Backward-looking

I feel sorry for the peoples of Germany, Netherlands, France, Belgium and others to live in such technologically benighted countries because the biggest reason why England fail, according to all pundits (across TV, radio, newspaper) e.g. Alan Hansen, is that there are too many digital distractions like XBoxs and iPads for English children instead of the simple pleasure of blatting a ball against a wall for ten hours of the day. Spain and Portugal must have just caught up technologically this year with England.

The real reason England fail is clinging to outdated concepts. Such rot tries to take us back 50 years, ironically to the time of our greatest triumph as a national team in football. But after winning the World Cup, Alf Ramsay (shortly to become Sir Alf) said, “It has taken English football 100 years to realise that football can be played differently from the way it was when it was originated, but we have now caught up." Messrs Hansen et al have a message which is the antithesis of Ramsay's statement. 

 Liverpool didn't start winning European trophies until they switched their style when playing outside England; in the middle of the last decade when the Premier League was at its peak in dominating Europe, a slower 'continental' style was adopted in counterpoint to the hurly-burly of the domestic league. Liverpool's dominance ended when their fans got all English clubs banned for five years from European competition and when English clubs returned they were hopelessly antediluvian in their tactics; the Premier League's influence has waned considerably in recent years as the style which was appropriate then has ossified (much as it is now apparent the same with Spain, Barcelona and Pep Guardiola with their own distinctive style).

It is all very well lamenting the passing of old ways but it is a counsel of despair as these old ways will not return.  And rightly so.  With the exception of Euro '96 (and maybe Italia '90), England have been falling behind since hoisting the Jules Rimet trophy.  The closure of the Lilleshall academy was particularly egregious.  We now have St George's Park as a rival to Clairefontaine in France and others across Europe, where techniques will be a significant step up from the timewarp the pundits coo over. Who knows, with St George's, England might finally reach the vanguard of playing style once again, but with bad, old attitudes prevailing it is probably best no to be too confident.