FIFA World Cup 2014

Agreed, another team showing a lot of hunger and composure.

Jason.

Yep, this looks like being a(nother) high-scoring game.

Well it's clrearly having an impact in Spain now that the 3 best players in La Liga are foreign 

Jason - my principle point here is that the lack of English players in other top-flight European teams is more a reflection of the management of those teams who don't want them, not the choices made by the players.  And I would say this has become more acute since the Premier League came into existence.  I don't know the answer to the problem. Maybe the management of those big European teams don't think the English players will settle, learn the language, adapt to new tactics etc etc.  But many foreign imports don't seem to have those problems coming to England.  I can't help but think that there is a connection here to England's regular under-perfromance in tournament after tournament at which our big names fail to perform.

MDS   

I certainly don't know the answer either.

But I believe a major problem that is often ignored or placed way down the list is that of aptitude. 

And to use Marks point above.

• We have no mental fortitude as a team. As Cannivaro and Vialli said when tipping Italy to beat England, the Italians have that ability to find a way to win a game. England don't have this.

And incorporating all that is confidance, composure, self belief, teamwork, etc, etc.

I was a big fan of Glenn Hoddle as a player and was quite happy that he became England manager and I liked the fact that he attempted to address this exact issue. The problem was he shot himself in the foot by making some very unsavoury comments, and thus destroyed his credibility altogether, but that does not reduce his overal notion that England needed a stronger mental desire to win. Now the whole topic is almost ignored, yet it's plain to see that it still is a problem. It seems to be the elephant in the room.

Nobody would ever suggest that Germany possess a technically strong bunch of players in the same way as say Spain or Italy, for example, but they know how to win in big games and that is evident when they play, take last nights game for example.

Anyway, I am rambling, but just to say that I think the outcome of the two games played thus far by England would have had a different result if only some of those more mental attributes were more apparent, regardless of who's world class or not. This World Cup is clearly showing exactly that.

Jason.

Hoddle was a nasty piece of work, and I wonder at anyone who could retain even an ounce of respect for the man or his priorities ...

ATB from George

Gareth Bale is Welsh - so clearly foreign 

Yes, Jason. I very much agree with you about the need for England teams to show more mental toughness and discipline.  We now seem to be able to do so in several other sports e.g. athletics, ruby union. I don't know why the footballers regularly come up short.  

Football needs a manager of the mental strength of a Fred Trueman to get through to the over-paid and under-motivated English Football Team.

Till then they will fail miserably ...

ATB from George

Oooh - not for me 

George - the England team experienced some of that under the previous manager, Capello.  It didn't work and I think that's because it occurred too late for them in their careers. This discipline needs to taught from day 1 when the players are young boys so that it becomes embedded and they discipline themselves e.g. with diet, lifestyle, off-field behaviour.  Then I agree you: until we address this we will regularly fall short of what the nation expects.

MDS   

Well we seem to drop the baton a lot in the relay races in athletics - and I'm not convinced that we are significantly better at Rugby - union or league - apart from one WC win it is usually heroic failure - not dissimilar imho 

One simple reason for the lack of British players plyng their trade abroad is the massive salary's paid to players in our Premiership ....who needs to go abroad?

He had some wonderful skill and vision but I seem to remember that the Spurs fans often called him "Glenda".  In other words, when the going got tough you wouldn't see him.  Le Tissier was the same.   

Then at least in Football, the situation is insoluble!

ATB from George

And you can add Steve Macmanaman to that little list.

what they all had in common was a unique skill and talent, probably more akin to the continental style?????  Both Glen Hoddle and Steve Macmanaman were lauded in France and Spain as exceptional footballers. Glenn Hoddle himself said that he was moving to France because he felt his talents were not appreciated in Britain...says it all frankly.

I expect Le Tiss would also have been very much appreciated abroad if he bothered to go And probably would have improved as a player.

I guess that there could be a very weak argument for saying that as there are At least one UK based player in say 80% of the teams playing at the WC, they have the advantage of familiarity to our way of playing....but I don't actually think that.

Jason.

Not sure Mr Yorkshire would be that helpful or useful George.

England's problem is not that this team isn't motivated - it is, on an individual level. The two games they've played in Brazil  are far better than the three in SA four years ago.

The problem is that England don't play in the right way to win. The (winning) game now is played by tightly-knit teams tempered with brilliant individuals. These teams are disciplined, pacey, aggressive in pushing forward and courageous - and they're the ones delighting the fans and chalking up the points: Chile, Costa Rica, Algeria, France, Ghana, Columbia, Croatia... even the Dutch and Germans.

England don't play this way. Perhaps they never will. But in many ways, we have always lagged behind the game, which is why we haven't won anything since 1966. Our other problem is that we're not as good as we - and others - think we are. In many ways, '66 was the worst thing to happen to English football.

We have produced scores of great and very good players over the years, but only five of truly world class - Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Stanley Matthews, Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne (the latter a tragic figure touched with pure genius). They are great players, Rooney and Gerrard and Hart and Sturridge - but they are not in the class of the Pirlos, Van Persies, Ronaldos, Mullers, Kloses, Messis, Ochoas and Suarezes of this world. Other teams can make up for this lack of supremely gifted individuals - we, seemingly, cannot.

I think Hodgson as a manager is intelligent enough to know this, and should be given a chance to see what he can do with a young and still-developing team. Roll on Euro 16!

George Best!

You missed him!

Northern Irish. He doesn't count. But he might be the greatest player ever to have come out of the British Isles...

I have decided to stay up for the America-Portugal game as I think it will be quite interesting. Portugal need the win, so they could cock up. I am hoping for many goals in any case.

Jason.

I agree Jason - not getting much sleep at the moment, the football's just too exciting!

K

That is true - if they can get into to teams/squads in the Premiership - but they need to be good enough - but sadly sometimes just good enough. Also there is a home grown criteria that needs to be maintained but which affects transfer fees and wages.

Although Fabregas is home grown on the qualification criteria due to his time as Arsenal.

It has to be remembered though that English footballers plying their trade abroad have always been a rarity.

In Europe at least the British are not particularly liked if we are honest!

And during these times, work just isn't important.

I wonder if the Portuguese team will turn up, or will Ronaldo have to do everything himself?