Boards
Steve McClaren
Is he the single least charismatic man ever to show his face on television?
Q: "So Steve, you've dropped Robinson from the team, what made you do that?"
A: "Uhhm (pause) ... just ... events?"
Jesus. He's terrible. I thought Gordon Brown was bad in front of a camera, but this guy just can't string a cohenrent sentence together. He spouts more cliches and reactive nonsenses and reassuring noises than any manager I've seen. And that crap little fake smile, as if he's remembering some camera-coaching wanker's first words from his media class ("and whatever you do, Steve, smile!")...
He's like the polar opposite of Jose as a media presence.
Good team he's selected though.
He's not there
as an entertainer John!
Having said that watching him try and motivate the team would be interesting
Being in the media is part of the job.
The media leads opinion.
Negative opinion will get you the sack.
So in a sense, he is very much there as an entertainer or as a media figure as well as being there as a manager. It's part of the job. Same with politicians.
noted
Things have changed in the last 5 years never mind the last 50.
I obviously agree that what you do is more important than how you look doing it.
But it would be silly to say how you present yourself or are represented in the media are irrelevant. It's a factor.
I am convinced that the state of England's play is partly because of a unique kind of media expectation and huge out-of-all-proportion pressure. I think they have an endemic psychological problem that needs looking at, badly.
Or:
This team is scared shitless of losing.
Money is an issue.
Pressure.
Expectation.
Media standing.
You think media pressure and the
relationship the media has with sport is is indistinguishable the world over?
It's not. The English media is famous for this.
This conversation is a bit boring, soz, I'm gonna watch the game.
The reasoning behind what I'm saying is
linked in to the unique conditions in this country. That is connected to all kinds of things. The pay debates. The unique status that celebrities have here, and the intense hyper-critical English media. The paparazzi are part of this, yes, but they are only an indicator of the atitudes I'm talking about. There's the attention that's lavished on the English Premier League from around the world, and the associated expectation of quality.
Then there's the decaying idea of Englishness, and the idea that national pride is what puts fire in the hearts of national sportsmen. Other countries have a much stronger sense of self that England, and I think this too is a factor in where the inspiration comes from for the national team.
You can pick these factors apart individually or refute this line as a whole, but I'm completely convinced than when you add all of this up, you get a state of mind that is not conducive to being a positive, confident, passionate football player.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAS
Yes, they can win games.
This is something else.
I mean, what are they playing for?
Their lives are already sorted, and Englishness is fucked. What are they playing for? Homebase on Sundays and the Queen's speech? 'Free media' and the Iraq War?
Steve would be at least 10 times more popular
if he never smiled
and
1. if he hadn't done a fakeass 'Oh look at me and Wayne Rooney LOLing in training and getting on really well even though we are supposed to hate each other' publicity stunt
2. he wasn't shit at managering
"THATS FOOTBALL"
:D
Good team?
Ha. It's Route One, listless shite. And it's not even effective.
Nah
They are trying to get Crouch holding the ball up in advanced positions and pushing it into space for attacking midfielders to run onto it.
Yeah :(
Um...
two premiership titles...
The theory's great.
Now if it can just start working...
If not I reckon Bridge off, Bent on in a 3-5-2.
It's risky and could fail completely but we're fucked if we don't do something and I don't think 4-4-2'll give us enough...
All credit to 'em for trying.
And in the interests of fairness I'm glad they haven't rolled over BUT we should be able to at least get a draw at home against a Croatian team with nothing to play for. Otherwise we deserve to be out.
so how long before they sack him?
Malcolm Maclaren would have done better
and with more style
though Joe Cole would probably have ended up a junkie or something
I would be happy to see the back of him.
He's unoriginal, overwhelmed, and has no capacity to deal with the job. Blah Blah, strategies and tactics.
That said, even the considerable talents of Sven couldn't change things for this team.
If only we'd got Scolari.
The squad and injuries just aren't enough of an excuse.
As I said on the other thread, maybe if Russia had won on Saturday and then we'd won or drawn today it might have been enough to blame our early cock-ups and say we've got better since.
But losing must-win games at home in that sort of fashion is just utterly unacceptable.
He must be sacked.
SHOOT TO KILL
I don't know
about the Sven comment I mean
it seemed from my point of view that england had croatia on the ropes at 2-2 and then maclaren and one of his assistants immediately screamed at them to sit back, change formation and play for the draw
two of the guys I watched it with passed the comment
"why the fuck is he telling them to sit on a zero goal cushion?"
"son of sven innit.."
"son of a bitch more like"
*Sleeve McBarren
Fivelive interviewer:
Why were England so defensively vulnerable?
McClaren: I don't know.
Sums it up really.
Agree with only-shallow
The thing that gets me about McClaren is that in his interviews he makes me think he has no analytical skills about the game.
I'd love to see one of his team talks - 'Go on boys, play your best and let's see what we can do.'
Steve McClaren
You are the weakest link
.
Did you write that one yourself?
No
I have a team
he is no Gordon Strachan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfEV0iO0iCw
Come back, Gordon. Please.
My favourite quote of his:
Interviewer: Gordon, a quick word please.
Gordon: Velocity.
I love him.
i
totally agree. Its just like he uses champ man/football man as a bible.
...
"We feel exactly the same as the fans, believe you me, we know how they are feeling," said McClaren.
You really, really don't Steve. With the exception of Beckham* and one or two others.
*Say what you like about him, but despite his unintelligence and ridiculous lifestyle I think he's one of the only ones who does 'get it'.
Agreed
he has that 'I actually give a toss' vibe about him.
I was prepared to give him
the benefit of the doubt tonight. Twice. Firstly with his selection, I thought we were well set up with the two wide players and Lampard and Gerrard bombing on to support Crouch. Except it became blindlingly obvious soon on that he'd set us up to play for a 0-0.
Then 2nd half he made the changes and we got the two goals. Then he tells us to sit back rather than try and kill the game off by keeping the ball.
He's a fuckwit. I'm sorry, I've lost all patience with him and the majority of the players. They don't deserve the shirt.
so,
to continue the conversation...
right about now he'll be waiting in an anteroom in the manner of a disgraced schoolboy before being called into the headmaster's office
"well boy! what do you have to say for yourself?"
two questions;
1) what do you think he'll say?
2) Who's next on the chopping block?
el Tel?
Macca for the sacka.
That said, I have NO idea who would replace him. That guy at Man City is doing fantastically though, why not get him in?