McCLAREN

[hastingsyid]

What do you my friends think about the new england set up ....venners as his no2...beckham dropped....5 spurs boys in the squad

[choda]

I think England were doomed to failure before Venners came in. Now I reckon it could go either way.

I think maybe spice boy could still do a job as cover for a central midfield three.

It shows the respect for what spurs are doing that we have five in the squad (maybe would've had six if Ledley was fit and didn't replace Dawson).

[Chinaman]

The Magnificient Seven if Hudds continues with his improvement.

[TomMcLaren]

I still think it's in the balance. McClaren has made a couple of shrewd moves for the first squad, have to see if he continues in the same mode. Can't fault the 5 Spurs inclusions though! :)

[fluke]

I think we should all be realistic. Maybe we just aren't as good as we are always led to believe, A coach can only do so much, after which it's up to the players. we'll probably have to listen to the same excuses. "It's too hot", "The domestic season doesn't have a winter break", "there are no easy games in international football",and the old classic that "players play too many games". England will win a world cup just as soon as the premiership has twelve teams and Iceland host the tournament in september.

I thought sven made some abysmal descisions for the last world cup but the individual performances for the most part, were just as bad as the coaching. It isn't the managers fault when the only scorer from a penalty shoot-out in the english team is a canadian who plays in germany.

I feel that I've wasted too much time following england, it's all about tottenham and if england selection gives our boys more confidence and boosts their value as with carrick then great.

[choda]

I thought sven made some abysmal descisions for the last world cup but the individual performances for the most part, were just as bad as the coaching.

I agree with you there, I made a point in an earlier post about this.

A lot of the English players are overated and are found wanting technically at the highest level.

We have to listen to cock every week from the 'best' league in the world of how Gerrard and Lampard are 'sensational'. In reality they have their limits, but it not exposed in the premiership where the balance is heavily towards physical attributes instead of technical ability.

I still think a good manager could produce a very good side, if he actually recognised how good his players are, and not have some hyped pie in the sky notion about how he has a golden generation.

At the moment the only player who deserves his status as a great player is Rooney. In my opinion he is the second best player in the world.

[fluke]

I agree with you there, I made a point in an earlier post about this.

Seems like we're not the only ones in agreement on this. This from the BBC site.


"Me and the other players constantly claimed we could win the World Cup - it was stupid"

Steven Gerrard

[Chinaman]

It's not only young English players, we have the best young Irish player in Dixon and perhaps the best young French defenders in A-E and Dervitte, and the best young
?Polish striker in Pekhart. We'll soon be a dynasty.

[choda]

I think Pekhart is a Czech.

[SurreySpur]

It's not only young English players, we have the best young Irish player in Dixon and perhaps the best young French defenders in A-E and Dervitte, and the best young
?Polish striker in Pekhart. We'll soon be a dynasty.


Yeah he's Czech mate.

[Chinaman]

So I've been check mate.

[highlander]

i think McClaren has started his reign very well. the appointment of El Tel was a fantastic move on his part as was naming Ashotn, Lennon, Richardson, Dawson & Kirkland etc in his first squad. i think McClaren is a much better coach than people give him credit for and will do very well for England.

I think McClaren definately has more up his sleve, i can see us switching to the 3-5-2 rather than the failed 4-5-1

[choda]

So I've been check mate.

That's like one of Lineker's bad ones.:)

[singapore spur]

venables , bit old and past it to manage anyone himself , but he has always been a fairly inventive bloke , someone who can bring a few ideas into play so therefore i welcome his input in the england set-up , we have looked short of ideas for some time .

beckham , should quite rightly be dropped from the team , not sure about the squad as i believe he can still offer something even though it might not be right wing and i feel his form will benefit without the weight of captaincy on his shoulders .

as regards inclusion of the spurs 5 , well i dont think anyone can argue that they are not there on merit .

captaincy im wasnt bothered between gerrard , or terry

so so far mclaren , made the right noises, made logical moves , have to wait and see how he sets up the team next week to see how far he get away from the sven debacle, though i dont expect too much from england anymore apart from a catchy tune and dodgy managerial hair .

[Welsh Spur]

beckham , should quite rightly be dropped from the team , not sure about the squad as i believe he can still offer something even though it might not be right wing and i feel his form will benefit without the weight of captaincy on his shoulders.
Quite Rightly!??! I must be the only person on the planet who fails to see what everyone is complaining about? The only thing that goes against him for me is his age, but his workrate is phenomenal and he never lets you down, of England's goals in the WC he was directly involved in 50% of them.

I agree it's time to blood some new talent, but people are being harsh; and I don't think he's done anything to warrant being excluded, he's just getting on a bit. He's still most definately a squad player. Definately.

[TomMcLaren]

Beckham can't even get in the Real first team, how can he be good enough for England.

[Welsh Spur]

There have only been reports today that he MIGHT not be in the side, and they were from the sun. Just because some Italian gimp who thinks Beckham is not as good as the massively over-rated (what Brazilians arent these days) Cicinho, doesn't mean it's true. Beckham can still have a role with England, but as a squad player. He still has a lot to offer, not neccesarily as a player.

And being as Van Nistelrooy is there, they'll soon realise that
Beckham + Van Nistelrooy = GOALS.

[TomMcLaren]

He still has a lot to offer, not neccesarily as a player.

By that I guess you mean shirt sales?

[Welsh Spur]

No, I mean for England, therefore his experience and knowledge of the game at the top level can help players like SWP and Lennon. But yeh shirt sales as well I guess, there's no point hiding from that fact.

[highlander]

Beckham can't even get in the Real first team, how can he be good enough for England.
neither could Owen when he was at Madrid but he's the best goalscorer we've got. defoe couldnt get in the team for the most part of last season and everyone knew he should have gone to germany etc etc

[TomMcLaren]

neither could Owen when he was at Madrid but he's the best goalscorer we've got. defoe couldnt get in the team for the most part of last season and everyone knew he should have gone to germany etc etc

Although Beckham sells more shirts than Defoe. Bit of a theme here - for the last couple of seasons Beckham has only been useful in selling shirts or taking free kicks, whether it's for England or Real. As for Owen, he had to deal with Raul ("Mr Madrid"): couldn't compete with that (politics more than football), so he couldn't get in the team. As for the best goalscorer we've got, I'd back Peter Crouch - who else in the England team could have got away with ripping that guys dreads out... :D

[sundancer]

Think he has started off well, bringing Venables in was a good move leaving goldenballs out was a even better one. I reckon he scored no more then 15 freekick goals which seems a lot untill you think of how many he took over the years. I do agree that our players overate themselves and we and the media make it worse by saying that we have several world class players, we don't the only world class player we have is Rooney and Gerrard will be if played in the right role.

[singapore spur]

Quite Rightly!??! I must be the only person on the planet who fails to see what everyone is complaining about? The only thing that goes against him for me is his age, but his workrate is phenomenal and he never lets you down, of England's goals in the WC he was directly involved in 50% of them.

I agree it's time to blood some new talent, but people are being harsh; and I don't think he's done anything to warrant being excluded, he's just getting on a bit. He's still most definately a squad player. Definately.

yeah i meant quite rightly being dropped from the team . i dont think his last few performances for england should put him ahead of lennon , or maybe even swp on the wing . central midfield slightly different matter but i would still put gerrard , hargreaves (on his w.c performances he deserves a run ) ahead of him . maybe there would be an argument to put him ahead of lampard , in fact a good argument , and he cant play on the left .

so where would you play him ?

i didnt advocate leaving him out of the squad , just the starting eleven .

[Welsh Spur]

Yeah same here; I believe he is a squad player, it time to bring some new talent to the fore.