Huh?
"Rugby League is now the embodiment of working class sport" - Joey bleedin' Barton
Would that be the sport "turned around" by the x-million Sky deal?![]()
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,,12016_7230527,00.htmlEngland goalkeeper Joe Hart has blasted the decision to send off Wayne Rooney during Friday night's final Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro.
Hart described referee Wolfgang Stark's decision to dismiss Rooney as "the most pathetic sending-off I've seen in my life."
The Manchester United star will miss the start of next summer's finals through suspension after his challenge on Miodrag Dzudovoic.
Pathetic
Hart said: "I saw it all. It was pretty pathetic. It was supposedly a kick but it was pathetic.
"It was the most pathetic sending-off I've seen in my life.
"I feel for Wayne, who is disappointed, because 10 minutes later I saw Danny Welbeck take it on the jaw and nearly have his head knocked off.
"I was thinking 'what's happened there?' and 'why is that not a red card?'
"That's football and that's what we have to deal with these days. There was nothing we could have done at the time.
"We moved on as a team, Welbeck did really well upfront after he came on and did a great job."
Hart is full of pride after helping England book their place in Poland and Ukraine next summer.
He said: "We are over the moon. It was a case of 'job done.' We have got England as a nation to a major tournament next summer.
"We are a good bunch of players, a proud bunch of players. We played for our country, knowing we had to get to get to a tournament and we've done that.
True grit
"It was a difficult atmosphere and they are a good side but we are there although we wanted the win and the manager said we got sloppy in the last five minutes.
"We showed true grit and true determination and I am so proud to be part of this England team."
England led 2-0 through goals from Ashley Young and Darren Bent's fourth in his last five internationals.
But Elsad Zverotic reduced the arrears on the strike of half-time and Andrija Delibasic's late header rescued a point for the home side who have qualified for the play-offs.
Ok Joe if you say so
Wtf?
Hart![]()
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15232130.stmGary Neville believes England are not good enough to win Euro 2012, saying they lack mobility and invention.
After Friday's 2-2 draw in Montenegro, media coverage focused on Wayne Rooney's red card but Neville argued that England had more pressing worries.
"What we should be talking about is the spine of a team that has no mobility and can't keep the ball," he wrote in the Mail on Sunday.
"The real issue is that the spine of the team is not good enough."
The defender, who won 85 England caps, pulled no punches in his assessment of Fabio Capello's side.
"When I look at it coldly, a team that has John Terry, Gary Cahill, Scott Parker, Gareth Barry, Darren Bent and Rooney in its central positions is nowhere near good enough to take on the major nations such as Spain.
"I'm not having a go at individuals; there are some very good players among those names.
"[But] Rooney aside, there is hardly any pace, very little invention and hardly any rotation of positions. Compare that with the spine of Spain: Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, David Villa and Fernando Llorente."
England take on Spain in a friendly at Wembley next month with Neville keen to see a number of younger players given a chance.
"Let's be clear, England are not as good as Spain but you can't just accept they're better," said Neville.
"You have to find a way to stop them, to disrupt the rhythm and to hurt them going forward - because England need to believe that, in a one-off, they can beat Spain.
"The rest of Europe is watching and if Spain do what most people think they will do and destroy us, just like France did in February 1999 at Wembley when they were world champions, then England will go into Euro 2012 thinking they have no chance.
"There are younger players - Chris Smalling, Kyle Walker, Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Danny Welbeck - who are mobile, talented and not tainted by previous failures.
"Somehow, Capello has to mould those with the more experienced players into a team to compete with Spain because the team that played on Friday would be well beaten. It's now time for Capello to be brave."
Big Man
Cahill
Barry
Parker
Ratface is spot-on tbf.
But he also has to get in the free promotion for Fergie, of course.
Arguably the best pundit in the business tbh.
Behind Souness. And most of the ones for the La Liga programmes. Although I suppose I am really damning him with faint praise.
FFS MS, why do we keep doing this?
Last edited by McNamara That Ghost...; 09-10-2011 at 05:44 PM. Reason: Symbiosis.