englandtilidie

The fine young men who will represent England at the 2014 football World Cup were photographed standing, ready to depart, on the aircraft steps. There is an air of excitement and expectation draining from the photograph. They are wearing suits and are
all smartly groomed.

At home England is preparing for the celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of D Day on the 6th June. Then our young men were smartly dressed and sent off to fight and for many to die. The young men who claimed that victory that day made possible the luxury of our society happily besotted with nothing more troubling than the vagaries of a football competition.

22 years after the Normandy beaches were awash with the blood of allied servicemen England cavorted to victory over a team from Germany in the football World Cup of 1966. Bobby Moore held aloft the Jules Rimet trophy and the names of the 11 English men who played were inscribed on the nations hearts – Banks, Cohen, Wilson, Charlton,J. Moore, Ball, Stiles, Charlton.R, Peters, Hurst, Hunt.

It was a tremendous game and Sir Alf Ramsey had delivered his incredible promise, “England will win the World Cup” and Wembley under a summer sky burnt those images into the memories of English football supporters, of an England at peace and prospering.
Its a moment more glorious for its unique occasion. Nothing since has been comparable.

Brasil are five times world champions, Germany have won it three times – and Italy. English football followers recognise and respect the special skills and vision of Brasil and allow them a magical hold on the top table of the most popular game in the world. But this is England, an England whose time must come, a team with players good enough and brave enough to give it a go.

Now they are in Miami and everyone is counting the days. Now it is time to remember a bit, and time to know – “England will win the World Cup”

The best display by an England team in the World Cup, post 1966, was Italia 90. In that tournament England had the unbridled genius of Paul Gascoigne and a lame duck manager, Bobby Robson, who had already jumped ship and signed a contract with a Dutch club.

The players took over and played with freedom, commitment and self belief.

Now that hopeless Hodgson has done his selection duty, and done his worst, the sooner the players can get free of his influence the better. Hodgsons every move is designed to pacify some segment of his broader support from within the FA and the press. Without an original vision or dynamic impetus of his own he has decided to leave the left side of the English defence unsecured without Cole and used his attacking wild card on the industrial Lambert – when it is Andy Carrol who can really unnerve defences.

Undoubtedly he will want to drill the players into his rigorous defensive shape – and good luck with that Roy – but hopefully Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have been around enough quality managers to know what it really takes.

Roy got a bit red in the face when asked about winning it. He managed to mutter something about having “some hope.” England has the strongest football leagues in the world, produces great players and has fantastic clubs. Over 30% of the players in the best league on the world, the Premiership, are English. Getting them playing together to win a tournament should not be impossible.

If England are saddled with donkeys in the leadership function they do at least have lions on the field. Rooney alone has emerged from the Manchester United debacle with credit, Gerrard has led Liverpool magnificently and Lampard has been working alongside Europes most outstanding manager. Sterling and Sturridge have proved they can rip into any defence and there is the promise of more danger from Barklay, Wilshire and Oxlade-Chambelain.

England will set off knowing they have beaten Brasil and Spain at Wembley, knowing they play against the best every week and knowing the whole country is behind them. There is nothing to fear from any other team of eleven professional footballers, they just need to believe a bit more and have a bit of luck.

England may not have the greatest individual players but they have enough across the team. Our players play at the highest level every week. Our players are all lions from the greatest clubs in England. They are fine young men from the most popular sport played in our green and pleasant land. Yes, this year they can do it.

England will win the World Cup in Brasil.

In the end England just served up another quarter final defeat in a major tournament. They lost to the eventual losing finalists, Italy, on penalties when first Ashley Young and then Ashley Cole missed from 12 yards.

Hodgson always set England up to play a defensive game and spoke confidently about extra time and penalties before the game against Italy. The suspicion was, and is,
that he played for the draw, that his miserable game plan was at best to nick the game with a chance from a free kick.

Spain played with 8 midfielders and in many ways Hodgson played with 8 defenders. Ashley Young was poor as second left back and on the right Milner was so dutiful
that Glen Johnson began to look the wide right part. The mindset of the players was so set that they instantly shrank before your eyes into 2 lines of 4 without an alternative
clue.

Brooking and the suits at The FA had of course undermined any serious ambition by trumpeting their realistic “management of expectations” mantra like keen young business trainees. They set the bar so low that they could protect their man puppet Hodgson from the blow back from a disappointed public. It worked and an ever pliant press sucked it up.

Those responsible for the game in England protected their position and threw away a tournament. Ultimately Hodgson did not even have the wit to win a penalty shoot out. He did not manage final phase of the game successfully. Not many fans would have put Young and Cole in their first 5 penalty takers. He totally failed at this level but Englands failure was far deeper and more troubling than losing to Italy, it was a failure of spirit and ultimately a humiliation.

England failed to compete for the Championship. They turned up “hoping” to get out of the group and by the end, in defeat, there was a smug satisfaction that their performance had in some way been creditable. The management at the FA in some way seemed to feel that they had managed
the situation successfully. But they have not, they have managed only defeat and delivered only defeat and a gutless, spiritless defeat at that.

Of course Hodgson should resign and go back to some mid-table Premiership club and so should all those who appointed him. Its football, it’s a results business and not only was the result terrible the manner of it was embarrassing. Get lost Hodgson and take the management with you.

Pre-match Roy talked about extra-time and talked about penalties. England play to win, always have – until now. Now Hodgson is the manager.

When England got at them they were for the taking. Remember how Tottenham under Harry Redknapp tore up Italian teams. When they break loose of the Hodgson headset the England players are fine. The previous manager of West Bromwich Albion has destroyed another England team.

There was all this tosh about Roys Italian experience. Is that where he learnt to cripple the players with fear and in the great betrayal of the English tradition play for penalties ? Go away Roy – your time is done. How dare you do that.

In the final moment – you, Mr. Roy Hodgson, chose the penalty takers. You got it wrong. Utterly wrong.

The players are always good enough – but Hodgson is a disaster. Where now are Brooking and the smug faces at the FA. They will lie low and carry on. They made sure that they had got all their excuses in before a ball was kicked.

It is always England ‘til I Die and it is forever the peoples game. In England people know their football. They didn’t want Hodgson. Did they ?

Good luck to Italy, to Spain, Germany and Portugal,

Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero – “Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future”

Horace,

(from Wikipedia.)

Don’t worry now about the what ifs, or what may be be to come, not now the self doubt or concern for the unseen. Now take the day, by the throat, and take it down.

The whole country has watched enthralled as the England team has slowly meshed into a unit of talent and resolve. There is a unspoken alliance of quietness and focus. Can it be that what we are seeing is the full maturing of the hope we have all held so dear. To see a team that represents the strengths of the English professional game, with the young men from our towns and cities winning .

There is some level that the game is played at where the forces that govern the outcome are ethereal, about the spirit of the day, about fate and destiny. There are unsayable outcomes, possibilities that haunt our nightmares but you have
but you have to believe. You have to seize the day .

We know the players, we know the set up and know the opposition. In Kiev, in Ukraine, in a stadium out east, just about in Europe, the England players have to take on Italy. In London, in England, we are not talking about it. There is nothing left to say.

Everyone knows the time, everyone knows that England are playing Italy. Everyone will be watching it. Everyone will be hoping that England can go on.

The players carry all that with them. The England fans will be Kiev, the team will be in Kiev, the hearts of all England are with them. Now Engalnd now.

It is time. Seize the day.

Come On England. Come On.

Winning the Euros in 2012.

Germany waltzed pastGreeceto qualify for the semi final of the Euros 2012 inWarsaw- where they will mee either Italy or England.  The Germans pass the ball with speed and accuracy and have strong athletic players. Greece scored two goals against them.  They are completely confident of making the final – it is an assumption that is disrespectful.

Italy are capable of beatingGermany. They know enough about how to get a result, how to manipulate games and how to defend and how to attack. They would be a real test and they know how to maximise every tiny advantage. If Germany were to meet them in Warsawthey have no right to expect victory.  How dare they.

Italy have to beat England first. It is a game that should be close, with two evenly matched teams of skilful and accomplished professionals.  Englandhave ability and now a closely bonded method and shape. They play with the familiarity of a league team where the understanding between the players is greater than the sum of the individual.

There are options for England. They can try throwing Carroll at the Italians – and then switching to Welbeck or bringing on Walcott or trying Oxlade-Chamberlain instead of Young.  Defoe upfront can play alongside anyone or on his own. England can break quickly and are good from set plays. Some of the crossing into the box has been excellent.

The possibilities for both teams are fantastic. Italy can rebuild their reputation and step into the shoes of the great teams that have represented their nation and won all those World Cups.

England can get to Warsaw and play Germany.

The weather in England is wet, blustery and not warm. It is the longest day and the summer has not arrived. The country is indoors watching the football on television .

It is the Euros in 2012 and England are winning.

Come On England.  Come On.

Italy have won the World Cup 4 times. They are one of the great footballing nations of Europe with a footballing philosophy that has very little in common with the way the game is played in England. Their once proud Serie A is mired in allegations of corruption.

They always produce high quality professional footballers and are always producing teams capable of getting results and winning games and winning tournaments. Italy is a nation that holds football close to its heart, and has enjoyed victory upon victory for the national team.

In Kiev they will meet England.

England will not fake injury or try and get opposition players sent off. England will not shirk the physical challenge and will try and win the game fair and square. It does matter how the result is gained. We do not admire underhand or devious play.

So here come England.

Suddenly the team, trophyless since 1966, this England of Rooney and Gerrard, of Cole and Lescott, of Carroll or Welbeck has a certain presence. Now the stadiums will be flying the flags of St.George and English voices will be loudly heard.

Before there was an air of mockery in any conversation that said England could reach for the prize, that the white shirts could this year deliver the longed for glory. Now there are hushed tones as the possibilities are revealed. The quest is truly on.

Now here come England.

Suddenly it is being said everywhere. Come On England.

Winning the Euros in 2012

Unconvincing though England were they won the group. They are just two games from the final and face Italy in Kiev. A fortunate deflection, or two, on a Steven Gerrard cross saw the ball sitting up for Rooney to had into an empty net from 6 inches.

It happened after 3 minutes of the second half. In the first half Ukraine had huffed and puffed while England were slack and ineffectual. Later the ball was just over the line for a Ukraine goal as Terry cleared it away. It was Terry who caused the difficulty by getting the wrong side of the attack.

By the end of the game England looked comfortable and likely to score again. Hodgson could have changed the midfield earlier and with Rooney short of match, time England repeatedly fluffed breakaway opportunities. At set pieces they always looked dangerous.

Slowly the journalists and commentators who gave the Three Lions no chance are beginning to choke on their words. It is a sickening spectacle to watch the confident doom mongers of just a week ago dragging there pathetic egos and second hand opinions onto the bandwagon.

It was one nil to the England – it was another victory for those who believe our players are always good enough, that England can go all the way. For those who been behind the team from the beginning, who have always believed, it is another step forward.

Now it is the Azzuri, Italy, serial world cup winners who wait for England in Kiev

This website has backed the boys since the beginning.

Now we go on – Come On England …..

We Are Winning the Euros in 2012.

England need to win or draw against Ukraine in the Dombass arena in Donetsk. The place will be full of very hyped up locals believing that their team can win the game and qualify for the quarter finals. This, of course, is a totally possible outcome.

There are no mug teams in the 2012 Euros and all the groups have gone to the last game and the last minute. Even when Spain scored in the 88th minute a goal from Croatia would have sent them home. It’s a gripping and unique competition. England cannot let Ukraine within sight of victory as a home crowd and UEFA appointed referee can combine to take a goal at anytime.

It’s a nightmare situation and Gary Lineker could ony squeak “Come On England” as he wrapped up a television preview. Home advantage always means a lot and there is no replacement for the extra ounce of energy the supporters give their team.

It will be a great challenge – and true test.

England have to learn to leverage their advantage in player ability and experience. They have to enjoy their increasing confidence and prowess. In an atmosphere of intense national pride they have to overturn the dreams of a country.

England have to put away Ukraine – competently and without doubt.

They can.

Come on, England – we are winning the Euros in 2012 .