Official Football Thread

[!--quoteo(post=135694:date=Apr 27 2006, 09:28 AM:name=Albie)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Albie @ Apr 27 2006, 09:28 AM) [snapback]135694[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
If reports are to be believed, Luiz Felipe Scolari has been offered the job as new England coach.[/quote]
Oh well.
What I find amusing is some of the tabloids accusing the FA for making this saga a complete cock-up - conveniently forgetting the reason he gave for not taking the job. Maybe the FA could have handled it better, but so could have the press (as if they ever could).
Let's hope the next choice is not a pander to the "English only" brigade.
 
It's a right old mess, isn't it?

In rather worrying news:
[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]England striker Wayne Rooney may be a doubt for the World Cup after suffering a foot injury for Manchester United in their loss at Chelsea on Saturday.
Rooney was stretchered off at Stamford Bridge six weeks to the day before England's opening game of the World Cup against Paraguay on 10 June.

The 20-year-old was left clutching his right foot in agony after a challenge by Paulo Ferreira.

He broke the same foot against Portugal in the Euro 2004 quarter-final.

Rooney is seen as being key to England's hopes at the World Cup in Germany and any concerns over his fitness would add to England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's injury worries.
[/quote]
 
[!--quoteo(post=135828:date=Apr 29 2006, 02:59 PM:name=national acrobat)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(national acrobat @ Apr 29 2006, 02:59 PM) [snapback]135828[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
[!--quoteo--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE[/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]The 20-year-old was left clutching his right foot in agony after a challenge by Paulo Ferreira.[/quote]
[/quote]
Bugger! This may mean Crouch is in the starting 11.
 
Looks like Rooney will definitely miss the World Cup, and probably Owen too. 'Kin typical isn't it? Every feckin tournament our key players get injured. So yeah, a front pairing of two from Crouch, Defoe and Bent.
 
national acrobat said:
Looks like Rooney will definitely miss the World Cup, and probably Owen too. 'Kin typical isn't it? Every feckin tournament our key players get injured. So yeah, a front pairing of two from Crouch, Defoe and Bent.
Click to expand...
I'm optimistic about Rooney going - 6 weeks 'til we play Paraguay, 6 weeks to recover and get fit. Beckham did it in 2002.

I just hope he's motivated enough to want to do it (which I'm sure he will be).
 
Hopefully he can recover quickly enough to be fit for the knock-out stages, because we should be good enough without him to get there. (Surely!) Sven says he is going to take a chance on him and include him in the squad, but it's very frustrating nonetheless.

C'mon England!
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Oh well. It looks like Rooney may well miss out this summer. It's a bit of a shame, World Cups are always better with players like Rooney there.

Sven mentions a Plan B, be interesting to see what that would be - should it come into fruition.
 
Middlesbrough boss Steve McClaren has been appointed the next England manager, ending months of speculation over Sven-Goran Eriksson's successor.

McClaren had looked set to miss out to Portugal manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was offered the post by the Football Association in April.

But when Scolari ruled himself out of contention the FA turned their attentions to the 45-year-old McClaren.

Eriksson's current assistant has agreed a four-year deal starting on 1 August.
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So McClaren's the new England boss. Not my ideal choice, but preferable to Allardyce or Curbishly, in my opinion. I've heard so many times on the radio over the last few weeks so-called 'experts' or ex-players claiming that "the English public want an English manager." Do they?! Most people you ask say they want the best man for the job, regardless of his nationality. If he happens to be English, all well and good, but don't let that compromise the decision.

McClaren obviously isn't a great manager and most people at Middlesborough aren't even sorry to see him go. It's my belief that O'Neill should have been appointed.
 
A couple of things that go in McClarens favour - he has worked very closely with the squad over the last few years so no time is wasted with the players getting to know him and 'Boro have a good youth policy (not necessarily down to him) and he has been bold enough on occasions to use them (whether that will translate to international level or not remains to be seen).

But, I would have preferred O'Neill.
 
What do people make of Sven's selection for the World Cup? Controversial to say the least. 17 yr-old Theo Walcott, who hasn't played a game for Arsenal let alone England, included above Bent and Defoe.

Aaron Lennon instead of Wright-Phillips is fine, but Hargreaves and Jenas instead of him too? I find that a bit odd. Some big gambles, but what the heck,
C'mon England!
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Beat me to it NA, I was going to ask that same question.

In some respects, Wright-Phillips may have missed out due to a lack of starts for Chelsea, but that does not follow suit with his choice of Walcott. This kid is highly rated but untested, so time will tell. Never know, he could be the surprise player of the World Cup.

As for Hargreaves, I would have Wright-Phillips instead of him but he (Hargreaves) is the sort of player that can steady the midfield if needed but does also have the habit of giving the ball away cheaply (as oppose to the attacking option of Wright-Phillips) - and whats more he is playing on grounds he plays at week in week out domestically. Maybe Sven thinks we have enough attacking midfielders.
 
national acrobat said:
What do people make of Sven's selection for the World Cup? Controversial to say the least. 17 yr-old Theo Walcott, who hasn't played a game for Arsenal let alone England, included above Bent and Defoe.

Aaron Lennon instead of Wright-Phillips is fine, but Hargreaves and Jenas instead of him too? I find that a bit odd. Some big gambles, but what the heck,
C'mon England!
Click to expand...
Meh, it's only a "preliminary" squad from what I gather.

From this selection, I judge that Sven is trying to go out on a band, be that a sensational one or a disastrous one ;)  Sven is notoriously "conservative" in his selection so maybe the inclusion of Walcott was just to rattle a few heads...  the thing is, if England do well, Sven will be hailed as a tactical genius for bringing in these players.  If England fail, Sven wil be criticised for being to adventurous and gambling with the team.  The press in Eng-er-land is so fickle that way  :-X
 
Anyone fancy West Ham today? It has been a while since the underdogs have won the FA Cup and I think it may well happen today.

Saying that, Liverpool are bang in form at the mo and West Ham will really have to be on fire to just keep pace with them, let alone beat them. But if Liverpool don't reproduce this form today then the Hammers may sneak it.
 
I can't see any other result except a Liverpool win. I'm a big fan of the current Liverpool side, and I think they've won their last 12 games or so. Crouch and Gerrard to score.

So, Down the Irons?
:o
 
I actually think I'm the only non Hammers fan who sees an upset.

I guess if Crouch gets, say, a hat-trick ( ^_^) he will go to Germany with a ton of confidence - which will only be good for England.
 
'Ammers for the win!

FA cup finals are never easy to predict... this one could go anyway but just because of 'Arry, I'll be rooting for West 'Am ;)
 
Well, what a game! I guess the main difference in the game was Stevie Gerrard, with two brilliant goals. If he can take his club form into the World Cup, we might not even need the Roon.

Football's coming home, lads!
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Agree with you there NA. Gerrard is hitting good form at the right time. Using him as an attacking midfielder would do us no harm this summer.

Saying that, even the most hardened scouse would not have begrudged 'Ammers winning today.
 
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