Thought I'd start a football blog, we might keep this going until 2010.....England doing well....did not see the match or even the goals....I'd like Michael owen back in the squad though....and I think Peter Crouch would make a very good substitute...remember against Argentina in Geneva a few years ago....with Michael Owen and some very good movements on and off the ball...they caused havoc.....did see Scotland's missed chance....that could be very costly losing those 2 points !.

"The Birmingham goalie deserves a chance....forgot his name...".. well that says a lot RF -):

Joe Hart, forgot about him came through the ranks at Shrewsbury, and yes most impressed when I have seen him.. but he's a rarity

I think TFCs point is valid.

I saw him the other week on telly.....looked not bad at all....sorry just can't follow every name in the soccer world...

"Teams in the top league over here sold there souls to Murdock early 90s, they never much cared about the national side.. they care bugger all now. Hence the general decline of young talent coming through our club structure"

And the additional funds destroyed home talent how exactly ?

Nonsensical argument put forward all the time - if you think it through then Scotland would presumably be a lot better than they are now !

Oh dont get me wrong .France are in an even worse position - egotistical , ageing and as predictable and boring as it gets !! Been in decline since won Euro cup and WC in 90,s Last game was literal torture ! .Play as 11 individuals and not a TEAM ! -As much as i hate to say it - they are the worst French side i have EVER seen .England are very average; but France are utter pants.

"And the additional funds destroyed home talent how exactly ?"

Because many Directors "think" that they can buy success and "quicker" by buying non-home players from overseas. The result being that our local talent is side lined.

"Nonsensical argument put forward all the time - if you think it through then Scotland would presumably be a lot better than they are now !"

Scotland is in a worst state, a lot of their top players used to be transferred to England and play in our better standard leagues. Not now so much as we shop in the world market, so their home grown players stagnate in arguably substandard Scottish football in general.

So not nonsensical at all.

Stan - if english players were such good value for money then they would be bought - its as simple as that. The reason clubs such as mine shopped abroad was down to the english players (aided by their agents) demands for ridiculous salary packages - even for kids that hadn't broken into the game.

To argue your line suggests that every manager took the same course of action at the same time - I wonder why !

Perhaps you could explain to the board why english players did not ply their trade abroad given the lack of employment at home - there's Hargreaves for one, and ....................who else ?

"Stan - if english players were such good value for money then they would be bought - its as simple as that. The reason clubs such as mine shopped abroad was down to the english players (aided by their agents) demands for ridiculous salary packages - even for kids that hadn't broken into the game."

That's beside the point Joe, if the top or rather the biggest clubs had not had the Murdock money, the demands would not have been so big also the bigger clubs would not have had more money to go abroad to the extent that they did. Consequently the conveyor belt for the national side slowed down to a larger extent.

"To argue your line suggests that every manager took the same course of action at the same time - I wonder why !

Perhaps you could explain to the board why english players did not ply their trade abroad given the lack of employment at home - there's Hargreaves for one, and ....................who else ?"

I never said that we have been world beaters individually or at international level in the past (far from it), my view is a "relative one" and not an absolutist one.

English clubs did not so badly in europe this time.....good old Fulham....knocked out Shaktar Donestk..(not sure about spelling)....Everton : same old thing.....just not good enough.....what on earth do people see in Phil Neville ?....you just know that if he gets the ball ...nothing will come of it...it was the same for the national side.....at least twice we were knocked out because of his shortcomings...euro 2000 (penalty at the end)....euro 2004 (lost the ball or did not tackle in time...Portugal went on to score their second goal)....nothing personal....just don't like the way he plays...

RF - ...nothing personal....just don't like the way he plays ...
Funny that, Wayne Rooney was thinking exactly the same thing last Saturday!

Everton were absymal last night and deserved to get beat, that tie was lost at Goodison when Sporting scored the away goal, players looked jaded but I thought Moyes's tactics were naive in the first half trying to protect the lead once they scored game over!

The thing is with Everton is that they are capable of ambushing the best sides in one particular game but then they'll go and lose another when you would expect them to win.....not the most attractive side to watch either.

Chelsea have just been thrashed at home by ManCity...?????....unbelievable !.

Anyone else think instead of not shaking John Terry's hand WB should have smacked him one ?

Personally who gives a shit! Handbags at who can make the most money out of it! For Gods sake Bridge just twat him and have done with it! Your precious male pride will then be restored. At the end of the day Terry is the better footballer, lets put an end to this pathetic affair and move on. Just giving the Welsh, Scots and Irish the excuse to take the piss and who can blame them, it's becoming a farce!

What for Dil ? You've been reading too many tabloids and need to get a life

Bad injury for Ramsey (Gunners)......promising youngster...just when Arsenal need him !.

Joe I don't read any newspapers ... I think Bellamy's take on Terry after the match said it all.

Agreed rf , I've always thought he could go on to become world class.

That's 6 months off.....always the great risk for talented yougsters......Bryan Robson was injured about 30 times during his career !.....once again Rooney proves to be unstoppable....as long as England get to at least the world cup quarter finals (I hope they go further) the Ballon d'or should be his.....I hope Michael Owen goes with the England squad.....he must make the last 20 or so players !.

Quoting Bellamy of all people !!!

You may as well read the tabloids - it would at least be a step in the right direction.

Way Terry is playing he wouldn't even get in the Wales team.

Loads of international games today.....have placed several bets, one on England to win tonight but the odds for, are not that good...Egypt might not be in the world cup but they have just won the african nations cup...