jim mk2

As it happens I wouldn’t be against Howe getting the job because he’s a very good candidate but the reality based on past performance of English coaches at national and club level is that the odds on him actually winning a trophy are virtually nil. That’s why England should consider a foreign coach because appointing an Englishman is virtually guaranteeing that the 58 years and counting since the one and only triumph will continue.

This is old ground I know but that paragraph is depressing in light of what happened in the rest of Mowbray's reign and what could have been possible as Ipswich demonstrated by getting double promotions from League One to the PL. It also perhaps indicates that the owners do have ambitions for the club but they are being continually disappointed by a succession of unambitious managers and officials.. in Tony's case one who wanted to spin the job out for as long as he could in one of his last jobs before retirement

Interesting comments in the paper today from a French journalist who said when Les Blues play badly the press and fans tend to blame the players whereas here the blame is nearly always targeted at the manager.

I don't mind a foreign manager at all but an Australian in charge of the England football team is a red line for me. You'd be able to hear the laughing all the way from Iron Knob

Just listen to your Uncle Jim I think it’s a case of thanks Gareth and goodbye. He gave the national team and the country its pride back through good man management but his shortcomings as a coach prevented him winning a trophy The biggest failure was the Euros final at Wembley on front of our own home crowd and the advantage of an early goal against a very average Italy team. That trophy should be on his CV now but his innate conservatism and lack of tactical nous cost England dear If he wants it and Newcastle will let him go I’d have Howe

Outgoings are obviously very likely but discussion on possible incomings seems pointless to me.

I cannot understand this faith in Sigurdsson just because he scored a few goals last season. I thought he was awful with the heart the size of a pea and looked like he just did not fancy the rough and tumble of the Championship. If we're depending on him to take over the Szmodics mantle we're going to be in serious trouble (not that we aren't already)

Why didn't City move for him 6 months ago? They've made some strange decisions - letting Palmer go particularly doesn't make sense.

Look at some of the Spain players Williams plays for Athletic Bilbao, 5th in La Liga; match winner Oyarzabal and Le Normand play for Real Sociedad, 6th in La Liga; Dani Olmo, one of their best players this tournament, plays for RB Leipzig, Cucurella had modest season at Chelsea, Laporte plays for Al Nassr, Alvaro Morata is a decent forward, but nothing special I don't accept these players as individuals are any better than England's in their position but you have to say they were brilliantly coached and, unlike England, played as a team. Southgate's England looked like a bunch of players who hardly knew each other. They were badly managed in this tournament I'll repeat - foreign coaches, especially Spanish ones at present, understand the game better than English managers and have done for decades.

Ask most of the England fans trudging home bitterly disappointed if they wanted Southgate to carry on and I suspect you'd get a resounding No. He's not popular with the majority and Southgate knows it; the FA will try to persuade him to stay I'm sure but I think he wants out. He's had enough. To Southgate's credit he's made England respectable and competitive again after years in the doldrums but he's been the luckiest manager ever with groups and draws. As usual, every time we play a really good side we lose. Spain beat France, Germany, Italy and Croatia on the way to the final. Would England have beaten any of those? Best comment I've seen on Kane is that "he looks like he's been towing a caravan all tournament".

Yet Spain played with 2 wingers - a very old fashioned way of playing and something you don’t see often these days. They also play at a higher pace than us. By biggest criticism of England this tournament is that we were too slow and laboured and therefore were easy to defend against.

You mean he’s won nothing …., in contrast to Sir Alf

Nonsense. You haven’t a clue what you’re talking about. Southgate is a serial failure

This is a ludicrous post Sir Alf won the World Cup

He's already on it after last Thursday A German in charge of the England team would be wonderful and send a good message to our European friends. But how would the the befuddled minds of some England fans cope?

If England win on Sunday he might consider staying on. If England lose he’ll probably depart - which I think he wants to do anyway. I get the impression he’s had enough.

England don't pay for players IIRC

Overall, the Dutch record is superior to ours. The reason you appear to be confused is because your football knowledge unfortunately is limited to your lifetime - as you acknowledged. If you can be bothered to look there's a whole swathe of experts and analysts who say the penalty should not have been given, even in this era of virtually contactless football.

Can't argue with that. Now he has to win one

This arose because you were dissing the Dutch and their achievements (because they weren't in your lifetime) when they are clearly a significant football nation with a long history of success in tournament football. At 37 you ought to have known better.

Never a penalty for me - the tabloids would be going berserk this morning if that has been given against England England look so much better balanced with Shaw at left back - hard on Trippier but I wouldn't start the final with him England were well on top in the first half and should have been ahead at half time such was their dominance. Koeman shifted his players around and it was much more difficult for England in the second half The problem for England in the final is Spain have more players who can turn a game with a piece of individual brilliance - something even the best coaches cannot plan for

Since their 1970s World Cup heyday, the Dutch have reached one final; a third place; a fourth place, and 2 quarter-finals. Since winning the Euros in 1988, they've appeared in 3 semi-finals including last night and 2 quarter-finals. Compare and contrast to our dismal record. Football didn't start with the advent of the Premier League and the past is relevant. The Dutch are a great and successful footballing nation. "Youth" is wasted on the young - especially callow youth.

“Smart” answers don’t compensate for ignorance. The Dutch national team of the 1970s containing the likes of Cryuff and other brilliant players was one of the greatest teams to have graced the game.

They’ve been in 3 World Cup finals. Their international record is far superior to ours

He’s not won anything!