So why did the England football team fly home early?
Published: 1 July, 2010
by STEVE BARNETT
• SO, you’ve probably spent the week taking down your flags and putting your face-paint away for another day.
Well, let me warn those of you hoping to see England win a major trophy that you might just have a long wait on your hands.
Here’s my top reasons why:
1. DELUSIONAL EXPECTATIONS: When the World Cup draw was made pundits laughed at how easy England’s group was. How wrong they were.
England failed to even qualify for the European Championships in 2008, and yet just two years later they were expected to be world beaters.
They say form is temporary, class is permanent, which is why England should never have been ranked among the favourites.
2. THE PREMIER LEAGUE: With more and more foreign investors buying into the Premiership there is only one goal.
To make money.
They pour their money into the league and in doing so expect a quick return on their cash, gift wrapped in a large profit.
There is no interest in investing in better coaches, or making England’s so-called superstars technically any better.
A 4-3 thriller between Manchester United and Hull is of course more exciting than a tactical 1-0 win, but fans confuse having the most exciting league in the world with having the technically best league in the world.
3. CAPELLO: They say every great manager needs a stubborn streak.
Well Fabio’s cost England any slight chance they had of winning the World Cup.
He refused to surrender his 4-4-2 formation, never had a back-up plan when games didn’t go his way and didn’t have the courage to drop star players when they failed to perform.
4. BAD PACKING: Everyone knows that when you’re going abroad it’s vital to make sure you pack properly.
So fans expecting to see their lions roar in South Africa should have known better as soon as they saw the likes of Robert Green, Emile Heskey and Jamie Carragher boarding the plane.
5. PRIDE: Players must understand how lucky and privileged they are when they are given the chance to pull on an England shirt. If they don’t, they end up flying home early.