Is it just me or is tonight’s match between England and Germany the least eagerly awaited in football history? I must be alone in thinking this because new Wembley’s full apparently. I’ll be checking in of course but I just don’t fancy this one. We’ve a lame-duck manager who’s having to pick a bunch of half-fit discards. None of the major clubs (all managed by non-English managers) see any reason to support the England cause and release their precious talent to McClaren’s safe-keeping. Few of the players seem bothered anymore about playing for their country anyway it seems. DB’s turned up but he’s manipulating the media coverage astutely as ever and the Quiff can now do nothing about it. Those 100 caps are nailed on even though he’s crocked, jet-lagged and playing in Disney league football.
Apart from the revenue for the FA, the fixture is meaningless and will have precious little bearing on the qualifying matches to come. Even the Germans seem disinterested by it all. Who’s their manager these days? Seen any coverage of him or the team this week? A bit, but it’s not what it was as a fixture. Maybe I’ll be surprised and we’ll get another cracker like the September 2001 5-1 thriller (which I missed at the time as we were on holiday in Italy – in fact I turned the Italian radio off after Germany went 1-0 up!). JP gave me his videotape of the match when I got back. What a game and perhaps the last time England played brilliantly? The Rooney v Croatia match was great but a one-man show I’d suggest.
Those were the days eh. In footballing terms 2001’s a special oddity.
pp
Pasta Paulie 