Why does everyone hate the English?

After the humiliation of our best effort being almost ignored by the FIFA committee when most people knew that we have better facilities and more experience at international level than Russia we must accept that it was a deliberate snub. It seems apparent that certain FIFA delegates promised us their vote and then reneged on the promise so we must face the fact that we are, for whatever reason, disliked in the footballing world but does it go further than that?

The Scots, the Welsh and the Irish certainly don't view England with any warmth. The Muslim community while welcoming our money demonstrate noisily at every opportunity against this country.

Despite the sacrifices of all our troops the Afghans, according to Wikileaks, don't really want us there and who could argue against that. The only people who want us in Afghanistan are a few politicians who can't seal our borders and prefer sacrificing soldiers.

Again according to Wikileaks the Americans don't think that we have done a very good job in Helmand Province and they are supposed to be our closest ally. Certainly we seem to have few friends in Europe as we have ignored the Euro and kept the pound.

We continue, despite cuts in every government department, to fund an enormous Foreign Aid programme and what do we get back from it. On the surface I think that we are just throwing good money after bad and hopefully after his humiliation at the hands of Sepp Blatter and his gang David Cameron will revisit this hopeless waste of money.

We are losing respect everywhere and the decommissioning of the Ark Royal is another example of how weak we have become. I just wish that David Cameron was 'a child of Thatcher' but he most certainly isn't and I fear that we have not had a decent leader since she was betrayed.

It is high time that we got off the world stage and concentrated on our own people. Clearly we are not wanted on it and Gordon Brown and the EU have ensured that we can't afford it.

World Cup 2018

Well I did tell you yesterday that Russia would win the vote from the esteemed committee that governs who gets the World Cup. The day after Wikileaks suggests that there is a strong link between the Kremlin and the Russian crime syndicates it surprises me not one jot that Russia won the vote.

They wrap it all up with words like history, culture and sport but I still believe that our slush fund just isn't large enough for this game. I doubt if we will ever see the World Cup in England again and we shouldn't waste any more time on it.

Ha! Ha! As I am writing this post Sepp Blatter has just announced that bloody Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup! Can you credit that? Qatar is probably the most unsuitable country in the world to host a major event purely on the grounds of climate if nothing else. However, this rich little oil state would of course possess a huge slush fund capable of greasing so many palms.

Don't tell me that the Panorama programme was out of line. They were spot on and probably didn't quite get to the full extent of the problem.

World Cup 2018

I have just seen quite a sad sight on the national news. It was the sight of an aged Sir Bobby Charlton backing our bid for the 2018 World Cup Finals. He was the most magnificent player the like of which we have never seen again. To see him croaking with hands shaking was to me unnecessary.

This country is the home of football. Our heartbeat is football and we have everything necessary to stage a really professional World Cup. If that so called World Cup committee, who have been accused of corruption, cannot see that we are far, far, better placed than say South Africa to stage a large event then we know that unsavoury motives are involved.

There has to be a reason that this country has not been granted a World Cup final and I can only surmise that we don't have a large enough slush fund. To my mind the result is a foregone conclusion because Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader, didn't even bother to attend. We sent political royalty, constitutional royalty and footballing royalty and I think it will be ignored!

The German Football Team

Well damn me they have done it again! In every major football tournament the Germans turn up with their worst team in the history of German football and then proceed to uncover future world stars! This is not an accident. They are so well prepared and the underlying reason is their education system!

Honest I know that you don't believe me but the German education system is superb...well it was when I spent 15 years in the country. During the time that I was on an interpretership course, paid for by the British Army, I witnessed their youth football programme and I also witnessed their education system. They understand the value of education which successive British governments have done their best to malign.

In this country in the meantime we have, thanks to Tony Blair and Gorgon Brown, abolished competitive sport in schools. The boys now have to take part in poncy dance performances alongside the girls who of course love it. I know because I witnessed my beautiful granddaughter (and she really is special) dancing alongside lads who frankly hated the whole deal! The future footballers are prancing about to songs from Abba when they should be learning ball control.

The problem is that at primary school level the male figure is non existent. The football coach is so far removed from the primary school in England that only the sons of dedicated parents are introduced into the English footballing system. Therefore only the kids who have ambitious parents will eventually play football, the rest will probably join gangs and experiment in drugs despite what Dianne Abbot our esteemed black,female MP maintains.

In Germany they begin at 5 years of age. Every village has a club. Every village hosts a tournament and if everything is level then kids take spot kicks! My own son was the goalkeeper for the State (county) age team at the age of eleven. I saw their system at first hand. It continually produces first class German players even if they are sons of immigrants.

Education is the key but in England at least the ladies who run the schools generally don't like sport they like dance! I saw so many fat kids the other night that it is obvious that dance does not replace football unless of course they are very dedicated! Hell dare I offer my services to my grandaughter's local school... naw don't go there...aw hell here we go again! Never mind I am 68 so I would be rejected!

The World Cup in South Africa

Well I did give him some advice but Fabio Capello ignored me and now we are out of the World Cup. Do you know I don't mind losing, if you play or follow sport there always has to be losers, but it was the manner of how we lost that disappointed me. I don't know what was or is wrong with this squad but mentally they weere unprepared for this very important game.

Organisation in football particularly in defence is elementary. All the international teams today have their defence organised and that is why goals are so difficult to come by in modern international football. Sometimes this afternoon I could not believe the naivety of Terry and Upson. They were hopeless and the Germans had chances for many more goals. Even after he scored I thought that Fabio should replace Upson with Ledley King. We needed someone who could come on and sort out the shambles.

When we needed a goal he selected Heskey and Crouch never got a look in despite his impressive goal per game ratio. I just do not understand how a renowned coach could get it all wrong when he needed to get it all right. I take no joy in predicting that if Capello did not sacrifice one or two of his sacred cows then we would go out. I don't know if there is anything physically wrong with Rooney but the player we all know never arrived in South Africa and should have been subbed.

I suspect that we are yet again back to square one and that players once dubbed the 'golden generation' will never be allowed to forget this abject performance. As for Capello I must say enough is enough. We MUST have an Englishman in charge and he must have a proven track record. I would still give 'Arri' Redknapp the job but would he want it?

The World Cup in South Africa

Well tomorrow will tell the tale! Once again we are against our traditional rivals the 'Jermaaans' who we all know bombed our chip shops! The press seem to focus on the bad aspects of this rivalry but there are very many positive aspects to this game tomorrow.

We are playing European rivals and we know how they play. The German team are generally young and at this level they are inexperienced where all of our lads can play at this level. That does not make them easy. German teams are never easy but what amazes me is that the German press think that we will be easy. I hope that Fabio will have the translations of the German press festooned around the dressing room.

I believe that we will win. I have to believe that. Failure at this level is not an option. Tomorrow will be another nail biting 90 minutes and let us hope that Andy Murray has set the precedent... because he is on a mission.

The World Cup in South Africa

Wow! Such relief and on we go. This was the result that we needed even though we had a few wobbles and although it was better it was not a World Cup winning performance. However, to be fair we are now out of the group and we are going to be very hard to beat. From now on it is cup football and our boys know all about that.

James Milner showed what he can do and for me was the man of the match. At last a winger who can beat a man and cross the ball. He could, now he has got into the game, prove to be a match winner in the later rounds. I must admit I was astonished to see Defoe selected ahead of Crouch but nobody can argue against the guy who scores the only goal.

The defence continues to be strong and reliable with John Terry outstanding and the two full backs very difficult to beat and always in the game. One game at a time lads...steady boys steady!

The World Cup in South Africa

It's Father's Day, so before I depart to be 'entertained' by my grandchildren I will endeavour to drop a bit of advice into Fabio's ear. DROP FRANK LAMPARD!! Leave the back four alone Upson or Dawson can still do a job! Gareth Barry is essential as he showed against Algeria. In front of him the problem starts because Rooney is lost. It is quite clear that he is uncomfortable with his position.

So bring in Peter Crouch and pair him with Heskey. That pair would terrify most defences in the air and Crouch is no mean player on the ground either. Move Rooney back where he can do the most damage behind the front two and put Joe Cole and Stevie Gerrard on either eide of him (it doesn't matter whether those two play right of left)!

Now we have four world class players bossing midfield and I would defy anyone to defeat them. Forget the obsession with pace and play people who can pass and cross a ball. Get Rooney involved and then he might show the passion which Carlos Tevez shows in every game

There you go Fabio and it was all for free! Just go out and win the World CUP!!

The World Cup in South Africa

Can anyone quite believe what is going on? Fabio Capello who we all thought had at long last put together a half decent team is acting like a demented fool on the touchline and his team is reacting to it. He seems to have real blind spots and unless he gets back to reality then we will be home before the competition begins in earnest.

It is quite clear that some of our stalwarts are underperforming. The two principle candidates are Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard. Rooney appears to be lost. He cannot beat a man, cannot control the ball and his current lack of energy actually threatens the team. Lampard is also so far off the pace that he is rarely seen in promising positions.

Surely Capello can see this? Why can he not recognise that players he has previously seen as essential to his quest are not performing? What has he got against Joe Cole and Peter Crouch? I would like to see Crouch and Heskey just once as a dual strike force but it never happens. Rooney should be playing behind the strike force. Why does Capello persist in speedy wingers with no end product. Most English supporters agree that Crouch and Joe Cole should be first choice players and yet they are consistently ignored.

If we are to save our faces and actually threaten a team like Slovenia (can I believe that I am writing this?) then Capello has got to have the courage to sacrifice a couple of sacred cows. He must change his system of at least find a system. I feel sorry for people like Glen Johnson, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Gareth Barry because they are stepping up to the mark. To be honest Emile Heskey is also really trying but he is all physical and we need some skill up front.

Get it sorted Fabio or some of us will be proven correct when we believed that veteran English managers like Roy Hodgson or 'Arry' would have been better options. I have my fingers tightly crossed.

The World Cup in South Africa

Hm that damned noise is doing my head in but ... I suppose noise is noise! Already we are discovering that there may be a new world order and I suspect that some of the old guard may not be able to march through the qualifying rounds like they could.
The team that will win needs to be well organised and above all respectful of the opposition. One can no longer disregard teams like Japan and South Korea. They are technically very bright which brings me back to England.

We have very few of our multi millionaires who can actually control and pass a ball. They are largely athletes who are physically strong but are limited on the ball. We lose possession far too often, far too easily. So how can we improve? Fabio arrived with a reputation of fairness and has like all the others succumbed to the English press.

In my opinion Gareth Barry is one of our few footballers and if he has recovered he should start against Algeria on Friday. That means the Gerrard/Lampard axis should thankfully be split up. I know that this is heresay but I would 'rest' Frank Lampard.
Gerrard is always up for it but Frank drifts in and out of the game. Joe Cole has to be brought back into the game and in my opinion at the expense of Lennon who has speed but little end product. Oh for Adam Johnson!

At the back Jamie Carragher is too slow. He will be caught out when the games step up a gear. I just wish Fabio had given Michael Dawson a pre World Cup game because he might need him before this is all over. After watching the Slovenia/Algeria game I have little worry that we will not qualify. They are both quite poor but we cannot take it easy and I worry that we may believe the press impression that we have a divine right to reach the quarter finals.

So far only Germany (as usual) have appeared a really useful team. They looked really good against Australia. The rest have been much of a muchness. Little imagination, little excitement and only that damned noise. Things must get better!

John Terry

I am not surprised that life has at last caught up with John Terry. He has always been a loose cannon and although he is a great footballer is it not time to teach the public that footballers have a responsibility? They are role models and as such they have a responsibility to the young.

Terry is a prat. He has always been a prat, his history is littered by indiscretions involving booze, sex and violence. His family are always in the press for indiscretions. They believe that the fame of their son make them inviolate. They can steal, deal in drugs and generally behave like idiots even though it damages their son.

I know that we want to win the World Cup. I accept that John Terry is a huge part of our World Cup team BUT I think that Fabio Capello should bin him!! Take him out because he is a disgrace! We have people to take his place so we should get rid of him.

Can you imagine the impact on the morality of the country. Suddenly the captain of England is not inviolate; he is actually being punished for being a prat! Someone is being publically chastised and I believe that Capello should leave him behind and let him suffer.

John Terry is a symbol of the malaise which inflicts our society today. Nobody has ever said 'No' to John Terry because he is an icon. Everyone wants to please him and so he does as he pleases. I want to call time on that. Fabio could bin him and I would hope that he might. It is time to call time on a disgraceful individual. Even now BBC are trying to excuse him. I wonder how Wayne Bridges feels about that!

Yeh I know that I am in dreamland but we must rediscover morality in this country. Perhaps we should start with John Terry? Perhaps when Matthew Upson is seen holding the World Cup on high then John Terry will think that Sh**ging his mate's girlfriend was not a good idea!

The World Cup in South Africa

I see that FIFA are beginning to panic because only one third of the tickets have been sold. Are they really surprised? They have handed their feature product to a country which has an horrendous record on violence. Friends of mine who have gone to visit relatives have related that white families lock their homes at 6pm and dare not venture out!

This is ridiculous and if I know that then so do many others. It costs a lot of money on a long haul flight and then when one gets to South Africa the venues are hundreds of miles apart. The cost of internal flights must also be prohibitive. Decent safe hotels could also be in short supply so all in all it was a stupid choice for a World Cup Final.

Like so many others I will sit at home and watch it on the telly knowing that the chance of me being macheted to death for stumbling into the wrong district has been marginally reduced!

England and Fabio Capello

I have always been a real football fan. It has been a huge part of my life and time after time I have been left disappointed by the performance of the England team. I remember drinking alone in Berlin the night that we lost a two goal lead against Germany in the 1970 World Cup.

I remember the devastation of the loss against Poland four years later. The 'hand of God goal'and the other defeats along the line. So many hopes and so little success. We have always had the players but in my opinion we have never had the management. OK I concede that Terry Venables nearly made it in 1996 but the best manager we never had was of course the irascible Brian Clough!

So here we go again because tonight we took on Belarus after a run of six games without defeat (I think) and once again our boys triumphed against a very skilful team. There is a spirit in the current team which is difficult to quantify. Something is going on because they are united, respectful and motivated. These boys are giving everything for the cause and they seem desperate to achieve.

This team is not the finished article. There are still deficiencies along the left flank which I am sure Joe Cole will solve. The full backs do not always fill people with confidence. The Lampard/Gerrard debate will continue which is probably the major challenge for the manager.

That is the conundrum. At long last England have a manager who the press cannot attack! He is the real deal and the players are responding. The press must be wondering how they will sell their papers! Fabio runs a tight ship. He obviously has the respect of the millionaires and even someone like Steven Gerrard is concerned that he may be dropped. That means that this team is together and that is the reputation that Fabio Capello has. He builds a family team. Nobody of stature wants to be on the outside looking in.

England may be on the march. It has been a long time but I hope that we win the World Cup again before I die. It is a major task.