Can England win the World Cup?

There's a lot of talk over here and some genuine belief that England could go all the way in South Africa next summer. Lots of quality players (James Milner, Carlton Cole) are coming through into a team with several top class established players (Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, David Beckham). However it always seems to me that when playing together all the England stars don't perform as well as they can do. Take tonight's defence in Amstersdam (Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashely Cole) - it looked very poor at times and let Holland through to score two gifts of a goal. Then there is the goalkeeper conundrum: a long list of hopeful England 'keepers (David James, Paul Robinson, Robert Green, Ben Foster, Joe Hart) but not one stands out as a world-class player. Midfield is also tricky, to me David Beckham remains a crucial player in the England set up - even though he is approaching 35. It is a well know fact that England's two best centre midfielders (Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard) find it impossible to play on top form together, so England must look to the likes of Ashley Young and Gareth Barry to fill the gap - both great players also. Do England have just too much choice? Up front long-standing England no.9 Emile Heskey looks slow whilst Wayne Rooney has failed to make an impact for a while and the likes of Michael Owen and Peter Crouch haven't been seen doing anything remarkable for a long time. Jermain Defoe shone tonight with two goals, but England have yet to find a consistently top class goalscorer.

Riding on the wave of an unbeaten World Cup qualifying campaign, England genuinely believe they are in with a chance of becoming world champions next year. But let's not forget their qualification games have been against the likes of Andorra, and when facing the best teams in the world such as Spain to whom they lost 4-0 earlier this year, England just do not look that good. They drew with Holland, lost to France recently (hardly one of the world's best teams anymore) and failed to qualify for Euro 2008 which was only last year.

The players are good. They management is good. The team is not. Can England find their form and their best choice team before 2010 and turn into serious contenders with the likes of Brazil, Spain, Italy, Argentina et al for the World Cup?

Probably not.

No, they dont have the team. Argentina have a better class of players as do Italy, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Brazil and Holland. There is no denying that they have a talented squad but there are A LOT better teams than them out there.

I would say it is on a par with saying that Aston Villa will win the premiership.

THANK GOD!!

Can Dublin win Sam? I rest my case .......

I think they can and I think they will.

What sport are we talking about here?

Anoybody can but England won't is my short but honest opinion. It's quarter final heartbreak again, although I'll only care if Sylvan Ebanks Blake makes the squad, years of Championship football have numbed me to pretty much any football match above the level say the Premier League relegation battle at the best!

England have ONE world class player, Rooney.

They have a lot of hard working runners, such as Gerrard, but no technique whatsoever.

Google the world cup and you will find it is won by Brazil, Italy, Germany or Argentina, or maybe the host nation. Uruguay used to win it but have fallen away.

Belgium, USA and such have a better record that England.

So history would suggest that England's chance of world cup success would be on a par with Limerick's chances of winning Sam.

who honestly gives a sh*t what they can or can't win

JimWexford wrote:who honestly gives a sh*t what they can or can't win

Woooooooo - English tourist numbers obviously way down in the sunny South East this year .....

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

JimWexford wrote:who honestly gives a sh*t what they can or can't win

Woooooooo - English tourist numbers obviously way down in the sunny South East this year .....

no not really I just have no time for the queens game.
THis is a GAA site talking about the direct competition.

I was one of those who voted against croker to open still stand by that view but I respect the majority ( I still have not watched a game of soccer to be played in that venue and never will-live or on the TV, also have turned down numerous rugby tickets)
Rugby is different it represents 32 counties ie Ireland
Soccer represents 26 or 6 whatever way you look at it not the full shilling.
As I said paint drying on a wet day is more fun to watch

I fully respect your noble stand Jim sir!

ps if you get offered any more rugby tickets I'll take them off ya!

Jayo Cluxton wrote:I fully respect your noble stand Jim sir!

ps if you get offered any more rugby tickets I'll take them off ya!

Ok

JimWexford wrote:

Jayo Cluxton wrote:I fully respect your noble stand Jim sir!

ps if you get offered any more rugby tickets I'll take them off ya!

Ok

and if there are any left after Jayo has had his pickings i might be interested Jim thanks (rugby tickets not soccer)

It's tormenting the hearts and minds of our local population as well.
You can hardly go to Mass, Mart or bog but some toothless "elder" will open the conversation with the now familiar query "any word on Terry?"
We thought for a while it was a query regarding Terry Bohan's health, but such is not the case. (Terry is on the mend)
The phrase "wide men" used to refer to Northern cattle tanglers with tan boots and hats but it's now used in connection with lively wing half forwards.
Some of these lads have even been heard making observations like "O'Gara is in the pocket" "turnover ball" and the likes, as they supped pints on Saturdays of rugby matches.

Christ, you couldn't make it up......