20 June, 2014 - 19:49

World Cup. What is wrong with England?

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That was expected but hard to accept. Nothing extraodinary happened but something just feels wrong. Nobody was particularly bad, but the only thing left is emptiness. Half-a-century-long emptiness. Half a century of broken hopes and expectations.

Before every single big tournament tha baloon of expectations from The Three Lions gets huge, but as soon tournaments start, it gets clear you can’t fly far on that one. However, we are not going to gloat over England. Even the haters would not be throwing stones at the national team. Because they simply give their all.

Before every single big tournament tha baloon of expectations from The Three Lions gets huge, but as soon tournaments start, it gets clear you can’t fly far on that one.

In the second round England had to face Uruguay, who had been bitten by Costa Rica. And Uruguay worked their socks off to get back in competition. England were just not capable of doing that.

One might laugh at Steven Gerrard’s misfortune. Liverpool and England icon and captain ruined Liverpool’s Premier League hopes in Chelsea game, and ruined England’s chances in Uruguay match.

Arrigo Sacchi once said: “Steven Gerrard is a great footballer, but perhaps not a great player”. The same applies to England national team. They look like a solid, powerful and united group of workers, going to the mine every single day. Every single day, from August to May, they get down to the mine and work hard. But when they need to show their best side, they lack luster, explosion, madness. They are craftsmen, but not geniuses. They are great players long-term, but pass when there is a need to shine, to do something extraordinary. Pass in front of such teams as Italy or Uruguay.

They are craftsmen, but not geniuses.

The FA parted ways with Fabio Capello and made their new choice. A choice for conservative and hard-working craftsman Roy Hodgson. The national team had it all for success, except for Andrea Pirlo or Luis Suarez. Players who can make a crucial assist or score a crucial goal. Hodgson did not invent anything special and made a stake for experienced and coordinated duo Gerrard-Henderson. Accompanied by limited form of Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck that turned out to be a fatal decision. Hodgson became a hostage of his conservatism. He was not brave enough to start creative Ross Barkley or Adam Lallana.

England need a manager, who will break traditions, who will have guts to bench anybody, including Stevie G, to get result. But the FA do not need that kind of a manager. They respect conservative gentlemen in formal suits, proper and regular people.

England need a manager who will break traditions, who will have guts to bench anybody, including Stevie G, to get result.

England reserved a tiny little chance to qualify after the second loss, but that would have been a miracle. Costa Rica beat Italy. England is eliminated. Miracles do not happed to The Three Lions.

Photo: Getty Images

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21 June 2014, 04:00

The English team disappointed fans.

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