FIFA 2018 World Cup Thread

[Sidney]

@Sidney

Gareth Bale is better than anybody England have. Overall England have a far better choice of players in pretty much every position and and thoroughly outplayed Wales when they played them.

There are numerous reasons why Wales have got further than them.

There is, in English football, like in English society as a whole, a deep seated anti-intellectualism, which manifests itself in several ways - in their approach to tactics, in their lack of innovation as to how the game should be played and coached, in thinking they’re better than they are and treating opponents lightly, in their approach to physical preparation before the tournament, in the players’ egotism, in their rush to make excuses, in the lack of leadership from both players and management, in the suffocating media goldfish bowl that surrounds the team.

Wales and the other British Isles teams also suffer from some of that, and England should be able to overcome most of that by sheer force of numbers playing the game, but what Wales (and Eire and Ireland) have is an underdog’s work ethic and a tremendous togetherness and organisation that England don’t have.

Allied to a bit of luck, the fact that their one true world class player is a really good egg who shows exemplary leadership, builds team spirit and lifts those around him, and great support from the stands, like with Leicester, it shows what can be done.

A good Gareth leading the way is invaluable. True leaders change cultures.

Since 1974, high profile scandals have routinely had the word “gate” suffixed to them.

In the future, the word “gate” will instead be suffixed to the names of transformatively brilliant leaders.