The England thread

[Starvinho]

Are England U21's on tv?

[Matt]

They haven't been recently, or at least I've not been able to find them. They could possibly be on ESPN.

[Lineker]

I think on either ESPN or maybe ESPN.com? Might be wrong on that.

[Adam]

I wouldn't leave Rooney at home, can you imagine the backlash if (when?) we get knocked out in the quarter finals by somebody like Portugal or Russia and everyone goes "well, we could have won that game if Rooney hadn't been sat in Manchester". He's absolutely class on his day, just needs to keep his temper in order, though I know that is sometimes easier said than done.

[Liam]

My issue with Rooney is that because he is so good at times, we tend to play a game revolved around him, which limits us at times. Sometimes it is really about the whole being greater than the sum of the parts, and we could have a better strikeforce combo without necessarily playing Rooney.

[Lineker]

Our U21's ended up winning 2-1. Craig Dawson and Jordan Henderson (©) grabbing the goals in the first ten minutes.

[Matt]

I wouldn't leave Rooney at home, can you imagine the backlash if (when?) we get knocked out in the quarter finals by somebody like Portugal or Russia and everyone goes "well, we could have won that game if Rooney hadn't been sat in Manchester". He's absolutely class on his day, just needs to keep his temper in order, though I know that is sometimes easier said than done.

And therein lies our biggest problem, the media don't let the managers make decisions over things like this. We have to play the big names all the time even to the detriment of the team as a hole because otherwise there will be a huge backlash from the press and the public if it doesn't go to plan. Not saying with Rooney that it's the best course of action not to play him, just making a general point about key players (Lampard, Gerrard, Rooney, Ferdinand, Terry).

[TCO]

Yeha my bad it was in Germany in 2006, I just assumed when the person before me said 2004.

[Lineker]

"Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello are both expected to write to Uefa on Wednesday morning regarding the England striker's red card in the 2-2 draw in Montenegro."

Could you imagine those letters?

[Jimmy]

I think we have to take Rooney with us. He's a top class player and while we shouldn't revolve our game around him, not including him in the squad in favour of who, Zamora? He's worth taking along and I would be shocked if he wasn't.

[Lineker]

Anzhi have approached Fabio Capello to take over, according to Sky sources.

[therockbox]

"Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello are both expected to write to Uefa on Wednesday morning regarding the England striker's red card in the 2-2 draw in Montenegro."

Could you imagine those letters?

Something about Wayne's being written in crayon.

[Liam]

I think we have to take Rooney with us. He's a top class player and while we shouldn't revolve our game around him, not including him in the squad in favour of who, Zamora? He's worth taking along and I would be shocked if he wasn't.

Oi, of all the potential guys, you had to slag off Zamora?

I'd rather take him than someone like Andy Carroll at the moment >_>

[DavidMarrio]

"Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello are both expected to write to Uefa on Wednesday morning regarding the England striker's red card in the 2-2 draw in Montenegro."

Could you imagine those letters?

Something about Wayne's being written in crayon.

Be surprised if he can even write.

I'd take Rooney. He's our best striker even if he was a tit for getting sent off the way he did. Loads of teams take suspended players such as Russia with Arshavin in the last Euros, he'll just be missed for the first few games. But its not like Rooney is the only good striker we have.

[therockbox]

[Lineker]

Football authorities have until March 2012 to implement sweeping changes to the way the sport is run or face the threat of government intervention.

A deadline of 29 February has been set for the Football Association to overhaul its board and bring in a new licensing system for clubs.

Failure to do so will result in government legislation.

"[Football's] governance has failed to keep up with the modern game," said Sports Minister Hugh Robertson.

"I believe there are improvements that can be made. [but] I do not want government to run football, so this is an opportunity for the football family to work together to benefit the game in the long term."

The government has identified three "immediate priorities" for action: a complete restructuring of the FA Board, the implementation of an FA-administered licensing system for the professional game and significant changes to the make-up and processes of the "football's parliament", the FA Council.

The FA Board is currently made up of the FA chairman David Bernstein, general secretary Alex Horne and five representatives from the professional game (the Premier League and Football League) and five from the national game (the county FAs).

With conflicts of interest and historic feuds usually making this structure unworkable, the government wants the board to be comprised of Bernstein, Horne, two more FA executives, two independent directors, two from the leagues and two from the counties.

The reforms demanded of the council are a reduction in length of tenure and the introduction of more women, more councillors from ethnic minorities, more ex-footballers and more representatives of supporter groups.

The proposed licensing system is intended to build on the two leagues' recent efforts to put in more safeguards against financial mismanagement, asset-stripping owners, tax avoidance and other related sins.

This idea will be greeted by many in the game but the leagues are unlikely to welcome any interference in their affairs from the FA.

They are also unlikely to be hugely receptive to the government's enthusiasm for the greater involvement of supporters in club matters.

In words that will come as great encouragement to Supporters Direct, the organisation that helps fans form supporter trusts and pushes for representation on club boards, the government has criticised the recent threat to its funding and backed its work.

But the government has been more nuanced in its recommendations for reform of the "Football Creditors Rule", the infamous measure that states clubs, leagues and players must be paid first and in full when a team goes bust, while everybody else must settle for pence in the pound.

The government has called for a more "appropriate and modern solution" but stopped short of saying it will scrap the rule.

These challenges to football come in the government's response to the recent report on football governance drawn up by the Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

That report was the product of months of consultation and a series of high-profile question-and-answer sessions between the 11 MPs on the committee and some of the most senior decision-makers in English football.

The 112-page end product was published in July and outlined a relatively dramatic programme of reform - "relatively" because government interventions into football have been numerous over recent decades, with most fizzling out after a bright start.

This time, however, may be different as Robertson has long signalled his intention to force the various tribes that run football in England to put aside their differences and work in a more democratic, efficient and transparent manner.

Earlier this year, Robertson, prompted by the debacle of England's bid for the 2018 World Cup, concerns about the sport's finances and its long-running refusal to implement agreed reforms, described football as "the worst governed sport in this country".

The minister has returned to this theme a number of times over the last nine months, most recently at last week's Leaders in Football conference in London, so football cannot say it has not been warned.

[Liam]

Rooney got a three match ban in the end, according to the BBC News. Idiot.

[Lineker]

Fucking dolt.

[brenchill]

Dreadful news.

With weak teams being few and far between at a Euro tournament, he will be lucky to play at all. Despite this, I'm not in the "Don't pick him" camp, that would be ridiculous.

[Starvinho]

It should of never been a 3 match ban, I guarantee if it was any other player it would have been 2 match ban max. Rooney is a dick for kicking the guy though he should have the experience now not to put himself in those situations. Regardless, he will definitely go to next year's Finals as long as he's fit and if we do manage to get to the knock-out stages it could be a huge advantage to have a fit Rooney to come into the side. Big chance for someone to step up now though, Danny Sturridge is a name that comes to mind...