English FA

[JR 1,480]

Having just watched the English FA Press Conference on Sky Sports News where they addressed the temination of Steve McClaren's contract. The Chairman stated that he was "embarrassed" that England hadn't qualified.

Personally I feel thats a really arrogant frame of mind, almost as if it was their God given right to qualify rather than have to earn the right to be there - and completely disrespectful to the other nations in their group.

Now that got me thinking.

Is it because the general feeling south of the border is that they have the greatest league in the world? Because the Premiership commands a huge audience that England must be mighty?

I dont get it.

Anyway, its my preference to watch the Spanish league when I can (obviously outside our own) Im not saying its ultimately the best, but its the type of football I enjoy - but can you understand the Chairmans train of thought? Do you think he is right in what he says?

What dyou think?

[blueben_d 40]

You might think that with the players at their disposal England SHOULD be embarrased not to qualify. But if you dig a bit further.... Beckham is the only player plying his trade abroad, and I think Hargreaves is the only other in the set up that has played outside the UK.

The EPL is an exciting league I wont deny that, but sometimes that excitement comes at the expense of technique. If you watch the spanish and Italian leagues the players seem much more technically capable, or perhaps I should say they are allowed to be more technical.

The players are too used to playing EPL style of football and they are not adapting to the international setup.

But even in saying that, Scotland is no different but yet we manage to perform above ourselves and play in a different fashion, some of that is down to management, but I would say even more that it is down to Scotlands lack of star players. England have these 'star' players that must play no matter what rather than picking a style and formation then selecting the best individuals to fit into that system England find the best 11 players then try and fit a system around them.

What they need is a brave manager who is prepared to stick to his system and make the hard decision to pick the best players for the positions, leaving some 'stars' on the bench.

I even thought during the week that 4-5-1 could really work for England with Gerrard and Lampard both free to get forward and feed off of Crouch's knock downs - he is the ideal player to play the lone striker IMO.

But I assumed he'd have Beckham whipping crosses at him the whole game and the decision to leave out the best crosser was baffling.