Monday, June 28

Just like watching West Ham

The sense of injustice creating false hope, the ability to concede a goal from a free kick on the edge of the opposition's box… watching England really is just like watching West Ham.

It's always been a mystery how so many England players managed to get relegated with West Ham in 2002-03. Against Germany David James, Glen Johnson, Jermain Defoe and sub Joe Cole, along with squad member Michael Carrick, were all members of that Glenn Roeder side. Or maybe it's not a mystery anymore; they were just overrrated. Good club players who fade at international level.

The West Ham links are completed by Matt Upson (who scored a good goal but along with Terry received the runaround from more mobile attackers), Rob Green and ex-players Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand.

None of those players won anything with West Ham - even as kids you might expect really world class players to perhaps help their side get to to say a League Cup Final — and now it's time for England to forget about the not-so-golden generation and start anew.

A 50 per cent quota of English players in the Premier League and a united governing body covering all four divisions might be a start.

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