World Cup Fever Makes a Return
For the avid footballing fan and supporter of the national team, it is time once again to engross ourselves in the hyped pinnacle of football and perhaps even all sport.
World Cup qualifying starts again today for the European nations (in South America and elsewhere they are already far under way), and as ever England in particular are already facing the pressure. Aptly enough England captain John Terry has spoken of the England team withering under pressure during the last two years and has asked for the England fans to be more patient in their support.
This topic has reared its head in the past and there are those that sympathise, but there is a worry that this latest request only helps to reveal why the England players consistently fail to gel together at international level. It is difficult to be polite about it, ultimately it would be fair to say that some of the players who represent England are far too sensitive.
This doesn't condone some of the vicious abuse that can be heard in the stands amongst a minority of supporters, but as with Frank Lampard's reaction to Joey Barton's snipe after the last World Cup, there does seem to be mis-placed egotism with some players. Criticism through poor performances are and always have been part of playing football as with any other sport. The national team of Brazil are perhaps the most under pressure of all national teams and yet they manage to rise above this and perform on numerous occasions.
Pressure is what the top-level of a profession is all about and being able to handle this ineviteably seperates those who win from those who lose. It is true that the fans who support England may sometimes have expectations that do not reflect the teams actual past successes, but ultimately this should help to spur on the English players.
There is little doubt that these same players are cursed and blessed by perhaps the most fanatical fan-base in the world, but there is no hiding place. The English players need to use their aforementioned team spirit and demonstrate an ability not to cower under pressure but instead to rise above it and to silence the doubters, only then will they be justified in their own self-beliefs.
World Cup qualifying starts again today for the European nations (in South America and elsewhere they are already far under way), and as ever England in particular are already facing the pressure. Aptly enough England captain John Terry has spoken of the England team withering under pressure during the last two years and has asked for the England fans to be more patient in their support.
This topic has reared its head in the past and there are those that sympathise, but there is a worry that this latest request only helps to reveal why the England players consistently fail to gel together at international level. It is difficult to be polite about it, ultimately it would be fair to say that some of the players who represent England are far too sensitive.
This doesn't condone some of the vicious abuse that can be heard in the stands amongst a minority of supporters, but as with Frank Lampard's reaction to Joey Barton's snipe after the last World Cup, there does seem to be mis-placed egotism with some players. Criticism through poor performances are and always have been part of playing football as with any other sport. The national team of Brazil are perhaps the most under pressure of all national teams and yet they manage to rise above this and perform on numerous occasions.
Pressure is what the top-level of a profession is all about and being able to handle this ineviteably seperates those who win from those who lose. It is true that the fans who support England may sometimes have expectations that do not reflect the teams actual past successes, but ultimately this should help to spur on the English players.
There is little doubt that these same players are cursed and blessed by perhaps the most fanatical fan-base in the world, but there is no hiding place. The English players need to use their aforementioned team spirit and demonstrate an ability not to cower under pressure but instead to rise above it and to silence the doubters, only then will they be justified in their own self-beliefs.
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