Comments on: Who will sack the FA? http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98 The UK's Premier Football Blog Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:29:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: matt sellers http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98/comment-page-1#comment-35 matt sellers Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:47:13 +0000 http://buzzinfootballblog.mu.buzzinflyblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98#comment-35 The day after the worst night night in English football since Rotterdam in October 1993, and Steve McClaren has gone. That, it has to be said, is a good thing. In the last 15 months under him, England has gone backwards. With Sven Goran Erikkson, they became serial qualiflers. Now we pin our hopes on Israel or Andorra getting a result against Russia. It is a sad, sorry state of affairs. Just go to www.catflapmag.com and look at the faces and listen to the word of the fans we interviewed after the game at Wembley. People are angry. They're hurting The day after the worst night night in English football since Rotterdam in October 1993, and Steve McClaren has gone. That, it has to be said, is a good thing. In the last 15 months under him, England has gone backwards. With Sven Goran Erikkson, they became serial qualiflers. Now we pin our hopes on Israel or Andorra getting a result against Russia. It is a sad, sorry state of affairs. Just go to http://www.catflapmag.com and look at the faces and listen to the word of the fans we interviewed after the game at Wembley. People are angry. They’re hurting

]]> By: Iain W http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98/comment-page-1#comment-34 Iain W Thu, 22 Nov 2007 17:53:43 +0000 http://buzzinfootballblog.mu.buzzinflyblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98#comment-34 Listening to TalkSport today, the concensus was that Barwick wanted O'Neil but was over ruled by the 'Board'. So a sacrifice of Barwick on top of McClarens demise would not even go anywhere near stopping the rot. It needs to be ripped out, not pecked away at. Anyway it's only a game, and we've the home internationals to look forward to now, well minus England who'll not be able to arrange it. Listening to TalkSport today, the concensus was that Barwick wanted O’Neil but was over ruled by the ‘Board’. So a sacrifice of Barwick on top of McClarens demise would not even go anywhere near stopping the rot. It needs to be ripped out, not pecked away at. Anyway it’s only a game, and we’ve the home internationals to look forward to now, well minus England who’ll not be able to arrange it.

]]> By: MJ Ray http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98/comment-page-1#comment-33 MJ Ray Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:06:40 +0000 http://buzzinfootballblog.mu.buzzinflyblog.co.uk/who-will-sack-the-fa/98#comment-33 Some of the current Premier League top scorers table are English - Agbonlahor and Bowyer - but they're not in the England team! Agbonlahor also qualified to play for Nigeria and Scotland through his parents, but chose England, his country of birth. Demonstrated commitment, there! Even so, picking Wright-Phillips over Agbonlahor was arguable. Wright-Phillips was of the few England players to have a good game last night, but was withdrawn to make way for Beckham without getting a chance to play in the 4-4-2. Would Agbonlahor have done better? Scored one of the chances falling to the right flank? Got forward a bit more to collect Crouch's knock-downs? Hard to tell. But why oh why did McLaren persist with a lukewarm midfield of Barry, Lampard and Gerrard when all of them - Lampard in particular, penalty notwithstanding - seemed a bit out-of-form against Austria? Lampard has been preferred to the similar-position Bowyer since Sven's Euro 2004 squad, even during poor form. Are the FA still scared by Bowyer's Hull court case? And another thing... why blood Luke Young on the left against Austria and then persist with Joe Cole for the whole match here? Cole is brilliant, a match-winner, but Croatia seemed to be knocking lumps out of him, stopping him playing and leaving his strip mud-brown more than white. Young might have been a sterner test for them. There's an argument for keeping a settled team, but I feel you should take form into account somewhere. McClaren didn't and now England's out and so's he. The <a href="http://www.footymad.net/storytext.asp?article=255840" rel="nofollow">now-sacked McClaren said in an interview</a> "I wonder where it all went wrong" - sadly, the answer may be "nearly everywhere". Who can make it all go right? The special one? Some of the current Premier League top scorers table are English – Agbonlahor and Bowyer – but they’re not in the England team!

Agbonlahor also qualified to play for Nigeria and Scotland through his parents, but chose England, his country of birth. Demonstrated commitment, there!

Even so, picking Wright-Phillips over Agbonlahor was arguable. Wright-Phillips was of the few England players to have a good game last night, but was withdrawn to make way for Beckham without getting a chance to play in the 4-4-2. Would Agbonlahor have done better? Scored one of the chances falling to the right flank? Got forward a bit more to collect Crouch’s knock-downs? Hard to tell.

But why oh why did McLaren persist with a lukewarm midfield of Barry, Lampard and Gerrard when all of them – Lampard in particular, penalty notwithstanding – seemed a bit out-of-form against Austria? Lampard has been preferred to the similar-position Bowyer since Sven’s Euro 2004 squad, even during poor form. Are the FA still scared by Bowyer’s Hull court case?

And another thing… why blood Luke Young on the left against Austria and then persist with Joe Cole for the whole match here? Cole is brilliant, a match-winner, but Croatia seemed to be knocking lumps out of him, stopping him playing and leaving his strip mud-brown more than white. Young might have been a sterner test for them.

There’s an argument for keeping a settled team, but I feel you should take form into account somewhere. McClaren didn’t and now England’s out and so’s he. The now-sacked McClaren said in an interview “I wonder where it all went wrong” – sadly, the answer may be “nearly everywhere”.

Who can make it all go right? The special one?

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