trampie wrote:Preparation for international managers, at one time international football was all important until football became a bottom up game.
I listened to some Irish bloke on the radio before the England v Chile game saying the result didn't matter blah blah, i was saying too myself it does matter if England lose 2-0 and are second best they can not win the World Cup unless there is a miracle, low and behold England did lose 2-0 and were second best, i didn't think England would lose per se but thought that they might as i follow international results, the result and performance has told us loads about England's chances in the WC.
Chile finished behind Argentina and Columbia in qualifying all 3 should beat England in South America,
Uruguay were the surprise strugglers and they have just come good beating arch rivals Argentina and scoring 5 in their play off match, i would not fancy Englands chances against them out there, Brazil are Brazil, favourites, home advantage and historically the #1 football nation, i don't fancy Englands chances against them, what about Ecuador and Mexico out there i wouldn't put my house on England beating them, last nights result meant if England won and performed well that it would only leave Argentina and Brazil as dangers to them from South America but since they were well second best it means
6 or 7 South and Central American teams will be a danger too them.
England didn't have Southern European teams in their group that may be better suited to South American conditions like
Italy, Spain, Portugal or Greece, what chances against those teams out there and as regards Northern Europeans there is Holland and Germany, not even mentioning South Korea, Japan and the Africa nations, a lot might depend on the group draw, although England are a traditional football power and highly ranked
it could be like the last Brazilian WC where England don't even get out of the group stage and all based on the England v Chile friendly, the result seems to be a very telling .
Internationals who says internationals aren't important.