Of course seeing England eliminated from the World Cup was disappointing, but was it surprising? I ask the question because, for years, I feel that our so called top players have not really delivered, when it was really called for. Sadly paying multi thousand weekly wages is no guarantee of success, that is when the world stage beckons.
However, once all the fuss has died down, there are two groups of people that I feel genuinely sorry for. Firstly the youngster; that is the young children who have been encouraged to give their support to players they felt it was right to idolise, in the name of sport and national pride. These are the real casualties, left disillusioned by a group of players who, for some, putting on an England shirt seemed to have little or no significance at all. Some of the “super stars” even selected not to sing the National Anthem. Was this just to show their complete indifference for the occasion, or perhaps a simple childish sulk rebelling against team discipline?
Either way it is to the youngsters to whom the players should apologise. Perhaps a nationwide tour to all the schools in the UK, in an open top bus and wearing sack cloth and ashes might go some way to appeasing the youngsters. Youngsters who had mistakenly placed the England players upon the pedestal of role model suitability, only to be left deluded.
Yes defeat in sport is an occupational hazard, even when giving ones best, but if Sunday’s lack lustre performance was supposed to be their best then the unemployment total should rise by eleven, plus the substitutes who played; oh and their manager.
And then I feel sorry for the many talented players who were left behind, left to watch a display that lacked commitment or direction. Talented players denied the trip to South Africa must have been fuming with frustration, having been overlooked in favour of the tired and familiar names that did make the plane.
Next will come the final irony as we wait for the next Saturday evening round of Match of the Day programmes that will be peppered with shouts of “what a great goal from Rooney,” or perhaps “another brilliant effort from Gerrard.”
What a pity these guys cannot perform when their country needs it!
