England were supporting the Italians in the hope they could achieve qualification in their third game. Sturridge was sending messages of support to Pirlo and the rest via twitter…while the Daily Mail issued an article before the game between Italyand Costa Rica about how to behave when supporting Italy in World Cups, underlining the importance of pizza, watching lots of R.Baggio clips on Youtube and to abuse the ref as much as possible. Gary Lineker was also wearing an Italy polo shirt in the studio apparently…. bless him.
After the Italians defeat by Costa Rica (a defeat which may even cost them elimination from the tournament) the English started packing to return home after completing one of the worst ever campaigns in a World Cup in their 40 years of qualifying for it. This has not happened since 1962.
The english press approached this all with its normal routine default attitude.
They are trying every drama they can to show how to enjoy these eliminations. Just like the guy who has been rejected by the hot girl at the bar but acts above it…as if he dont care – only in their hearts and minds does he/they know how much suffering exists.
At this point we shouldnt ignore or forget how many bestselling books in the country have been written trying to explain and analyse England’s failures in world cups.
Obviously…the reasons vary from ‘penalty curse’ to more serious reasons but none of these books touch on the one single truth –England gets eliminated from tournaments because they don’t have a good enough squad.-Since whichever squad they bring will rely on two or three (maximum) of themost seriously over-hyped players in world football. Players who are hyped up by the powerful UK media that are without international experience, afraid, settled in their cocoons, who by and large full fill bit-part player roles in their clubs where the main guys pulling the strings are foreigners.
The English never had a GREAT world cup squad. Never. What they did have though was an identity ( hey jack…lol) . However this identity has been lost ever since the introduction of the Premier League.
Production of English players has gone down the drain with realistically only a foreigner (Wenger) doing the most to help England produce decent footballers who can pass , run, are comfortable on the ball , know what to do and when.
The few english players that are genuinely good are paid excessive millions way beyond their actual value/worth and also get over the top -exposed in media. This over the top-exposure clouds peoples judgement on their ability. A goal from Rooney in a derby suddenly becomes huge news and shown over 130 countries, while a goal from Reus in a German derby might go unnoticed. That should not mean that the former is a better footballer than the latter.
The premiership is the richest league and most organised and profitable league in the world. A league that generates billions is no guarantee that it will have a great national team too. If the sheiks tomorrow go crazy and bring to Qatar all the greatest players on earth they will also have a super rich league but their national squad will still be a bad one. The english might think that since they can buy the best players and have the best league product they can do the same with the national team. That is not the case. International football requires work, sacrifice, lots of sweat, and individual and collective ambition. The only thing the premier league offers are over-hyped overpaid millionaires for the national squad. nothing else.
Off course all this happens due to some cultural traits also…like living in their bubble/microcosm , always thinking of being more important than they are.
In the recent past the F.A very optimistically handed the keys to the national squad to McLaren after Errikson ( who took them to three consecutive quarter finals). A Manger the English media referred to as “McLown“. The F.A thought that a less dogmatic coach than the Swede was what was needed for the players to make the difference. Off course they were wrong. For Euro2008 they didn’t even qualify. Unable to beat teams like Croatia, Israel and Russia . Due to the fact that they don’t know who they are anymore( in a football sense at least). They followed the opposite extreme of selecting big names and paying for a world class manager : Fabio Capello.The best and the best managed to create a salad that went to S.Africa in 2010 and was humiliated by Germany with 4 goals!
Their ability to drive national coaches crazy is unparalleled in football history. Hodgson is no genius, I give you that, but he did built a tough and solid Switzerland around Chapuisat before Hitzfeld took over and also built teams with tough defences in Inter, Fulham etc.. Alas even this lover of catenaccio couldn’t resist the pressure of the media and presented a team in Brasil with a joke defence and a midfield unable to support the strikers/forwards.
It is this dumb practice coupled with standard gung-ho naivety ( a draw with Uruguay would still keep them in the chase, while they were charging forward in numbers to win the game in ‘glory’..) that has eliminated them form the World Cup.
In the crucial game of the group the difference was made by Luis Suarez…an international superstar and world class player…not just an EPL superstar….there is a huge difference.
Regular readers will have no problem guessing who wrote today’s piece.
Positively Arsenal 
Let’s remember that Gibbs has huge CL experience, won the FA cup, and has always played in a top 4 side, and this season was the starter for a team that led the league for a long stretch. To me, it is mysterious. As you say, perhaps his image has been hurt by perceptions of fragility because of his late teens and early 20’s constant injuries. This seems to have stayed on as the perception of him despite a couple of seasons of regular play…
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Dexter
June 24, 2014 at 3:23 pm
look if i go on tomorrow’s comments i will bring up your post and further expose you …..
there was no deal, certainly not massive till you blew your top mate…
as for the talented players i asked you to name, it was to determine how much you know about football and what constitutes talent in your little brain so that i can further laugh at your perceptions like i laugh at arry’s …..
the english calling the italians average in football ? aha aha ha….
you get it now or shall i draw a picture for you? 4 > 1 …. and we still dont know if it crossed the line ….but nevermind you can call me a racist behind the convenience of your screen and then tell me to move on….lol…….proper character you got…
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Dex, it helps Arsenal that our players aren’t risked in international competitions and are more likely to have a full preseason and be ready for the start of the season. True. But in Jack’s case, he really needs games, so I am glad he is starting v. Costa Rica. I feel it is better he plays himself into some sort of fitness with some regular play for England rather than for Arsenal! He can come to preseason building up some match fell rather than starting from scratch after barely playing towards the end of the season due to injury.
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Hunter, you can be hard work sometimes. Take the fucking olive branch will you?
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And i was prepared to let things drop too. Oh well.
You are insane you sad deluded child. You still dont get it! If that isnt you making a big deal of nothing, christ, gawd knows how much worse you get.
The only saving grace is you dont live in the states, because you have all the traits of one of those warped loner losers who end up running amok sjooting up their old classmates and teachers.
This is some priceless drivel here;
as for the talented players i asked you to name, it was to determine how much you know about football and what constitutes talent in your little brain so that i can further laugh at your perceptions like i laugh at arry’s …..
Haha! What a colin Bell.
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Whoops! Too late george!
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LSG
I agree, Jack is a different case to Gibbs. He needs to play and then stay fit for a good long spell.
Gibbs omission, although benefiting Arsenal was really odd. Like the media ignored him, so Roy did? Then again, we dont know what, if any discussions he had with AW. There seems to be a good dialogue between them.
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Seems I’m more of an Anthony Taylor than a Pierluigi Collina.
Oh well, fuck it.
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So, if English people are not allowed to have an opinion on the Italians, what about people of other nationalities? So in effect, none of us can say anything other than how amazing they are, same goes for germany, Brazil and yes the all conquering Huddersfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday too then.
Its almost fascism! Brilliant! Racist!!!
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You’re more a Phil Dowd I’d say george.
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You know, Dex, that puts a finger on it. Perhaps Roy’s biggest mistake is that you can possibly accuse him of listening a bit too much to the media rather than going on club form and player quality rather than the hype. I don’t know if that is entirely fair, but he has left himself open to the charge a little bit. The job is so full of pressure, you can understand the desire to play the kids anyway and sate the media/public desire to see the next generation come up.
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Hey, I’m as fit as a flea.
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“You’re more a Phil Dowd”—ouch!! That is a serious burn, Dex. Forget about the danger of Hunter, you better not cross George–he’ll twist you into a pretzel! Have you seen his martial arts instruction videos!?!
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Heehee! George knows how much I truly admire and respect him!
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Fleas do jump high/far. Never considered the case for their fitness…
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LSG I wonder if Arry actually has the balls to be England manager? Because his easy ride with the media would seriously be tested.
Venables was given such a cushy ride in the main, despite not having to qualify for a tournament and being fortunate as fuck in some games, like vs Spain.
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Good to have Dex back around. He certainly is a leaven to the positively loaf…
It is great to have the matches every day since they have been really good. But having them come in the middle of the day over here makes it hard to focus on anything but football. 4 decent matches today. Italy-Uruguay intrinsically interesting as a match up and for qualification; England-Costa Rica has Arsenal interest in Jack and Campbell; Columbia-Japan is less vital but having seen so little of Columbia before, I am terribly intrigued by this powerful, physical team full of good strikers that could go far; Greece-CIV is maybe a bit more tepid but CIV could qualify and I am interested in Aurier for RB–can he defend? Will Greece even force him to do any defending?
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There would be a honeymoon period, which would make us all vomit with its disgusting jocularity. Something would go wrong and the pack of piranhas would ask some snarky questions and old ‘Arry would feel betrayed and snap back. Then the game would go on its predictable vicious circle but with greater venom expressed than we’ve seen for quite some time…
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What do you think, though, of his remarks about Spud players? I said above that it exposes Redknapp for letting them get away with it by providing the fitness excuses and so forth. Does anyone else see it that way?
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Ah thanks LSG!
As fpr redkmapp. He is just a spiv and brazen self publlicist He would never be able to keep his gob shut if he thought it would get his name in the papers, regardless of the consequences for others, even spuds!
I am sure most managers have tried to or wanted their players to cry off from Internationals, including him, so its strange he saw fit to “out” a few of his ex-charges. resulting in a guessing game and media with hunt!
Talking of which, did you see the front page of the Sun tabloid? Ian Wright demanding that these players be outed and all future ones who cry off be made to ring the families of dead british soldiers to explain themselves!
You couldnt make it up!
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Dexter
June 24, 2014 at 4:01 pm
you moron lol…. when ‘arry delivers verdicts like “italians are average” thats not an opinion…thats deep rooted bias you shithead just like they do to wenger a/o arsenal
so yes ..to answer your question .. i know his opinion is biased cause he is a jealous bitter arsehole whose country only won it once and wants to have an opinion on italians….LOL….
its like the clowns in aclf or the mail who want to have an opinion on wenger’s coaching cant you see it….?..lol… just shut up ‘arry and the rest of your embarassing kind cause youre shit at football..and no you are not allowed to have opinions…. not because we are fascists but because you are shit and we shouldnt have to deal with you or your moronic opinions…..
get it now my dear? 🙂
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Arry would have one advantage over most potential England managers in his dealings with the media. As HR revealed at his tax evasion trial he is “nearly illiterate”, can’t even manage to write a team sheet out.
I suppose Rosie could read out the papers to him
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That reminds me, I really need to dust off my Cypress Hill LP…
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I hope Italy win and Suarez discovers that it was a mistake to play just a few days after his game against England to the cost of his readiness for Liverpool’s start.
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Looks like the Italy players have decided to make sure Suarez realizes this.
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Hunter, as far as Italian and Uruguayan teams go.this crop are “average” I don’t see why you are feeling aggrieved here?
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LG, Suarez wont be at Liverpool come the start of next season.
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sorry george no …italy and uruguay have top players…if you guys are talking about form then thats another thing completely…argentina is also in shit form maybe currently but you dont call them average with players like lavezi macherano kun di maria ……
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Good point George. Hopefully he departs to a club outside of England. He certainly looks ready to leave with his comments about the English media. In that case, carry on Luis–score several goals and put Italy out. You’ll be snapped up faster the more you score and Balotelli goes home early, depressing his price perhaps.
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Neither Uruguay or Italy look as strong as they did in their last tournament: Copa America and Euro 2012. I think that is all anyone is saying. They aren’t as strong as they often have been. Still much better than England, but there you go.
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Just to change the subject….. I’d like to start seeing bra-less women wearing these new tight football shirts. And I don’t give a shit where they are from, a nipple is a nipple whether Italian, Uruguayan or English. Patriotism goes out the window.
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And neither Uruguay or Italy have been as good as Costa Rica, despite both having more gifted players. I am fully behind Costa Rica and hope they do further damage in this tournament. Back the underdog. They won’t be favoured but they have spirit and organization, plus a lively young Campbell. Good enough for me!
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NB, it is the Puma shirt you want stretched over the breast. I have had my fill of the man nipples. Hopefully Puma designs us a better shirt or we’ll be watching this scene all season. For some, this may be a benefit of the new shirt–I can’t say I’m in that camp though it may prove entertaining to see Arsenal supporters sporting these skin tight shirts all over in and out of the ground!
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You are wasting your time there George.
LSG I dont see Suarez at LFC come the start of the season either.
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and who the fuck is ‘arry to have an opinion on italians..its like robson having an opinion on wenger……when you are tiny you dont go mouthing off those who dwarf you…principles…
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And you LSG at 5.25pm. Stop with this using logic shit and making sense already!
Northbank; At last, a top notch high brow subject I can get involved in!
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Dexter
June 24, 2014 at 5:29 pm
You are wasting your time there George.
then dont start what you cant finish…
but i guess its part of your principles to tag people like your media tags suarez eduardo vieira etc
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Buffon really caught out there and Balotelli on the ground. Wrong striker feeling injured–that’s not going to plan. Godin is free with his elbows, to be sure.
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Performing like this we have to be among the favourites for the Euros in 2016
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What is it with the redknapp obsession? Sheeesh, you are doolally about the man.
You must really luuuuurve him. Is that it? You want him… in the biblical sense?
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Still want Balotelli? Campbell is every bit as talented as Mario and he behaves like an adult.
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I’m in work – how’s Jackie boy doing?
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Cant finish? Blimey you are boring. It was finished yesterday. Its only you in your deranged babbling stylee carrying this pointless shite on. Ge0rge and LSG have nailed it in about 2 sentences what has still to evade you in about 3 million!
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Lampard very good so far
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Gains; Yeah, I do!
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arry aint the issue you coward….but you are with your personal comments of yesterday ….. you can beat round the bush all you like…..
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He’s doing well DC – looks fit and lively
Looking to get on the scoresheet
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Hunter . Roll another J and chill.
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This bush your beating about chaps
Is it the one with the olive branches ?
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Campbell seems to play more from the right. So yes. Another central striker of quality would be good.
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