England, Europe, Regions POSTS
Don’t make the same mistakes Fabio!
Published by DSAdmin on January 23, 2009
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Fabio Capello’s honeymoon period with the notoriously difficult English media is now officially over. After a rather dismal start to his campaign, including entirely forgettable performances in meaningless friendlies and a lack of drive and ambition shown in most games, England finally seemed to have hit the right note with their emphatic 4-1 victory over Croatia in Split. Capello must, however, ensure that, like the 5-1 defeat of Germany in 2001, this result does not simply herald the dawn of a new era of misplaced optimism and eventual disappointment leading to lingering resentment. How can the likeable Italian achieve that? Simply by avoiding the same mistakes almost every England manager since Glenn Hoddle, has made. Namely;
1. THE GERRARD V LAMPARD DEBATE
There is no such thing, the whole issue is an invention of the London based press. Frank Lampard is a reliable, talented goalscoring midfielder. He does that role particularly well. He is a decent passer of the ball but lacks pace and invention and cannot tackle to save his life, rather like the player he replaced in the England team, Paul Scholes. He will sit in the midfield, looking rather like a stodgy Pork Pie, score a goal or two now and then, pass it accurately on occasion, get a yellow card for a poorly timed tackle and lumber ponderously up and down the field when necessary. Steven Gerrard is the best all round midfielder in the world and can inspire the team to potentially win the World Cup. To move Gerrard to suit Lampard is akin to Argentina playing Riquelme wide left to accommodate Mauricio Taricco. Lampard still has a role to play for England, it just shouldn’t be any role in the team that lessens Gerrard’s abilities to play in his best position.
2. WHERE TO PLAY ROONEY?
Rooney is at his best as a striker. Usually playing just behind a main striker. All this “dropping off into midfield” is an invention of necessity from his time under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. It may have made him a better “all round player”, however it has made him rather toothless as a goalscoring attacker. Rooney spends too much time running towards his own goal in a fine show of defensive effort. He should instead be focusing on running with the ball like that towards the opposition. As he did so effectively for England, United, and Everton in his early career. That power and pace going the right way, combined with a face that can frighten wallpaper from walls, is a potent combination that needs to be harnessed.
3. THE GOALKEEPERS
At the moment, the situation is dire. For all his injuries and despite the fact he plays for Wigan, Chris Kirkland still looks the best long term alternative, alongside the Manchester United youngster Ben Foster. These two young keepers need to be nurtured and brought into the team as soon as possible. Paul Robinson, David James and Scott Carson, as they have proven in the past, are accidents waiting to happen on the biggest of stages.
4. SQUAD SELECTION
Just a little tip Fabio, when facing the might of Andorra or indeed any team, the inclusion of Michael Owen (40 goals in 89 games) and Peter Crouch (14 goals in 28 games) , may be slightly more effective in getting goals, especially against weaker sides, than going with Jermaine Defoe and Emile Heskey who despite playing a combined 78 times for their country, can muster five goals apiece in that period. I hasten to add that Shaun Wright Phillips has four goals in 19 appearances, and that is mainly as a substitute winger, while Joe Cole has double the amount of England goals than either Heskey or Defoe can muster.
5. THE PRESS
In dealing with the press it is wisest to remember that it really matters little what you say or how you behave on or off the pitch. Sven Goran Eriksson leapt into an Ikea made bed with fellow Swede Ulrika Jonsson and it mattered little in football terms to the press, other than a bout of jingoistic sensationalism, when compared to our on field disappointments in major tournaments. Kevin Keegan seemingly had the qualities the press loved, enthusiasm, desire and full blown, often misguided, patriotism. Keegan preached a fast attractive game of football. Sadly he also had the elite tactical acumen of a field of tulips. Steve McLaren had the charisma of a coffee table, and it would have mattered not had he won the Euro 2008 tournament, indeed to have got us there would have been a welcome start. In the end Fabio, all you say and do will not count towards how the press perceive you or represent you to us, the humble public. You are judged on results alone and anything less than perfection, isn’t good enough. Of course these are unreasonable, unrealistic and unfair demands to make, but that is what life is like as England manager. If we beat Brazil 5-0 in the 2010 World Cup Final, you can always bet there will be some bitter press hack who will point out that really, it should have been six or seven…
** Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons **
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Naheem Charania on Sat, 24th Jan 2009 12:30 am
- Gerrard over Fat Frank
- Rooney can’t be stuck in a position, start him off as sweeper and give him free reign to do as he pleases
- Joe Hart is showing flashes of brilliance. They should stick with him.
- Stick to 1 striker: Fraizer Campbell. Let Ashley Young and the rest of the lot terrorize the wings
- English FA should hire Mourihno to train England staff on how to handle the press
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