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[Football] The International Football Myth
- Thread starter Eeyore
- Start date
I beg your pardon. You’re correct. I was confusing it with Riverside. I remember Horace’s well.
Jackthelad
Well-known member
- Mar 31, 2010
- 832
Dunk is better than Maguire and I stand by that. I've seen Dunk boss world class players. He has a bad game and suddenly he's not up to standard, what about all the terrible games Maguire and others have had?! That's what I've always hated about England,.. is players like Dunk get so few chances and top 4 club player can have a shit load of bad games and because the manager likes them they play until they retire or the manager gets sacked.
I think the major difference between club football and playing for England is the player mentality/personality.
Huge media/fan pressure and having to switch to a new environment where you're one of the best players at your club to suddenly being around unfamiliar faces, some of them established world "stars".
Loads of excellent premier league players have not made the "step up" because of this IMO. They just don't have the right "elite" personality to cope with it, regardless of their ability.
The keepers over the years is a good example of this: Rob Green, Scott Carson, Nick Pope all just seem a bit too "nice" for it, and all made big errors, cracking under the pressure (yes I'm aware Pickford did the other night but can't remember many others during his time with England and he's always seemed completely comfortable on the international stage)
Huge media/fan pressure and having to switch to a new environment where you're one of the best players at your club to suddenly being around unfamiliar faces, some of them established world "stars".
Loads of excellent premier league players have not made the "step up" because of this IMO. They just don't have the right "elite" personality to cope with it, regardless of their ability.
The keepers over the years is a good example of this: Rob Green, Scott Carson, Nick Pope all just seem a bit too "nice" for it, and all made big errors, cracking under the pressure (yes I'm aware Pickford did the other night but can't remember many others during his time with England and he's always seemed completely comfortable on the international stage)
Lewis only had to settle into a new setting only twice when we brought him up and when he was loaned out (Bristol wasnt it?). Nearly every other England player are more used to it. They all forget about their clubs and change style and mentality but Dunk looks like a Brighton player in England shirt. Dont have to be worse but if 10 players play like Southgate instructed and 1 struggle with it its a problem. Im sure hed adapt after 10-15 caps but very surprising if he ever reach that number
It's hard to tell with Dunk.
He was brilliant against Aus and the Jocks, although very different level of opponent (and pressure) to Brazil/Belgium at Wembley.
The majority of international teams are about as good or Australia or Scotland, or significantly worse.
If we're only talking about matches against the notably good national sides, then we're not really talking about "International level".
see my post #44 above. I think its more about dealing with "international pressure" than the level.
I agree with that in general, I was replying to the implication (deliberate or not) in your later post that Dunk would have to play well against Brazil/Belgium to be considered an International Level player. Somebody could have a long, broadly successful international career and barely play against the teams ranked in the top 10.
No, that wasn't what I meant, although can see how you read it like that.
I'm just still not sure his mindset is able to deal with the huge games, and that he thinks he belongs there.
Others just seem a lot more comfortable with the whole media circus/pressure. Maybe because they play for bigger teams and are more used to it.
He's certainly got the footballing ability though and I really want him to establish himself - was gutted for him after the Belgium game and seeing the witchhunt online.
I thought when I wrote that last reply, "Oh, I don't think that's what they were getting at".
BluesRockDJ
Well-known member
- Jan 24, 2020
- 1,092
Did you ever play against Red Star Belgrade under the lights in Singapore for the RN back in the 60's ?One amongst us has played football against the Gibraltor national side. For HMS Ark Royal IIRC.
From a scratch side made up of sailors from a warship to a game in June against the international footballing powerhouse that is Scotland.