England's World Cup 23

[Barry Cartman]

I wonder why he can't get a job 

[skybluedave]

Why have they put the manager down to. Makes it look like Sol picked him too

[Barry Cartman]

He would have picked himself but Sky are racist 

[Haguey]

1 hour ago, Barry Cartman said:

I wonder why he can't get a job 

Haha, there's that magic formation that incorporates Vardy, Kane, Alli and Sterling I was looking for! 

Grind them down with relentless attack, who needs full/wing backs? 

[Baptista_8]

5 hours ago, Tony85 said:

I think some people read too much into comments because they dislike the player.

I don't think Wilshire's comments are that unreasonable. He said he felt fit, strong and sharp and thought he deserved to be in the squad. What's wrong with that? You can disagree with that but it's not like he's digging the knife into the manager. People also forget that his contract is up this summer. Whether he stays at Arsenal or not - he's starting the PR game to try and convince people that his injury problems are behind him.

It's just refreshing to have some honesty from a player IMO. Rather than generic responses.

[afced7]

Playing devils advocate a bit and going solely (no pun intended) on the picture, it does say 'predicted team' rather than 'the team Sol Campbell would pick if he were manager' but that is still an atrocious prediction.

[georginho_juventusygr]

Jones definitely will concede a penalty.

[given1legend]

On 18/05/2018 at 15:54, Barry Cartman said:

I wonder why he can't get a job 

One of the finest minds is Sol. Blokes an utter bell.

[git2thachoppa]

It gets better.

SPORTBible playing the role of 'internet forum hermit warrior' by angrily taking people's comments seriously and playing the race card.

http://www.sportbible.com/football/football-news-sol-campbells-england-xi-baffles-fans-20180518

Why are you guys talking about his formation and not nepotism guys?!

[m_fenton]

On 18/05/2018 at 18:51, afced7 said:

Playing devils advocate a bit and going solely (no pun intended) on the picture, it does say 'predicted team' rather than 'the team Sol Campbell would pick if he were manager' but that is still an atrocious prediction.

If he thinks that's how Southgate will line up the team that's actually worse - at least if it were his own team you could argue it was just a different opinion.

[enigmatic]

I think Sport Bible would have done better defending the actual [silly] formation (Walker easily covers the wide spaces, Dier could in theory make up for Maguire's lack of comfort defending against wingers on the left, England's best attacking midfielders aren't exactly touchline-huggers anyway) than suggesting we ought to talk about black managers being cruelly denied opportunities instead

But also, they'd have had fewer clicks...

 

Can't wait for LAD Bible's take now.

[Golaxi]

Who cares about the formation or players. It's how they play! Southgate is brave and he's chosen a style of football that is a hard working tough to score against bunch with good teamwork defending and a hard working athletic bunch with the ball that will look to change and interswap positions with one another in a bid to find space. 

[Rob1981]

Is this the England tournament thread now then?  Needs a better name if it is

[DeafParrot]

Harry Claim named captain. Thought it would be Henderson, but the fact he won't join up with the squad for another 2 weeks probably counted against him.

[Rob1981]

Never like strikers as captains

Still, at least if he's off taking corners this time...

[santy001]

Gareth Southgate: Right lads, Harry's got some inspirational words for you.

Harry Kane: 

He's a great goalscorer, but he really isn't any kind of on the pitch organising mastermind, nor a particularly rousing figure based on how he generally looks. I mean there isn't anyone in the England squad that stands out as a motivator of sorts, but I still imagine giving Harry Kane a lollipop keeps him occupied for a good hour or so.

[Barry Cartman]

No one else in world football cares about the captain except us

[Baptista_8]

Who was our captain before Kane?

[Lucas]

1 minute ago, Baptista_8 said:

Who was our captain before Kane?

Henderson? I'm not really sure there's been an official captain for a while

[git2thachoppa]

Southgate's just been rotating it, but he has to officially name a captain for the World Cup I guess.

I always hear that elsewhere they just give it to the most senior player. (Influence, Determination or Leadership attributes be damned.)

[Mr Adam]

Agree I think it would have been Henderson (biased as anything mind) had he not been away from the camp for the first 2 weeks.

Good but pretty meaningless decision.

[Crispypaul]

52 minutes ago, santy001 said:

Gareth Southgate: Right lads, Harry's got some inspirational words for you.

Harry Kane: 

He's a great goalscorer, but he really isn't any kind of on the pitch organising mastermind, nor a particularly rousing figure based on how he generally looks. I mean there isn't anyone in the England squad that stands out as a motivator of sorts, but I still imagine giving Harry Kane a lollipop keeps him occupied for a good hour or so.

An incredibly harsh view of Harry Kane.

I don't understand the hate for him from some quarters.  Is it still the goal claiming stuff? Or the 9 goals he has scored against you lot?

Sorry to see Stoke get relegated - those 6 points every season were rather useful.

[santy001]

1 hour ago, Crispypaul said:

An incredibly harsh view of Harry Kane.

I don't understand the hate for him from some quarters.  Is it still the goal claiming stuff? Or the 9 goals he has scored against you lot?

Sorry to see Stoke get relegated - those 6 points every season were rather useful.

I really should remove this Stoke badge from my profile, and the Stoke researcher tag. It get so tedious when I make a general remark about something in football and it gets brought back to Stoke. Didn't know he had scored 9 goals against Stoke, thanks for the trivia. I mean since we're supposed to trade tit-for-tat now as is the football fan way all that stands out for me about Spurs is 15-20 years of being a Stoke-like club in the premier league, largely making up the numbers and hoping to bide your time for a chance to push higher up (something I advocated as a model for Stoke to be honest) and selling your better players to the clubs who will actually win something. Why would anyone hate Tottenham? You don't win enough of anything to upset anyone.

I don't hate Harry Kane. He just comes across as a bit thick, even by footballer standards. He's like a Phil Jones that learned how to keep the lower part of his mouth from hanging. 

[Jakarooney]

If he didn't have a lisp people wouldn't think he was anymore stupid than any other footballer.

[decapitated]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44208841

 

Quote

New England captain Harry Kane says the team can win the World Cup in Russia and "anything else is not good enough".

Striker Kane, 24, was informed about being made skipper by manager Gareth Southgate a few weeks ago and it was officially confirmed on Tuesday.

Kane scored 41 goals in all competitions last season as Tottenham finished third in the Premier League.

"It's impossible not to dream about lifting the World Cup. It's the biggest competition in the world," said Kane.

"I believe we can win it - anyone can. I cannot sit here and say we are not going to win it because we could do.

"It is my mindset and I want to win at everything I do. The players in the team want to as well. It is worth fighting for. I am sure we have all had dreams of lifting it and it is an opportunity for us.

"We are not favourites but you look at this season, no-one would have thought Liverpool getting to the Champions League final. You look at Manchester United back in the Sir Alex Ferguson days, they had a young team and dominated the Premier League for years to come.

"Being young is not an excuse - it could be a good thing. I believe we can and that is what we want to try and do. Anything else is not good enough."

England head to Russia on 12 June and face Tunisia in their opening game on 18 June, followed by matches against Panama and Belgium.

Kane first captained England in last summer's 2-2 World Cup qualifier in Scotland, where he scored a late equaliser, before going on to wear the armband on a further three occasions.

Spurs team-mate Eric Dier and Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson have also skippered England recently.

Kane, who has scored 12 goals in 23 appearances for his country, was described as a "meticulous professional" by Southgate.

"It is a massive day and a very proud day," he said. "It is a dream come true. I found out a few weeks ago when I met Gareth Southgate. We were talking for an hour and he said he wanted me to be the captain.

"I have had to keep it quiet for a while now but it is fantastic. I filled up with pride and went home and told my family.

"Not much changes, I am someone who wants to lead by example on and off the pitch. That is what I will try to do.

"There are some young players in the squad who look up to players like that. There are some older players who I can learn from too."

Southgate, who told the England squad during a meeting at St George's Park on Monday night, added:

"Harry has some outstanding personal qualities. One of the most important things for a captain is that they set the standard every day.

"He has belief and high standards and it is a great message for the team to have a captain who has shown that it is possible to be one of the best in the world over a consistent period of time and that has been his drive.

"My feeling is that over the last 18 months in the camps that he's been with us he has shown that he has got the desire to take that into a team environment and he recognises the importance of bringing others with him."

 

 

[JD nawrat]

Fair play to him. His attitude has served him well and he talks like a captain should. Be interesting to see how he performs on the pitch and in particular how he reacts if/when England are trailing. 

John Stones would've made more sense in my opinion. But I'm not a fan of the striker wearing the armband. 

[git2thachoppa]

Nothing like a bit of discrimination to make you proud of football fans.

[Razzler]

I just hope the captain doesn't feel responsible for EVERYTHING and start taking corners again and try to be involved everywhere

[enigmatic]

Happy with Kane being involved everywhere except corner taking duties tbf

[Baptista_8]

22 hours ago, santy001 said:

I really should remove this Stoke badge from my profile, and the Stoke researcher tag. It get so tedious when I make a general remark about something in football and it gets brought back to Stoke. Didn't know he had scored 9 goals against Stoke, thanks for the trivia. I mean since we're supposed to trade tit-for-tat now as is the football fan way all that stands out for me about Spurs is 15-20 years of being a Stoke-like club in the premier league, largely making up the numbers and hoping to bide your time for a chance to push higher up (something I advocated as a model for Stoke to be honest) and selling your better players to the clubs who will actually win something. Why would anyone hate Tottenham? You don't win enough of anything to upset anyone.

I don't hate Harry Kane. He just comes across as a bit thick, even by footballer standards. He's like a Phil Jones that learned how to keep the lower part of his mouth from hanging. 

Doesn't come across as thick at all to me. His voice possibly makes him sound thick, but what he actually says is fine.

[santy001]

20 minutes ago, Baptista_8 said:

Doesn't come across as thick at all to me. His voice possibly makes him sound thick, but what he actually says is fine.

It's more his eyes and facial expressions during interviews for me. Always seems like he's been surprised or a bit caught out by the question. Has to have a little think before he goes to "stock footballer answer". Conversations with Kane just seem to go at a snails pace. 

If you think Harry Kane's voice is anything to pull people up on, you probably haven't heard many people from around Stoke. Kane has a brilliant forwards mind/instinct whatever you wish to characterise it as. But he's never really come across as insightful about football, nor has he ever come across as particularly motivating. How does someone like Kane help keep the team calm/composed enough that if Gary Cahill is on the pitch he doesn't go wandering 15 yards out of position and hanging his defensive partners out to dry. Even John Terry struggled to do that at times.

[Baptista_8]

54 minutes ago, santy001 said:

If you think Harry Kane's voice is anything to pull people up on, you probably haven't heard many people from around Stoke. Kane has a brilliant forwards mind/instinct whatever you wish to characterise it as. But he's never really come across as insightful about football, nor has he ever come across as particularly motivating. How does someone like Kane help keep the team calm/composed enough that if Gary Cahill is on the pitch he doesn't go wandering 15 yards out of position and hanging his defensive partners out to dry. Even John Terry struggled to do that at times.

Defensive organisation isn't Kane's responsibility, captain or not.

[decapitated]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/may/22/england-squad-racial-abuse-fears-russia-world-cup

 

Quote

Concerns have been expressed within England’s multi-ethnic World Cup squad over bringing family and friends to the tournament, given fears that they could become targets for racial abuse in Russia.

The Football Association is working closely with players to ensure those family members who wish to go to the tournament will be safe but some squad members have expressed private concerns about potential problems. The experiences of the young Liverpool forward Rhian Brewster have been noted by the players, the teenager having lodged a complaint with Uefa after alleged racial abuse from the Spartak Moscow captain, Leonid Mironov, during a Uefa Youth League game last December.

That investigation was dropped by the governing body, which said it could find no evidence against Mironov after an inquiry which involved interviewing five players from each side and the match officials from the game at Prenton Park. Kick It Out said it was “deeply disappointed” with that result, with Liverpool praising Brewster’s “courage”. Mironov had denied the allegation.

Fifa confirmed this month that the Russian football association had been fined 30,000 Swiss francs (£22,000) after fans racially abused France players during a friendly in St Petersburg, where the England players’ family and friends would most likely stay. Monkey chants had been aimed at several black players during Les Bleus’ 3-1 win in March. Zenit St Petersburg were twice charged by Uefa last season following incidents of fan racism.

The FA has confirmed that England’s planning for the tournament will include preparing players for possible racial abuse, with Pippa Grange, a psychologist and the head of people and team development at the governing body, to cover in her World Cup workshops how to cope with racist incidents.

England’s players will not leave the pitch if they are victims as that runs the risk of being excluded from the tournament. Fifa protocol is that the match referee should be informed and he will in turn tell the fourth official.

Gareth Southgate has previously stressed that countries, including England, must also “get our house in order” over racism in football but the manager is aware of the history of the problem in Russia. “We work with our players on how we will support each other if anything like that was to happen,” he said. “The most important thing is that internally we are able to support our players if something does happen.”

 

[Razzler]

22 hours ago, enigmatic said:

Happy with Kane being involved everywhere except corner taking duties tbf

Don't want him dropping back and going all over the pitch feeling the need to take responsibility on the ball though. Want him where he'll do the most damage!

[Rob1981]

I would always have a CB as captain personally or a deep lying midfielder.  Watches the game unfold from the back.

[Barry Cartman]

The captain does nothing ffs, why do we obsess about it 

[Baptista_8]

15 minutes ago, Barry Cartman said:

The captain does nothing ffs, why do we obsess about it 

Exactly...if you're a leader, you'll lead. Don't need an armband for permission.

(I sound like Gareth Keenan)

[enigmatic]

Plus if you look at the history of recent England captains, Beckham didn't exactly sound like a natural leader but he didn't half pick his performances up when he got the armband whereas John Terry was every inch the theoretical ideal of a natural leader directing his team from the back, but his affair with one of his England teammates' girlfriends and racial abuse of another of their brothers didn't exactly make him a positive influence in the dressing room. 

Might as well continue the general tradition of giving the armband to the player we're most hoping can carry the team and who the press will try to destroy if he fires blanks regardless of whether he's supposed to be a leader or not.

[decapitated]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44285455

 

Quote

England footballer Raheem Sterling has defended his new tattoo of a gun, saying it has a "deeper meaning" and refers to his late father.

Anti-gun campaigners criticised the Manchester City forward after he shared a photo of himself with the tattoo of an M16 assault rifle on his leg.

The image has been called "totally unacceptable" and "sickening".

But Sterling said it reflects a vow he made to "never touch a gun" after his father was shot dead when he was a boy.

Sterling, 23, who will travel to Russia this summer as part of England's World Cup squad, first revealed his tattoo in a photo posted to Instagram of himself in training with team-mates at St George's Park.

Lucy Cope, who founded group Mothers Against Guns after her son was shot dead in 2012, said Sterling should not play for England unless he gets rid of the tattoo.

Speaking to the Sun newspaper, she said: "This tattoo is disgusting. Raheem should hang his head in shame. It's totally unacceptable.

"We demand he has the tattoo lasered off or covered up with a different tattoo.

"If he refuses he should be dropped from the England team. He's supposed to be a role model but chooses to glamorise guns."

Sterling, who joined City from Liverpool for £49m in July 2015, responded on Instagram on Monday evening.

Former England player-turned-pundit Gary Lineker said Sterling was "a terrific footballer with a brilliant work ethic", and called the Sun's treatment of him "disgusting".

According to previous reports, Sterling's father was killed in Kingston, Jamaica.

 

 

Between this and the story where they claimed Southgate was furious with him over arriving late, I do wonder if the Sun has it in for Sterling. It's particularly low to get a parent of a victim of gun crime to comment on it without giving her the context of the tattoo.

[adhikapp]

These S*n journalists. If it weren't for Sterling, they would be out of a job.

[foolsgold]

3 hours ago, decapitated said:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44285455

 

 

 

Between this and the story where they claimed Southgate was furious with him over arriving late, I do wonder if the Sun has it in for Sterling. It's particularly low to get a parent of a victim of gun crime to comment on it without giving her the context of the tattoo.

Without a doubt they do. The headlines are ridiculous - thankfully most people (and certainly nearly everyone below 40) have cottoned on to how crap they are now.

[Barry Cartman]

 

[Bliss Seeker]

Not defending the sun whatsoever, but ffs Sterling, a gun? Not a small one on his ankle either, a big giant ****ing automatic rifle!? 

His body he can do what he likes and chose how he'd like to remember his father, but that's irresponsible and poor judgement on his part. 

Forgetting his vilification in some areas of the press over the years, if any footballer, actually, if anyone decided to get a big ****ing gun tattooed on themselves they should rightly be critised. 

He says it not finished. Hopefully a there's a big red circle with a line across it coming next. 

 

[Lucas]

9 minutes ago, Bliss Seeker said:

Not defending the sun whatsoever, but ffs Sterling, a gun? Not a small one on his ankle either, a big giant ****ing automatic rifle!? 

His body he can do what he likes and chose how he'd like to remember his father, but that's irresponsible and poor judgement on his part. 

Forgetting his vilification in some areas of the press over the years, if any footballer, actually, if anyone decided to get a big ****ing gun tattooed on themselves they should rightly be critised. 

He says it not finished. Hopefully a there's a big red circle with a line across it coming next. 

Why do you (people in a general sense) care so much about a tattoo? 

And I'm not convinced this is really about a tattoo....

 

 

[Barry Cartman]

Daily Mail did the breakfast one recently 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5647871/Raheem-Sterling-treats-spot-breakfast-day-PFA-awards.html

 

[Barry Cartman]

 

[Bliss Seeker]

3 minutes ago, Lucas Weatherby said:

Why do you (people in a general sense) care so much about a tattoo? 

And I'm not convinced this is really about a tattoo....

 

 

It's obviously not just about tattoo. It's been quite clear for a number of years that there's people in the press who have targeted Sterling because of his background, and yes, the fact that he's a young black man with money doesn't fit into their narratives and something they can poke at. Oh, and he's from Liverpool, so he ticks all the wrong boxes. 

I think most people see through it these days, which is quite reassuring, but there's those out there who aren't exposed to what most people are saying and will use it as an excuse to target and abuse Sterling at the first time he doesn't play like a superstar.    It's been going on for a while now, I remember before even watching him play I heard about Raheem Sterling, entitled Liverpool Academy prospect who's a gangster who has 6 kids from 6 different women who he'd smack around.  It's developed from there. 

 

fwiw I do have an issue with anyone, especially someone who (whether or not he acknowledges it) kids look up to and emulate branding themselves with an instrument of murder.  It's poor taste and irresponsible.  The fact he stated that other than remembering his father, he chose it because because he 'shoots with is right foot' blurs the reasoning from doing something in tribute, to making light of what a gun actually does.  

His body, it's not the worst thing in the world and we'd not be talking about it about if put a lovely red rose at the end of it (still might!). 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, Bliss Seeker said:

 

fwiw I do have an issue with anyone, especially someone who (whether or not he acknowledges it) kids look up to and emulate branding themselves with an instrument of murder.  It's poor taste and irresponsible.  The fact he stated that other than remembering his father, he chose it because because he 'shoots with is right foot' blurs the reasoning from doing something in tribute, to making light of what a gun actually does.  

His body, it's not the worst thing in the world and we'd not be talking about it about if put a lovely red rose at the end of it (still might!). 

Its about educating the kids really. It's not in poor taste or irresponsible, that's pretty ludicrous and is just a cover for the systematic attack the likes of Raheem get purely on social class / racial background. 

If you really want to bring kids into it, what's actually irresponsible is not being responsible for your own kids and educating them that people do what they like with their bodies, and perhaps explain why. 

But no, I guess it's Raheem's fault and irresponsibility and not the parents, right? 

[Coulthard's Jaw]

8 minutes ago, Lucas Weatherby said:

Its about educating the kids really. It's not in poor taste or irresponsible, that's pretty ludicrous and is just a cover for the systematic attack the likes of Raheem get purely on social class / racial background. 

If you really want to bring kids into it, what's actually irresponsible is not being responsible for your own kids and educating them that people do what they like with their bodies, and perhaps explain why. 

But no, I guess it's Raheem's fault and irresponsibility and not the parents, right? 

We are where we are, plenty of young kids in this country of all races who don't get proper parenting, changing that is a long term social project. 

In the short to medium term, the issue of gun crime and the glamorisation of guns is a real issue, one of the country's leading black sportmen deciding to get a big **** off gun tattooed on his leg isn't massively helpful.

[Lucas]

2 minutes ago, Coulthard's Jaw said:

In the short to medium term, the issue of gun crime and the glamorisation of guns is a real issue, one of the country's leading black sportmen deciding to get a big **** off gun tattooed on his leg isn't massively helpful.

Say, your club badge is one huge massive gun too isn't it? 

Is "Up the Gunners" massively helpful to be teaching kids?