Cole Henley

Wholeheartedly agree with you Paul (though with the caveat that I haven’t supported England at international level since Mexico ‘86).

Some naive choices but in general England couldn’t have asked for a better manager than Capello for the World Cup. Sadly the media never gave him the space and time to appoint the best team rather than the best group of eleven individuals.

Despite some poor tactical decisions you’ve got to respect Spain’s Del Bosque who in the face of an equally expectant media started the tournament with both Torres and Fabregas on the bench. If Capello had freedom or resolve to start with Gerrard, Lampard or Rooney on bench might have been a different outcome.

It is the weight of expectation that is England’s biggest handicap and sadly the media dusted off all the nostalgic cliches (1966, WWII) in the face of an England team that failed to offer anything new. Perhaps the English need to look north of the Border for a lesson on footballing expectation, stop looking back and just enjoy the ride: http://sport.caledonianmercury.com/2010/06/21/three-tips-as-the-three-lions-slouch-from-66-to-78/00407