Hodgson - I dont know why I'm here; smint?

[Kenneth]

the question to ask really is "would we have expected Cappello to have got to the quarter final stage?" The answer is a resounding YES infact if we hadn't got to at least this stage under Cappello it would be viewed as a huge failure in the press & most of the country.

Under Hodgson we've so far made it to our minimum requirement of the quarter final, it's being lauded as a huge acheivement in the press and waxing lyrically about how he's come in and it seems managed to do what nobody expected and got us through the group FFS

Shows that being in the old boys brigade (Hodgson) and not being a Johnny Foreigner (Cappello) gives the press an entirely different outlook on what you've actuall acheived!

That does conveniently ignore that cappello had been in the job for years whereas Woy's had it for about a month. I think its safe to say that expectations of anyone taking over a team so close to a tournament would be pretty measured.

[RichC]

Not really, you would have thought the FA would have in their minds the minimum requirement from any manager coming in to take over the national side should be getting to the quarter finals, if Redknapp had come in I'd have expected the same as I would with any manager who took over the side from Cappello. Whilst I don't really like the FIFA world rankings he left us as the 6th best side in the world and we were unbeaten in 2011.

Do you think a mimimum requirement of the quarter finals was unrealistic or an acheivement ?

[Kenneth]

I think half the England team are ****e by international standards, so it's been unexpected by me, especially coupled with the fact that Woy is a crap manager. But I guess seedings don't lie completely. I'm not sure of the concept of minimum requirements applying, but yes, id say QFs is about par.

[RedReet]

That does conveniently ignore that cappello had been in the job for years whereas Woy's had it for about a month. I think its safe to say that expectations of anyone taking over a team so close to a tournament would be pretty measured.

TBF, they said on Sunday Supplement a while ago that even winning the Euro's, wouldn't be good enough for Capello to keep his job after 'what he'd already put England through'.

[RichC]

that tv show has some of the most odious ****ers in journalism on it.

[RedReet]

It's horrible. I was playing football manager and it came on after whatever I was watching beforehand.

[Exiled_red]

TBF, they said on Sunday Supplement a while ago that even winning the Euro's, wouldn't be good enough for Capello to keep his job after 'what he'd already put England through'.

that tv show has some of the most odious ****ers in journalism on it.

It's total bollocks, I don't watch it often, but I do sometimes just for a laugh, I can't believe people take it seriously.

[Exiled_red]

The old ******* has a win ratio of 80% for England.

Perhaps if someone were to point it out to him he'd quit now with the best win percentage of any England manager in history

[AnfieldForever]

2:30 in. Dunno whether to or . What a ****ing pube.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18560783

Do you think the moral of the story was "don't ask your wife to give John Terry a lift home after a night out"?

[RedReet]

For the sake of Gerrard I was starting to warm to the idea of England doing well, but this Hodgson lovefest in the media is beyond sickening now. Come on Italy, stuff those cunts!

[Fredo]

His interview was pathetic as ever

He was gloating after the journalist said that he 'exceeded their expectations'

The fraud

[peekay]

It is hard to criticize the Bodge given the circumstances and the squad he had. He had been dealt with a hard hand and it appears he made the best use of the circumstances by playing defensive football.

However, what most journalist and supporters of other clubs dont realize is that his tactics are not going to change or improve with a better squad or against poorer teams. Todays game reminded me so much of some of our awful displays. It is going to be the same - two banks of four with hoofing at every available opportunity against San Marino also.

[Exiled_red]

It will be interesting to see what happens for the next tournament (assuming they qualify) because despite the ****e that was served up alot of the fans seem fairly happy, and seem to agree with Hodgson that England have exceeded expectations (thanks to the Bodge have successfully lowering them). But having 'over-achieved' () this time surely the expectation increases for the next one. How does the Bodge handle it? Presumably the only way to dampen expectation is to struggle in qualifying

[Phoenix07]

I'm still stunned by this 'we've exceeded expectations' nonsense.

So were England not expecting to get out of the group with France, Ukraine and Sweden? I only see one toughie in there. Embarrassing lowering of expectations more like.

And as Dom mentioned in the Match Thread, the quality in England's squad and it being suggested they are technically and tactically inferior is laughable.

As for the fans and press celebrating avoiding Spain, thinking they'd come up against an Italy side who'd sit back. Suck on Prandelli's balls. He showed you up good and proper.
No one even pressed Pirlo. Just give the best passer of the ball on the pitch bar Gerrard acres of space. Great tactics England.

And the bellend in the BBC Commentary when Diamanti came on as a sub in extra-time, banging on about him being a West Ham reject and scoring the winning goal, slyly laughing it off. I wonder who is having the last laugh now!

[Fivex]

Commentary was ****ing awful last night

Complete embarrassment.