44 Years of Hurt.....

[Johnny Fever]

....Never stopped me dreaming.

It really has been over 4 decades of pain, hasn't it ? Bad luck, injuries, red cards and fluke goals. It's as though we used up all our luck in one go in 1966.
So, just to get an idea of how the pressure on England to win it again has gradually built up over the last 11 finals since Sir Bobby lifted the trophy, here is a quick run down of how it's gone wrong for us each time. You just couldn't make it up !

England 1966 WON IT! Beat W. Germany 4-2 aet. Our greatest moment.

Mexico 1970 Lost to W. Germany 3-2 aet in the QUARTER FINALS. We were 2-nil up with 23 mins to play
This was the competition where they arrested Moore for shop lifting and Banks went down with food poisoning before the last game.

Germany 1974 Didn't qualify.

Argentinaa 1978 Didn't qualify.

Spain 1982 First finals for 12 years. Won all 3 group games and topped the group. Eliminated in SECOND ROUND group stage after 0-0 draws with W. Germany and Spain. Went out in spite of not losing a single game.

Mexico 1986 Lost to Argentina 2-1 in the QUARTER FINALS after Maradona cheated and put the ball in with his hand.

Italy 1990 Won all 3 group games. Lost to W. Germany in the SEMI FINAL 1-1 aet then 5-6 on penalties. Their goal, from a free kick, was a complete fluke which deflected off the wall over the keeper.

USA 1994 Didn't qualify.

France 1998 Lost to Argentina in SECOND ROUND of 16. 2-2 aet but went out on penalties again 3-4. Finished with 10 men after Beckham sent off in 2nd half. Sol Campbell scored a great winner late on but it was wrongly disallowed.

Japan 7 Korea 2002 Lost to Brazil 2-1 in the QUARTER FINALS. We were leading 1-nil. Lost to a Ronaldhino cross that bizarrely went in.

Germany 2006 Lost to Portugal in the QUARTER FINALS. 0-0 aet then 1-3 on penalties. Beckham off injured in 2nd half, then down to 10 men when Rooney sent off with a little help from Ronaldo urging the ref.

South Africa 2010 If our record above is anything to go by it certainly wont be dull in the game we go out in. With a bit of luck at the right time, the players keeping their heads and more importantly avoiding penalty shoot outs, you never know eh.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I hate to be the harbinger of doom here Johnny, but I think you'll be looking at 48 years of hurt rather soon.

 

[perth seagull]

I don't think we will win it, but I'd be content if we reached the semi finals as that would at least be an improvement.

 

[SNOOBS]

This year is the first since 66 that we have not had an official world cup song. We are going to win it.

 

[alan partridge]

Ronaldinho meant that shot. Even our own Michael Robinson says so ;

So that's a no, then. You don't much fancy the BBC ...
My World Cup was spoilt by them saying England were knocked out because of a bad cross. That's the failing of an island race too focused on the limited ability of the Premiership. They'd never seen anybody do that, but Ronaldinho had done it before. If I was going to the World Cup I'd do me homework. Absolute shite.

Michael Robinson | Football | guardian.co.uk

 

[sydney]

i have a good feeling about it,the weather should suit us,we should be fit enough, the major worry is the centre-back pairing but i trust cappello to come up with something, perhaps one in front or possibly a sweeper....... the one thing we will need (and are over-due for) is some f***ing luck.

 

[Durlston]

There'll always be a scapegoat by the media as to why we didn't bring the World Cup home. Never admitting that we were beaten by the BETTER team.

 

[Durlston]

Italia '90 being the exception as we went for the win in extra-time. How i loved that England team especially Gazza, Peter Beardsley, David Platt, Stuart Pearce etc. Then the big Premier League money started rolling in and playing for the Three Lions means nothing now.

 

[nwgull]

We only won 1 group game in Italy '90, and had our share of luck with that last minute goal against Belgium and a couple of pens against Cameroon.

 

[VAL1850]

3 from 12 in that period - did not qualify - Thats the disgrace

 

[Lady Whistledown]

We are great at blaming luck for not winning the thing, as opposed to being simply jot good enough.

 

[Gwylan]

We are great at blaming luck for not winning the thing, as opposed to being simply jot good enough.

I agree, I don't really see that we've been that unlucky TBH. We got a bad ref's decision with the Maradona handball but I can't think of any other really poor decisions in 44 years of WC football - but we have got some dodgy penalties over the years (and of course, the 3rd 'goal' in the 1966 final).

We have had some poor luck with injuries: Keegan and Brooking in 82. Bryan Robson in 86 and 90; Beckham in 2002 and Owen and Rooney and 2006 - but I'm sure other countries could tell a similar tale.

It's not much to do with luck - there have been some poor managerial decisions and games against some very good teams. I think Capello is a cut above some of the other managers so the former shouldn't apply this time round.

 

[Johnny Fever]

3 from 12 in that period - did not qualify - Thats the disgrace

It's worse than that really. We have only actually qualified for 7 out of 12 finals because we didn't have to qualify in 66 as the hosts and in 70 as the holders.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Even in 1990, the team was pilloried for their group stage performances against Ireland and one of the other teams (an African side I think), although they played well against the Dutch, then European champions. They snuck undeservedly past Cameroon (some very fortunate penalty decisions in our favour), and made it to the semis courtesy of a last minute extra time goal by David Platt.

Germany were unquestionably the best side in that tournament, so while on paper, losing on penalties looks unlucky, it was probably a fair result, however galling.

It simply isn't true to say we never have any luck- the fact is we just haven't been
good enough to win the World Cup for 44 years.

 

[Steve Foster]

Look at it a different way.

England are currently ranked 8th in the world by Fifa.
Indeed year in year out, this is about where we are ranked. Sometimes getting as high as 5 or 6 or as low as 12.

So 8th is about where we always are on average

Given our ranking you would expect England to reach the quarter finals of the world cup/European cup. Anything higher is a bonus as we are not a top 4 footballing nation.

If you look at our record since 66, then most competitions that we have qualified within, have progressed through the early stages & bowed out where our rankings suggest we will!

I cannot see South Africa being any different either.

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

Italia '90 being the exception as we went for the win in extra-time. How i loved that England team especially Gazza, Peter Beardsley, David Platt, Stuart Pearce etc. Then the big Premier League money started rolling in and playing for the Three Lions means nothing now.

Spot on,we should have won in 1990.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I never understand the hype about England and the world cup.

England will not win because they are not good enough. If there were sufficient English players of sufficient quality, the premiershit wouldn't be full of overseas players, all of whom are better than their English counterparts.

 

[HseagullsH]

I never understand the hype about England and the world cup.

England will not win because they are not good enough. If there were sufficient English players of sufficient quality, the premiershit wouldn't be full of overseas players, all of whom are better than their English counterparts.

I don't get that awful, awful theory.

Yes we aren't good enough as a nation to fill the strongest league in the world with all English players.

But the English team is made up fully of English premier league players. Of our first eleven, 8, 9 or even 10 of those will be regular starters in the top 5 best teams in England.

What does it matter if we don't have hundreds of quality English players? Our best eleven is good enough to compete with any team out there.

Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Terry, Ferdinand, Cole are good enough to start for any team in the world.



I'll agree that in terms of team/squad, Spain are easily the best with Brazil second.

Other than that we have as much chance as anyone..

 

[Captain Haddock]

Ronaldinho meant that shot. Even our own Michael Robinson says so ;

So that's a no, then. You don't much fancy the BBC ...
My World Cup was spoilt by them saying England were knocked out because of a bad cross. That's the failing of an island race too focused on the limited ability of the Premiership. They'd never seen anybody do that, but Ronaldinho had done it before. If I was going to the World Cup I'd do me homework. Absolute shite.

Michael Robinson | Football | guardian.co.uk

Ronaldinho has admitted it was a fluke (intended cross).

 

[Mellor 3 Ward 4]

I agree, I don't really see that we've been that unlucky TBH. We got a bad ref's decision with the Maradona handball but I can't think of any other really poor decisions in 44 years of WC football - but we have got some dodgy penalties over the years (and of course, the 3rd 'goal' in the 1966 final).

Cambell's disallowed goal aginst Argentina in 98 was a shocking decision.

(Ditto Cambell against Portugal in 2004 Euros as well)