soccer

Kane ready for England to deliver in Euro 2020 final

32 Comments
By STEVE DOUGLAS

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


32 Comments

Comments have been disabled You can no longer respond to this thread.

... sorry to say, but England is not even among the top 5 teams in Europe.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

... sorry to say, but England is not even among the top 5 teams in Europe.

Why sorry to say? Are you talking about the best 5 sides on paper?

France looked a bit stale compared with the WC winning side and underperformed, Belgium underperformed yet again, Portugal were disappointing, Croatia past their peak, Germany in transition, Netherlands not great, Italy have been mostly good but were lucky in the semi versus a decent but hardly spectacular Spain. England solid but mostly plodding.

No outstanding team or teams in Europe based on what matters - performances. This has made it an interesting and unpredictable tournament. Hard to pick a top 5.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@rcch

No need to be "sorry". A bit of an honest appraisal is a good thing. I'd put England solidly in the top five of British Iles teams.

Anyway, it's the cricket season. The win against Pakistan yesterday will more than make up for whatever disaster may happen tonight against Italy. (Honest!)

1 ( +4 / -3 )

An easy group, “a Germany in transition”, Ukraine ( the only match played away... ), ... needed the extra time against Denmark / won with a controversial penalty ( it isn’t ). Not always the best team wins, that’s why we love this thing called football.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Message for England fans - dont boo the Italian anthem. No, its not OK, Southgate. Show a little class if possible.

https://www.football365.com/news/neville-defends-england-fans-booing-denmark-anthem-italy

And also, try your very best not to attack Italian families simply supporting their team.

www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-57779541.amp

May the best team win.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

An easy group, “a Germany in transition”, Ukraine ( the only match played away... ), ... needed the extra time against Denmark / won with a controversial penalty ( it isn’t ). Not always the best team wins, that’s why we love this thing called football.

You are coming across as bitter and a bit childish here. A bit like Ganbare Japan’s post about booing and a few clowns.

Who are the 5 better sides? Are England 6th? 5 better sides on paper? By performance? It sounds like you accept England are better than Germany. England also beat Croatia.

Lay the top 5 sides out for us. My take is that there are no outstanding sides in this tournament. England certainly aren’t outstanding either.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Some English football fans are a disgrace to their country. Getting drunk and taking the liberty to harass and attack others without a real motive. Violent hooliganism started in Britain and society and the authorities seem to accept it.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

To be fair, the majority of England fans seem good natured and passionate. But theres a small element who take things too far ie with the laser, booing anthems, attacking this Danish family. There are hooligan soccer fans in other European and S American nations too.

I hope tonights game goes well without problems. I look forward to it!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Violent hooliganism started in Britain

Modern Association Football is simply a codification of the ancient game of football in England, which was a kind of annual mass brawl between villages. So you could say that the sport has its roots in hooliganism.

society and the authorities seem to accept it.

To a certain degree society does accept it in that the hard lads who engage in the occasional pagger do not become ostracized as people who commit other crimes do. In fact, they are still often very well respected men in their local pubs.

The UK authorities on the other hand are extremely tough on hooliganism. The police are very good at identifying and jailing offenders, which is why you rarely see bother inside the stadium and as a result very little need for perimeter fencing; nobody would dare.

Anyway, all you need to remember from this is that it is coming home.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Who are the 5 better sides? Are England 6th? 5 better sides on paper? By performance? It sounds like you accept England are better than Germany. England also beat Croatia. 

Lay the top 5 sides out for us. My take is that there are no outstanding sides in this tournament. England certainly aren’t outstanding either.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m not disagreeing with you. Just saying there are better teams out there. Add some ice to this hysteria. English arrogance knows no limits so I just wanted to remind people the English were lucky.

England played the whole tournament at home while other teams needed to travel thousands of miles. The group was easy and Croatia is... Croatia. Let’s be honest, they got to the WC final but what else.

( If you wanna talk about the front line of European football, ( with Belgium in recent years ) we’re talking about 8 teams. Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and England. )

Today, imo, Italy, Belgium, France, Portugal and Spain are still better teams than England. Funny enough, after the group stage, England didn’t have to play against one of these teams to reach the final. Talk about being lucky.

But like I said, not always the best team wins, that’s why we love this sport.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Violent hooliganism started in Britain 

Perhaps, but I think these football hooligans are misunderstood. If we look further into their childhoods, their environments, and their upbringings we can probably learn more and find a solution. Sadly, research from the 1970s is often ignored.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04clpd7h0b0

:-)

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Today, imo, Italy, Belgium, France, Portugal and Spain are still better teams than England. Funny enough, after the group stage, England didn’t have to play against one of these teams to reach the final. Talk about being lucky.

They got a favorable draw, but they did beat Germany who absolutely battered Portugal in the group stage.

I agree with you over the silly hysteria and patriotic crap and I actually wanted Denmark to win this, although I was disappointed with their negative approach v England in the semi.. That said, bitterness is just as silly as the patriotic crap we see ( mostly from English southerners ). I must admit to being a little annoyed and disappointed when I see fellow northerners behaving like this. Even worse when it comes from people in my home town.

Looking at the results and performances, I’d say it’s pretty difficult to rank sides in this tournament if you approach it in good faith.

English arrogance knows no limits

Well, it’s not at the level of the French. There’s a level to aspire to.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I admire your patience Jimizo, but I don't know why you bother. Bitter people always find a way to shift the goalposts in order to maintain their desired inner level of hatred and delusion. England play well, 'lucky!'. Fans feeling good, 'arrogance!'.

Woe betide the English for ever having anything to feel positive about, ever.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Message for England fans - dont boo the Italian anthem.

Agreed Fighto! I did not like that myself. Keep the very small element of yobs out of Wembly Stadium tonight.

May the best team win.

Whatever happens, it should be a spectacular game.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Just saying there are better teams out there. Add some ice to this hysteria. English arrogance knows no limits so I just wanted to remind people the English were lucky.

You can stop flogging that dead horse, it's dead.

You seem extremely bitter. What's the matter, did Nigel Farage have a go at your country or something?

For many of us who've been deeply ambivalent towards the England team over the years this current version is very likable: an intelligent, articulate manager, lots of really good young players and a palpable team spirit.

Also, it's a tournament and in tournaments the best team doesn't always win. Brazil 82 were an amazing attacking force but didn't even make the semi-finals of that World Cup. On the other hand, one of the worst German teams ever made the final in 2002 and the Dutch team of 2010 was hideously ugly. That's the way it goes sometimes, no point in whining about it.

The people of Britain have been treated abysmally by the corrupt, incompetent, heartless clowns in the government there. You can hardly criticize people for enjoying the success of their football team, however "lucky" you may think they are.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Strikers Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling display awesome hunger in the penalty box. With their ruthless runs and sharp shooting skills, the deadly duo are blessed with sublime skills to wriggle out from tight situations and display their rich repertoire for scoring stunning goals. Veterans Chiellini and Bonucci will need to work overtime to tame the two English lions. For the other nine places in the English team, Gareth Southgate has many hungry lions in waiting. Roberto Mancini will need to fall back on his experiences of English football to weaponize his Gli Azzurri.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Strikers Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling display awesome hunger in the penalty box. With their ruthless runs and sharp shooting skills, the deadly duo are blessed with sublime skills to wriggle out from tight situations and display their rich repertoire for scoring stunning goals. Veterans Chiellini and Bonucci will need to work overtime to tame the two English lions. For the other nine places in the English team, Gareth Southgate has many hungry lions in waiting. Roberto Mancini will need to fall back on his experiences of English football to weaponize his Gli Azzurri.

Congratulations! You've just broken the Guinness world record for the most alliteration, adjectives and metaphors ever used in a single paragraph.

Well done!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Tobia, I am going to make a wild assumption, you will not be hanging bunting or adorning your house with the St George's Cross.

You will not be sing full pelt three lions on my shirt.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyoy2_7FegI

If fact I get the impression you still believe footy in England is rooted in 1970.

Here enjoy wallow.....

1970's Football Hooligans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wzkcUIEJfQ

We will watch the Euros 2020 final........

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Just came home from pub, hopefully can stay awake and watch it all and not get too wasted.

What happens, happens innit. Day off for me, nice bit of booze with the missus and hope it’s a good result by the team managed by an ex Palace academy player, lol

Itsonlyrockandroll

Good comments there, I like your style mate.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

I will be watching, 4am japan time.

Their goes Monday morning. I have not had a tipple today. I at least want to arrive at work compos mentis this time.

I have invited some work friend round all at the moment are asleep, the next door neighbors will be here in about an hour.

Full English breakfast at half time. I have the sausages from the meat guy, bacon from the local butcher. Proper butchers bacon here in Japan. kudos to Ito.....

Win/lose, it is going to be fun.

I have the shirts for my neighbors. Three loins lol ......They don't have to wave the flags though.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Itsonkyrockandroll

Thats the spirit. I’ve got some bangers from Meat Guy too in fridge.

Enjoy the match and hopefully it’s good and we win!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

On the football side of things, right now I don't see much between the teams. Who will shine? I know many are talking about Kane and Sterling, but it's Shaw that has caught my eye in the England team. On the Italian side, perhaps Insigne. (Poor guys. Now I've mentioned their names, they'll be cursed.)

Naturally, in Scotland, we'll be tucking into our traditional football meal of Pizza and Peroni before tonight's game. Love thy neighbour, etc., but not when they have good reason to gloat.

I'm just jealous that my team isn't there.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

England won!

Well done!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

What day is it lol

Not even had a drink, 14 people here, ok after me three lions on my .....Not home quite yet but who knows getting their

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Equalizer, didn't think it was going to be that straight forward.....

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Italy are the better side at the moment.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites