England's Unfriendly Attitude Smacks of Convenience

I'm not in a position to give a detailed analysis of England's friendly match with the French at Wembley this week, mainly because I watched the game in a bar, turning the match into a drinking game that involved Jagerbombs. Which never ends well. Nevertheless, much like my body the following morning, the backlash from the English media has been truly terrible. There have been various outcries with such soundbites as "We should no longer be playing international friendlies" and "These matches are wasted exercises". Let me correct both of those statements here and now. England should still play friendly matches, but they should prepare properly for them and there should be allotted time set aside for around two a season within the domestic calendar. And international friendlies have the potential to not be a wasted exercise - England just do not take the opportunity to use them properly.

The truth is ugly - England were found out for what they are - an average at best international side, who have wasted a generation and are now left with a dearth of talent, both on and off the field, to take them forward. Had we witnessed a game where England had played their opponents off the greasy Wembley pitch, unearthing new stars such as Andy Carroll and Jordan Henderson, we would be talking of how bright the future looks. And also how wonderful it was to have the opportunity to blood these youngsters in a non-competetive environment before the crunchtime encounters against such Euro 2012 powerhouses as Wales and Bulgaria. The fact is, despite being amongst the best young English talent in the Premier League right now, both Carroll and Henderson haven't got the game as yet to compete with the very best international players. Compare them to Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney at the same age, and you realise that England's chances of righting the now innumerable "years of hurt" are slim for the forseeable future.

Then there is the issue of Gerrard's hamstring. The fact that he played longer than was originally agreed with Liverpool is understandably irksome for his club. However, with experienced campaigners dropping around him during the game, Capello actually asked Gerrard if it was OK if he continued. He agreed. The player took matters into his own hands and I actually credit him for that. At the end of the day, club football is essentially a job, one which can be changed if desired. Unless your name is Kevin Pietersen, you cannot change your identity - your nationality is part of who you are. In a week where the country has got hysterical over the way Remembrance Day was celebrated and the prospect of a royal wedding, you would think there would be a little more patriotism in the club vs country row. Never mind that it was a non-competetive match, Gerrard was representing his country, and he knew it. His role as an experienced campaigner was to allow the younger players to settle into the occasion and show what they're made of at the highest level. It's just a pity it didn't work!

In summary: international friendlies can be the making or breaking of a team. For France, they looked to be identifying the men to take them forward under Laurent Blanc, after their disastrous World Cup. England have much more to ponder and sadly are looking at more years of decline, with few genuine prospects coming through the ranks.

For that, they must blame themselves, rather than the international calendar.
RM