Were the England players right or wrong?

[Brighton Breezy]

being in a job that is actually an entertainment for the public, and earning on average about 50k a week, leaves you rightly open to criticism when you under perform.

just a thought.

Agree exactly.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

it leaves them open to criticism....still dosnet mean they have to listen to it. how is it meant to build the confidence of our national team if we have press saying to them how useless they were. they know themselves and dont need to be told by some reporter if they played bad. the coaches no too

 

[Brighton Breezy]

They should be professional enough to ignore it or use it as motivation to prove people wrong.

How bad was the actual criticism anyway? A few joke stories about David James. Nothing on the scale that Graham Taylor used to get. Did he spit his dummy? No, he used the media (through the channel four documentary) to show the truth.

It was not bad at all really. Was not like they were hunting his family down and revealing deeply upsetting facts. They just said a donkey could do better in goal.

 

[NMH]

A point that the public might consider is, that while we project requirements and pressures on players to perform for the country - the press should also have a respectable and raised profile.
Unfortunately, the most popular tabloids are filled with dreck and dross, and feel no responsibility toward their readership to come out with quality writing and reporting.
They insult the intelligence of their subject as well as the reader - and often should do much better.
It just shows you that the education level requirement for a journalist, to work for some tabloids, is very low.

British people should ask more of themselves and their source of news - then The Sun, Mirror and Star wouldn't thrive simply on their muckstirring, gossip-mongering and flashing of tits and arse.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I think the James thing was funny although highly unoriginal.

I can see why they did it and I agree with them.

Imagine if Butters refused to play after we put him on ebay?

It is different with the England players. The chances are had James played, he would have played well, as the other players did. That answered their critics and pleased the fans.

Who gives a f*** if they give an after match interview? I'm more bothered about them getting three points.

beckham was still crap

 

[Juan Albion]

Where's the "Couldn't give a toss" option on the poll?

 

[Brighton Breezy]

As I keep saying, what was so bad about saying a donkey could do better? hardly a character assassination.

 

[somerset]

it leaves them open to criticism....still dosnet mean they have to listen to it. how is it meant to build the confidence of our national team if we have press saying to them how useless they were. they know themselves and dont need to be told by some reporter if they played bad. the coaches no too

...... but surely they must understand ( even thicko footballers).... that the media is what gives them the exposure to earn the millions that they do, so they should accept the flak when it is appropriate, as they readily do when they get good exposure.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

...... but surely they must understand ( even thicko footballers).... that the media is what gives them the exposure to earn the millions that they do, so they should accept the flak when it is appropriate, as they readily do when they get good exposure.

yeah i see what your saying. theres certainly two clear ways to look at it really

 

[fatboy]

At the end of the game I watched the remainder of the Wales game.

I really couldn't care less about the opinions y'know of players y'know who had played in the y'know game. I had watched it myself and had formed my own opinions.

And I got to read match reports from decent journalists in the morning.

 

[mejonaNO12 aka riskit]

And I got to read match reports from decent journalists in the morning.

yeah i read that one aswell. the daily sport asways produces great writers

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

tennis players have to talk to the media or they get fined

 

[El Presidente]

As I keep saying, what was so bad about saying a donkey could do better? hardly a character assassination.

That was merely the final straw, he made a couple of mistakes, in Euro 2004 he did not do a lot wrong, you could argue about the penalty against France but otherwise he had a moderate tournament and did play well in the qualifiers.

If the criticism had been balanced and sensible then I am sure James' would have taken it on board.

I seem to recall someone COMPLETELY f***ing UP A FANZINE and being unable to take the flack that came with that territory Richie

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I backed james untill france game

But the free kick, lack of catching abilty from crosses, amount of free headers we gave game teams from bout 8 yards plus he never looked like getting close to a pen in shoot out

i changed my mind

 

[graz126]

i think not talking to the press is their perogative, but this should have been done with a speech from the captain as he is the teams spokesperson. instead i think they are spoilt brats now instead, whereas if the speech had been made i would have totally accepted their decision. and i agree with their point to the media, but we have the right to be spoken to. we pay their wages and they are public property wheater they like it or not. it is the england team not a private club.

 

[Gritt23]

Will the players extend this Media blackout to the columns they do in the papers, or do Gary Neville's principles not extend to turning down money?

I bet Vodaphone won't be running their ads for a little while with Gary and David. Kinda embarrassing as the slogan comes up at the end.

Good to talk!

For my money, they are just spoilt brats who are happy enough when the media are blowing all the positives out of proportion, but a bit of criticism, oooh no. That's tantermount treating a player like a criminal for skipping a drug test.

Oh just f***ing strike, see if I care.

 

[beardy gull]

I agree with the players. They have said this is a one off. Shows a good team spirit. The press reaction to the first game was completely OTT.
...and don't get me started on Richard Keys..what a tosser.

 

[Yorkie]

There is a vast difference between criticism and abuse.

Someone likened it to their performance review - that would have taken place in a side office not in full view and hearing of everyone else in the building. Criticism not humiliation.

The press overreact no matter what the scoreline.
England players are not heroes. Heroes are lifeboatmen and firemen.
Neither are they donkeys because they have a few bad games.

Those sort of headlines show a remarkable lack of imagination in professional journalists.

 

[FamilyGuy]

Absolutley they were wrong - they want to get as much exposure as they can when they want to promote their new autobiography (at the age of 23), or their new sponsorship with Brylcreem, or their wifes new record deal, or their wedding details (to OK) - but when it comes to actually talking about their own shortcomings when they represent their club or their country (the job that they actually chose to do and get paid very well for) then they throw their toys out of the pram.

Thereby perpetuating and giving proof to the perception that they are all spoilt brats...........who lost a fecking 2 goal lead to a much-inferior team