England.

[gator]

I think England did well to advance and in fact win their group but I expected a more competitive match with Italy! The back 4 looked quite good but when the ball was played into the midfield they just couldn't hold possesion at all and the passing at times was woeful! Add to that the fact that the forwards were less than threatening and you have a recipe for exit from the Euro! I don't think anyone here doesn't think Italy were the better team on the day, I'm just surprised at how much better they were!

[pc1401]

What doesn't help is people blame the influx of Johnny foreigner into our game but be honest how many englishmen have played abroad and excelled in other leagues. Not many, is it because we are obviously not as skillful and good as we think we are

[winalotto]

What doesn't help is people blame the influx of Johnny foreigner into our game but be honest how many englishmen have played abroad and excelled in other leagues. Not many, is it because we are obviously not as skillful and good as we think we are

Exactly this, we play a very different style over here, and we produce physical players with less technical ability, hence its harder to play in a technical league than it is for players from abroad who are far better technically to learn how to play in a physical ,fast ,direct league.

[Connell10]

What doesn't help is people blame the influx of Johnny foreigner into our game but be honest how many englishmen have played abroad and excelled in other leagues. Not many, is it because we are obviously not as skillful and good as we think we are

mmmm it could be genetic!

[TBLOCKRANGER]

I blame England's poor record on a large part on Man Utd. They have been in recent history the dominant English team winning everything before them at home and being a major powerhouse in Europe. However none of their players Neville, beckham, scholes, rio and now Rooney and young etc really boss international games consistently. If at man u they had one or two bad games, they would turn it round quickly but put on anengland shirt they are constantly rubbish.

On the continent however, countries have been able to use the nucleus of the big/successful club teams to build succesful national teams such as bayern for Germany, Turin/Milan clubs for Italy and in Spain barca/ real.

Over the last 20 years man Utd should have at some stage provided a nucleus of players to base a successful national team on but just didn't happen.

[QPR Richard]

Look at the successful premier league teams, Man Utd Arsenal and Chelsea, they all had the likes of Keane, Viera and Makalele playing in centre midfield, THE key position in any team. England don't have such a player. That's what is required IMHO. Oh, and a Modric would be nice