Give them a break... Three Lions are too tired to shine
TWO of our great managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough, used to like their players to have a good holiday in between seasons. These days, many of our top England players have a packed club season with long runs in European competitions.
I thought the England team looked mentally tired at Molineux in Saturday’s goalless draw against a muchchanged Italian team.
The season has been tough as the last two years packed and squeezed by Covid. Our domestic season is more packed than the others in Europe.
True, the Euros and the World Cup finals are alternating every four years normally in the summer but, with Covid knocking back Euro 2020 by a year, it has not quite worked out like that.
I accept, too, that there was a closed stadium at the weekend with only 2,000 school children but top players should be used to that after Covid.
This Nations League tournament is a step too far in my book. The players may be highly paid but they are not machines.
Tonight, England are back at the Wolves ground to play the return game with Hungary. Let us hope at least if the full house is going to lift them England will score a goal from open play – two draws from three games with just one penalty scored by Harry Kane is not what we expect.
Gareth Southgate should be given more time later in the year as the winter World Cup in Qatar approaches.
He surely knows what his ideal team would be right now with the likes of Phil Foden to return.
I have not enjoyed watching this Nations League competition. It feels like ‘after the Lord Mayor’s show’ and certainly not a Euros or World Cup.
England should not be judged on where they finish in this table. It’s the World Cup where England’s strongest team plays and counts.
No promises made to club managers about their players’ game-time.
That strongest team has to include both Foden and Jack Grealish. They are two players who, with Raheem Sterling and captain Kane, can change a match.
Maybe it’s because I am moving up the bench, but I am losing sports people who played a part in the earlier stages of my TV career.
After the passing of my Central TV sport colleague Bob Hall at the age of 76 two weeks ago, comes news of the deaths of former Scotland and West Bromwich Albion player Bobby Hope at 78 and, at 90, the former Northern Ireland manager and top player Billy Bingham.
Bobby, a gifted midfield player, was in the Baggies’ glory days including the famous 1968 1-0 FA Cup extra-time final win when Jeff Astle scored. Two years earlier, he had won the League Cup.
Bobby’s long career at the Baggies was from 1960 to 1972.
He also played for Birmingham City (1972-76), Sheffield Wednesday and three USA teams.
I often saw him at matches in his scouting role. He was a friendly, modest man.
The Baggies will pay tribute to him at the start of the new season.
Bingham was really kind to me when he was the Plymouth Argyle manager from 1968-70 and I was a nervous young presenter at Westward ITV in that city.
He relaxed and encouraged me in live studio interviews.
However, he did not always appreciate the journalist in me breaking transfer stories.
The main sources were two players who have sadly also passed away – the former Republic of Ireland and Manchester United goalkeeper Pat Dunne, and the centre-half Fred Molineux.
Billy made out he knew my source and could I just confirm it! He had not a clue and I was not falling for that. We still stayed good friends.
I caught up with him when he became Northern Ireland’s most successful manager (1980-93) taking the team to two World Cup finals – Spain in 1982 (where they beat the host nation 1-0) and Mexico four years later.
Billy, a very good winger, had played at the 1958 World Cup finals for his country. His main clubs were Sunderland, Luton and Everton. He won the League championship with Everton in 1963 and returned later as manager.
He played for Luton in the 1959 FA Cup final won by Nottingham Forest.
On the subject of Westward ITV, I recall a very promising young 13-year-old tennis player called Sue Barker from Torquay coming into our studios. She went on to win 15 WTA Tour singles titles, including the 1976 French Open – the last Briton to do so.
Now, at the age of 66, Sue is stepping down from being the BBC face of Wimbledon. Her own decision to retire after a long and great second career.
Clare Balding, another outstanding presenter, is tipped to front the Wimbledon fortnight.
That strongest England team has to include both Phil Foden and Jack Grealish. They are two players who can change a match.
In the upcoming Sunday Mercury with IMPACT, I will recall how and why I formed the Midlands Soccer Writers with some tales from the TV shows for their awards.