The England Forum
Discuss everything in the World of English Football - from the Premier League, to the Coca-Cola Championship and beyond. Due to the worldwide popularity of the English Premier League, football in England has its own forum.
Latest England Entries
Total Threads: 55 | Replies: 339
Andy Gray Praises Rooney's Aerial Improvement
Category: England - Barclays Premiership (EPL)
Created by: chelsea4ever Create Date: March 2, 2010 Last Comment: March 5, 2010
Former Aston Villa and Everton star Andy Gray has paid tribute to Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney over the way he has improved his heading ability this season.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Gray wrote: "Wayne has improved dramatically. I heard about 18 months ago that he had started doing a little bit extra in training to improve his technique - and you can see he is reaping the dividends. Now he's playing up top and not in that withdrawn role on the left, he is in the box far more often and he is giving himself far more of an opportunity to score with headers.
"Look at the brilliant header he scored against AC Milan a fortnight ago. He could not have scored that a year ago. It's from practising over and over again. I imagine Wayne has been having someone feed him ball after ball at training - all at different heights - in order to get better.
"I used to spend hours and hours doing that with the coaching staff and it used to help me a great deal. I don't think Wayne has been doing that as much as I did but he's definitely practised. He couldn't have scored all the goals he has otherwise."
comment | Total Replies: 4
Neville: Rooney Has Character to Handle Man United Expectations
Category: England - Barclays Premiership (EPL)
Created by: chelsea4ever Create Date: March 5, 2010 Last Comment: March 5, 2010
Manchester United captain Gary Neville says Wayne Rooney has the character to carry the club to glory this season. Rooney is being tipped for the Player of the Year gongs this season after a superb campaign.
"Wayne has been around a long time now and he has the experience of a 30-year-old now because he came into the Premier League at 16," Neville told manutd.com.
"He's done the lot - playing in European Cup finals, FA Cup finals, World Cups and European Championships. He is maturing now and going through a peak time in his career. He looks dangerous whenever he plays and can score lots of goals.
"It is not just about ability. It's also his determination and character. He's so enthusiastic. That is what makes him stand out, his willingness to always fight for the team."
Eulogies have been abundant for Rooney throughout a season in which he's scored 28 goals in 36 games for United so far. Neville has no qualms about piling on yet more praise, insisting, "Wayne can handle all the praise and accolades, and any criticism."
It was no doubt a relief to the captain and his colleagues that Rooney was able to play for England on Wednesday night, after concerns over a sore knee after the Carling Cup final.
"He is important to us," admits Neville. "We have two months of important matches now and we need him fit for them."
comment | Total Replies: 3
Deco Wants Out of Chelsea
Category: England - Barclays Premiership (EPL)
Created by: chelsea4ever Create Date: March 2, 2010 Last Comment: March 2, 2010
Deco admits he wants to leave Chelsea at the end of the season. It is another blow to the Blues after defeats to Inter and Manchester City plus the John Terry and Ashley Cole sex scandals.
Deco told The Sun: "I want to go back to Brazil. I still have a couple of good years of high-level football in me but I want to be near my kids."
Deco, 32, has a year left on his Chelsea deal but has asked the club to let him leave.
He added: "Ideally, I'd like to go after the World Cup and I've been talking to Chelsea about it."
Dad-of-four Deco has been a major player under boss Ancelotti, featuring in 24 games this term.
He said: "It will all depend on Chelsea - if the club release me or let me go on loan. I'm not going to rush to choose a new club but it's time to get back."
comment | Total Replies: 3
Are Billionaires A Good Thing?
Category: England - Barclays Premiership (EPL)
Created by: dynamo Create Date: October 15, 2008 Last Comment: September 30, 2009
So Manchester City have been purchased by a phenomenally rich family. I observe that the general feeling seems to be that they will soon either usurp either Liverpool or Arsenal from the "big 4" or expand it to be a "big 5". People's feelings seem to range from concern that any club can become "big" overnight to downright hysterical that 20 billionaires will soon run the Premiership, tearing away the fabric of all space and time in the process.
I can appreciate there are concerns. I like to think there is more to running a successful football team than simply spending a lot of money on big-name players. It also feels a little hollow to think that for example Stoke (no offence) could be snapped up by a multi-billionaire tomorrow and theoretically become overnight title-contenders. But then again, isn't five teams with five top managers battling for the Premiership better than four? As more money around the globe is invested in the Premiership and its teams, doesn't that increase the potential for yet more quality players to come here and make our game all the more exciting? I don't particularly think that football as an actual game or sport is suffering as a result...at least not yet.
I read somewhere today that there are concerns that the Premiership is becoming so dominant that the Italian and Spanish leagues are suffering. On that count I'm already decided: I'm shedding no tears. They started the whole concept of buying in the best talent from other nations, for paying astronomical transfer fees and the rest of us gradually followed suit. Indeed, until the Premiership started to compete with Serie A and La Liga, the number of star foreign players you had was almost a measure of how strong your league was.
Of course there are other concerns. The biggest and though it isn't pushed as forcefully as it might, is for me the alienation of the everyday person casually going to matches on a regular basis. Football can be a pretty expensive passtime nowdays. But then again, when the stadiums are full and people are building them bigger and bigger, is it truly a problem of affordability? Or are people just disgruntled because their hobby got a bit more expensive? After all, couldn't it be argued that a night on the town, a high-profile concert, going clubbing are all comparably priced? I'm playing devils advocate a bit with that question, but I want to hit it from all angles.
One thing I'm probably most concerned about though (and I have no idea who practical it would be to combat this) is that anyone can theoretically buy a football team. As long as the owner primarily wants prizes, or at least understands that they are necessary for the clubs success, then I see no real complaints. With Abramovich, he likes football and likes owning a team. Simple. With the Glazer's they seem to want to cash in on the worldwide name that is Man U - and want it to remain a successful team. To my relief, they also seem to respect the tradition of the sport and team at least to some extent. But should Man City have ever been allowed to be sold to a former foreign political figure facing charges of corruption? The best thing about him selling up is that he is no longer running an EPL team (though he isn't totally out of the picture). And what happens when we get the first suggestion (though it sort of happened with Wimbledon already) of relocating a team to a "more lucrative market" as happens here in the states?
If people are just investing money for players to improve teams and make clubs and the game even more successful, then I think that must be good in general. But there are concerns, probably many more than I've mentioned and the FA must take whatever control they can and ensure as best they can that the Premier league remains primarily about the the game - and the game at the best it can be.
comment | Total Replies: 13
David Beckham is Mickey Mouse
Category: England - National Team (England)
Created by: acmilan Create Date: August 24, 2008 Last Comment: August 25, 2008
Just caught a glimpse of the Olympics Closing Ceremony and got to see Golden Balls himself do his best Mickey Mouse - sans the ears - while kicking a soccer ball off a double-decker bus. Funny thing is that the commentator said he didn't "Bend It Like Beckham," but if she had been watching him lately ... Beckham hasn't been bending it since he arrived in LA.
This guy is a joke, although he's laughing all the way to the bank at our expense. Perhaps now his political duty is done and the English National Team can give him his medal and send him on his jolly way now.
comment | Total Replies: 2
Sharing Tools
Feel free to use one of the link sharing options below for blogs, forums or emailing to your friends. You will need to use the cut and paste controls found on your keyboard.
By providing your information and continuing, you are agreeing to the World Football (Soccer) Book Terms of Use and Online Privacy Policy.
