Another England Post Mortem

After every England tournament defeat the same list of excuses and reasons for failure are brought out, but are they all still relevant?

Talent Pool

Sturridge, Barkley, Shaw should be around for years to come

Having more English players in  the PL would certainly help the national team but no-one can deny that the first team posses quality. With Daniel Sturridge, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw, England possess a myriad of young talent.

Stagnation

 It is also to the detriment of the national talent pool that players like Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell, Wilfred Zaha and Jack Butland have all chosen to sit on the bench of a big club rather than continuing their development by playing regular football.

Recall the old guard

 After the 2010 and 2012 tournaments there were many calls for the 'golden generation' of Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole to be dropped so a new team could be built. Yet after defeat this time there were many claiming Terry and Cole would have been better choices. You can't have it both ways, Cole was dropped by his club and Terry's off the field issues would have been an unwelcome presence in the squad. Losing can be a vital experience for improvement and we don't need to crucify players for the sake of it.

Coaching/The grassroots game/Not enough English players

All three of these are situations that could be vastly improved and discussion and developments in these areas will no doubt help English football in the future. However these problems are vastly overstated and probably don't affect the national team as much as is made out.

For example the English system is almost certainly better than those in Algeria, Costa Rica, Greece, Chile, Nigeria and the USA, all teams who have just qualified for the last 16 of the World Cup. And surely those teams would at least pick 7 or 8 of the England XI over their own if they could.

The Premier League is king

 The argument that fans and players care more about club allegiances certainly has weight. There is an apathy towards none-tournament games from many fans and we've seen players like Daniel Sturridge and Steven Gerrard pull out of friendlies before citing 'niggles' but most likely as an excuse to stay fresh for their clubs. With the excitement of the PL and it global appeal England games don't seem as important as domestic action. Fans from smaller countries see their national team's games as their chance to shine on the big stage and watch a high level of football whereas the opposite could be seen in England.

Negativity

Travelling fans stay positive

I don't know when it became cool to criticise England but sadly many fans only want to be negative. And our journalists and newspapers seem relish failure so the can write scathing attacks. It's a sad state of affairs that we can't unanimously back our country before a tournament and the fear of humiliation in the national press after a defeat definitely puts pressure on the players.

At the World Cup the power of good-will and support from fans of Chile, Argentina, USA is quite evident and the positivity is certainly felt by the players as shown in their celebrations and post-match quotes.

  

Technical Ability

This criticism that English players lack technical ability is brought out after every England defeat, mostly by people who don't understand football. Every single one of these players has played football since a very young age, and they all play in the most skilful league in the world. If the England players were technically deficient they wouldn't be playing for Man Utd, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.

Club Form

 Which brings me onto the point which I believe is the million dollar question. Why are England players so capable of brilliance for their clubs but not for England?

If you look at England's starting line-up against Italy only Welbeck and Hart had come of the back of poor seasons for their clubs. Lambert, Cahill, Sturridge, Gerrard and Sterling in particular had excellent campaigns for their clubs but were unable to bring that form into the tournament.

There is no obvious answer to this, most agreed with Hodgson's tactics and team selection and the spirit of the group and preparations seemed to be good.

Finding an answer to this question may be the key to unlocking England's potential.

So Long Shola

Shola Ameobi - A Fond Farewell

This coming Sunday will mark the end of an era for Newcastle United. Shola Ameobi will play in what is likely to be his final game for the club bringing to an end a 19 year association with the Magpies and also and leaving (a then teenage) Steven Taylor as the only remnant from the great Sir Bobby days.

Born in Zaira, Nigeria, Ameobi moved to England when he was five years old so his father could study a PHD at Newcastle University. Local scout Brian Clark saw him kicking a ball around in the schoolyard and it wasn't long before the lanky teenager with no kit or boots was part of the youth set-up at the club.

It's a testament to his character and loyalty that he has survived the never ending turbulence of Newcastle United and has been an important part of teams under nine different managers at St. James' Park, Kevin Keegan the only one for whom Ameobi seldom featured.

His calm temperament and reputation as Mr. Nice Guy has endeared him to the numerous regimes and the players he has played alongside. Peter Lovenkrands, Joey Barton, Demba Ba, Malcolm MacDonald and Pardew have all paid tribute to his unflappable character. 

Over the years Shola has polarised opinion among fans, some recognise his efforts against Sunderland, his record in Europe (second only to Alan Shearer) as valuable contributions whilst others lament his perceived lack of effort and tendency to give the ball away.

The truth probably lies somewhere in-between; his Premier League record of 53 goals in 311 games is a meagre total for a striker but he is a capable goalscorer and many forget that most of those appearances (a PL record 138) are from the substitutes bench. He provides a focal point for long balls and is a good finisher but lapses of concentration and failure to keep up with play and get into the box count against him.

Making his debut under Bobby Robson in 2000 after injuries to Alan Shearer and Carl Cort, Ameobi scored his first goal against Coventry and went on to become an integral part of United's Champions League campaign, scoring his now famous goal against Barcelona at the Nou Camp and a brace against Leeverkusen. Injuries and managerial changes reduced Ameobi' game time from 2006-08 and Kevin Keagan deemed him surplus to requirements and shipped him out on loan to Stoke.

During the turbulence of the 08/09 season Ameobi managed to score his first goal in two years after injury to Mark Viduka and was rewarded with a new 3 year contract.

After relegation and the departure of Martins, Viduka and Owen, Ameobi led the line and punished Championship defences, winning player of the month and scoring his first ever hat-trick before a three month injury halted his only spell of prolific scoring.

During the 2011/12 season he excelled as a target man terrorising Phil Jones and Rio Ferdinand in a 3-0 demolition of Man Utd and scoring the winner against Spurs with a delightful turn and finish. Also deployed as a 'defensive striker' late on in games where Newcastle had the lead it was Shola's job to hold up the ball and help defend at corners whilst also chipping in with five assists.

This season however he went until April without a league goal and although he's scored in two consecutive home games, he hasn't offered much in terms of link-up play so it is probably the right time for the curtain to be drawn on his time on Tyneside.  

He also made his debut for Nigeria in 2012 and harbours aspirations of a place in their World Cup squad this summer where a match-up against Lionel Messi awaits.

There are two sure fire ways to earn cult hero status in football; saving your best performances for your biggest rivals and by featuring on MTV cribs.

His record against Sunderland is second only to club legend Jackie Milburn's and 7 goals in 16 Tyne-Wear derbies has earned him the 'Mackem Slayer' moniker and his own chant.

His prosaic and characteristically modest Cribs appearance came back in 2005 - in which he shows us his delightful coffee table and talks about his love of hats - has gone down in folklore and has been the cause of much amusement down the years.

He's been the subject of a (slightly bizarre) tribute song and there's also twitter account dedicated to photos and memes of his various poses down the years, the one of him riding bike eating an apple is a particular fan favourite.

Ameobi's off the field hobbies include basketball - his no. 23 shirt inspired by Michael Jordan, reading - his favourite book is Lord Of The Rings, and golf. He's married with a son and daughter and keeps himself away from trouble off the field, shunning the party lifestyle of a modern footballer for a quiet life at home with his Christian faith playing an important role.

In an era where money takes precedence over loyalty, one club players are rare and it's refreshing to see someone stick with a club through the good times and the bad (and there have been plenty of those at Newcastle).

People often say 'there's no room for sentiment in football' when a club is faced with a big decision or a fan favourite needs replacing, indicating the need for ruthless management, but I have to say I completely disagree.

One of the reasons for the current anger and apathy from Newcastle fans towards their regime is the lack of attachment they feel towards the club.

The players are mercenaries with no understanding of what it means to play for the club and don't have a rapport with the fans. It's hard to feel any love for Loic Remy this season even though he's been one of our best players because he's admitted he will move on at the end of the year.

 Ameobi has always one of the first to speak to the media after defeats, apologising to fans and imparting his knowledge of the club on new signings even siding with fans by criticising the hierarchy at St. James' Park.

Watching his career evolve and change through different periods of the club's history you can really see what Shola is all about and having a local hero is something all fans want.

As football fans we just want somebody we can empathise with and root for.

Newcastle United's 2014/15 campaign will the be first season in 14 without the 'Fenham Eusebio' but with Sammy still on the books and a career in waiting for young Noah the name of Ameobi will live on.

And how should we best commemorate a legend like Shola? Is he worthy of a testimonial, or should we retire his no. 23 shirt in tribute?

Or how about a statue? Of wor Shola, on a bike, eating an apple.

I'm sure we'll meet again.

British Life

A collection of my favourite tweets from @SoVeryBritish. All are so true.

Saying you don't mind when offered a choice, then praying you're left with the option you want
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) March 14, 2014

Making sure to keep the lights dimmed and the door unanswered until Halloween has definitely finished
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) October 31, 2013

Realising you've entered the wrong shop and having to pretend to look around for a bit
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) October 27, 2013

Not knowing quite where to stand while the man reads your electricity meter
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) September 28, 2013

Bidding someone farewell and then striding off in the same direction
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) September 17, 2013

Repeatedly pressing the door button on the train before it's illuminated, to assure your fellow commuters you have the situation in hand
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) March 28, 2013

Feeling ridiculously self-conscious when walking back to your seat after taking your turn at ten-pin bowling
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) February 3, 2014

Indicating that you want the last roast potato by trying to force everyone else to take it
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) January 12, 2014

Being unable to turn and walk in the opposite direction without first taking out your phone and frowning at it
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) February 3, 2014

Being told to enjoy your meal, flight, stay or birthday and replying "Thanks, you too!"
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) January 20, 2013

Attempting to deal with a queue-jumper by staring fiercely at the back of their head
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) February 8, 2013

Still believing there's a slim chance Tim Henman could win Wimbledon
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) July 5, 2013

Opening a window to let out a fly and ending up with thirty midges, three wasps, two bees and an owl
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) July 9, 2013

Being on your second cold of the winter, despite it only just being autumn
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) September 18, 2013

Saying "there's definitely something going round" when someone says they're ill, even if nobody else you know is ill
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) November 14, 2013

Being unable to pay for something with the exact change without saying "I think that's right"
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) April 8, 2014

Dislocating your shoulders to remove your coat without touching fellow train passengers
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) August 16, 2013

Brit 1: Hello, how are you? Brit 2: Fine thanks, you? Brit 1: Not too bad thanks, you?
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) July 28, 2013

Turning to the cold side of the pillow so many times the kinetic energy could power a small mill
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) July 14, 2013

Inviting someone to a party, then providing a list of reasons not to come in case they don't fancy it
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) May 17, 2013

Not being able to fit food in half your kitchen cupboards because they're being used to store 83 bags for life
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) December 31, 2012

2013 in Music

Arctic Monkeys - A sound in need of refreshing and that's just what AM sets out to do. Filled with RnB drumming and sleek riffs, the only thing missing is a couple of killer choruses. 6/10

                                    Check Out - Arabella

Avicii - Catchy, melodic, instrument based dance music devoid of auto-tune and the homogenous beats of this era. 7/10

                                    Check Out - Dear Boy

Babyshambles - Surprisingly good, sweet melodies and some sketchy lyrics aside it seems Pete Doherty is back on form. 7/10

                                    Check Out - Dr. No

Bastille - Pretentious looking and sounding at first glance, but their live sound shows real music and vocal ability. 6/10

                                     Check Out - Oblivion

Birdy - Her first album of original work, and full of similar piano ballads but there are welcome signs of an edgier side too. 7/10

                                     Check Out - Words As Weapons

Cat Empire - Glimpses of their funky Latino/Ska hybrid, but not enough for it to be considered a successful record. 4/10                                                         

                                      Check Out - Brighter Than Gold

Caro Emerald - Picked up where her first album left off, a catchy mix of jazz and pop. 7/10        

                                    Check Out - The Maestro

Charlotte OC - A new more powerful and atmospheric sound from the former folk singer. 8/10

                                    Check Out - Cut The Rope

Chvrches -The album doesn't quite live up to the (deserved) hype which surrounded The Mother We Share but I suppose that was to be expected. 4/10       

                                    Check Out - Gun

Daft Punk - You can't accuse the duo of lacking originality and their patchwork of styles with 80's vocoders and synths shows the album's ambition and it works for the most part. 6/10

                                    Check Out - Beyond

Daughter - Some great songs and some not so great songs, just a shame some tracks don't quite live up to their 2011 EPs.  6/10

                                    Check Out - Shallows

Franz Ferdinand - With the indie boom of the 2000's now long gone it's interesting to see how the most popular bands of that era are trying to keep their fire alive. Franz Ferdinand rekindle some of the old magic on their first release in 4 years but overall it's not brilliant. 5/10

                                    Check Out - Right Action

Fratellis - Almost the same could be said for the Fratellis with their first album since 2008, We Need Medicine shows they can still write some cheerful soft rock however. 6/10

                                    Check Out - She's Not Gone Yet But She's Leaving

Gabrielle Aplin - Pretty much exactly what you would expect from a youtube songstresses debut album, some lovely songs but also quite a bit of filler. 5/10

                                    Check Out - Panic Cord

Haim - An album which seems disjointed with a variety of different styles and concepts, but works surprisingly well. 7/10

                                    Check Out - The Wire

Jay Z - Fresh from the recent birth of his child and now without the hyphen but there's not much to see here barring the Miley Cyrus name-check in Somewhere In America. 3/10

                                    Check Out - Somewhere In America 

Jack Johnson - Still the same old Jack Johnson, a familiar acoustic sound perfect for background music but none of his albums have quite lived up to In Between Dreams. 5/10

                                    Check Out - Tape Deck

Johnny Flynn - His third album sounds very contrived lyrically, but no-one quite does English folk like the actor turned musician. 5/10

                                    Check Out - The Lady is Risen

Kanye West - A song titled 'I Am a God' tells you all you need to know. An ego that is in severe need of deflating. The lyrics and musical charisma of his early days are long gone. 1/10

                                    Check Out - Bound 2

KT Tunstall - Stripped back with all emphasis on vocals there are some beautifully crafted songs but she still excels when stomping and rocking such as on Hallowed Ground. 5/10

                                    Check Out - Yellow Flower

Laura Marling - Once I was an Eagle was universally acclaimed as one Marling's best but I have to disagree completely. While her lyrical poetry is captivating there isn't enough melodic sparkle to warrant the rave reviews. 4/10

                                    Check Out - Undine

Lorde - Her album isn't quite as catchy as the EP that started it all off but lyrics like 'I'm kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air' and the anti-capitalist 'Jet planes, islands, tigers on a gold leash, we don't care we ain't caught up in your love affair' are wonderfully refreshing to hear from a 16 year old. 5/10

                                    Check Out - White Teeth Teens

Ludovico Einaudi - Discredited by some purists for his simple approach to classical music it's hard to see how anyone could criticise his ability to create spine-tingling piano melodies. 8/10

                                    Check Out - Life

Marika Hackman - Medieval, stripped down folk with telluric lyrics the former Burberry singer released two EPs and a host of other songs all of which point to a bright future. Eagerly anticipating her debt album. 8/10

                                    Check Out - Wolf

M.I.A - Sonic debris is a good description of the 38 year old's (!) sound, and whilst most of the album is nothing short of awful, the Arabic inspired Bad Girls and Exodus are both solid. 4/10

                                    Check Out - Exodus

Phoenix - Probably the biggest disappointment of the year, the inventible result of ditching their trademark Parisian indie for languid synths and electro-pop. 4/10

                                    Check Out - Entertainment

Rizzle Kicks - Whilst their lyrics and lifestyle make them an intrinsic part of the 'Lost Generation' they sing about it's impossibly to deny their instrument driven beats are far superior to Drake or Kanye West's RnB dirges. 6/10

                                    Check Out - Skip To The Good Bit

The Strokes - Barely 18 months sine their last record and this one is by far their worst to date, struggling to recommend even one highlight. 1/10

                                    Check Out - None

Tom Odell - I wonder if the NME journalist whoranked this attempt as 0/10 could sit down at a piano and write a better album? Whilst his lyrics leave a lot to be desired and his sound isn't the most original he certainly has talent. 6/10

                                    Check Out - Can't Pretend

Travis - Another band trying to age gracefully with their popularity peak long behind them, and this record is a disappointing return for 5 years without a release.  5/10

                                    Check Out - Mother

Vampire Weekend - A band whose name conjures the image of something from the Twilight series but VW's musicianship and originality is vastly underrated. Modern Vampires of the City isn't their best but there are some well crafted songs. 5/10

                                    Check Out - Obvious Bicycle

We Were Evergeen - The folk/pop genre seems overly saturated at the moment but the originality of We Were Evergreen is what sets them apart with beautiful sanguine harmonies backed by ukuleles and glockenspiel.

                                    Check Out - Leeway

 - -

Songs of the year

10. Gary Barlow - Let Me Go - A songwriter who doesn't get enough credit.

9. John Newman - Love Me Again - Proof that the four chord pop song has life yet.

8. Pharrell Williams - Happy - Laidback soulful beats are what Pharrell does best. Happy is a perfect description.

7. Marika Hackman - Cinnamon - The addition of percussion and other layers enhances her acoustic based live performances.

6. Charlotte OC - Hangover - The bass, drum, synth and guitar layers provide an excellent backing for her ethereal vocals to take centre stage.

5. Birdy - Light Me Up - Florence & The Machine sounding and much more rocky than her usual style, Light Me Up has a chorus that has stadium anthem written all over it.

4. Vampire Weekend - Step - Pachelbel Canon with added drums and harpsichord,  with some surreal lyrics about New York City.

3. Avicii - Liar Liar - I cant believe this song wasn't used as a single. It has all the makings of a great pop song and would surely be a worldwide success.

2. Haim - My Song 5 - Expect this to be the soundtrack to many a TV montage. Turn it loud.

1. Lorde - Buzzcut Season - My song of the year, atmospheric musically with candid lyrics.