By Myles Palmer
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SVEN AND BECKHAM have turned the England team into a Big Brother, a disgusting, nasty, voyeuristic “reality show.”
It’s become utterly horrible.
It’s a million miles from sport.
Fans will tune in wondering whether the match will bring an execution – or maybe a stay of excution.
Today Sky Sports News had a poll about whether Beckham should be dropped.
Only 54% thought he should be dropped.
I thought it would be far more.
But then Sky lives on stars.
It’s the TV of hype, of showbiz, of big names, of superstars.
People subscribe, and watch, because they love their favourite stars.
So 46% of respondents think Becks did OK v Austria, or that he deserves another chance because of what he has achieved in the past.
They might even argue that England need a team, not an audition.
KATOWICE is an opportunity for England to raise their game.
It’s a chance to play with passion, conviction and imagination.
It’s a chance to shine.
England could take it, and if they are real men, and real pros, they will take it.
IT’S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR TEAM.
Myself, I think Poland v England will be a 1-1 draw.
Steven Gerrard will put Owen through one-on-one twice, and he will miss twice.
GERRARD should be captain.
He is a leader
That is obvious.
He is more outgoing than Sol.
He can communicate with Rooney, our best footballer.
Gerrard was the only one who saw danger when Andreas Ivanschitz was about to shoot, and tried to tackle, as the other dimwits all backed off.
And Gerrard is the only one who has talked any sense since Vienna.
He had the guts to admit that criticism of the team, for losing that 2-0 lead, was legitimate.
Whereas Sven’s comments are just denial and spin.
Stevie G said “It is worrying because a better side than
Austria could have beaten us. We need to learn how to deal with two-nothing games, how to lead games and finish teams off.
“We have to keep the ball, keep our shape and pass it better. If not to score more goals, at least to kill the game off.
“We have to learn things psychologically and tactically in those circumstances.
“At half-time in Austria we thought one more goal would finish them off.
“The stick we got for Austria wasn’t unfair because we should have won. But it will help to unite us. Because we let it slip it makes Poland a massive game for us.”
I’m glad that Stevie thinks this game is massive.
From where he is standing, England’s next qualifying game is always massive.
That’s fine.
That’s the way it should be.
If I believed in Sven-Beckham-Owen, I would be sure that England would beat Poland, a decent Division 2 national team.
To me, right now, Sven is like a fading printer, a machine that needs a new ink cartidge.
What I see from him, and what I hear, is a paler and paler photocopy of what he has done before.
His spiel is as tame as musak.
It’s lifeless, colourless, feeble.
His England teams don’t move me, don’t create anticipation.
Sven can’t make England play better.
Beckham can’t.
And Owen can’t.
ONLY ROONEY can do that – and he is injured.
By the way, I’m now convinced that Andrade’s stamp on Rooney’s foot was deliberate.
If you look at the video, Andrade looked down at the crucial moment as he ran behind him, and trampled on Rooney’s foot, removing his boot and breaking his metatarsal.
September 7th 2004.