o/t -- Football

[davidgh]

A subject about which I know "very little indeed".

 

But am I right in thinking that the English national team is now lower in the FIFA rankings than the USA?      

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24069574

[Captain Colonial]

USA?  Who dey?     

[martyblues]

It's a game, played by the very wealthy

hope that helps:-)

[alexander72]

as Clarkson says... "footballists"..... coming from Northampton it's always been rugby for me and now i've hung up my boots I can relax and concentrate on Speed Series :-) 

[Tyson]

It will not get better until the best coaches teach the correct skills to the kids, like they do in Spain instead of the situation in this country where we have the best coaches teaching the best players. Dads teach the kids with maybe a level 1 coaching badge and sometimes not even that. The kids only get the best coaching if they get to a professional club (not many get that chance). Lots of kids could become far better if they had better coaching from an early age but it all comes down to money again. If a coach has paid about £3 or £4000 to get to level 3 or higher then he would expect to recoup some money for his coaching sessions.

Unlimited amount of money at the top but next to nothing for the six year old starting out. (and I am not talking wages) but facilities and equipment.

[SootySport]

I would also blame the schools, they just don't want to get involved with any thing physical or competitive these days or they might upset little Johnny.  The popularity of the internet also stops the kids going out and having a kick about with their mates, it seems kids would rather play Virtual games rather than something real and physical, hence the amount of overweight youngsters you see. I can only get worse.

[Norman Verona]

Bernie, the reason schools won't allow the kids to do anything physical is that if one of them gets hurt the parents are using the no-win-no-fee lawyers to sue the school.

 

Same reason the LA's have closed all the youth clubs.

[Cleggy the Spyder Man]

My kids play football in school and have done since starting - 7 and 8 years old and they also both play in teams out of school so you cannot blame no win no fee or elf and safety for that one I am afraid

 

unless most other schools are doing things differently?

[Norman Verona]

Cleggy, I think they are. Of course some will play contact sports but most, as above, won't.

[pistonbroke]

Wish someone would buy the little toe rag who lives behind us an Xbox / computer game or something  instead of him kicking a ruddy ball against the garage door all day long

 

drives me nuts      

[Young Pretender]

Intersting England are still higher ranked than brazil despite the slippage.

[SootySport]

Intersting England are still higher ranked than brazil despite the slippage.

That's the Brazil ladies team.