Massive congratulations to a team that fielded 3 Championship players, only 3 players who finished in the top 4 for their clubs and their top substitute Striker is Simon Church who was useless for us.
Here is my own theory to build a successful team:
1) If you field a team that is highly rated but they only play as individuals and they don't click they will not do as well as others thought they would. I'm referring to teams like England, Chelsea and Holland!
2) If you field that are average rated or near to useless but they click well and they play as a team then that's what you call successful! I'm referring to teams like Leicester City, Wales, Iceland and even Northern Ireland!
To those who says 'we are not producing enough players to build a World Class England side' then you need to look at the teams I've mentioned in section two.
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England will never really have that mentality because however low we sink there is always that expectation.
Just my opinion.
Chelsea have won the league, Holland and England have won International honours,
None fucking argument pal in all honesty.
Just sheer brute and determination.
Was interesting to see which academies the Wales players came from compared to the England players. Is that partially because academies outside the top four are not that bad though? Would like to see someone like Eddie howe come in myself, learn the set-up top to bottom. Not influenced by the big teams perhaps?
*Just my opinion
That's what it comes down too,
They need someone like Klinsmann or Klopp.
In fairness, Wales had no pressure.
But they also had a plan, tactics and self-belief in their ability - and it was not all about Bale tonight.
Hence no clough, redknapp, Venables walks,.
Alardyce is or out I fear but FA wouldn't do it.
We need a fighter on the touchline, never had one.
Bilic for me, foreign or not, I don't care, young (for a manger) and will win at any cost.
Well done Wales.
The shame for England is that the FA is full of people who neither know nor care about football. Half of them are old duffers living the life of the blazered junket and half are money men, in place to maximise revenues from the premiership; there's no room for proper football people. The shame for England is that there's not a proper coaching system, not enough emphasis on developing skills, too much emphasis on buying in foreign talent. The shame for England is that the nation's spirits are like a yo-yo we're all either totally up or totally down; there is no pragmatic view. The shame for England is that there are precious few decent English managers and the ones there are, are far better off doing the eternal club merry-go-round than managing the national team. The shame for England is that none of the English players are hungry. They've all been lauded because their in the Premiership and can earn more in sponsorship sidelines with the likes of Head & Shoulders than your average fan can working full time. The shame for England is that we put such a premium on individual stars that we overlook the importance of playing as a team.
None of this has anything at all to do with Wales, it's just the way the England set up is. If we were smart we'd learn from Wales. I suspect in two year's time we'll be on here lamenting an early exit from Russia, and so it will go on...
Much like many of the youngsters nowadays. No pride. No belief in those they represent.
Regardless of those above them as manager or as FA - the elite English players, in the main, only care about themselves.
In England teams every man seems to function as a part of his ego extension.
However, in the game against Iceland the England players were a disgrace to the country.
No heart, not much commitment and no application.
Wales have more of a game plan but also ten times as much heart.
The England players of course have worked hard in their lives otherwise they wouldn't be where they are today...but the players just don't have a natural affiliation with each other...and then when you mix that with a less then par performance, your going to get a storm.
Well done wales.
Keep going, keep dreaming.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/swansea-citys-ashley-williams-cardiff-8900494
It's NOTHING to do with academies as the 3 Wales goal scorers are all English players, who probably chose Wales as they felt they had no chance of playing for England
Watching the highlights, as Giggs says, the Wales players all know the system, which they've played for years. Roy couldn't decide what system to play, and mangled it to fit in certain players, rather than the other way round. Ben Davies is a club LB, but for Wales is a left side CB in a back 3, it's him that adapts to the Welsh system, not the other way round.
A really good game to watch, Belgium played well and full of talented individuals but were undone again by an excellent team performance.
Shame the referee gave a soft yellow card to Ramsey, as the full Welsh team definitely had a chance to beat Portugal. Not sure Wales will be able to do it without Ramsey. It would be brilliant to see Ronaldo lose out to Bale.