England v France

[dww]

It was a bit misguided to include them in that list I agree, but my point was there seems to be the same people (structure) behind an ever changing manager but the team always failed, which to me indicates that something must be wrong somewhere else.

For a start, he Capello got battered for fielding a young team last night, when the main point of these friendlies is to blood youngsters/new players, the result being insignificant.

I'm not sure that he has got battered really. There is criticism but there always will be whatever happens and it is largely from the media. Only a game or two ago people were bleating that he was keeping with the old guard too much.

I think there are two disconnected issues: one about structure and development and one about the full national team. In terms of structure we seem to be making very slow progress but progress nonetheless. In terms of the England team I think we have a limited and unbalanced collection of players and overblown expectations.

The situation is a bit like Liverpool I guess. Although obviously Capello has more of a track record to point to than Roy.

[Ben_Itez]

It was a bit misguided to include them in that list I agree, but my point was there seems to be the same people (structure) behind an ever changing manager but the team always failed, which to me indicates that something must be wrong somewhere else.

For a start, he Capello got battered for fielding a young team last night, when the main point of these friendlies is to blood youngsters/new players, the result being insignificant.

England managers just can't win.

The press seem to think we should blow everyone away by 4 or 5 and compete evenly with Spain, Brazil etc. Capello was given stick for his team selection last night but before the game he was lauded for giving the youngsters a chance.

To be fair i think a few of the youngsters we have are promising but the likelihood is that come the qualifiers that Capello will only start about 3 or 4 players from the team last night.

However, i do get the impression his heart isnt quite in it and to be fair i can't really blame him after all the dog's abuse he's received. How many competitive games has he lost again?

People and the press just need to accept that we arent one of the best teams in the world and more than likely will never be in the top few. I think quarter finals with a good draw is about the best we can hope for at major tournaments (just where Sven got us and look what happened to his reputation after the England job )

[SimonNo7]

Capello is an amazing manager at club level but it really is incredible how badly he's doing with England. I wonder if his heart's really in it.

I think it is, however the player's heart's, now that's a question...

[SimonNo7]

I think the structure surrounding him, the FA etc... is a complete shambles. The FA has hired the best coaches around the world, not limiting themselves to English managers and have done so for a number of years but the constant in all of this is that the English national team has always failed. Look in the hierarchy there, you'll see remnants of past glories, such as Trevor Brooking, Howard Wilkinson, Stuart Pearce etc ...

Especially when it comes to dealing with the clubs and having the balls to invoke the four day rule (I think that's what it is).

We all know it's been going on for years with players pulling out of squads with bad injuries but then turning out for their clubs a few days later. If they'd had the balls to stand up to Alex Ferguson years ago we might find that we would of been in a better place now. I think the beginning of this season tells its own story with how little balls this lot have got when Fergie pulls Carrick out of an England game and then plays him in the Community Shield BEFORE said England game!

The other major issue that Capello has against him in the England job is that the majority of English players just simply lack skill and technique!!!

[Neil Young]

I didn't really watch the game last night but when I glanced at it the difference between the French and English players was stark. Only Gerrard and Young looked remotely technically capable enough. The others were constantly failing to control the ball, passing badly, lunging in. And tactical awareness was minimal.

[el matador]

Capello is an amazing manager at club level but it really is incredible how badly he's doing with England. I wonder if his heart's really in it.

mate lets face it, he's got absolute **** to pick from. He's getting battered by the media and the fans and no doubt the message from the FA is to pick younger players for the teams.

only gerrard and rooney would make it into most other world teams and the rest of the england team are very average.

However, in my opinion capello has got this completely wrong. Its not his job to develop young players to play for their clubs and the national teams - that's the club managers job. His job is to pick the best available 25 players for england squads and play the best players.

What sort of message does it send out to young english players when kieron gibbs is picked to play for england when he cant get a game at arsenal.

Its wrong and young players like gibbs, carroll and henderson have to prove themselves at premiership level first. Carroll has played less than 15 games at premiership level, henderson has only just started making headlines and gibbs doesnt play in the arsenal first XI week in week out.

Yes the emphasis should be on youth but young players that are doing it week in week out and have been doing so for a while. Any half decent english youngster will be thinking that it doesnt matter that im not playing for my club side because im english i will still get picked.

In most first rate international sides, players playing for their national teams at the age of 20 or so have to absolutely sensational and with no disrespect for henderson, carroll or gibbs neither of them are on the same level as the messi's and ronaldo's of this world.

So its no surprise that our football has gone to ****.

Another thing about the english game is that if you watched the french in possession of the ball, they were so far ahead of us it was untrue. Watch the match and look out for when they had the ball. Every french player in possession had 2 or 3 players in close proximity (within 20 yards) for a pass whereas our lads as soon as we get the ball they all run away from it.

We look to get onto the end of long passes or long balls and they wanted it into feet every time.

[Craig_H]

Whilst Capello's made some big errors, the fact is that every one of england's recent managers, has been successful in other jobs, and all failed with england.

Eriksson won Serie A, Capello has won everything, even McLaren won the dutch titile with FC Twente, a major achievement for such a club.

The problem is with the players and the mentality of english football, not the managers.