[Archived] U21 Euros

[Commondore]

Anyone else following the U21 Euros? England were beaten by a slick but ineffective Portugal in their first game, but got a 1-0 victory against Sweden in a tight affair earlier tonight. Their group has turned into a hornets' nest, with all four teams still in the mix for qualification to the semi finals before the last group-stage game. Kane and Chalobah (if he was ever on it) has looked off the boil, but I've been impressed with Pritchard.

[LewisF]

What was up with them not being able to walk from their hotel to the stadium? Pretty bizarre, considering they were allowed to walk back

[JayPeeBee40]

No stand out side in England's group, all tight cagey affairs that ive seen lacking quality.. Chahloba is also a terrible player imo..

[Stefan Hedgehog]

uefa have some silly rules that teams must arrive by bus when possible,

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Shi*te, out. Move on!

[patrickvalery]

It's nice to see the u21s really develop. I know the tournament hasn't been a complete success. But it's great to see our young hopes have really grasped the fear factor and a good number of them look more than capable stepping up to the full squad to freeze.

[JayPeeBee40]

Ings totally shyte. Overrated much..?

It's nice to see the u21s really develop. I know the tournament hasn't been a complete success. But it's great to see our young hopes have really grasped the fear factor and a good number of them look more than capable stepping up to the full squad to freeze.

Sarcasm I assume..

[JHRover]

Despite all the rhetoric over the last year or two about a bright new future for England it seems actually very little has changed.

I watched the last Euro tournament in Israel when England were knocked out in the group stage and very little appears to have changed since then. Different faces but the same outcome.

Clearly we have one or two who look like good prospects but for a major footballing nation that isn't enough.

As for good English managers, they are in even shorter supply.

Anyway, the cycle starts again. Then inevitable disappointment at the Euros before the next great crop of youngsters come through.

[JayPeeBee40]

What bothers me is this 'they didn't perform' bullpoo. Yes they did perform, as well as they are capable, they are just substandard, not good enough.

[Stefan Hedgehog]

a long time since the season finished,would not be suprised if a few took it as a jolly,well anyone calling ings i would swap him for rudy and jordan.

[The Rover of Finland]

Strange selection imo. Chambers on bench but Gibson played. No idea who this Gibson is. Chambers instead did quite well for Arsenal and can play as a centre back. Ward-Prowse also on bench.

[Stefan Hedgehog]

Strange selection imo. Chambers on bench but Gibson played. No idea who this Gibson is. Chambers instead did quite well for Arsenal and can play as a centre back. Ward-Prowse also on bench.

answer to the puzzle GARETH SOUTHGATE

[matt83]

There's definitely a pattern between the u21s and the senior side. Flawless qualifying, @#/? when it matters against the better sides. For some reason we just don't understand or do well in tournament football.

[Kamy100]

Southgate’s selection and tactics for the three games at this tournament have to be questioned.

A previous criticism was that England can’t keep possession, well Southgate sorted that out for this tournament but it was “pointless” possession, we passed the ball for the sake of passing without , there was no pattern of play (bit like what Rovers do under GB). Some of the selection were just baffling, I thought that Ward-Prowse had done relatively well in the first game but was subbed and not really seen again, as others have said why wasn’t Chambers played with all of his PL experience. And finally all of the swopping and changing to the formation over the three games, it seemed to me just like Pearce when it came to the pressure of a tournament Southgate wasn’t upto it.

Both the senior and youth England sides are in a vicious circle, most of our promising youngsters do not get exposure to first team football in the Premier League, whereas their Italian, German, Spanish and French counterparts play regularly in their respective top divisions, until that situation changes we will continue to get to tournaments and struggle.

[thenodrog]

Despite all the rhetoric over the last year or two about a bright new future for England it seems actually very little has changed.

I watched the last Euro tournament in Israel when England were knocked out in the group stage and very little appears to have changed since then. Different faces but the same outcome.

Clearly we have one or two who look like good prospects but for a major footballing nation that isn't enough.

As for good English managers, they are in even shorter supply.

Anyway, the cycle starts again. Then inevitable disappointment at the Euros before the next great crop of youngsters come through.

Might be a good job for Big Sam?

There's definitely a pattern between the u21s and the senior side. Flawless qualifying, @#/? when it matters against the better sides. For some reason we just don't understand or do well in tournament football.

There is a major issue of players who could play not being there. Jack Wilshire, Ross Barclay and Raheem Sterling to name three who would have been massively important players for us if they had gone.

They'd have walked into this squad.. http://www.thefa.com/england/mens-under-21s/squad

Also Pritchard was injured in the previous match and he'd impressed I believe.

[JHRover]

Might be a good job for Big Sam?

There is a major issue of players who could play not being there. Jack Wilshire and Raheem Sterling to name just two who would have been massively important players for us if they had gone.

Allardyce would be my choice to succeed Hodgson.

His spell as West Ham boss might have enhanced his chances of getting the job slightly, although I still can't see the FA going with him.

Other than possibly Pardew and Allardyce I can't think of any English managers who have been reasonably successful recently at the top level. The likes of Howe are bright young prospects but unproven at the top level and in high pressure situations.

[gumboots]

Gibson's uncle is Steve Gibson, chairman of Middlesbrough. Gareth south gate managed Middlesbrough.

[JayPeeBee40]

Hodgson's got the job until he retires for me, there's nobody better.

[The Rover of Finland]

A lot of English talent isn't playing regulary because the players are so greedy. The gold is to get a big deal from a big club early as possible. Look at Chambers for example. He even got his chance unlike many others. He just wasn't good enough but Bellerin was.

Jack Rodwell is a classic sample. He could have been a regular at Everton which was top7 club. Instead he went to City without a hope getting first team football. Now he is trying to create the career at Sunderland. I bet he would be a better player if never left Everton. But he got the money.

Scott Sinclair was stupid enough to make same mistake twice.

Yesterday I saw a rumour linking Delph to City. City need English players because of the home grown rule. Don't do it Delph.

[speeeeeeedie]

A lot of English talent isn't playing regulary because the players are so greedy. The gold is to get a big deal from a big club early as possible. Look at Chambers for example. He even got his chance unlike many others. He just wasn't good enough but Bellerin was.

Jack Rodwell is a classic sample. He could have been a regular at Everton which was top7 club. Instead he went to City without a hope getting first team football. Now he is trying to create the career at Sunderland. I bet he would be a better player if never left Everton. But he got the money.

Scott Sinclair was stupid enough to make same mistake twice.

Yesterday I saw a rumour linking Delph to City. City need English players because of the home grown rule. Don't do it Delph.

Spot on. The majority of good young English players get stymied by the big clubs.

They either start there as a youngster and get sporadic development due to a foreign star in front of them, or they do really well for another club whereby a big club buys them as a home grown item they can put on the shelf. The players' agents are all over the move as they'll get a large slice of cash out of it, as will the player. However football development suffers.

Rodwell and Sinclair are 2 great examples. I still have no idea what Sinclair was thinking. Kane needs to stay at Spurs. Sterling should not leave Liverpool. Ibe too. Barklay at Everton. If Loftus-Cheek is to develop he needs to go and play every week for a season or 2 elsewhere. There's more too.

This will never happen when the FA Premier League, and the FA national team are being run at cross purposes.

I'm all for Allardyce being the next England manager too once Hodgson goes.

[Al]

Spot on. The majority of good young English players get stymied by the big clubs.

They either start there as a youngster and get sporadic development due to a foreign star in front of them, or they do really well for another club whereby a big club buys them as a home grown item they can put on the shelf. The players' agents are all over the move as they'll get a large slice of cash out of it, as will the player. However football development suffers.

Rodwell and Sinclair are 2 great examples. I still have no idea what Sinclair was thinking. Kane needs to stay at Spurs. Sterling should not leave Liverpool. Ibe too. Barklay at Everton. If Loftus-Cheek is to develop he needs to go and play every week for a season or 2 elsewhere. There's more too.

This will never happen when the FA Premier League, and the FA national team are being run at cross purposes.

I'm all for Allardyce being the next England manager too once Hodgson goes.

Our own Phil Jones is a prime example. Totally ruined by the Scum.

[speeeeeeedie]

Our own Phil Jones is a prime example. Totally ruined by the Scum.

How could I have forgotten? Bingo there. He should have gone to Liverpool. They wanted him to play centre half every game. Not Man U where he was and is tried in 3 positions.

Here's an article from today's Guardian trotting out a theory that because England has no contingent playing abroad they suffer at tournaments; http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/jun/25/englishman-abroad-football-export-michah-richards-ashley-cole-serie-a-england?CMP=EMCFTBEML853

It's a decent article. I think a greater indictment on why England are awful is a lack of talent. I quote this from the article as an example;

Is it a coincidence that England’s best World Cup performance since 1966 came in 1990, the period when it was more regular for coveted English talent to go abroad? From that team, as well as Waddle, Gary Lineker, Paul Gascoigne, David Platt and Des Walker all signed for foreign clubs. Glenn Hoddle, who did not make that squad, was strutting his stuff in France at the time.

Hoddle could play blindfolded and still get in the current England team.

In 2002 England's World Cup central defensive duo could have conceivably been any 2 from this list;

Ledley King

Johnathan Woodgate

Rio Ferdinand

Tony Adams

John Terry

Sol Campbell

Martin Keown

Gareth Southgate

Who is available now?

[Husky]

I'm just glad I didn't bother watching that shower of @#/?. More interested in the Women's World Cup to be honest............

[patrickvalery]

I hope our FA isn't watching the u21 tournament today. They'll be pulling their hair out now the Germans are losing. They're gonna have to rip up the blueprint and start all over again with whatever the Portuguese are doing. Poor sods are always playing catch up.

[Commondore]

I hope our FA isn't watching the u21 tournament today. They'll be pulling their hair out now the Germans are losing. They're gonna have to rip up the blueprint and start all over again with whatever the Portuguese are doing. Poor sods are always playing catch up.

Or, you know, imitate the nation who actually won the contest...