Do you think we play

to many other sports in this country,to dominate football? No other country in Europe play as many as us.
Could this be a reason ?

No, I don't think that.... at all.
While I cannot speak for middle class Exeter, 'we' don't do enough 'sport'. And don't forget every country has it's own non footie, non Olympic interests with their own peculiar games. Look at Irish hurling, look at Ausie rules football, the Indians have a huge game I cannot remember the name of.
And as for football, I can't remember the last time I saw young kids kicking a ball or a cat around unofficially in the park or in the lane like I did 24/7. It doesn't happen anymore unless said spoiled 7 year old is all togged up in a £50 merchandise uniform and driven to his venue for 30 minutes sport and 30 minutes drinking Coke.

Germany,France,Spain,Italy.Don't play much else

Germany,France,Spain,Italy.Don't play much else

I'll tell you what DTT, I think the rule changes haven't helped the home countries in competing at the highest level.
Rightly or wrongly, big tackles are now outlawed, yet upper body holding and cheating still seem to be fine, and that plays right into the hands of the 'continental' way of playing the game.
It all reminds me of the constant rule changes in Formula one motor racing. Sometimes the rules favour your outlook, culture and preparation, and sometimes they don't.
As a nation, and how we always played the game traditionally, we're out of the loop big time in football. I used to think outlawing the tackle from behind etc was a good thing, but now I see the ludicrous holding of players, especially from set peices, as a commomplace allowed activity, I'm not so sure... in fact the rule book as it is interpereted by referees is beyond me. Is it a hybrid form of rugby now ?

We are very poor at defending under pressure,usually a hoof up field,and give possession away

From my observations of this particular tournament, I thought our biggest fault was not closing people down.
Players from Spain, France and Italy are not supposed to be traditional 'workhorses' apparently, yet they close down the man on the ball as quick as that ... there's two on the guy before you can say Jack Chisolm. In fact, I remember one of the pundits pointing out that other countries had smartened their act up and employed the 'English' team and work ethic that we used to reign supreme at. Our recent culture is to hang back, what we sometimes call giving them too much respect.
Time and time again, we give too much psychological advantage to eleven other men who are just as nervous as we are. It's in the head, and it's in the rules.
Mind you, we also have a top division in this country, where probably less than 50 players play regularly as england qualified players. The top teams hardly have an Englishman in there... it's a joke, and bound to have it's effect.
I have now accepted we ain't that good anymore.. not even contenders at this level.

Too many of our youngsters are bench warmers,bound to stifle their development.So feck us up at national level.

Then one has to say the writing was on the wall. It's a bit like a long time ago expecting the South Americans to be any good at mining when the Cornish turned up and took all the best jobs. we're not that good at football anymore ... it's not difficult to understand... a bit like Argyle and Exeter, we're in the fourth division... again ..... for a reason.

For a reason, yep.Is it only you and i on here tonight ?

Cycling is huge in those countries, they produce tennis champions that we don't and winter sports are big in France and Italy as well. Apart from bowls on ice we hardly bother participating in the winter games, oh and a bird clad in lycra on a drinks tray hurtling down hill.

Only a few make the grade Jock.Team sports rugby league ,union,cricket.

We ain't bad on push bikes either and rowing.

ordinarily english tennis & cricket are a joke.

football has too much hype placed on it, people confuse the premier league with the quality of the english game the two are very different.

Penz wrote:

No, I don't think that.... at all.
While I cannot speak for middle class Exeter, 'we' don't do enough 'sport'. And don't forget every country has it's own non footie, non Olympic interests with their own peculiar games. Look at Irish hurling, look at Ausie rules football, the Indians have a huge game I cannot remember the name of.
And as for football, I can't remember the last time I saw young kids kicking a ball or a cat around unofficially in the park or in the lane like I did 24/7. It doesn't happen anymore unless said spoiled 7 year old is all togged up in a £50 merchandise uniform and driven to his venue for 30 minutes sport and 30 minutes drinking Coke.

kabadi

is that the game where they hold their breath?

Penz wrote:

I can't remember the last time I saw young kids kicking a ball or a cat around unofficially in the park or in the lane like I did 24/7. It doesn't happen anymore

Depends where you live penz, round my way the cat became extinct when Dick Whittington fecked off; but there are plenty of kids kicking a ball about. Trouble is when they lose the ball they just kick one another instead!