27 April 2006

More England drama

Yes, I know. Big things have been happening in Liverpool-land. (Which is, I suppose, just Liverpool.) However, finals have consumed my brain, and while the end is in sight, it's over a week away. So rest assured that there will be plenty of gloating over our FA Cup semi win, and before the final. Just not right now.

No, this post is about the new England manager -- looks like they're going with Scolari. Maybe it's because I'm not English, but I've never really gotten the gigantic shout for an English manager for the national team. Hiddink's taken three different countries to the World Cup, and he's pretty clearly not South Korean or Australian. Sven hasn't yet been able to get England past the quarters in any given tournament, but that's not really a function of him being foreign, is it? There were plenty of unsuccessful England managers before him, and they were all English. Considering the strongest English candidates were Alan Curbishley, Steve McClaren, and (god help us) Big Sam Allardyce, I think I'd go with the guy who, you know, has actually won the World Cup.

So. Like I said, Scolari's it, and predictably, English coaches are whining. My favorite quote there? David Gold says: "No matter how brilliant a coach someone from abroad may be, it is a betrayal of Englishmen and England fans." On the side, there's one of those instant polls, presumably filled out by mostly England fans.

Question: Is Luiz Felipe Scolari the right choice as England manager?
Answer: Yes -- 63%; No -- 37%

Oh, the irony.

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