That's what the vast majority of fans have been doing. We might be unbeaten in the last 8 years but that amounts to maybe 20 games against teams not ranked in the top 50 in the world - yet we've drawn probably 25% of them (without looking). We play awful awful defensive football. Taking Sterling off for Keane in the 85th minute when there are two strikers on the bench really sums up the managerial mindset. If you want to support England through thick and thin - by all means do so, but there's no reason to try and force your affinity with the team on other people. If people have fallen out of love with national set up then that's their prerogative. All I saw was a bunch of overpaid premadonas being instructed to do things by bang average coaches.
Thought you supported Northern Ireland? It's the treatment of the national side that is a complete embarrassment.
weve completely luck boxed our groups in comparison to the rest. Put us in any other of the groups and I doubt we qualify. The teams we've faced in the last 8 years are: Lithuania Estonia Switzerland San Marino Slovenia Malta Scotland Slovakia Poland Ukraine Montenegro Wales Bulgaria None of them are really a top 10 side in the world (regardless of what FIFA rankings claim) Now look at recent England results in major competitions: France - Drew Sweden - Won Italy - Lost Wales - Won Russia - Drew Ukraine - Won Slovakia - Drew Iceland - Lost Uruguay - Lost Costa Rica - Drew Italy - Lost Your '8 years unbeaten' record is merely papering over the fact that we've had easy groups against easy opposition. I'm sure Scotland could have a 50 year unbeaten record if they played San Marino 3 times a year.
Look at who Spain have played. Look who the Germans have played. Neither have better records in qualifying. 5 of the teams listed their are tournament regulars: Ukraine, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland & Poland. Only some of the games are against minnows.
Spain's European championship qualifying record in the last 10 years is played 20 - won 19, lost 1 Spain's World Cup championship qualifying record in the last 8 years is played 18 won 15, drawn 3. They have had qualifying groups with France and Italy. Please explain what we've done better than that?
I'm a total disgrace then. Not watched an England game in years, I stopped because I was bored senseless, and because of the way football finances work at the highest level. I know you won't agree with me and I'll probably get some abuse, but the sad fact is there's loads like me. Sooner or later someone at the highest level will have to question why?
Explain how our record is better? Germany also haven't lost a World Cup qualifier in 10 years, winning them all apart from a 4-4 draw with Sweden. Please explain how our record is better? Edit: Actually 3 draws in the 10 years - still a lot better record than ours
The commentator last night said our qualifying record is better than anyone in Europe with 8 years unbeaten. Not gonna argue with that. Fantastic achievement.
Well soccerway suggests otherwise. How fantastic have we done in actual tournaments other than the qualifying for them? Bang average achievement and the minimum we should be expecting..
You can say it if you want, I've heard worse. We obviously don't have the same views on this, but surely you have to question why so many of us are saying the same thing? Boring, sterile football against greatly inferior teams whom we struggle to break down. Then when we reach a major tournament we invariably just embarrass ourselves. My wife comes from Germany and I've lots of friends over there - have you any idea about the stick I get about the England team? It's embarrassing, in their eyes we're a complete laughing stock. And sadly, I can't defend our team, because it's true.
Gareth Southgate & Roy Hodgson are not good managers and we have underachieved at major tournaments in recent years but that is no valid reason to desert the team. Football fans should never desert their team of birth.