After Michael Owen’s goal against Argentina in 1998, English football would never be the same again.
Or so Kevin Keegan optimistically observed. My idea of a teenage tide-turner was Theo Walcott in Zagreb; I suspect his hat-trick may prove the second most significant in an England match since Nandor Hidegkuti’s at Wembley in 1953 (behind only Geoff Hurst’s in 1966), in the sense that it may lift the inferiority complex exemplified by their exaggerated fear of the penalty decider. Because of the convincing nature of their 4-1 victory over the Croatians, the English can become winners again.
A journalist can deliver such judgments. A manager must speak as Fabio Capello did in Zagreb, where the professionally dour Italian penetrated the excitement with simple arithmetic. Because England had begun their World Cup qualification campaign by taking three points from Andorra, he intoned, they now had six. Capello spoke in similar vein last Thursday at a press briefing on the next match, at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday. “We have to play every match as if it were a final,’’ he said. “From Kazakhstan onwards [England are in Belarus four days later]. This is my philosophy of football – the focus is on the next game, not what we have done in the last one.’’
Did Graham Taylor like that? “Every word,’’ said the former England manager. We met while he put the finishing touches to England Expects, a documentary to be shown on ITV on Wednesday in which I have a cameo role, lunching with Taylor and addressing his proposition that press and public expect too much of the national team. Zagreb, he said on Friday, had done nothing but buttress it: “On the morning of the match – and remember the FA had sent back 1,600 tickets – expectations were relatively low. Having seen their team knocked out of the European Championship by Croatia, most of the fans I met would have been delighted with a draw. The media, too, expected a difficult night. Now whether that reached into the England camp I don’t know – but I honestly believe the sensible approach can only have helped the team.’’
In which case Capello, whatever any of us may feel about having a foreigner in charge, is making just the right noises. Asked what he wanted against Kazakhstan, he replied: “The same spirit and concentration as against Croatia. It doesn’t matter if the opposition is not as strong. If a team loses concentration after one good game, that’s the worst thing for a manager.’’ He added a plea to the Wembley crowd. “Before, because England had lost there, they were anxious. I hope that will have changed. Then the players and supporters can work together.’’ There would be times when the fans’ understanding would be needed. “It’s easy to give support when we’re winning. We need it when there are difficulties.’’ There could be no guarantee Walcott would dazzle again. “He’ll be like any other player – sometimes fantastic, sometimes normal, sometimes not so good. And when he’s not so good I’ll substitute him. Of course I hope I don’t have to. But it’s normal.’’
Taylor liked that, too. Harking back to the false dawn under Sven-Goran Eriksson, he said: “After the 5-1 in Munich, there was a feeling we’d already won the World Cup! And I am concerned Zagreb will engender the same feeling. So I agree with Capello. We must not go from one extreme to another. Expectancy must be kept in proportion. He may have a problem if we perform poorly against Kazakhstan and win only 1-0. You know what I mean? That is where the media come in. I believe it would help if they were to buy into a new approach to what we expect from the England team – bearing in mind our record over so many years – and the manager.’’
I wish I could help. But England looked in Zagreb as if they could beat anyone, with the possible exception of Argentina. How they might look in South Africa in 2010 we cannot say. But to deny a sudden feeling that Capello’s squad could become the next world champions would be to shirk my job. What riches are at his disposal: a midfield choice between Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard rather than, in Taylor’s day, Geoff Thomas and Andy Sinton. And vast European experience: while Taylor, himself having known just a single season in Europe with Watford, was obliged to use newcomers to foreign fields, Capello can call on nine starters from the most recent Champions League final. Not that I disagree with Taylor’s analysis, delivered after interviews with, among others, Capello, Eriksson, Glenn Hoddle, Harry Redknapp, Sir Trevor Brooking and Johan Cruyff. The English media can be one hell of a hindrance, as successive managers have discovered.
Even Capello threw up an arm in good-natured exasperation last week at the main line of inquisition: “Nine questions about Owen! It’s incredible!’’ Everyone knows Capello has reservations. As he put it: “Goalscoring is very important, yes, but I have seen players not perform for 89 minutes, then score – it’s not enough.’’ But only a fool rules players out and Capello has no wish to shoot England’s Bambi. Taylor would understand. At the end of his tenure, he replaced an off-form Gary Lineker with Alan Smith in Sweden. There were sound football reasons and I was one of the many who failed sufficiently to weigh them in my judgment. No wonder Capello gives little away.
False dawns: Previous glimmer of hope
Nov 11, 1987: YUGOSLAVIA 1 ENGLAND 4 (MANAGER: BOBBY ROBSON)
England were applauded off by the Belgrade crowd after this European Championship qualifier. With Tony Adams and Terry Butcher at the back, Gary Lineker and Peter Beardsley up front and John Barnes outstanding on the wing, they had led 4-0 after 24 minutes. The following summer they went to the finals in Germany and lost all three matches.
Feb 19, 1992: ENGLAND 2 FRANCE 0 (GRAHAM TAYLOR)
It was only a friendly but France, spearheaded by Eric Cantona and Jean-Pierre Papin, looked majestic visitors to Wembley – only to be soundly beaten by Graham Taylor’s vibrant England, who featured the debutant Alan Shearer. England then went to Sweden for the European Championship finals and after performing poorly, were knocked out by the hosts.
June 18, 1996: ENGLAND 4 HOLLAND 1 (TERRY VENABLES)
At Euro 96, England gave a wonderful performance at Wembley, Shearer and Teddy Sheringham being supported by the likes of Steve McManaman, Darren Anderton and Paul Gascoigne. Terry Venables’s tactical skills seemed on the brink of fruition. But England were lucky to beat Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals and lost by the same method to Germany in the semi-finals.
Oct 11, 1997: ITALY 0 ENGLAND 0 (GLENN HODDLE)
After losing at home to Italy in the qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup, Glenn Hoddle steadied the ship and took his team to Rome, where they impressively drew 0-0. At the tournament in France, they ran into Argentina, taking part in a great match that might have been won despite the dismissal of David Beckham. Again, penalties decided otherwise.
June 12, 2000: PORTUGAL 3 ENGLAND 2 (KEVIN KEEGAN)
Remember the excitement as Kevin Keegan’s England exploded on the European Championship by taking a 2-0 lead over Portugal in Eindhoven? And the disappointment as the Portuguese scored thrice? Within days came a scruffy 1-0 victory over Germany, but such hope as this raised soon vanished with another 3-2 defeat, at the hands of Romania.
Sept 1, 2001: GERMANY 1 ENGLAND 5 (SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON)
England fans’ dreams came true as Eriksson’s team went to Munich and beat Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier, Michael Owen scoring a hat-trick. But the Germans had a poor night and England were never to rediscover their Munich swagger. Though they beat Argentina in the Far East, a 10-man Brazil proved too strong for them.
Sept 12, 2007: ENGLAND 3 RUSSIA 0 (STEVE MCCLAREN)
No brolly was required as Steve McClaren’s England overcame Russia 3-0 at Wembley. Owen, profiting from Emile Heskey’s presence as usual, scored twice and Rio Ferdinand rounded off a confident display. Weeks later, however, England lost 2-1 in Moscow and in November a home defeat by Croatia cost them a place at Euro 2008 – and McClaren his job.
* England Expects is on ITV1 on Wednesday at 10.35pm (repeat ITV4 on Thursday at 10pm). At 11pm on Sunday, ITV4 shows an extended version of the 1994 documentary about Taylor, An Impossible Job.
(telegraph)
Or so Kevin Keegan optimistically observed. My idea of a teenage tide-turner was Theo Walcott in Zagreb; I suspect his hat-trick may prove the second most significant in an England match since Nandor Hidegkuti’s at Wembley in 1953 (behind only Geoff Hurst’s in 1966), in the sense that it may lift the inferiority complex exemplified by their exaggerated fear of the penalty decider. Because of the convincing nature of their 4-1 victory over the Croatians, the English can become winners again.
A journalist can deliver such judgments. A manager must speak as Fabio Capello did in Zagreb, where the professionally dour Italian penetrated the excitement with simple arithmetic. Because England had begun their World Cup qualification campaign by taking three points from Andorra, he intoned, they now had six. Capello spoke in similar vein last Thursday at a press briefing on the next match, at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday. “We have to play every match as if it were a final,’’ he said. “From Kazakhstan onwards [England are in Belarus four days later]. This is my philosophy of football – the focus is on the next game, not what we have done in the last one.’’
Did Graham Taylor like that? “Every word,’’ said the former England manager. We met while he put the finishing touches to England Expects, a documentary to be shown on ITV on Wednesday in which I have a cameo role, lunching with Taylor and addressing his proposition that press and public expect too much of the national team. Zagreb, he said on Friday, had done nothing but buttress it: “On the morning of the match – and remember the FA had sent back 1,600 tickets – expectations were relatively low. Having seen their team knocked out of the European Championship by Croatia, most of the fans I met would have been delighted with a draw. The media, too, expected a difficult night. Now whether that reached into the England camp I don’t know – but I honestly believe the sensible approach can only have helped the team.’’
In which case Capello, whatever any of us may feel about having a foreigner in charge, is making just the right noises. Asked what he wanted against Kazakhstan, he replied: “The same spirit and concentration as against Croatia. It doesn’t matter if the opposition is not as strong. If a team loses concentration after one good game, that’s the worst thing for a manager.’’ He added a plea to the Wembley crowd. “Before, because England had lost there, they were anxious. I hope that will have changed. Then the players and supporters can work together.’’ There would be times when the fans’ understanding would be needed. “It’s easy to give support when we’re winning. We need it when there are difficulties.’’ There could be no guarantee Walcott would dazzle again. “He’ll be like any other player – sometimes fantastic, sometimes normal, sometimes not so good. And when he’s not so good I’ll substitute him. Of course I hope I don’t have to. But it’s normal.’’
Taylor liked that, too. Harking back to the false dawn under Sven-Goran Eriksson, he said: “After the 5-1 in Munich, there was a feeling we’d already won the World Cup! And I am concerned Zagreb will engender the same feeling. So I agree with Capello. We must not go from one extreme to another. Expectancy must be kept in proportion. He may have a problem if we perform poorly against Kazakhstan and win only 1-0. You know what I mean? That is where the media come in. I believe it would help if they were to buy into a new approach to what we expect from the England team – bearing in mind our record over so many years – and the manager.’’
I wish I could help. But England looked in Zagreb as if they could beat anyone, with the possible exception of Argentina. How they might look in South Africa in 2010 we cannot say. But to deny a sudden feeling that Capello’s squad could become the next world champions would be to shirk my job. What riches are at his disposal: a midfield choice between Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard rather than, in Taylor’s day, Geoff Thomas and Andy Sinton. And vast European experience: while Taylor, himself having known just a single season in Europe with Watford, was obliged to use newcomers to foreign fields, Capello can call on nine starters from the most recent Champions League final. Not that I disagree with Taylor’s analysis, delivered after interviews with, among others, Capello, Eriksson, Glenn Hoddle, Harry Redknapp, Sir Trevor Brooking and Johan Cruyff. The English media can be one hell of a hindrance, as successive managers have discovered.
Even Capello threw up an arm in good-natured exasperation last week at the main line of inquisition: “Nine questions about Owen! It’s incredible!’’ Everyone knows Capello has reservations. As he put it: “Goalscoring is very important, yes, but I have seen players not perform for 89 minutes, then score – it’s not enough.’’ But only a fool rules players out and Capello has no wish to shoot England’s Bambi. Taylor would understand. At the end of his tenure, he replaced an off-form Gary Lineker with Alan Smith in Sweden. There were sound football reasons and I was one of the many who failed sufficiently to weigh them in my judgment. No wonder Capello gives little away.
False dawns: Previous glimmer of hope
Nov 11, 1987: YUGOSLAVIA 1 ENGLAND 4 (MANAGER: BOBBY ROBSON)
England were applauded off by the Belgrade crowd after this European Championship qualifier. With Tony Adams and Terry Butcher at the back, Gary Lineker and Peter Beardsley up front and John Barnes outstanding on the wing, they had led 4-0 after 24 minutes. The following summer they went to the finals in Germany and lost all three matches.
Feb 19, 1992: ENGLAND 2 FRANCE 0 (GRAHAM TAYLOR)
It was only a friendly but France, spearheaded by Eric Cantona and Jean-Pierre Papin, looked majestic visitors to Wembley – only to be soundly beaten by Graham Taylor’s vibrant England, who featured the debutant Alan Shearer. England then went to Sweden for the European Championship finals and after performing poorly, were knocked out by the hosts.
June 18, 1996: ENGLAND 4 HOLLAND 1 (TERRY VENABLES)
At Euro 96, England gave a wonderful performance at Wembley, Shearer and Teddy Sheringham being supported by the likes of Steve McManaman, Darren Anderton and Paul Gascoigne. Terry Venables’s tactical skills seemed on the brink of fruition. But England were lucky to beat Spain on penalties in the quarter-finals and lost by the same method to Germany in the semi-finals.
Oct 11, 1997: ITALY 0 ENGLAND 0 (GLENN HODDLE)
After losing at home to Italy in the qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup, Glenn Hoddle steadied the ship and took his team to Rome, where they impressively drew 0-0. At the tournament in France, they ran into Argentina, taking part in a great match that might have been won despite the dismissal of David Beckham. Again, penalties decided otherwise.
June 12, 2000: PORTUGAL 3 ENGLAND 2 (KEVIN KEEGAN)
Remember the excitement as Kevin Keegan’s England exploded on the European Championship by taking a 2-0 lead over Portugal in Eindhoven? And the disappointment as the Portuguese scored thrice? Within days came a scruffy 1-0 victory over Germany, but such hope as this raised soon vanished with another 3-2 defeat, at the hands of Romania.
Sept 1, 2001: GERMANY 1 ENGLAND 5 (SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON)
England fans’ dreams came true as Eriksson’s team went to Munich and beat Germany 5-1 in a World Cup qualifier, Michael Owen scoring a hat-trick. But the Germans had a poor night and England were never to rediscover their Munich swagger. Though they beat Argentina in the Far East, a 10-man Brazil proved too strong for them.
Sept 12, 2007: ENGLAND 3 RUSSIA 0 (STEVE MCCLAREN)
No brolly was required as Steve McClaren’s England overcame Russia 3-0 at Wembley. Owen, profiting from Emile Heskey’s presence as usual, scored twice and Rio Ferdinand rounded off a confident display. Weeks later, however, England lost 2-1 in Moscow and in November a home defeat by Croatia cost them a place at Euro 2008 – and McClaren his job.
* England Expects is on ITV1 on Wednesday at 10.35pm (repeat ITV4 on Thursday at 10pm). At 11pm on Sunday, ITV4 shows an extended version of the 1994 documentary about Taylor, An Impossible Job.
(telegraph)
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