I could not believe my eyes when picking up the Sun this morning to find the following, although I must tell you two years ago Roy Hodgson was responsible for our worst ever World Cup in Brazil, here we failed to get through our group, which was considered “easy” by one and all on the way from Heathrow to Rio. Fast forward to the European Championships where we did it again, or Roy did, or didn’t?
It was the in between that was what caused all of the trouble as those in that Wembley Office, which is the “Root of Evil” for English football, when they offered Roy a brand new two year extension on a contract that belied belief. FA Technical Director Dan Ashcroft has slammed Hodgson and his staff for this latest diabolical and shabby excuse for an England team. Yeah, YOU Mr. Ashcroft gave him the contract so YOU must take the blame because it all stems from the top and with his in mind England MUST consider another way out of this mess by starting by OUSTING Ashcroft and the other no-hopers who earn fortunes for knowing nothing. How can those that incredible kept Hodgson in the hot seat stat blaming him after they sat back in their armchairs and not only extended his stay but paid him £3,500,000 to do so? No, you’re not seeing things; it is true that the England boss – just like Fabio Capello a few years ago – was given the same treatment, an extension after he too messed up Big Time.
When are we going to do something about the Bigwigs at those offices?
Like with the EU disaster, whether it was ‘in’ or ‘out’ the damage has been done and some things are impossible to mend. I recall when missing the 1970 World Cup in Mexico through injury saying that ‘England will never reach another final of any kind in my lifetime’ and two years later I was banned by Alf Ramsey for three years after being knocked out by Poland and replaced by Don Revie, who was totally wrong for the job, because of his dislike of Southern players such as Osgood, Bowles, Hudson and Currie not forgetting Frank Worthington from Huddersfield. Playboys, Good Time Charlie’s, Womanisers or Mavericks, we all got ignored and England failed to qualify throughout the Seventies something unthinkable after winning the Jules Rimet Trophy only 8 years prior. I was nowhere near my prime when outed by ‘The Don’ and in fact was playing the best football of my career at Stoke City, whilst Osgood and Bowles, were approaching, what I call, ‘prime years’. This was something that can only happen in England. How can you allow a manager to ban one of your best young players for three years and then sack him?
It really could not happen in any other business, or any other country, and it took years to recover, that is if we have done so, although I say in my previous Blogs, the Terry Venables 1996 team took us to the brink of a final, but that again was like in 1966 because every one of our matches were played at Wembley Stadium. Read this, but don’t weep with excruciating pain, because as I say ‘How Dare He?
DESPERATE DAN FA technical director Dan Ashworth dishes out excuses to 200 staff after England’s Euro flop
The man who spent millions re-structuring English football delivers depressing debrief and is left fighting for his own job
This was the headline in the Sun written by Neil Ashton
FA STAFF arrived at St George’s Park on Thursday afternoon expecting strong leadership.
They wanted a powerful message from Dan Ashworth – the booming, confident voice of a man who will appoint England’s next head coach.
Ashworth finds himself very much alone in the aftermath of Euro 2016
They were waiting to be convinced that this was a chance to break from the past and do it The Ashworth Way.
But they were left disappointed and even more disillusioned than ever before.
Minds are frazzled at the FA.
Various meetings had been scheduled at SGP on Thursday.
But England’s calamitous exit from Euro 2016 booted Any Other Business off the agenda.
The coaches wanted insight, yet all they got from FA technical director Ashworth was excuses. Roy Hodgson, inevitably, was blamed, a soft target following his decision to quit as boss immediately after Monday’s humiliation by Iceland.
Team selections and tactics were criticised, with the accusation that Hodgson had lost the trust of the players before the tournament was even under way.
Hodgson ended up resigning after the surprise defeat by Iceland
The frequent changes to the formation and personnel were said to have created doubt and uncertainty in the build-up to matches.
To Ashworth’s credit, this is probably correct.
He also insisted there was a mental issue, with the players’ fragile state of mind before big games one of the key areas. Ashworth told staff to put on their tin hats and admitted the FA are “virtually at rock bottom” following England’s 2-1 defeat by Iceland in Nice.
Around 200 employees, many of whom were involved with the shambles in France, were called in for this depressing debrief.
Performance director Dave Reddin, along with sports science teams, analysts and FA Learning types, were in attendance.
The over-riding message is that Ashworth – the big boss – is fighting to save his job after England’s second round exit.
Sam Allardyce comes highly recommended by Sir Alex Ferguson
The development coaches have been told to ring Ashworth with their observations about England’s performance.
He wants honest appraisals from every member of the FA’s coaching team over the next few weeks. They are all under pressure, with the work of Colin Cooper, Keith Downing, Aidy Boothroyd, Mike Marsh and Neil Dewsnip, among others, under the microscope.
At the sharp end, Ashworth is on a three-man taskforce, with chief exec Glenn and FA vice-chairman David Gill, searching for England’s next head coach.
There is a meeting planned with Sir Alex Ferguson, with his backing for Sam Allardyce expected to carry significant weight.
Ashworth intends to spend the next three weeks speaking to everyone he knows in the game for their view on the next England manager.
By doing that they are in danger of confusing the issue, taking too many soundings and listening to too many people.
Ashworth’s job at the FA is the sort of role that requires courage and conviction.
Without it, you lose the confidence of your staff, and your job.
FINAL WORD
Sam Allardyce and several other managers mentioned have been successful at keeping teams afloat, but this is a ship that needs a little more as we plunge into the deepest waters in recent times.
I say get the broom out and sweep away those who sit in their cushy armchairs, earn vast amounts of money and go round the world on a piece of plastic, and that plastic does not stop there. Those at the FA get first class treatment wherever they go and if that is so then they must not only earn it but give the nation a manger and team worthy of such incredible treatment, after all it happened to Blatter and Platini so why not here?
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