I’m going to leave this as a marker here.
I think it’s almost certain we will end up playing Germany at the next World Cup
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I’m going to leave this as a marker here.
I think it’s almost certain we will end up playing Germany at the next World Cup
This isn't the brexit I was promised.
You did.Quote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
I didn’t agree with you then, I don’t agree now.
I think what we will actually see is more failure and maybe some reflection that Southgate wasn’t so bad after all.
England are the Spurs of international football. We’re not that bad but we never win anything and there’s often a feeling that we should maybe be doing a bit better.
It’s the ‘istory of England, I believe in the ‘istory.
Prove me wrong, chaps, prove me wrong!
Obviously I’d love it, just love it, if they did. I can’t really see it though
In fairness your analysis is more just jaded cynicism, of course jaded cynicism is totally understandable And there’s no reason why you believe my opinion is any different to that of the eternally optimistic. I can tell you however that the national team means almost nothing to me compared to Arsenal, whilst I’d sooner us win games than not….i can’t say I have the same nerves when England go into a big game than Arsenal do, when we lost on pels to Italy I was slightly disappointed and when we lost to Spain in July I really didn’t care at all barring the hope that Southgate would be going.Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
Your response suggests that it proves that Southgate did a good job as coach to get us to back to back euro finals, my way of looking at it is that it proves the quality that we have at our disposal when even a mediocre like Southgate can get us to two finals.
Southgate in fairness did a good job he took us on when we were in the Doldrums, but it’s fair to say that he stayed too long. And that the Euros and how we played showed that he was holding us back. When even the pundits and commentators who constantly lionised Southgate were getting frustrated by his negative tactics, you could tell there was something wrong.
I think the reason we might be considered favourites is simply because the squad is better than any other team in world football right now barring maybe Brazil. The so called golden generation under the late Sven, well at best it was on a par with several other talented national teams. The fact is there isn’t the strength in depth in international football currently and this is why we have this short window of opportunity.
After the World Cup it may well be gone as I expect the Germans to become a force again, France to be revitalised etc. We’ve already squandered the opportunity to win the Euros by keeping Southgate longer than we should have.
2026 represents our best chance to win the World Cup since 1966, I’m not sure Tuchel is the best coach to get us over the line, but I’m certainly not convinced that he’s not.
I get where you're coming from but I don't agree England always has to be stuck in the bridesmaid role, tbh I'm glad we've won nothing in recent times as it would further fuel rising English supremicism, but a Jurgen Klopp or Guardiola is winning something with that squad (assuming Ben White comes.back into the fold)Quote:
Originally Posted by Letters
You’ve got to think that Tuchel will bring a lot more to the table tactically, I’ve always felt he was a decent coach but just took on poisoned chalices in PSG and Chelsea. You also have to respect the fact he rather sickeningly won the CL for Chelsea despite them being nowhere near the best in Europe. He only needs to navigate less than 10 games and I think having a coach like him is worth a go because we won’t have many more opportunities while the landscape of international football is kind of shit. We need something short term to just get this group of players firing.
It’s only a one tournament deal too so I’d say The FA have certainly targeted winning the World Cup. If we fail then I assume he will be moved on and by then someone like Howe might be available for a longer stint.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mac76
I sometimes think we live in parallel dimensions as I don’t know where this supposed “English supremacy” is coming from. All I’ve heard for years from both left, right, liberal…every political direction is talking the country down. Be it excess wokery or Brexit, the country is in terminal decline.
Calling it Rainy fascist island or the populist right cheering on that narcissistic man child Elon Musk when he’s actively trying to destabilise the country using Twitter.
No one it seems is proud to be English or British, because they aren’t living in a country where their ideological idealism is being fulfilled.
Equally this assumption that fans will have a problem with the FA appointing a German is a mistaken assumption held by left and right. The left because of the sneering contempt they hold the working class in, and the right who have equal contempt for them but want to utilise them as useful idiots…starting with the Daily Mail trying to rile up xenophobic sentiment on its back pages this morning.
Mostly what I’ve seen from almost all quarters about the Tuchel appointment is what I could best describe as “cautious optimism”.
It definitely is, but that doesn't make it wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
I don't think your opinion is based on a mindless optimism, it's certainly true that we have a good squad right now. Whatever you think of Southgate, getting to two Euros finals, a World Cup semi-final and a World Cup Quarter Final in which we lost to eventual finalists, it's the best run in my lifetime. The only finals in my lifetime, the only final on foreign soil ever. I'm struggling to believe that he just lucked out with a good set of players, we've had good squads before and not achieved much with them.Quote:
And there’s no reason why you believe my opinion is any different to that of the eternally optimistic.
Obviously if Tuchel does win us a World Cup then I will revise my opinion, but I'm struggling to see it - that is based on jaded cynicism admittedly, but not baseless jaded cynicism. It's based on decades of this shit.
There was a lot of criticism of him in the group stage in which we were awful, but we grew in to the tournament and actually deserved our final spot. We lost to the best team in the tournament. They weren't unbeatable. Would a better manager have won us it? It's obviously impossible to know, hardly worth debating.Quote:
Southgate in fairness did a good job he took us on when we were in the Doldrums, but it’s fair to say that he stayed too long. And that the Euros and how we played showed that he was holding us back. When even the pundits and commentators who constantly lionised Southgate were getting frustrated by his negative tactics, you could tell there was something wrong.
Tuchel is clearly a better manager than Southgate BUT I would note that sometimes a manager and team just work well together, and with Southgate and England that seemed to be the case, just like with Emery and Arsenal it didn't. I will continue my jaded cynicism but obviously hope I'm wrong.
:haha:Quote:
Originally Posted by HCZ_Reborn
Brilliant.