Quite simply outplayed. The match will I am certain be available to view should you wish to see it. Yes, England had a goal disallowed, and yes it could have been a turning point. If a team goes in at half time, hard done by and competitive, then there is a reason to battle. That the battle never materialised is perhaps the saddest point of the game. Instead Germany scored, deservedly two more goals. England’s World Cup is over.
What the future holds is anybody’s guess. A root and branch review has to be conducted. Perhaps a new way of managing the team? The players are selected on a match by match basis , why not the manager? Redknapp, Hodgson, Allardyce all contributing their thoughts on a match by match basis.
If we should learn anything from this game, it is the fact that we need to rebuild. The current crop are finished. Let’s build a young new team without the baggage of the so called “golden generation”. In many ways, it is good to know that up and coming football players are untarnished by this challenge, the future is Joe Hart, Adam Johnson, Kieran Gibbs, Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and yet to be known players. Bring in the experienced players when needed but build the team around young players who want to play for England. It is harsh but true the England challange never materialised. What the future holds is anybody’s guess, will Capello resign? (it would be the honourable thing to do, and if so, let us review the whole way that we pick the national team). What we do need is a fundamental change of ideas. Capello is perhaps too conservative, and as a nation perhaps we are too.
In the final analysis we will all look for reasons for our latest failure, but quite simply, nobody wanted to go out, seize the moment and make it happen. Until this happens we will lose competitive football matches.
