Do you believe in England?

[Chris Website URL Visit Site 𝕏 fmcj10 Instagram fmcj10]

The other Friday when England played Melta, I heard a lot of interesting thoughts regarding the current national team - including views on Gareth Southgate.

It seems like there's a large amount of national fans who don't believe in the current crop of players.

I myself have lost interest in watching them, I used to watch all the friendlies religiously but for me these days I just don't expect to be entertained. It's not that I don't believe, it's more a lack of interest. Yet I have become that disillusioned with the current setup, team and choice of managers that I can see how badly it's ruined the English game.

I recall rushing home as a school boy back in 96', eagerly excited to watch the likes of David Seaman, Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne, David Platt, Steve McManaman etc.

These days I don't have the same level of interest, and it's a shame to some degree.

Listening to the 'Three Lions' song it makes me remember how fun it was to watch England, yet at as a nation we don't seem to have the same level of passion. It's almost like being a Notts fan - 'Rooney's crap, he should retire' - it's becoming very negative. This adds to my frustration, as a fan I always remain optimistic about our chances of national glory.

Though it would help if we had a strong team that restored a level of faith.

How do you feel about the current national team? Do you feel we English fans believe? I'd love to see peoples opinions.

[Joe Jones]

There are several key issues which have impacted on the England national team pretty much from grassroots up:

- Coaching (not enough qualified coaches)

- Emphasis on big physical players instead of skill

- Poor funding at grassroots level

- Stakes too high in leagues - no risks taken with youngsters (not blooded / just loaned out or released)

- Clubs more powerful than nation (things like not releasing players to youth national teams)

- English players unwilling to play abroad and expand their game

- Money over development attitude among the bigwigs

- A hostile media willing to sabotage the team for the sake of a scoop (Sam Allardyce is smarter, more astute and more modern than he gets credit for, he could have got England to a 1/4 or 1/2 final easy)

- Arrogance/entitlement among fans/players (Hart was apparently openly showing contempt towards the Iceland players during their game, thinking it was a sure result)

- PRACTICE BLOODY PENALTIES

So yeah, even with the youth teams doing so well at the minute, which is great to see, it won't count for anything if those players end up getting nothing but reserve team and lower league loan football before being discarded by their parent clubs and ending up at a Swansea or Barnsley or whatever.

[DangerousSausage]

To be fair @Chris the era around 1996 was a bit of an exceptional one for the national team. Before then we had Graham Taylor's outfit playing in front of paltry crowds (I remember 20,000 at Wembley) and no-one really believed in Bobby Robson's team either until the surprise success in 1990. Personally I find international football a chore. There's often little atmosphere and the football is disjointed as the players aren't really used to playing together like they are at the clubs.

[Fozzy]

I've always maintained that the side that went out to Brazil in 2002 would have won the world cup, but for Beckham breaking his foot and Seaman being past his best.

Since then it has been a bit of a sorry state, with Scholes being pushed out of the England central role (and into retirement) in favour of workmanlike Lampard and Gerrard (neither anywhere near as good) and just a drab selection policy and tactics. England seem to have more of a liking for selecting players with good engines, rather than skill.

Hoddle, Waddle, Barnes and Le Tissier would have all probably played more games for a better international side, but they just didn't have the English work ethic.

The one hope we have is the success of our junior sides this year, but they need game time in the Premier league, which I can't see happening any time soon.

As for this current England side? Well I had the Malta game on in the background, but I couldn't be bothered with last night's game and didn't even know the score until this morning.

[upthepies]

I don't watch England myself anymore, its just depressing to witness the current state of affairs and its not remotely entertaining at all.

[liampie]

its not something i go out of why to watch but i do think we have a good team, we just have less big names now but i though england did well the other night and against malta.

[TheSkipper 𝕏 TheSkipperNCFC]

I watch but its like seeing Notts play.

Both the last two performances was pretty average and England only looked decent in spells. I do think we are better than most would admit but the national team could be much better.

[ivansneck]

Stopped watching them in the early80's


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[super_ram]

It's not a team, just a collection of individuals who for the most part(appear to) think they are better than they actually are.

[Countyman]

England just needs a wave of new stars and they will be fine. The only problem for me is over hyping players like Marcus Rashford, it stunts their natural development but as we saw with Wayne Rooney its only a temporary thing.