And the reason England are out of the World Cup?

Here's a radical thought - perhaps the players just aren't good enough?

Often we blame the FA, the manager, or the players being tired but none of these arguments hold true.

• The FA? Say what you like about them - and there is a lot, I mean a lot, to criticise - but they do invest in the national team. Good facilities, good back room staff and good logistical support. They've not always been like this - but most of the of the other FAs, especially the smaller ones who don't have the English FA's resources, would love to have the support the English FA supply,
• The manager? The last three have all been successful outside the England job - even the 'wally with the brolly' has shown that he is a good manager by winning the Dutch league, and not with one of the 'glamour' teams
• Poor 'man-management'? The last three managers have (a) been laid back and tried to treat the players as adults and let them make choices, (b) tried to be the players' friend, and (c) had a strict regime. The players haven't responded to any of these approaches and I'm not sure what other options are actually left.
• The players are tired? Rubbish. None of the England team were in the Champions League final and many of the other teams have key players who are based in the English, or other European, leagues and it doesn't seem to have hindered them.

The simple fact is the only constant has been the players. We desperately need to see the Emperor's New Clothes that is the Premier League and how truly 'world class' our players are. The EPL is great entertainment, it may be the wealthiest league in the world, but it's not the best. Virtually no English players are 'world class' - very few would make it into the other top national teams starting 11 - and those who are labelled as such, e.g. Rooney, have consistently failed on the big stages of the World Cup/Euro championship.

Let's accept it - we don't have, and have never had, a 'golden generation'. The players are good, but are over hyped and not world beaters. They are technically poor - they lose possession and cannot adapt tactics to the situation as was clearly shown in today's game. At best they've been a 'bronze generation' (insert gag here about footballers wives and fake tan...). Let's be honest, a last 16 finish is about right.

What would I do next? Little - Capello is still the best manager for the job given who he can pick, and remember England qualified with relative ease. If he goes then either call the players' bluff and get Hiddink, or if we need an English manager get in Hodgson who works well with 'lower level' players as demonstrated with his spells as the Swiss manager and at Fulham.

What can you do? Give up the Premier League - don't believe the hype. The EPL is good fun - but it's not top quality. Get in touch with real lower level and the grassroots. Support your local team - not a 'brand'. Learn to love good technical football - not the kick & rush we see every week. It may not give as much 'excitement' and it will need to be for the long term - but it's the only way England will ever become 'world class'.

Making the most of the weather...

Not 100% sure I made the most of the weather - was very tempted to stay in and watch a variety of sports related TV programming - but went out for a delightful, and hot, cycle ride around the home counties/Thames valley.

So, for a few hours I pottered around Windsor, the Eton College boating lake (where the 2012 rowing will be held) and around Cliveden and Cookham.

Always surprises me that just outside London, just by the M4 or M25, and just under the Heathrow flight path you can find fields and small villages, complete with local churches and summer fayres.

Everything is All White now

Well at least one team playing in white know how to play football. I was in a bar/restaurant when NZ scored v Italy - the Kiwi barman was beside himself. I don't think he could quite believe it.

What I don't understand is how a team made of some professionals, some 'unattached' players, one who didn't seem to make the grade at AFC Wimbledon, and some who are amateurs and have jobs in the real world could hold their own against the current World Cup holders, yet the multimillionaire 'stars' who play in the 'greatest league in the world' could barely string a pass together against a very weak Algeria.

Go NZ, go All Whites - I guess that's why it's the beautiful game.

World Cup - so how's it going so far...

Another very funny World Cup related tweet from The Onion;

"South African Vuvuzela Philharmonic Angered By Soccer Games Breaking Out During Concerts http://onion.com/dkwWFJ"

Well, the World Cup is going pretty much as normal - cagey first matches many of which are dull, the odd shock result (go Switzerland and the All Whites!), and England being rubbish. I don't know why it should surprise me as it's par for the course, but the inability of the England team to string two passes together is incredible. Perhaps, finally the Emperor's New Clothes that is the Premier League (the greatest league in the world?) will be noticed.

However, do not panic. I've just read All Played Out by Pete Davies, just reissued by Yellow Jersey Press as One Night in Turin. It follows England in the 1990 World Cup - and we forget just how bad England were in the group stages there. We started with two draws...

It's an excellent book which delves behind the scenes of the World Cup, the England team, and the press that follow them. The access Pete Davies had would be impossible today and it's a world before email, satellite TV and one where hooliganism was a real issue. There are lots of stories around Gazza, Waddle and Lineker, Platt breaking through during the tournament, and just what a polite and good man Bobby Robson was; and how badly he was treated by the FA.

If you're a football fan you'll love it - a witty and incisive account of football when it seemed a bit simpler.

Website of the week

Don't know what your view of the World Cup is but the often excellent The Onion has had done some wonderful tweeting on its twitter feed (here). Favourites so far include;

• Center Forward: runs up and down the field to keep himself and his teammates awake
• Sweeper: called this for the same reason damn near everything has some other word for it in Europe
• Game clock: runs at random times for no reason and is ignored by players and officials alike
• Referees: decide if a minor penalty receives a yellow, canary, goldenrod, blond or marigold card 

They have also done a very handy introduction to world-cup soccer. And they say Americans don't understand association football.

You mean there was a football match?

I didn't watch the football last night - though I caught the 'highlights' and to be honest didn't seem I'd missed much - as I went to see the excellent Julie Fowlis.

Have to say it's slightly weird going to a concert when there is a big England world cup match on - especially as the band are very Scottish and sing in Gaelic. However, being on the same evening gave it a real intimate feeling. Ticket sales were perhaps lower than expected so to make best use of the space the venue had arranged the seating in to 'cabaret' style which also added to atmosphere. The combination of that, a smaller audience (around 200) who really wanted to be there, and an excellent group made for a wonderful evening's concert.

Julie Fowlis hails from North Uist in the Outer Hebrides and sings traditional style Celtic folk in Scots Gaelic. She possesses a wonderful voice and was BBC Radio2 Folk Singer of the Year in 2008. The evening was a winning combination of that sublime voice, four other very talented musicians, and good humour and charm between the songs all in a pleasant and intimate venue. Her current tour has played/is playing some great venues, including Union Chapel in London on Thursday. Heartily recommend catching her in concert if you can.

So a interesting week musically. Monday night was thousands seeing Bon Jovi start their O2 residency. Saturday around 200 watching a folk gig. Both good and both very different in numerous ways - and if I'm honest, I enjoyed the the Julie Fowlis slightly more. If nothing else there was also something funny about being updated with the score from the England game. "It's 1-1. Really? Oh, that's a shame." I *suspect* her tongue was firmly in her cheek.

A bit of rough?

Am I the only one who finds David Cameron's "Come on England!" a bit, well, embarassing?

Reminds me of the posh boy at school pretending he's into football to make friends when really he's a 'rugger' boy through and through.

And they're off

Finally the World Cup is under way - and what a wonderful few weeks we have in prospect. The first finals in Africa, the beautiful backdrop of one of the most stunning countries on earth, and the culmination of the sport of the masses being held in a country where the masses were oppressed for so long.

Above all it looks to be a wide open contest and one where England have a sensible and talented manager - even though we still possess an over-hyped team.

And what a start - somehow fitting for the hosts to score first and with such a good goal. Though not sure their celebrations should be encouraged!


So, three predictions from me;

• South Africa will get through the group stage - France won't
• England will lose to the USA but will get to the quarter finals
• The refereeing will be good overall - but there will be one howler that will cost a team dear, but a 'minnow'

Enjoy!

All the way up to 11 - again

Spent last night at the opening concert of the Bon Jovi 'residency' at the O2.

As I've said before, I'm not a massive fan and they'll never be cool, but a good chance to catch up with a friend (a Bon Jovi fan) and you have to say the band know what they are doing. They did a good, tight 2 & half hour set mixing some new stuff with all the fans' favourites. It's basically a mass singalong with the band.

Two observations. First, the O2 really has changed from it's old incarnation as the Dome, and even from when I went to the first concert there a couple of years ago. It's a good venue and, unlike Wembley, pretty easy to get to/from on public transport, plus there are numerous bars and restaurants. Overall it's pretty impressive.

Second - I'm going to give up on trying to work out the Bon Jovi fanbase. They are a rock band who've been around for 25 years so you'd expect lots of middle aged blokes in demin? You'd be wrong. Me and my mate are both 39 and probably amongst some of the oldest there. Yes you'll still find the odd aging rocker - but most fans are in their 20s with a pretty even gender split, if not slightly more women. I find it bizarre that you're more likely to come across groups of women attending than blokes. I don't understand it, but can't knock it - the group know what they do and do it well.

Basically they've found a winning formula - and whilst they are never going to win masses of critical acclaim - you can't begrudge them their success.