice and one of those was when there were only 4 teams in the final tournament.
6th, 7th, 13th, 26th
Wow that is a horrible trend. England with all the money they spend should be doing a lot, lot better. The new national center should help in creating a center of excellence and giving the team some identity in the way they play and structure, but ultimately they need to train players to do the basics first. Its amazing how many English players can't control the ball, can't cross the ball etc. but are earning millions.
7th, 13th, 26th
Hang on, this is an Only Connect question, isn't it? The fourth in that sequence is DNQ, I think.
Youth team is looking a little more promising. Time to trim some dead wood?
TBF previous youth teams have looked decent as well, but the bset players get promoted too early when they'd be better left in the U-21's to develop. The best teams grow and learn together.
You have to love the FA... from an entirely unrealistic goal to no goal at all. As Glenn Hoddle says, it's not fit for purpose
It will probably never happen, but I'd love the FA to create multiple England teams, that always have a spot in the Premier League. Talented English players then get spots in these teams, to play as units week in week out, but players can be moved between the different England teams (or even moved in/out of the whole system) according to how they are doing.
Sort of like a more extreme version of what happens with our national cricket players.
Until we see English players coveted and signed by the best teams in the world (Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich et al) then imho we will always be second tier. If any of our players were genuinely world class they would be playing outside the premiership or at least being targeted by these big clubs.