England Football Team!

England Football team just got kicked out of the Euro2008 qualifier.

Unbelievable! Consider the fact that they had one of the best domestic league in the world. The national team can actually fail to qualify for the most prestigious tournament in the continent.

The coach, Steve McClaren had to be blamed largely for their pathetic state. He lacked the wit and tactical know-how to succeed at the international stage and relied too much on his players’ reputation. He is afraid of making bold decisions and doing what is right. He didn’t come with a big reputation before taking the England’s hot seat, and now his reputation will surely take another huge dent.

Steve McClaren struggle to find the correct formation to fit all his superstars. It’s almost like he tried to pacify all his players’ needs and wants. It does make him seem like a kit-man trying to serve all the players together.

Every department in the team all seem to go haywire. From his coaching staff to the goalkeeper and right up to the strikers.

He make a mistake by having Terry Venables, the former England manger as his assistant. Terry Venables is a man with a much bigger reputation than he was and it sure caused some of his power over the team to be diminished.

The Goalkeeper problem was probable the single most important factor on England’s failure. Paul Robinson the previous number one was made to sit out after making several mistakes in the previous qualifiers but he actually had made improvements over these couple weeks . Beside, He had the experience! What a crazy stunt to pull to put Scot Carson, who just earned his first cap during the friendly against Austria as the Goalkeeper for the most important match of the qualifying campaign.

The defenders are not to excused from the blame as well. Yes, you might argued that McClaren actually missed all his first choice defenders but still he can make full use of the players available. His selection was totally wrong. Why did he put Joleon Lescott as centre-back when he was playing as left-back in Everton. While Micah Richards was Man. City’s centre-back was made to play as rightback. The obvious choice would had been: Right-Wes Brown, Center-Sol Campbell and Micah Richards, Left-Joleon Lescott.

The midfield department was quite alright but it could be better if Beckham had start. His crosses could have been crucial in the first half. While Shaun Wright-Phillips offered more penetration, his inclusion in the 2nd half would have been useful when the Croatia’s full back had used up most of his energy. And in this crucial match it’s always important to get the first goal. If Beckham had started, he might just be able to provide the cross for Crouch to score just as he did in the 2nd half in the match. That probably will calmed everybody nerves, especially Scot Carson the goalkeeper.

The strike force is really doom when he made the selection. Not that Peter Crouch was bad, but McClaren would probably not have a selection headache had he not play Michael Owen in the friendly. Why waste an established players over a meaningless friendly? Choosing Darren Bent was also not working either, as he is still trying to find the form he had when he was in Charlton.

All that spelled disaster and probably had a say in his sacking. It’s not just that one match, He had the whole 18 months to get things right, yet at the end of it he still can get the wrong combinations that caused their downfall!