What the papers say

 Football dominates the English press yet again this week but this time our national team is as sick as the proverbial parrot, (number one in the top 100 of favourite footballers phrases closely followed by “at the end of the day…) Well, at the end of the day the match against Portugal on Saturday was truly a remarkable match, but all for the wrong reasons. It was bloody farcical and naturally in an attempt to fight through the feelings of national dejection this has been picked up by the more sensational of English newspapers, which historically need to have a scapegoat. So who is the new enemy of English football? Surprisingly, it isn’t Rooney whose little outburst equals Beckham’s petulant kick against another player eight years ago and was subsequently vilified by the world and his wife.  According to the Sun newspaper it is Ronaldo, the winking Portuguese protagonist who they deem solely responsible for Rooney’s sending off in the 62^nd minute and ultimately for the loss of the match. He had been goading the fiery striker throughout the match and intervened at a crucial moment when the referee seems to be deliberating about what to do with Rooney after he stamped on Ricardo Carvalho. It was more likely that Rooney’s pushing of the provocative slime ball sealed his fate. How happy was Ronaldo? Job done.

The front page of the Sun is subsequently displaying a picture of Ronaldo superimposed onto a dartboard accompanied by the headlines “throw a dart at the tart.” Nice. But at the end of the day… Rooney who had waited for nine weeks to get the all-clear to play after his foot injury and who the nation (typically and without any real judgment) had pinned their hopes to lead us to World Cup was bloody hot-headed. What’s the point of waiting all that time to get sent off like that because he can’t keep a lid on his temper? He invites antagonism and it is arguable that his lack of control over his frustrations cost us the match. But not a dickie bird of criticism from the Press.

All newspapers have commented on Sven’s performance as England manger and his fiddling with the formation of the team on Saturday. Yes, Sven Goran Ericsson, the “swede” to Graham Taylor’s “turnip” has come under fire. His crimes of smug overconfidence, his lack of passion as manager and his stupid fiddling with tried and tested formations in the middle of the World Cup, have not benefited England. It’s official; he will be more remembered for his dalliances with wannabe media tarts and his raised shoe heels.

 The World Cup for England has highlighted good players but not the ones that the likes of Sven and his puppet masters at the FA ever “big up”. And the media are to blame as much for this because its all about money and copies sold. For every golden boy and prima Donna who have millions spent on them (and this includes you, Sven) the likes of good players who consistently play good football such as Owen Hargreaves and John Terry get less column inches. Why? English football is all about money and sponsorship deals. Tabloid newspapers lap this up and media stories about star players overtake what they should be really writing about. Football. FA boss Brian Barwick insists that Sven's management record over the last five or so years when we have been waiting for football to finally come home, as being “really very impressive.” He cites the “positive” fact that 30 million English fans were following the World cup this year and we as a nation should settle for this. (30 million who will no doubt buy official merchandise, which is probably what really matters for the FA). Barwick's values seem all wrong and this is reflected in the standard of English football.

So Ronaldo, Sven and to some extent Brian Barwick have been hauled over the coals, but it is not enough to explain why England failed to beat a team which on paper they should have done with ease. Admittedly Michael Owens early departure was a blow to both morale and to the reserve of competent strikers, then Beckham's injury on Saturday and then Rooney’s red card all had their effect. But it is telling that once Beckham and Rooney leave the match, the tempo of the game improves with the likes of Aaron Lennon showing then how it should be done. But Peter Crouch? Do me a favour? What is he all about? I am no expert on football but he only served as a token striker on Saturday. Am I the only one that would rather put a clown in stilts on the pitch during a vital match? He would be more effective and less, well clumsy. And as for the spot-kicks, don’t even go there…

But the chapter of England’s foray into the 2006 world cup still rolls on. Beckham has quit as captain in a tearful press conference when he struggled identifying the words in his speech despite wife Victoria drawing accompanying pictures. His leaving deflects a little from our sorrow or for some may be heightens it. What is for sure it’s his time to go. For me, thank bloody god and let Chelsea Captain John Terry take over the mantle. At least he’s proved himself and hopefully will have time to do the job unlike Beckham who juggled the England captaincy his other jobs of demi-god, style icon and baby maker for Victoria to satiate her desperate attempts to save her marriage. Yup, it’s sad when WAGS have so more press devoted to them simply because they like to spend their hubbies/partners outrageous wages on looking cheap, tacky and ridiculous.