[Alf]

Originally Posted by Samuel.

It's the managers job to select the World Cup squad
to select the starting 11 players
to decide the formation we play
to decide the tactics and style of football we play
to ensure a group of individuals can play successfully as a team
to individually instruct players on their role in the team
to get the absolute best out of his players
to make integral decisions throughout the matches
etc
etc

Wasn't exactly his fault for the second goal but the fact that that is the argument for him, when we shouldn't be in a position two games into the World Cup that conceding a goal can knock us out, is stretching it

The manager is undoubtedly the most important individual and will always and fairly be the one to take a lot of the blame for poor performances and losses as ultimately it's his vision for how England can be success and he failed terribly

And I don't buy the argument that our players aren't good enough - that's a load of rubbish when they're competing in the toughest league in the world when most opposition in the World Cup have players not even starting for their lowly clubs. It's the way they play that's vital.

Tactics my arse, the only tactics you need is to go on to the pitch with the right attitude, the attitude to give it your best. you cant ask for anything more then that.

If the players don't know how to play football tactically by this stage of their careers then they shouldn't be there in the first place.

I saw a great attitude from the players against Italy they looked like they were enjoying it and with a tad more luck we might of just got something out of that game but it wasn't to be.

Against U r gay we looked a yard of the pace, maybe fatigue from the Italy game or even the long flight across Brazil, but the effort was still there and showed character to get back in the game after going behind and if our two centre halfs hadn't have switched off for a split second we may have even gone on to win that.