So, England's participation in another tournament ends at the QF stage, but probably more agonising, yet another penalty shoot out defeat.
Are we surprised? We shouldn't be, having lost quite a few over the years, and I think it would be incredibly naive to blame the loss on Ashley's Cole & Young. The fact we even manage to slog it to the penalty stage was painful to watch and really shouldn't have happened since after half time we suddenly and inexplicably stopped offering any kind of threat. We limped through extra time, and frankly, it's probably better we lost now than get battered by Germany.
We can berate the team, the manager, the tactics, sure, and we should to a certain aspect. People said James Milner 'put in a shift'. What the FUCK does that even mean!? He ran around ALOT, great, but he offered nothing! He has the worst passing statistics in the English midfield unsurprisingly. He's offered nothing in any of the games, with the idea for him to provide Johnson with extra cover - which says nothing for Johnson - but also I don't think Milner even did that!! He looked out of ideas, and hopeless in the final 1/3 of the pitch, he was frankly awful. I'm not Walcott's biggest fan but his pace should have pushed Italy for the full time, or even The Ox would have loved to run at Italy's defence which in the 1st half was put under huge pressure and was creaking on numerous occassions. However when Walcott did come on, the service to him was awful, most of the 'attacks' (and I use the term loosely) going down the left for the utterly impotent Young to squander. Walcott was crying for the ball a few times with no one near him, I remember Parker firing the ball miles in front of him hoping for the best, when given an extra touch and a bit more control, he could have played it to feet for Walcott to run at the full back, it was poor. Knowing that Chiellini wasn't fit to start, we should have really gone for it, and I stick by my saying that Rooney SHOULD NOT have started.
I know this is quite outlandish and no one I've said this to has agreed with me. But why should he walk into the team that was doing well and had a rigid formation/shape, to disrupt it considering he still doesn't quite know where to play in an England shirt. He breaks up the shape and is awful at sticking to a formation, frequently wondering to find the ball. He was clearly asked to track Pirlo to help break up Italy's play from their incredibly magical player, and I remember him doing this maybe once. Pirlo completed more successful passes than the entire England midfield. Someone needs to take the blame for letting that happen!! It was a simple plan, stifle Pirlo and you'll suffocate the Italians - but we still chose not to do this, let him roam, and play with a standard backs against the wall.
In the first half we really took the game to them, we created chances, played with vigour, ran at their back four and found space for crosses and opportunities. What happened after half time? Was it more we left our shape, ran low on energy and ideas? Or did Italy adapt, to play a slightly more pressured game, giving our midfield less time on the ball knowing that technically they aren't good enough to create chances under pressure - inevitably losing possession in key areas, pushing us back to square one?
However, can we be honest, what did we actually expect to happen in the tournament? We were without a few key members, Roy only had just over a month to prepare with the players and get his tactics/ideas/formations across, and frankly we're quite a limited team. I'm not saying he's some saviour or anything, but imagine if Wilshere was fit, his simple ability to not actually be scared to have the ball would be invaluable, creating chances from midfield, deep lying or coming forward, is something that we lacked. Apart from Milner only having the ability to run around like a twat and knock the ball to the Italians, Ashley Young was worryingly ominous, seeming unsure about where to play or willing to really take players on. On the flipside Lescott played very well, helping a section of fans/pundits/media types to forget about Rio not making it. Terry as much of a prick that he is, was exceptional. Gerrard ended on a sour note, saving his worst performance for the end, but still was a good captain in getting us through the groups. Rooney can be put down to lack of playing time recently and missing the 1st two games, taking too long to understand what was required of him. Welbeck looked solid and was nowhere near as bad as predicted, The Ox looked decent enough to be sure of a long and healthy England future. My main worry is who is going to be able to actually replace Cole to any kind of similar standard? He's world class and has been for about 8-10 years, the next in line, Baines is a long way off his standard.
I think we achieved more than people thought before the tournament, and went out at a stage befitting our level and the squad, reputations weren't tarnished and we didn't suffer any scoreline spankings. Maybe now with the young players coming through having a focus on ball retention, a calmness for passing, increased vision and more creativity, we might not end up suffocating when presented with top level teams. It might take a while to shake off the 'back against the wall' attitude, we can at least look to sort out the simple issues, and Roy I believe is the man to take us forward.
So let's not all go crazy and wild, and at this moment in time I must be honest in that I've seen hardly any tweets regarding the result and whatnot, so not sure of people's reactions. But I think we did what we aimed for, and can concentrate on 2014. Well it's that or just sit there crying eh?
Monday, 25 June 2012
Friday, 22 June 2012
Following your dreams
I bloody love that saying "If you put your mind to it, you can do anything". Because whilst it's nice and positive, it's actually utter bollocks.
I want to become a fighter pilot. OH WAIT I CAN'T BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE PERFECT VISION. Where's your saying now you prick? I tried to 'follow my dreams' but got declined to be a scientist because frankly I'm not smart enough. Who the fuck came up with this awe inspiring pieces of nonsense?! Christ almighty, it cracks me up. Why are we not being more realistic about things, would it mean that the stand out people of our generation wouldn't be inspired? I dunno, frankly I don't think they would pay much attention to what's said of them and their future when they are 6 years old.
Sometimes you just have to be level headed and realistic about things. When you tuck in little Pete at night or whatever, don't say "when you grow up you can be ANYTHING you want to", be more middle of the range 'when you grow up you can work at a call centre then become a social media expert' and that should be enough to shove him in the right direction for a successful career. I want to be a fucking Ninja, but whilst my Mum would probably even now still tell me it's possible if I 'put my mind to it' I'm fairly sure the time has passed and that ship has well and truly sailed.
Kids have those guidance Councillor don't they now? Those guys who don't give a shit but get paid to basically either tell you what you want to hear, or destroy your future, in a matter of minutes, pending on their mood, in regards to your working future. The hilarity of the situation is, how often does what they say come true? Very fucking little. They literally just pluck an occupation out the blue, suggest it, nod to themselves, and fall back asleep. YOU SHOULD BE A DOCTOR. Brilliant, considering I'm awful at Biology, have no interest in Science, don't have the nerve AND told you I want to be an Architect... I've a better idea, I'll advise you, how about you YOU SHOULD GET A FUCKING REAL JOB.
Oh if you're reading this by now expecting some kind of point, coupled with a tale of morality, and a lesson to be learned. There is none, I've absolutely no idea why I decided to write this, or even what it's about. Except to moan, and really slag off the stupid sayings that get drilled into us. If you're mute from birth, I'm sorry, but the chances of you becoming a sound technician are quite slim. Sometimes you just need to be a bit more realistic about things, and I think it's only fair we pass this onto generations below us. KNOW YOUR LIMITS.
I want to become a fighter pilot. OH WAIT I CAN'T BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE PERFECT VISION. Where's your saying now you prick? I tried to 'follow my dreams' but got declined to be a scientist because frankly I'm not smart enough. Who the fuck came up with this awe inspiring pieces of nonsense?! Christ almighty, it cracks me up. Why are we not being more realistic about things, would it mean that the stand out people of our generation wouldn't be inspired? I dunno, frankly I don't think they would pay much attention to what's said of them and their future when they are 6 years old.
Sometimes you just have to be level headed and realistic about things. When you tuck in little Pete at night or whatever, don't say "when you grow up you can be ANYTHING you want to", be more middle of the range 'when you grow up you can work at a call centre then become a social media expert' and that should be enough to shove him in the right direction for a successful career. I want to be a fucking Ninja, but whilst my Mum would probably even now still tell me it's possible if I 'put my mind to it' I'm fairly sure the time has passed and that ship has well and truly sailed.
Kids have those guidance Councillor don't they now? Those guys who don't give a shit but get paid to basically either tell you what you want to hear, or destroy your future, in a matter of minutes, pending on their mood, in regards to your working future. The hilarity of the situation is, how often does what they say come true? Very fucking little. They literally just pluck an occupation out the blue, suggest it, nod to themselves, and fall back asleep. YOU SHOULD BE A DOCTOR. Brilliant, considering I'm awful at Biology, have no interest in Science, don't have the nerve AND told you I want to be an Architect... I've a better idea, I'll advise you, how about you YOU SHOULD GET A FUCKING REAL JOB.
Oh if you're reading this by now expecting some kind of point, coupled with a tale of morality, and a lesson to be learned. There is none, I've absolutely no idea why I decided to write this, or even what it's about. Except to moan, and really slag off the stupid sayings that get drilled into us. If you're mute from birth, I'm sorry, but the chances of you becoming a sound technician are quite slim. Sometimes you just need to be a bit more realistic about things, and I think it's only fair we pass this onto generations below us. KNOW YOUR LIMITS.
Sunday, 17 June 2012
Happy Fathers Day
Couple of things before I write this I feel I should say, firstly this isn't intended to get any pity or any attention or anything like that, in fact I'm writing it just in case there is anyone else out there who's been through the same thing, and is maybe a bit younger and still in the angry stage - maybe reading this will help them a bit, I dunno, something like that. Secondly I can look at things differently now, and there's positives to be taken from it.
So yeah, sorry about that, but happy Fathers Day! I hope you've remembered, if not, this is your reminder, go do something cool for your dad's, hand made cards are a cheap winner, go for a fry up with him, or take him for a pint - it's the little things that he'll appreciate the most. We're men, we don't need grand gestures or expensive gifts. In fact I reckon most would bloody love to just go down the pub for an hour with their son/daughter today - maybe I'm well off the mark, but give it a try!
I don't celebrate Fathers Day, he's still with us, but he lives in New York, always has done. Well, he lived in South London, met Mum, got her pregnant then fled to NYC and never came back. Pretty much the most cowardly thing ever, he said it was for 'work opportunities' but my Mum knew. I didnt meet him until I was about 5, and to me then he was like the best thing ever, winning me over with some toys and stuff, and suddenly I had a Dad in my life, it was great. His mum lives in Shoreham which is very close to Brighton where I live (seeing her today as a matter of fact, incredible woman, she's about 90 but is as sharp as a fucking tac, I'll really miss her when she goes, that one will knock me a bit), so when we moved down here it became easier for him to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I'd see him maybe every 3-4 years from when I was about 5 - 16 I'd say, and always just for a few hours then he had to go.
I look back and just think he didnt really know how to deal with it, see his son, give me some presents, have a chat about trivial things, then that was it, he didnt have anything else to give, so off he went.
He run's nightclubs in NYC, or well he did, big ones like The Roxy too, he's more of an Events Guru now for various clubs, so imagine that when I was younger, was the coolest job ever (to me)! I've been lucky enough to go to NYC a few times to visit over the years, and it was amazing, such a brilliantly amazing city combined with chilling in a club (daytime when younger, night time when older) and being with my dad. Everyone at school thought it was fucking cool, and I made him out to be a right Don. However as I got older my feelings started to change. My Mum gave me the cold facts when I was about 17 I guess (about what I said earlier) and for a while I really hated him. I hated he left her, left me, I hated that I saw him for a few hours every few years yet still had to call him my Dad. I hated that I was one of the only people I knew without a Dad, and that my family at this time was basically just my Mum, me and my Gran in Shoreham. So that hate spread to not just him but my situation. It wasn't a great time really, I went travelling which helped me forget stuff and then went to Uni where I basically got drunk continuously. As I got a bit older though I guess I matured, I forgave, I began to understand a bit more, I started not to care - like genuinely, no anger, no sadness, just nothing, just a shrug and 'whatever'. He'd have a habit of saying he'd be over in like 2-3 months and he'd be around for weeks so we'd go to see his Brother in London together and have a weekend to ourselves, doing father/son things, he made it sound so cool. Then obviously 2-3 months passed and nothing, then eventually it would be about 8 months later, he'd be over for a week, and he could only see me for a couple of hours as he had stuff to do. As a youngish kid you can imagine that wasn't the best feeling. Also some people think he gave my Mum alot of money over the years for everything of mine he missed (never saw him on a single Birthday if I remember correctly), and for maintenance. He didn't, not once, he bought me plenty of gifts, but looking back I'd rather he'd just given her money instead of winning me over briefly for a computer game or w/e.
Nowadays I'm totally fine, it's all in the past, sometimes I get sad about stuff, I've always been quite an emotional person and the last year I've had a few things that add on top, it's tough but I'm still here. I last saw him 7-8 months ago for 2 pints of Guinness in a pub down here, then he had to scoot, it was the first time in 5 years. I was meant to see him last year when I went on one of my best mate's Stag do's, we did the West Coast/Vegas then NYC, but the week we were in NYC he was, guess where, ENGLAND! Couldn't believe it and sent him a drunken hateful email just unloading tonnes of shit (the dates'were exactly the same, I left early as I didn't like being in NYC when he wasn't there, felt empty, didn't even try to contact him when I got back). He's now blind, and a shadow of his former self, his health is going badly, he doesn't call his Mum much (used to every few weeks), and he rarely responds to emails (my main form of contact in the last few years with him), he has a vampire blood sucking wife who grew up a spoilt brat, sunk her teeth into my dad and has been bleeding him dry ever since. He's pretty much broke. He has another kid, she's 5 I think, I've met her once when she'd first been born, he looks like a man who's broken. But still we had probably our deepest chat ever, about life, both apologising for the previous year, him saying he wants to come back to the UK. I think to live his final years, though my little sister shouldn't be uprooted, but I REALLY think he needs to leave his wife, whilst pleasant to me, she's a terrible drunk (we're all drunks in my dad's side of the family, him, my gran) and hasn't had a job in years after being an exec for a big computer company firm which she quit when they got married. I hate her deep down.
I wanted to write this, and I appreciate it's probably a bit too 'emo' for some, and I don't like doing these kind of things, but as I said maybe someone else has been in the same boat and is confused/angry/hurt, so I wanted to say, don't be. We all do things for a reason, but sometimes it doesn't come to light until a long time afterwards. I hated my father at one point, but I look back now and he did what he thought was right at the time, he wasn't ready for children and thought he'd be a failure, the irony of course was he was a bigger failure for what he did, but he wasn't to know 27 years ago. People have asked me, would you prefer he stayed, I say I don't know, what if he did, then buggered off when I was 10 or something in a really messy situation? Would that have broken my heart more, than simply never knowing him? I know he's not a bad person, he made some bad decisions, we all do that, some just have bigger consequences than others, he was unlucky in the hand he was dealt, I hope that if I ever do have kids I'll make damn sure I'm not being my Father, they deserve better, and I think him doing what he did will give me that inspiration and drive, so it's a good thing in a way. Now I just need some kids... ladies, form a line?
Life is a bitch, but we all have our things, our problems and our history. Mine is no different to yours, I know people who've lost their Dad's, at least I still have mine and I appreciate that, some will never get to tell them they love theirs, or to have a drink with them, and for that I'm grateful. So that's why I say, try to do something today for your Father's if you can, borrow a fiver off mum or someone and go sit and have a beer, or whatever, and just appreciate the stuff now whilst you can :)
So yeah, sorry about that, but happy Fathers Day! I hope you've remembered, if not, this is your reminder, go do something cool for your dad's, hand made cards are a cheap winner, go for a fry up with him, or take him for a pint - it's the little things that he'll appreciate the most. We're men, we don't need grand gestures or expensive gifts. In fact I reckon most would bloody love to just go down the pub for an hour with their son/daughter today - maybe I'm well off the mark, but give it a try!
I don't celebrate Fathers Day, he's still with us, but he lives in New York, always has done. Well, he lived in South London, met Mum, got her pregnant then fled to NYC and never came back. Pretty much the most cowardly thing ever, he said it was for 'work opportunities' but my Mum knew. I didnt meet him until I was about 5, and to me then he was like the best thing ever, winning me over with some toys and stuff, and suddenly I had a Dad in my life, it was great. His mum lives in Shoreham which is very close to Brighton where I live (seeing her today as a matter of fact, incredible woman, she's about 90 but is as sharp as a fucking tac, I'll really miss her when she goes, that one will knock me a bit), so when we moved down here it became easier for him to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I'd see him maybe every 3-4 years from when I was about 5 - 16 I'd say, and always just for a few hours then he had to go.
I look back and just think he didnt really know how to deal with it, see his son, give me some presents, have a chat about trivial things, then that was it, he didnt have anything else to give, so off he went.
He run's nightclubs in NYC, or well he did, big ones like The Roxy too, he's more of an Events Guru now for various clubs, so imagine that when I was younger, was the coolest job ever (to me)! I've been lucky enough to go to NYC a few times to visit over the years, and it was amazing, such a brilliantly amazing city combined with chilling in a club (daytime when younger, night time when older) and being with my dad. Everyone at school thought it was fucking cool, and I made him out to be a right Don. However as I got older my feelings started to change. My Mum gave me the cold facts when I was about 17 I guess (about what I said earlier) and for a while I really hated him. I hated he left her, left me, I hated that I saw him for a few hours every few years yet still had to call him my Dad. I hated that I was one of the only people I knew without a Dad, and that my family at this time was basically just my Mum, me and my Gran in Shoreham. So that hate spread to not just him but my situation. It wasn't a great time really, I went travelling which helped me forget stuff and then went to Uni where I basically got drunk continuously. As I got a bit older though I guess I matured, I forgave, I began to understand a bit more, I started not to care - like genuinely, no anger, no sadness, just nothing, just a shrug and 'whatever'. He'd have a habit of saying he'd be over in like 2-3 months and he'd be around for weeks so we'd go to see his Brother in London together and have a weekend to ourselves, doing father/son things, he made it sound so cool. Then obviously 2-3 months passed and nothing, then eventually it would be about 8 months later, he'd be over for a week, and he could only see me for a couple of hours as he had stuff to do. As a youngish kid you can imagine that wasn't the best feeling. Also some people think he gave my Mum alot of money over the years for everything of mine he missed (never saw him on a single Birthday if I remember correctly), and for maintenance. He didn't, not once, he bought me plenty of gifts, but looking back I'd rather he'd just given her money instead of winning me over briefly for a computer game or w/e.
Nowadays I'm totally fine, it's all in the past, sometimes I get sad about stuff, I've always been quite an emotional person and the last year I've had a few things that add on top, it's tough but I'm still here. I last saw him 7-8 months ago for 2 pints of Guinness in a pub down here, then he had to scoot, it was the first time in 5 years. I was meant to see him last year when I went on one of my best mate's Stag do's, we did the West Coast/Vegas then NYC, but the week we were in NYC he was, guess where, ENGLAND! Couldn't believe it and sent him a drunken hateful email just unloading tonnes of shit (the dates'were exactly the same, I left early as I didn't like being in NYC when he wasn't there, felt empty, didn't even try to contact him when I got back). He's now blind, and a shadow of his former self, his health is going badly, he doesn't call his Mum much (used to every few weeks), and he rarely responds to emails (my main form of contact in the last few years with him), he has a vampire blood sucking wife who grew up a spoilt brat, sunk her teeth into my dad and has been bleeding him dry ever since. He's pretty much broke. He has another kid, she's 5 I think, I've met her once when she'd first been born, he looks like a man who's broken. But still we had probably our deepest chat ever, about life, both apologising for the previous year, him saying he wants to come back to the UK. I think to live his final years, though my little sister shouldn't be uprooted, but I REALLY think he needs to leave his wife, whilst pleasant to me, she's a terrible drunk (we're all drunks in my dad's side of the family, him, my gran) and hasn't had a job in years after being an exec for a big computer company firm which she quit when they got married. I hate her deep down.
I wanted to write this, and I appreciate it's probably a bit too 'emo' for some, and I don't like doing these kind of things, but as I said maybe someone else has been in the same boat and is confused/angry/hurt, so I wanted to say, don't be. We all do things for a reason, but sometimes it doesn't come to light until a long time afterwards. I hated my father at one point, but I look back now and he did what he thought was right at the time, he wasn't ready for children and thought he'd be a failure, the irony of course was he was a bigger failure for what he did, but he wasn't to know 27 years ago. People have asked me, would you prefer he stayed, I say I don't know, what if he did, then buggered off when I was 10 or something in a really messy situation? Would that have broken my heart more, than simply never knowing him? I know he's not a bad person, he made some bad decisions, we all do that, some just have bigger consequences than others, he was unlucky in the hand he was dealt, I hope that if I ever do have kids I'll make damn sure I'm not being my Father, they deserve better, and I think him doing what he did will give me that inspiration and drive, so it's a good thing in a way. Now I just need some kids... ladies, form a line?
Life is a bitch, but we all have our things, our problems and our history. Mine is no different to yours, I know people who've lost their Dad's, at least I still have mine and I appreciate that, some will never get to tell them they love theirs, or to have a drink with them, and for that I'm grateful. So that's why I say, try to do something today for your Father's if you can, borrow a fiver off mum or someone and go sit and have a beer, or whatever, and just appreciate the stuff now whilst you can :)
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