England's View

It's over again. Not quite as disappointing as Dan Petrescu ex Chelsea and Rumania putting us out back in 2000 or Sol Campbell's goal being erroneously disallowed against Argentina back in 98 but still gutting. Creating our very own World Record of choosing 5 pen shoot outs from the last 6 tournaments as an exit ploy is not a good thing. To be fair it is a massive amount of pressure and it is equal for both sides but our boys look like they spend most of their day cossetted in wool and take to penalties like a rabbit in headlights. It is part of the game only they can get over it, Chelsea did. I cannot fault their attitude I can however fault our choice of players again. There is no doubt that each and every player did their best and are some of the best players in England but World Class, tbh most are not and even when a player is average sometimes his flash of genuis is what we need, it didn't happen. Who can argue that Milner is an excellent footballer but never world class he looked tired from about 20 minutes in to the game, he stopped covering for Johnson and hardly a single decent cross, the only thing he really does deliver at Man City. Johnson had flashes of why he's been paid big money by Chelsea and Liverpool but on this stage he looked faltering and dodgy. John Terry had a magnificent game almost as if now he is no longer Captain there was a weight gone and he proved the perfect partner for Lescott who was and is also one of our best. Ashley Cole as always excellent, his pen however was nervous. Look them in the eye Ash you are good enough mate.
Ashley Young should like Milner have been removed at half time both need to look at themselves, underperforming is an understatement. Rooney did what he does, ran out of steam but with Andy Carroll might have had success if only his fitness hadn't left him, boy he tries though no doubt. Gerrard and Parker again 'great' but getting cramp so early proved they were working harder than some of their teammates or maybe in spite of them. Wellbeck I think is one that will blossom perhaps that goal with the heel gave him some idea he was already the complete player, he isn't but boy he's good. Overall I believe we ended were our ability put us, I'm disappointed as an Englishman because yet again we've gone home but as a football fan Italy deserved the win. Roy Hodgeson is a safe pair of hands and I think in 2 years he will effect change, let's hope he also has the balls to cut players who although play well for their club don't have that needed skillset to complete the jigsaw that is an England World Cup winning team.

Before you complain, no time for a cartoon, besides England did alright. Speaking of alright well done the Greeks, need something to cheer about don't they. Glad to see Europe's biggest cheats - the Dutch- probably heading out, they cheated their way to the WC final and thankfully it wasn´t enough to help them this time. The sad thing is they have so much genuine talent but would rather fall, dive and cheat instead of fighting on come on Portugal tonight on that one. The Poland/Croatia game was good but as pundits said on the BBC Poland were out of ideas and I think it right that Croatia went through it also put Russia into perspective, bully the world from the security council but you can't dictate when the field is level. I admit to confusion as to why they rather than Greece went out though 'cos the goal difference was there but it was head to head? FIFA forever changing the rules again .. or Sep Blatter/Platini playing power?
Finally England, good to see Walcott who I believe isn't world class yet scoring a great goal and admitting at least facially he wasn't all that sure what happened, I like a bit of humanity and it seems with more youth around him he comes alive. Another argument for ditching the Old Guard. Gerrard was good but needs to be bolder and Wellbeck, was creative and confident, sweet. I don't see why Rooney should be automatic selection for the Ukraine game, stick him on the bench and only use him if we are losing with 20 minutes to go, call it a get us out of jail if you are so good card! England still have a lot to do and beating Ukraine NOT going for the draw as Gordon Strachan says is the right way to go but I wonder if their nerve will hold under pressure, it showed some signs of cracking against Sweden when in reality they were wayyy the better team. John Terry and his play backwards influence taking over or am I being too paranoid about the Old Guard again?
Final note to Roy, Ox-Cham should have had longer on field, don't put doubt in his mind if he was good enough for a first game start he is good enough every game.. unless he's injured.

Euros Begin

So the Euro's kick off with a whimper from the first draw to the bang of Russia and Schevchenko doing for Ukraine what I so wished he'd done more often when he wore a Chelsea shirt. England however have surprised me. Not so much in the lower level of expectation for it is correct but in the way Hodgson in my opinion handled the situation so far. I was as a fan frankly angered by Rio Ferdinand's 'agent' coming out publicly, so obviously mouthpiecing for Rio who didn't dare incase the fans ranked against him. Rio for me has been one of England's talents, ranking alongside, Steve Bruce, Dave Watson maybe even Graham Roberts but not quite reaching the world class of Ashley Cole, Tony Adams or the magnificient Bobby Moore. He always seemed to not quite be utterley safe and his ailing back is also a problem so good on Hodgson for telling it straight. He had cover, didn't need Rio but wanted to do what every Englishman said the F.A. should do after the World Cup fiasco and picked a young new talent. His decision also to give Gerrard in his autumnal years the armband and putting Terry in his box on it was the right thing to do. I've long been an admirer of a midfield captain though I understand why it more often than not is the central defender. The game itself played out well. Milner proved why he is not really a 'first name on the sheet' player with that miss that was so bad and could cost us games if he carries on performing under par. Young showed again promise but I think he needs to shrug off his tendency to fall rather than fight on and overall, yes France had more possession but once we did what we could do and ignored French style of play we showed more than enough talent to beat them .... on another day. I genuinely believe with England it is all down to confidence and the players we have coming through if they can ignore most of the seniors advice and take only the parts that don't affect their own game can do well. Yes John Terry spends his game demanding a ball to him but miss him out and pass it forward, by forward I don´t mean hoof it either I mean pass it for no matter what these pundits say, our footballers can pass a ball when they have to. If they can't then Roy knows what training they need to brush up on. Finally Rooney sat on the bench, who cares what he looked like it's all about what he was. A spoilt brat that lessened our chances against France by his stupid childish behaviour, the same behaviour that has his wife in tears everytime he wants another fondle of a granny for a few quid. Grow up man you earn a fortune luckily enough doing something most of us would dream about and most of us would be glad we are there not so self centred that we'd risk a nations dreams cos we are too big for our boots. Roll on Sweden and if Defoe, Young, Carroll and anyone up front is doing well can I suggest Rooney goes on the subs bench every game until we think he deserves a chance to prove himself again.

I see the media frenzy on Roy Hodgson has already started. It's the let's undermine the manager we don't want so when we fail we can tell everyone how right we were. Glassback, aka Rio Ferdinand has gotten his 'rep' to do the dirty work too. 'I can't believe he's not picked', well to be honest sweetie I can't believe Roy picked half of them, much as I love 'em I among with many other England fans after the debacle of the WC wanted a fresh start. That meant no Ferdinand, Lampard, Terry, Gerrard, Glen Johnstone, Walcott, Gareth Barry, etc etc. Instead we want young (I know Walcott is young but he is pants on a world stage and only looks good cos Arse are so Arse) up and coming players. Yes keep Wayne but tell him one transgression and he is off I'm sick of players who think they have a right to be bad tempered getting away with ruining our chances. Beckham reformed so should he or it's the slag heap. I bet if Roy was left alone and picked a bunch of newly capped teenagers we'd have more passion, football and a little bit of razzamatazz just right for the Jubilee year. Sour faced whingeing overpaid talentless nonentities please stay home and if you want proof the other day I heard a TV pundit say "Of course we are never going to pass the ball and keep possession like other countries" why not? Are we so shite we can never pass a ball .... defeated before we start by the media and morale busters like Ferdinand. BTW that's not rascist just an opinion of the situation incase you are thinking of an excuse to deny I'm right.

Diamond Jubilee

The Diamond Jubilee Weekend is here. Gibraltar is festooned with the flags as it often is but given the recent fishing dispute it seems slightly more British than it might have been. Nothing wrong in that it is human nature. The weather is good the sea is bloody cold and I'm constantly wondering where the weeks are going. Once again the Queen isn't coming and to be fair it's about time she did and bugger the Foreign Office. We are getting Eddie & Sophie which is a bit like being told you've won the lottery and finding out it was only 1 number and 1 star. If UK is ashamed of its past fine but its past is still relevant to some of its dominions and we are one such kid. Except we've grown up a bit and like all young adults want things we are entitled to and if you won't give it then we'll damn well get it ourselves. I wonder if the Chief Minister actually invited the Queen or did some civil servant say "Best not Chief Minister, it's not how things are done you know!" Well I want the Queen not Eddie or Andy or even Charles (though I expect him here after his coronation), it's HM or nothing. Congratulations to Her Majesty have a great Jubilee Year and by the way Easyjet do a cheap return from Gatwick if you don't fancy the trip from Windsor to Heathrow on B.A. Apologies for the less than perfect quality on the cartoon I have no scanner at the moment so it is a photo of the original x