England v Damn Yankees

[FD]

Indeed, his first half performance showed Bentley up for what he is, the most overrated player in the Premierleague. Beckham is the wrong side of 30, can't run and has practically all but retired from domestic football, and Bentley still isn't fit to lace his boots.

I actually think Bentley is a very good player but he's a way to go before he's at the level required to replace Beckham.

I've never been a fan of Beck's to be honest, but (silly to say as it's obvious to everyone) his set pieces are still (in my view) the best in the world. The ball he put in for Terry's goal was so fecking good that really someone had to score it. All the pace, spin etc was on the ball, it just needed someone to bang a head at it. That's before you mention the SUBLIME ball he put in for Gerrard to score that was disallowed then immediately after it another brilliant ball that could have ended in a goal.

I think it could even be the old case of removing the captaincy from a player and it lets them play because Beckham has REALLY impressed me of late.

Beyond a set piece taker I think he offers a really good footballing brain, the ability to calmly slow the play down and bring others into play. Despite not being the captain you could clearly and obviously see Terry going to him for advice.

[White Army]

See, when I was a boy, Nottingham Forrest and Liverpool were the greatest teams in Europe, all made up of predominantly English players. Yet England were so shit they were unbelievable, so let's have Fanny Blatter's theory on that one. Also, for me, the influx of foreigners at the top level means that some decent but ultimately not-up-to-it talent washes down to the lower leagues. As such, this benefits every viewing supporter throughout the land, and find me one that doesn't put club before country? This is where it matters. It's all very well for yon cockend to bang on about damaging the national side, he's not shelling out great chunks of his earnings and the years of his life supporting his local side.

You won't Brucie, but you might find a few who put the national team a lot closer to their hearts than most.

I always remember USA WC. The amount of blokes who'd owned irish wolfhounds or had a weekend in Dublin who jumped on the Eire bandwagon was astonishing. And that was just the players, never mind the arseholes who supported them.

I'm English, therefore i support England. Can't stand all this bolleaux about distancing yourself from the national team because it isn't 'cool' to be an England fan, or because you must be a hooligan/racist/nationalist/xenophobe/bnp member.

We all shell out massive chunks of our earnings to follow our local team, it doesn't mean we have to shell out massive chunks on the national team. Just SUPPORT the lads, even from your armchair!

Supporting your local team whilst shouting out you don't give a feck about the national team, doesn't make you a better supporter of your local team.

[Bruce Rioja]

See, when I was a boy, Nottingham Forrest and Liverpool were the greatest teams in Europe, all made up of predominantly English players. Yet England were so shit they were unbelievable, so let's have Fanny Blatter's theory on that one. Also, for me, the influx of foreigners at the top level means that some decent but ultimately not-up-to-it talent washes down to the lower leagues. As such, this benefits every viewing supporter throughout the land, and find me one that doesn't put club before country? This is where it matters. It's all very well for yon cockend to bang on about damaging the national side, he's not shelling out great chunks of his earnings and the years of his life supporting his local side.

You won't Brucie, but you might find a few who put the national team a lot closer to their hearts than most.

I always remember USA WC. The amount of blokes who'd owned irish wolfhounds or had a weekend in Dublin who jumped on the Eire bandwagon was astonishing. And that was just the players, never mind the arseholes who supported them.

I'm English, therefore i support England. Can't stand all this bolleaux about distancing yourself from the national team because it isn't 'cool' to be an England fan, or because you must be a hooligan/racist/nationalist/xenophobe/bnp member.

We all shell out massive chunks of our earnings to follow our local team, it doesn't mean we have to shell out massive chunks on the national team. Just SUPPORT the lads, even from your armchair!

Supporting your local team whilst shouting out you don't give a feck about the national team, doesn't make you a better supporter of your local team.

Woah, don't get me wrong. I went over to Frankfurt desperately hoping to pick up a ticket, but ultimately ended up watching games on TV outside a bar in Frankfurt. Surely everyone supports their national side, but that they are secondary to their club side. I'm talking about the week-in, week-out supporters of our 92 + non-league clubs. I'm also quite pissed just now. Do I make sense? I'm going to be embarrassed tomorrow!

[White Army]

See, when I was a boy, Nottingham Forrest and Liverpool were the greatest teams in Europe, all made up of predominantly English players. Yet England were so shit they were unbelievable, so let's have Fanny Blatter's theory on that one. Also, for me, the influx of foreigners at the top level means that some decent but ultimately not-up-to-it talent washes down to the lower leagues. As such, this benefits every viewing supporter throughout the land, and find me one that doesn't put club before country? This is where it matters. It's all very well for yon cockend to bang on about damaging the national side, he's not shelling out great chunks of his earnings and the years of his life supporting his local side.

You won't Brucie, but you might find a few who put the national team a lot closer to their hearts than most.

I always remember USA WC. The amount of blokes who'd owned irish wolfhounds or had a weekend in Dublin who jumped on the Eire bandwagon was astonishing. And that was just the players, never mind the arseholes who supported them.

I'm English, therefore i support England. Can't stand all this bolleaux about distancing yourself from the national team because it isn't 'cool' to be an England fan, or because you must be a hooligan/racist/nationalist/xenophobe/bnp member.

We all shell out massive chunks of our earnings to follow our local team, it doesn't mean we have to shell out massive chunks on the national team. Just SUPPORT the lads, even from your armchair!

Supporting your local team whilst shouting out you don't give a feck about the national team, doesn't make you a better supporter of your local team.

Woah, don't get me wrong. I went over to Frankfurt desperately hoping to pick up a ticket, but ultimately ended up watching games on TV outside a bar in Frankfurt. Surely everyone supports their national side, but that they are secondary to their club side. I'm talking about the week-in, week-out supporters of our 92 + non-league clubs. I'm also quite pissed just now. Do I make sense? I'm going to be embarrassed tomorrow!

No mate, you're fine. I've had a few too so i'm hoping all my pro-England stuff doesn't just sound jingoistic. I honestly think it's cos i'm the wrong side of 40. Young 'uns today just don't seem to have the same feelings about England as i do.

Mind you i still get teary-eyed listening to Abide with me, so that probably says a lot as well

[Tombwfc]

I'm with you WhiteArmy, obviously England doesn't compare to Bolton. But they are still my team. I wouldn't disown Bolton if we got relegated and so nor will i disown England because we're shit. I wouldn't worry about it, everyone will be back on the bandwagon when we qualify for 2010.

[fatshaft]

See, when I was a boy, Nottingham Forrest and Liverpool were the greatest teams in Europe, all made up of predominantly English players. Yet England were so shit they were unbelievable, so let's have Fanny Blatter's theory on that one. Also, for me, the influx of foreigners at the top level means that some decent but ultimately not-up-to-it talent washes down to the lower leagues. As such, this benefits every viewing supporter throughout the land, and find me one that doesn't put club before country? This is where it matters. It's all very well for yon cockend to bang on about damaging the national side, he's not shelling out great chunks of his earnings and the years of his life supporting his local side.

You won't Brucie, but you might find a few who put the national team a lot closer to their hearts than most.

.

'Tis strange, but it is even creeping into Scotland as well now. I've always put country first, it's where you're born, and where everyone hasa common link, whereas with club football many don;t support their local side, so in my mind there's not the same common bond. I was amazed on one of the Dons forums when we ran a poll on club v country that it was more or loss a 50/50 split.

In England however you do seem to overwhelmingly favour the club team. tbh, I'm not sure I understand why, international football is the summit, and there's just nothing like the major finals for me.

As for Bruce's point, it's more or less echoing what I said earlier, those good enough will still make it, and thopse borderline cases will have to try harder or fail.

However Bruce, your predominantly English claim might need closer inspection - Forest: Gemmil, Gray, Robertson, O'Neill, McGovern, Burns

Liverpool: Souness, Dalglish & Hansen, so not so bad there