The good news is that England, under Capello, have plenty of time to try a few things before they have to play a competitive game. The bad news of course is that this fact serves as a grim reminder to England supporters that we'll be enjoying the sunshine or playing golf while the rest of Europe's elite fight it out in Switzerland and Austria. And another four years of RTG's all-too-short football watching life goes past without England being in a major tournament, let alone winning anything. But we are where we are and if it took the Euro 2008 qualifying debacle to learn that lesson then so be it.
The beginning of a new (and hopefully successful) era dawns with time to experiment and perhaps, just perhaps, to show the England players that there are other ways of playing the beautiful game than simply hoofing it up to the big man up front. The build up began with a little snipe from the Daily Mail (who else?) concerning Fabio Capello's assurance, when he took the job, that he would be speaking to the press in English by now. Well, Daily Mail, if that turns out to be the greatest sin of his reign as England boss, RTG can live with that.
Rio Ferdinand likened Capello's new regime to that of 'starting a new school'. Fair comment one would imagine but the media again chose to take that as a criticism of Capello's more autocratic management style. If you listen, Rio never once made any criticism at all but the media in its typical, "we want England to do well but we ain't gonna let them", chose to turn it into a little dig instead. And after all, if Rio's 'new school' turns out to be one of high academic achievement rather than your struggling inner city comprehensive, that's just been shut down by OFSTED, then, once again, who cares?
The BBC TV pundit team of Wright, Hansen and Shearer were all ready to get behind Capello and it was good to see that expectations were not grossly over exaggerated. As Alan Shearer rightly pointed out, "if this bloke can't turn England into a good team, then there really is something seriously wrong with English football." They, like the rest of us, were keen to see what Capello might try rather than by how many England would thump Switzerland. Capello himself should take a lot of praise for the way he handled the build up to the game. There was none of the ludicrously over the top speculation about who was to be captain or who wasn't. He didn't allow that to happen. He simply announced that the temporary captain would be Steven Gerrard for now. End of story. No hysteria. No media scrum. His new regime ensured that football was the order of the day. Not WAGS, shopping, golf, Playstation or any other distractions.
The game started fairly inauspiciously from an England viewpoint. At this point the dynamic BBC TV commentating duo of Lawrenson and Motson began to get on England's backs. Derogatory comments ensued and, at the point where Motson said, "they just don't understand possession do they Mark", and Lawrenson replied, "only that it's nine tenths of the law John", RTG went interactive and switched to Radio Five Live commentary. There, we were greeted by frantic panic and hysteria. Just 20 minutes in and they were calling for changes and questioning the formation, the players, the selection. Everything! At this juncture, the crowd started singing, "There's only one David Beckham." This was the point where RTG seriously questioned whether England supporters really deserve a manager with Capello's pedigree let alone any success. In much the same way as the players seemed to be finding it hard to be patient and pass the ball, you could sense a crowd, and a commentary team, desperate to see Stevie G, lumping great balls forward to the big number nine up front. So what that it's won us nothing in over 40 years; it's the only way we feel comfortable!
The truth is, of course, the long-suffering England supporters do deserve to see more success than we've had. And we mean the real England supporters, not the slightly podgy, middle class children with their replica shirts and faces painted that were on show with their middle-aged mums last night - no doubt disappointed that they didn't get to see media celebrity David Beckham win his 100th cap.
It wasn't a great performance. Quite rightly, Capello used the friendly to see how England might play football, not to give the media the story they wanted. Even if they struggled to execute it, there seemed to be a plan. And, for that matter, a plan B too. It may take a lot of painful lessons to make that group of players start to work together in a different manner but RTG sensed that Capello is working toward a goal that involves winning international football matches and not anything else. It's good that England didn't win easily as that would have hidden a multitude of sins, that we all know exist. Plus, it would have given the press the opportunity to go right over the top and hail Capello as the new Messiah (outside of Newcastle of course).
Motson, Lawrenson and Five Live should look back on last night's performance and realise that they were the ones who needed changing after 20 minutes, not Capello's selection. As for England supporters, we're feeling quietly optimistic that there are good signs for the future while, at the same time thinking, "God, we wish we were in Euro 2008 this summer!"
Reclaim the Game - The Week's Events
- Sepp Blatter and FIFA have implied that they intend to take on UEFA and impose the 6+5 rule on national club sides. In other words, they would insist that all national club sides must contain at least six players in their starting 11 who would be qualified to play for the country in which the club is based. RTG understands why FIFA should feel that international football is under threat. After all, an average Champions League game is usually played to a much better standard, and is far more entertaining, than most average internationals these days. But we can't go back. The level is what it is now and imposing rules will simply decrease the standard of the end product. Not to mention, is it better to have English players who have to be developed to the highest standards to get in a team or to have players who know they can afford to be fairly average because they will get picked because they're English?
- Was anyone really surprised that the minute's silence for the 50th anniversary of the Muncih air disaster lasted only 23 seconds because certain people were shouting over it? Anyone who follows football properly can see what a tragedy Munich was and it's good that people want to pay their respects. But perhaps, it should have been confined to being a Manchester United issue and the club should have been left to deal with it in its own way. Should supporters of other clubs have felt strongly enough to go and pay their respects at Old Trafford, they could have done so. Instead, it gave the anti Manchester United lobby the perfect vehicle to air its unpleasant and somewhat distasteful views live on national television.
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