Jun 20
Familiar guff from Messi, and a word on England fans/Rooney
So yesterday some journalist — for the 43406th time — asked Lionel Messi who his favourite footballers were. And Messi listed out familiar names — among them, to our interest, was Wayne Rooney.
“At the moment, there are maybe Ronaldo, Rooney, Xavi and one or two more – but I can’t think of one that plays with the desire of Rooney,” he said, conveniently forgetting his Argentine team-mate and resident grafter — or in Ferguson’s words, trier — Carlos Tevez. We actually like this slight, however inadvertent it might have been.
“It would be a dream to play with Rooney if Manchester United ever came to the point where they needed to sell him,” Messi told the Daily Star.
You know what Lionel; here’s an idea. You love the game a lot. Rooney loves the game a lot. Money is not a factor for you. You love playing with Rooney. So why don’t you come to Manchester, have a kickabout with Rooney, or better still: buy out your contract with Barcelona, and come play for us at Manchester United for £100 (yes, not million) a week, you know, because we can’t really afford you right now? I’m sure Rooney would love to play alongside you too.
Anyway, he goes on and on, and it’s a bit odd, seeing him go on and on about it in the midst of the world cup. We’ll let out a collective groan, a sigh, and move on to other things.
* * *
We all know about the Wayne Rooney outburst: “Nice to see your own fans booing you. If that’s what loyal support is.”
There’s been a predictable media storm over Rooney and it’s been tied with his piss-poor performances for England. Of course, they are also demonizing Capello — the same manager who presided over a fairly successful qualification campaign for England. [There have been some glaring blunders by Capello, over the past two matches, but that's a discussion for another day.]
The issues at hand here are two-fold. One: the booing of the players in the dying minutes of the game by England fans, and two: Rooney losing it in front of camera, taking a shot at said fans for said behaviour.
I’ve always held the view that booing one’s own players is very counterproductive and retarded. Especially on the pitch, during the match. As it is players are down, and if you’re booing them, you are sucking out the very remnants of confidence they may have left in them. In club football, in England, fans of almost all clubs have been tolerant of their players. United fans, I know have had very few instances of actual booing in stadiums. There were a few isolated incidents in the past when Nani and Berbatov got stick. But even when that’s happened it’s been largely muted. As Scott pointed out, in his article yesterday that during the 1-4 defeat at OT against Liverpool, fans chanted, “We love United, we do.” And I’m glad we see that level of support with not only United fans, but by and large, most clubs in the league.
With England fans I have little sympathy, especially the kind we see at Wembley, where instances of booing have been much more frequent. United fans have justifiably — however irrational it might be — a lot of reasons to not show any sympathy for England fans given the history with Beckham, Neville, Rooney et al. But after the Algeria draw, I felt, even in my moment of schadenfreude at another England failure, a sense of sympathy for those fans who either quit their job, or took time off their lives, for an expensive trip to South Africa for the privilege of having to see — in Valdano’s words — shit served on sticks. A sober man would be livid to be in the midst of this madness — a nightmare, surely. What of 10,000 inebriated supporters then?
So, I can understand where they’re coming from (England, of course, but that’s not what I meant, obviously) and I can make an exception on this occasion. However — there is a ‘however’, but you have to read what I have to say about Rooney first.
Just as the crowd’s boos were from a raving-mad, angry mob, Rooney’s outburst was the result of a player’s reaction to a no-confidence vote from his own fans. That and Rooney’s own temperament, which has been reigned in under the Capello regime. [Now there's a debate on whether Capello should have allowed Rooney to be himself, but it's not a debate I am interested to get into, because that's once again digressing from the points I want to make here.]
But just as the crowd’s boos are perfectly understandable, so is Rooney’s reaction.
We could revert to the cliched argument that players are paid by the millions and are supposed to reign themselves in even if a crowd insults his entire family lineage. But that argument is really not meant to be applied to every scenario involving a player. Yes, Rooney and co deserved every bit of blame for such an insipid performance, but let’s not forget the context. He’s not used to repeated failures at United. Even in moments of abject failure, as some matches last season have been, he’s got the undying support of his fans. And he’s used to playing in a system with players of arguably higher calibre and technical skill for much of his United career than he’s with England. All things considered, it’s perhaps liberating for someone like him to vent when tempers were frayed. And, guess what, he apologized the next day. Most players are supposed to do this anyway.
Sure, he might not have meant it. Or maybe he might have. But publicly he’s offered something, as players usually end up doing, to the fans, and one hopes England fans in South Africa understand that and move on to giving them the full support they will need.
But will they understand? Will the English tabloids understand?
Oh wait, who are we kidding here? News of the World are already doing their bit. “ROONEY OUT OF CONTROL!” apparently. Sigh.
The article is a bit unclear because it seems to talk more about general player dissent over Capello’s attitude than a few throwaway lines that Rooney is behaving like a spoilt-brat.
As United fans we know that despite the red mist that envelopes him, he’s usually been a selfless player for his side, often to his own detriment. Unless there’s been a team-wide unrest among players, I find it odd Rooney would be acting like a prick.
There’s little good about this England side anyway. I don’t really care if they beat Slovenia. They aren’t going that far if they put out the same side. Right now it’s begging for someone creative. But then there are many other articles offering expert advice to Capello on how to put out a decent side. So I’ll pass.
Related items from Red Rants:
- United related links
- Et tu, Rio?
- United End 2009 With a Flourish
- Ronaldo’s Alligator Adventure + Cannavaro – Zola – Eriksson – Pele – Banks – Ferdinand
- Derby County v Man Utd: Preview
Tags: Manchester United News
Opti (541)
RedDevilEddy (459)
Stephen (454)
Craig Mc (344)
Moscow is my heaven (272)
Nice article RR but I disagree with your point that fans who their own players are retarded. Not at all. You think it’s a cliche but when those blokes make millions and perform like they have, they deserve to be showered with boos. Booing is the only civil outburst paying fans have to show their displeasure and their anger at being let down and frankly, ripped off. You yourself demonstrate some compassion for those who spent hard earned money to go to South Africa to have “Shit on sticks” served up to them. What exactly would you expect them to do with those smelly kebabs, eat them? No, they threw them back metaphorically by booing their socks off, and deservedly so.
The day we start showing sympathy to spoilt egotistical and arrogant primadona athletes will be the day Hell freezes over. For all the pride English fans take in having a a blue collar mentality, they also have a blue collar mentality in the way they vent anger and frustration. What do you expect from them in the stands after such a stink job, articulate and Oxfordized rhetoric and criticism similar to that of William F Buckley? Football isn’t a game for intellectuals and elitist snobs who simply poo poo something under their breath. Blue collar people work hard for their money and they play hard. They are emotional beings and they show their temper when things are not going well or if they are being treated poorly or misrepresented. And frankly, England is misrepresenting their legions of fans, not by losing, but by not giving their all and by not seemingly giving a damn. I could care less if booing plays with their confidence. As a fan my confidence is being played with as well as my wallet when a team like that takes me to the cleaners with their anti-entertainment extravaganza.
My heart goes out to all England fans who are mad as Hell and don’t want to take it anymore. Thank God for Howard Beale. A fictional voice for the little people who are not being heard anymore due to the money and corporate mentality of sports franchises and big league sports in general. Anarchy Anarchy!!!
To all unsatisfied football fans who feel they are being served a festering steaming platter of camel shit called this World Cup I urge you all to band together and ” Cry Havoc and let slip the dogs of war”. Let the bastards know how dissatisfied you all are at this poor and ridiculously overpriced and over marketed spectacle. A big thumbs down from the mob is needed. 
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And as for the Messi thing, that little cunt is doing what all players from Barcelona and Madrid do to help tap up a player the team would like to seduce enough to get him to come and play for them. It’s nothing more than a buying tactic and it disgusts me. I seriously doubt Messi even gives Rooney a thought. Next week Ronaldo will once again open his mouth and say sweet nothings about Rooney hoping that Rooney considers Madrid as his next team. Lets remember, footballers in general amongst the least educated, most easily manipulated and most idiotic dumb asses on the planet. Just listen to an interview with Beckham in order to confirm my theory.
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@Grognard: Um, the vast majority of blue collar folk in England are of the opinion that you don’t boo your own as a rule. You make exceptions from time to time, like against Algeria. If you don’t trust me ask most middle class season ticket folk who comment on here on their views on booing.
There’s a time and place for booing. I could understand it when it happened against Algeria. But in most cases I don’t agree with the idea, as a rule with exceptional cases, and I stand by it.
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I don’t have sympathy for the supporters. Yes, they paid money to travel and follow their team during the competition but the fans should know what they’re getting with England. The players for the individual clubs are great but collectively they fail to show the same form, and sometimes desire. It’s strange how our team comprises of these Premiership players but yet Rooney is the one almost all fans and tabloids are shouldering the burden on – because we need Rooney to inspire the team, to step up to the plate when the team as a whole aren’t doing an awful lot. Just to sum it up, I don’t agree with booing and don’t blame Rooney for what he said, it is a true observation after all.
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And for the 43406th time ,it was English journalists only.
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Rooney certainly needs to grow up, he has of late been behaving like a spoilt brat but he still in my opinion a top, top player.
I would like England to play:
James
Johnson Terry Upson Cole
Carrick Barry
Lampard
Gerrard Cole
Rooney
For me this side would retain the play better, get players in the perferred positions, and attack. Capello seems so one dimentional an his obession with 4-4-2 is to Englands detriment. I am not Carricks biggest fan and for me he was atrocious for us last season but he would move the ball and keep it simple.
We seem to be accommodating Heskey which playes Gerrard out of position, puts a harness on Lampard. Heskey is a striker who does not score goals, Deschamap was the “water carrier” what is Heskey? The suspender holds the ball up but you can’t wait to take him off.
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Some good points RR. You are correct, both Rooneys and the crowds reaction were understandable. Rooneys was born out of frustration probably with himself and the team, the booing was just the straw that broke the camels back. In defense of the crowd, that performance was one of the worst that I can remember by professional footballers and bordered comedic. Basics in the game like control, passing and shooting were on a par with a local pub team and it must have been dreadful to watch from a supporters perspective. Both Rooney and the fans made mistakes in doing what they did, but for the sake of the team they should forget about it and come together for the game on Weds, coz the strange thing is this, one good performance from England and Rooney on Weds could turn the whole thing round and breath new confidence into the team, football is that fickle at times. Capello holds the key to this. Heskey need to make way for an extra midfeilder, Cole on the left would free up Gerrard to push further up in support of Rooney and also allow Lampard to time his forward runs into the box with the insurance of Barry as the holding player. Play Lennon on the right with the simple instructions of attacking the fullback at every opportunity when England have the ball and then to provide help for Johnson when they dont.
Five in midfield allows you press the opposition higher up the pitch and should result in more possession and control of the match.
I drive a delivery van for a living and have been listening to the radio for large chunks of my time during this World Cup and at times the Media have been way over the top. They are analyzing every minute detail of Englands activity from the training camp, Beckhams involvement, Capellos personality, body language, it is just bonkers how many differing opinions England have to accommodate. They have trying to get pics of them whenever Capello has asked for privacy. Playing for and managing England is on the verge of becoming the impossible job, and this in my opinion is down to certain elements in the media who it seems to me have more interest in writing to enhance their own reputations and sales figures than actually getting behind the team. Who are these people that can exert so much influence over a nations psyke at times like these, what have they ever done in life that qualifies them to give thier bold opinions on things that they have never experienced, They have too much power to influence people in my opinion and would better serve the country if they were told to stay away during a world cup, coz as I see it, they coz more harm than good.
Leave the team alone and stop performing autopsies when there isnt even a dead boby, the time to criticise is when the tournament is over.
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I just want to qualify what I said previously about the media. They do have an important job and not of them are bad. But some of them really need to live in the real world at times and be more balanced in the pieces that are writing. Footballers and managers are human beings, not robots, despite what ever money they are earning.
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Mmmmmm ‘A RAVING MAD, ANGRY MOB’ – way too above exaggeration! The England fans themselves post game, were so dispirited from the lashings of manure fed them, that the boos barely registered a few decibels! In fact I thought they should have been inventive, borrowed the African fans Vevulas and really intensified the booing atmosphere. This performance definately MERITED the booing, and Wayne and Co would have endeared themselves to the supporters more if they had approached the stands and apologised, instead of Wayne gobbing it because he is a failure thus far in this world cup.
As for Wayne himself, and the comment that ‘he is usually a selfless player’, well not last season he wasn’t. He took Ronnie’s role, Ronnie’s Ego, Ronnie’s arrogance, and Ronnie’s tantrum behaviour – except that Ronnie didn’t bollox other players around him for their failures to promote his egotistical cause. Wayne as you say correctly has been used to winning, and to being adored, etc etc etc. The problem with Wayne though, is that if things are not going for him – he can’t deal with it. I know many of you still think he is a world class player, and in some games for us he does show world class performance, but he certainly doesn’t have world class composure or humility. Sorry lads, but you all if you are honest with yourself know that is true. This competition so far, has revealed how Wayne’s game falls apart when his performance isn’t there. He cannot with all the will in the world be the great hero all the time, and the desire for that above all other things is paralysing him. Far from this WC being the arena for Wayne to declare and show forth his one of the world’s best tags, he has not found himself able, for whatever reason to free himself from his inability to rise to the occasion. It has paralysed the lad, and I feel very sorry for him. Yet I know IF not this time, his times will surely come, and he will return from Africa having learned so much about himself, and with experience that will see him good for a fantastic future in what will be many more world cups for him. I am not sad that he has had to come down to earth, and reassess his importance to this great game – football!
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A case for Carrick after England’s passing horror show?
One thing was increasingly obvious during the England-Algeria game – those bleach blonde hairstyles donned by some of the Algerian players were horrible. Oh, and if you didn’t notice England’s passing in that game was dreadful. Certainly, there were problems in that game, such as worryingly, England’s inability to press the opposition.
With all the quality England’s team possesses, it’s a mystery why they failed to pass the ball with any conviction. Step up, Michael Carrick. His range of passing is exactly what England need, although Capello looks set to only make a change or two to his team with Carrick rooted to the bench for the game against Slovenia. Spain’s Xabio Alonso believes England missed a trick in not playing Carrick, and presents a strong, convincing case to Capello on why he should be in the starting XI.
“If Carrick plays for the national team the way that he does for Manchester United, then it would be very good news for England. I think that he could easily fit in the Spanish system because I really like the way he plays.
“He reads the game so well, he is always ahead of what is going to happen and he is always in the right position. When he gets the ball, he plays it easy and he is available to his team-mates all the time. For me, he has the profile to play for Barcelona or any of the Spanish teams. He would also be very complimentary to Stevie (Gerrard).”
I don’t know about Barcelona, seeing as he too has the ‘profile’ to play for Manchester United. But, Alonso has a point. He can set the tempo in the team, and is, undoubtedly, the best passer in the England side. If Capello decides against playing Carrick for Wednesday’s crunch game, then you’d imagine a 4-2-3-1 is a must, playing Rooney by himself up front with either Gerrard or Joe Cole behind
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@Fred the Red: It should be the England team and Backroom staff who have switched off all radios, tv’s and other media, so they hear nothing negative eh, and then they just concentrate on the game ahead. Just shut the commentators and critics out – there is nothing wrong with their switch off button I suspect. By the way, I admire the several of the England players who went walkabout yesterday around town, to engage all the England fans they met, and try to mend bridges. Wayne wasn’t one of them I understand from sky sports!
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I think Carrick deserves a chance. Yes he has never impressed for England but he has never played as badly as Lampard has the last two games. A five man midfield with Carrick Gerrard and Barry would be an interesting proposition and keep the ball a damn sight better.
CraigMc much as I hate to admit it you have a point. On the one hand Rooney’s new found selfishness has turned him into a goal predator for Manchester United. All strikers need to have a selfish streak and it has benefited his game. But he has developed an ego as well and the problem with having an ego is that you become more sensitive. And that is what is happening to Rooney. He cannot handle the disparity between his form and his self perceived image of himself as a football God.
The problem is the higher the expectations he has of himself, the more likely he will fall below those expectations. Which will make him frustrated. Which makes him play worse and you get a negative spiral.
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From what I read in the papers Capello is making the team hotel like a prison only letting the players play table tennis and golf. Not even giving them computer games. So Im glad they are getting the chance to do some sightseeing.
Footballers spend long periods of time off the pitch and training field so it is important they have distractions and are able to enjoy life. Im not suggesting they go clubbing John Terry style. But making it like boarding school isn’t helping anyone.
I imagine Rooney is pulling his hair out in the team hotel because with his ADHD he needs distractions and can’t sit still. Probably all the free time and boredom is just making him think even more about his performances which isn’t at all helpful.
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http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2896/premier-league/2010/06/20/1985975/manchester-united-set-to-launch-20m-bid-for-inter-ace-wesley
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Talking of players having a bad world cup, Ronaldo and Kaka didn’t play well at all in their games. Messi is the only one of the really big names having a good world cup.
Personally I am enjoying the success of Diego Forlan. He flopped at Old Trafford but has been one of the few players to leave Old Trafford and achieve career success. And he is having a great world cup.
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Jesus things go from bad to worse for the french, now their fitness coach has walked out after a row with domenech
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Italy haven’t won a game either, neither have France. What is happening in this world cup?
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@colver: Pique left OT and has made a career for himself too, and he is having a good world cup! Italy were out of their mind not to take Rossi – because he is another good ex United player, and he did brilliant for Italy in games leading up to WC when they played him! So serve Italy right.
Ronaldo is missing his supplier – mi man Nani! Portugal messed up big time sending him home when he was in such great form, and free scoring for them!
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@colver:
Rooney hasn’t got hair to pull out mate. 
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@colver: Exactly Colver!
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Bloody hell New Zealand
, shows you what a bit of fire and much effort can do eh? Good on you Kiwi’s!.
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@Red Ranter: Perhaps you are right mate but if there was ever a right time and place for booing, then the other night after the Algeria game was the time and place. England deserved the raspberries they got and so much more. And kudos to all the poor stiffs who levelled the abuse on them. Spoilt millionaire playboys will never ever get my sympathy over the hard working fans who sacrifice their hard earned money for some entertaining escapism only to get shit served to them on a platter.
Booing goes back to way before the Roman Empire and it was the mob’s way of voicing it’s opinion over unpopular political or entertainment based decisions. It’s Ok with everyone when we boo our political leaders, I say add athletes who perform poorly as well.
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@colver: Actually I thought Ronaldo did alright and was unlucky to not score from 40 yards out when he hit the post with a drive which had it gone in would have been the goal of the tournament. He worked hard but the separation between players and the stupid system Queiroz is using is the reason for the problem. Domenech may be the worst manager in this World Cup but Queiroz and Capello are not far behind in my opinion. Queiroz continues to miss out on why Portugal and especially Ronaldo seem to be having an impossible time scoring goals. He needs to allow Ronaldo more room to cut in and be part of the play in the box and he needs to create more congestion with players in the attacking zone which is not the case so far. When one watches Portugal the separation between players makes it almost seem that they are playing with only 8 men. Closer interplay between forwards and midfielders has to take place and the wingers need to get more involved with the central striker in support of him if they are to score. Ronaldo could definitely play better but like the French, great talent can be easily stifled by poor management and tactics.
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I was at the England vs Algeria game and the English supporters were behind the team from the start.
It was only after the final whistle that the boos ran out and English fans sitting in front of me could not believe how shit the team played. Basic things like passing and off the ball movement was non existent and the hunger and urgency was lacking. Cappellos love in with the same players who never performed under Sven and McClaren does not help.
I spent a tidy some on tickets for my missus and my mom who had not been to a football game before and i feel like contacting the FA for a refund cos that was just plain shit.
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@Owen: Like that will ever happen. Seriously, I have just about had it with all the filthy tabloids out there and there rumour mongering. It’s become a joke. Schneijder for 25 million sounds nice but Fergie never had a clue last year when he could have bought him for 15 million or had him included in the Ronaldo deal. If by some chance this was true (which it isn’t) it would only reveal to all what I have said all along that Fergie has lost his marbles and is truly well behind the pace these days. But I don’t see that being the case. I see this as just rumour mongering. As well, like Rafa is going to sell his second best player after Maicon to United and to Fergie whom he hates. I don’t think so.
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@colver: I don’t know mate. The Forlan I saw scored a long distance goal that went in right above the keepers head and should have easily been stopped. He then scored with a penalty, albeit a good penalty take. Other than those two goals, he has done nothing but squander half a dozen great scoring opportunities combined from both games. His first game he missed three sitters and so for me he is not having a great World Cup. He is having an OK World Cup thanks in part to the two chances he did put away. I think he has been very wasteful indeed. I’d say the same thing about Messi, many chances and no goals. Very wasteful but yes, very dangerous. An OK World Cup so far for him, but certainly not the goal machine we thought. He’s even lucky getting an assist off the post when Higuain put in the rebound. The guy has incredible luck but then again, I guess you have to be good to be lucky. Where would Messi be if he had to be forced to play for Portugal, England or France? Lost in the wilderness I say
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@DRed: No the fitness coach walked out after he was confronted by Evra and exposed as the traitor who leaked the Anelka situation. Evra apparently roughed him up a bit and had a violent confrontation with him which forced him to quit on the spot. The inmates have definitely taken over the asylum in the French camp. 2 years too late in my opinion.
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@colver: The worst international football tournament of all time. Mediocrity has taken centre stage. One thing about Italy though, they never start well. In 1982 they didn’t win in their first three games and then went on to barely qualify for the next round and then win the World Cup.
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@Grognard: Messi is himself sufficient enough to excel in any average side he will play.Dont protect Ronaldo by falsely blaming Messi.
Messi has been brilliant so far.He is playing as Attacking Midfielder and is just superior to any other player playing in the WC.
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Best players in the WC so far:
1.Alexis Sanchez
2.Messi
3.Maicon
Worst players :
1.Rooney
2.Ribery
3.Kaka
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@Owen: Why just balme Rooney? Yes he has been poor but so has Lamaprd, Lennon and SWP when he has come on, and yes Heskey who is simply awful.
Gregory van der Wiel has been very good for the Dutch, and obviously Ozil.
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@Stephen: Mate,Who expected SWP,Lennon,Heskey to be the stars at WC.There is nothing unusual when these players don’t perform.
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@Grognard: With CQ how now to people belive he is a football coaching genius still?
Claiming that a manager and coach are two seperate entities for me is a falsehood, if someone tactically is meant to be superb but cannot articulate out his views then that is a laughable.
Many state that he was the one who coached Ronaldo and that was the reason why he was so fantastic for us, then why has he not not scored a competitive goal for his country since a 1-0 win over Finland in February 2009?
For me he is vastly overrated as a coach, his record as a manager is very poor and a lot of people beg for his return back to OT and yes as a number sure, but he would never come back for the third time if he was not going to succeed Fergie and if that happened it would be a disaster.
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Good news for Ronaldo and Company.Kaka and Elano will be out.
But i fear they will not be able to beat Korea also.
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Who is this Gervinho?He was very quick and gave a lot of problems to Brazilians in 10 mins only.
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@Owen: Who expected Rooney to be? The media? But his form and fitness dwindled towards the back end of the season and that has continued, but soem people seem to revel in his loss of form, which is odd.
What happens if he scores a hat trick on Wednesday, will he be the best player in the World, of course not, but he is the second tier bracket of players and was United’s player of the year and we should be proud of thwe fact he wears the shirt.
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@Owen: You are welcome to that opinion mate. I just don’t agree with it. I thinkhe has played well but he has also squandered many good opportunities. One thing that I commend him for though is his aggressive play as he really goes at defenders and his incredible luck as eh always seems to get the right bounce of a defender or post etc. But like I said earlier, too be that lucky you have to be that good. I just think his finishing has to improve before I totally agree with you. For me the player of the tournament so far is Mesut Ozil, not because he is German but because he has played two great games in which he shredded defences with great passing and movement. If Podolski had done his job finishing he would have had three assists against Serbia and he was clearly the player of the game vs Australia.
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@Owen: Well Kaka had a great game today and the fact you could ignore Ozil and include Maicon and Sanchez tells me everything I need to know mate.
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Please tell me that I am not the only one sickened by the BLATANT fucking cheating going on in these WC games. I mean Brazil if it wasn’t for their cheating and getting away with it, with a smile on both their’s and the referees faces, well just where would they be. It is onlt a stroll in the park for some teams in this competition because of persistent fouling, and rolling all over the floor simulating injury etc. I have no respect for these Brazil players, or for Ivory coast who were scared to death of them and stood off them
. Just plain sick of it all!
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@CraigMc: Also a player which I love is De Rossi but he blatantly cheated for the Italian pentalty which is sad to say the least.
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@Stephen: I agree. Rooney is part of an entire team that has hit rock bottom. Sure he has been poor but if he received poor service he’d have been better than he is. The service he has received has been worse than poor. For me the most guilty culprits for England’s attacking woes are Lampard, Lennon and SWP. No creativity, pace or movement from any of these players. Gerrard has been poor but at least i see him trying hard. Then there is Heskey. A more useless muppet on and England team there has never been. Crouch did more to impress me in a few minutes on the pitch than Heskey has done in an entire England career. Just a fat lethargic sloth with zero skill.
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@Stephen: I think he is a decent #2 man because he isn’t in charge. In charge he is clueless like Domenech. Ronaldo also needs to get more aggressive and move inside more rather than being forced to stay out wide. The real problem with Portugal on the pitch is the midfield. Deco is a joke and Veloso doesn’t even start. And I do feel that they would be a lot better if Nani was starting on the right side.
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@Grognard: England out wide are pathetic which the constant exclusion of Joe Cole is even more baffling the only player in the squad who can actually produce a step over.
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@Stephen: Fans are fickle mate and they can jump on the bandwagon as easily as they can jump off. You are right about Rooney, his form fell way off after he was injured and he has not regained it at all. I think his problems are a combination of poor service and teammates, poor health, poor form and a head that is loaded with issues. He above all needs to grow up and stop making life for himself and his managers hell.
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@Stephen: Totally agree except that i am not a big fan of Joe Cole either. He is better than the rest but he is not the player he was 3 or 4 years ago.
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Fabiano used his hand 5 times to score the 2nd goal.But Refree was just smiling and it seems he was telling Fabiano that i know the goal is illegal but carry on.
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The gamesmanship shown today by the Ivory Coast was just disgusting and deplorable. Keita should be banned for the entire World Cup and Kaka’s red card rescinded immediately. Their diving and theatrics was just a joke and even Brazil did a lot of that especially Lucio acting like he was shot when he wasn’t even touched. I sometimes wonder if we will ever see real men play this sport again instead of the pseudo transsexuals who are presently souring and polluting the game with their unethical behaviour. Where have the real men gone?
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@Grognard: You know any thing about Gervinho,Grog.He was very impressive.
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@Owen: One of Ligue 1′s hot properties.
Forms with Hazard, Lille’s main offensive threat.
Can play as winger and also striker. Scored 13 goals with Lille as a striker – makes him not bad, but not great either.
Dreams to play for arsenal, what a surprise.
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@Owen: No nothing mate. He did look impressive with his movement but his end product seemed to be absent. Still, 20 minutes doesn’t really tell us anything.
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