An Absolute Shower

Never mind the giant Murdoch vulture tearing the liver from the national game, the obvious culprit in this catastrophe is the scandalous demise of the grammar schools, which relegated suitable lower class types to a future of toil or football, created a degree of due deference in them, and concentrated their blind loyalty on their national duty.

The idea that playing in the most demanding schedule in the world under the endless scrutiny of the most invasive media in the world could produce the most under-achieving team in the world is wishy washy liberalism of the most debilitating kind, and incipient socialism more pernicious than even the BBC.

The last time England won the world cup, they had a proper manager who sounded as if he'd been to public school and who brought the vital element of military discipline to the job from his years of honourable service in defence of his Queen and country. And also, the team was notably free of pollution by non-English, alien temperaments,  with their inevitable tendency to panic under fire. The result was the kind of gritty, winning teamwork which is inherent in the English genius.

Until the national slide into the pit of wooly inclusiveness and insolence towards elders and betters is reversed, we can expect no better from our sporting representatives. Until then, they will remain a shower, and absolute shower. Demoralised, sullen and useless.

Mind you, those damn Bolshies do seem to have sorted out the Yanks and their mini-rugby game.
'NFL - The Socialist Game in the Land of the Free'
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England players are are in the most competitive league in the most bitterly competitive society in europe. The result is that they do not know how to play the game, only to do it to others. 'It's not just about the winning, it's the taking them apart.'
Until they can redress the balance between co-operating with each other and competing against the opposition they will always be intimidated by less inhibited opposition, who take pleasure from what they do.
Watching England play is like watching Subutteo. Not playing football, but doing it by numbers.