England friendlies - who cares!??

[Wozza]

Just noticed it's England v Holland next week.

I stopped going to non-competitive England after the last England v Holland (0-2) home friendly at White Hart Lane which was f***ing PAINFUL (and I had free tickets).

So we've been racking our brains in the office and come up with the best/worst England friendlies of recent(-ish) years.

We reckon it's about an 80/20 split between bad/good... and they STILL sell out.

So, any more 'classic' friendlies which stick out in your memory?

Bad ones...

Spain 1 England 0 - Nov 04 - racism; Rooney taken off; terrible football

England 1 Japan 1 - June 04 - painful for everyone

England 1 Australia 3 - Feb 03 - Sven used 23 players; didn't take it seriously; Oz won!

England 0 Holland 2 - Aug 01 - players weren't interested

Ireland X England X - Feb 95 - abandoned after crowd trouble

England 0 Saudi Arabia 0 - May 98 - last home game before World Cup - AWFUL!

Good ones...

England 0 Columbia 0 - Sep 95 - goalless but memorable for René Higuita's 'Scorpion Kick'

England 4 Czechoslovakia 2 - Apr 90 - Gazza stunning debut and Robson's "mad as a brush" quote

Brazil 0 England 2 - 10 Jun 84 - John Barnes scored THAT goal

 

[Safeway]

Didn't we beat Spain 4-2 or something away in about 1986/87, when Lineker was playing for Barcalona. That was pretty good.

Went to the 2-2 draw with the Argies at Wembley in 1991. That was alright as well.

Agree though, they're f***ing SHITE these days.

 

[Albion Rob]

England 4 Czechoslovakia 2 - Apr 90 - Gazza stunning debut and Robson's "mad as a brush" quote

Gazza definitely made his debut before that as he scored in a qualifier against Albania - the Czech game was a warm-up after we had already qualified.

Can't remember who he diid make his debut against, may have been Yugoslavia or someone.

 

[hutchings (48)]

Didn't we beat Spain 4-2 or something away in about 1986/87, when Lineker was playing for Barcalona. That was pretty good.

Went to the 2-2 draw with the Argies at Wembley in 1991. That was alright as well.

Agree though, they're f***ing SHITE these days.

Lineker got all four in fact.

Lost interest in england friendlies a couple of seasons ago. As soon as the players and the management show a bit more interest in them by making an effort and playing a proper team, then so will I.

 

[Wozza]

Re: Re: England friendlies - who cares!??

Gazza definitely made his debut before that as he scored in a qualifier against Albania - the Czech game was a warm-up after we had already qualified.

Can't remember who he diid make his debut against, may have been Yugoslavia or someone.

Yeah, you're right - it's the reason he went to Italy though.

 

[Mr Popkins]

think the thread should read-

England games , who cares

 

[Scarface]

Only been to two friendlies. Vs Sweden after Beckham had scored THAT freekick against Greece, and vs Ukraine. Only went to the Sweden game so I had been to a game at Old Trafford, was a poor 1-1 draw with countless substitutions. Only went to the Ukraine game because it was at Wembley, finished 2-0 and got to see a rare Robbie Fowler England goal and an even rarer Tony Adams goal! Doubt I will try for any other England friendlies, unless they are the U21s at Falmer!

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Went to England v Brazil at Wembley some years ago, which was okay, but lost interest very quickly as the players started to go through the motions in the second half. Wouldn't go to another, but the important games are awesome.

 

[Simster]

I never ever make the effort to watch a friendly, let alone pay to get in. They're a waste of time to everyone except the managers.

The only "friendly" England football match I cared about and would ever give a tuppenny toss about going forward is when we play the Aussies.

If Sven was an Englishman, he would know that we don't like losing to them in anything - God knows we've had enough practice - and that if he wanted to play 153 players for about eight minutes each then he should've done so against Denmark or Belgium or anyone except the f***ing AUSSIES.

It was a sad day when we lost to them at Upton Park. They're sporting gods at everything except football which they're SHIT at. And now we have to put up with them telling us that they beat us even at that the last time we played.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

England 0 Saudi Arabia 0 - May 98 - last home game before World Cup - AWFUL!

That was my first game at Wembley!

 

[Cian]

Err, it was Ireland ONE England NIL, it was a VALID goal, although your hoolies didn't want to accept that.

 

[fatboy]

Err, it was Ireland ONE England NIL, it was a VALID goal, although your hoolies didn't want to accept that.

Calm down. No need to have a paddy on your birthday!

 

[Gully]

England friendlies, can't be arsed.

 

[Robot Chicken]

Used to go to the Rous Cup games at Wembley, my first ever game was England v Brazil in 1987, this the game when Mirandinha was introduced to the English public.

Remember Mirandinha?

 

[LANGDON SEAGULL]

Went to England v Japan about ten years ago - 1-0 with Collymore up front. An utter waste of time. However, being a teacher, I do a few trips to England friendlies so its a good opportunity for the kiddies to see the so called stars, mind you theyve enjoyed it more when Ive took them to Albion

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

England 1 Japan 1 - June 04 - painful for everyone

i was there for that one. wasn't sold out, tho. sat opposite that giant 'october 26th 2002: 5-0' flag all game. not happy.

 

[Tooting Gull]

The England v Holland match referred to at the top was a bit of a watershed for me as well. I actually paid for my ticket, and very poor value at almost £50 it was too. The highlight was the Dutch band, vastly superior to our own brass ensemble with a much wider repertoire. Football-wise, it was gash.

I won't ever be forking out that much again for a friendly, there were about 20 substitutions.

 

[Easy 10]

I just cannot get my head round how these friendlies keep selling out. Ticket prices are obscene, the football is shite, the manager is a tosser, nobody gives a shit about it...

I'll usually watch it on telly (it beats Corrie and it gives me something to moan about), but actually PAYING to go and see it ?
Pffff. Stroll on.

 

[Brixtaan]

I just cannot get my head round how these friendlies keep selling out.

There's a lot of mugs in football land.

 

[dougdeep]

Who cares? Not me.