Is the present England football squad one of the weakest ever?

Question

A recent squad included the likes of Phil Neville, Nicky Shorey, Stewart Downing, Jermaine Jenas, Kieron Dyer and Peter Crouch. Good players perhaps, maybe mid-Premiership standard, but hardly world-class. Is this the weakest England squad anyone can remember?

Answer 1

No ,i would say the manager is the weakest link.

Answer 2

Like Thomas_V said...who else was their? We'd had the worst tournament in years (yes Euro 2000 was far worse than World Cup '06), we'd lost the last match at Wembley to Germany, Keegan had stormed off. We had a match away to Finland that we drew 0-0 under the guidance of Howard Wilkinson (one of the main candidates for the job if I remember rightly). We needed fresh thinking. Sven gave it. He had the credential too, having won the Italian League with Lazio who hadnt won it for 30 odd years (ignore the many millions he spent achieving it, money they didn't have). Until we went out of World Cup '02 every one was happy. Then we lost to Brazil, and everyone realised that England were still beatable. The problem was that Sven took us to the next level...unfortunately that level wasn't enough, and for the last 2 years we've treaded water. We again need new blood, again we've started well under a new coach. Question is, can Steve Mclaren keep the team fresh, keep it evolving and get us to win a major tournament?

Answer 3

I think the public and media pressure put on our national side has reached a level that too much expectation results in too much dissapointment. We are at best a reasonable side nothing more nothing less. We have a handfull of star players but we cannot play as a team more often than not as we never get to string more than 45 minutes together with the same players.

I'd say with the high influx of foreign players in our leagues this invariably makes our side appear to have a lot of fringe players being picked for our team. some of these players cannot even get a game for their club side and obviously lose out on match fitness.

I dont think this side is any weaker than before we just think they are due to what I said in my last paragraph.

Answer 4

Yes but I think the England team is always overrated. The media often build them up to be something they're not just so they can slaughter them when they fail.
Is an international side containing the likes of Jenas, Crouch and Downing really gonna trouble a top side? I doubt it...

Answer 5

Until you get a manager that stamps all over the whole lot of their personalities, and tell them who is boss, it will be struggle after struggle for qualification and then no further than 1/4 finals.

Someone like Allerdyce would kick A55 and not take any rubbish or tantrums.

I guarantee that Eriksson will get Man City to European qualification within 3 years, now that he has complete control of the team, rather than justify his selection to the ever invasive, never kicked a ball media (most of them).

Answer 6

Err no, we can still boast numerous players of Champions League experience. Look at some of the Graham Taylor squads full of doddering 'one cap wonders' from places like Wolves or Crystal Palace. They hardly had the footballing world quaking in their boots!

Answer 7

no I remember some of the teams put out from 1991 - 1993 by graham taylor. Jesus some of the people who played then were unbelievable. Even Carlton Palmer got a game at one point. I tell you it got so ridiculous I was waiting for a call up.

Answer 8

I think that players are good as individuals but there is no team chemistry.Ofcourse that Endgland have one of the best team rosters but menager Stive M. must do smt more to make those players to play like in their own team and they also must to be more patriots for England.

Answer 9

I it is mon ae Scots
one more thing the last time you won a cup was 66
we one a trophy in 2005 the Kirn Cup

Answer 10

I'd say it's the manager who is the weakest link.

On paper those players are red hot.