Wullie

Andy Reid. He was that size when he was playing.

I doubt his career is finished, he'll probably get bumped down a division to satisfy the Liverpool machine, easier for the PL to avoid accusations of bias every time he gives Man City a throw than put up with their crap. Ultimately what is his crime here, saying that he thinks someone he knows through work is a cunt? Oh no! He's hardly being accused of taking backhanders. Monumentally stupid though, no doubt about that.

As far as I'm concerned that's demonstrably false. You're arguing against a fictional England-for-the-English baddie that you've dreamt up.

Nobody's disputing the broad eligibility criteria for players to qualify, I think it's generally a good thing that has raised the standard across the board internationally. That's not what has happened here (unless Tuchel's mam hails from Wigan and I've missed it) so I don't know why it's even being mentioned.

I'm happy for the eligibility criteria to extend as far as the head coach/manager and not necessarily beyond. I think he's a crucial figure, moreso than the tea lady. I see your point about emerging nations, not so much Sweden and Ireland in 2024 but African nations have certainly benefited from outside coaching over the years. Nations like England should be self-enforcing it imo, I just think it's a bit embarrassing to have to go searching abroad. FWIW I've thought the same when other countries have cynically used citizenship rules to acquire players who clearly shouldn't qualify (Diego Costa for Spain off the top of my head). Your point about Carsley is a good one actually, may have ruled himself out under my rules. I actually think the reason he didn't take the Ireland job was because he thought he'd get the England gig.

It's already restricted to players mate, that's why all the England players are English. Did you think it was coincidence?

Don't be disingenuous, we're not talking about Marc Guehi here, this is not a question of a disputed German granny.

But that is the rules for the players, and they can't compete (at the moment). But that's the rules!

Why is it grim and embarrassing to think national managers should have to qualify for the particular country, the same as the players have to? More than ever in modern football, the manager is the most important person in the entire set-up. Club football exists to cater to those who just want the best you can get in your team. The entire point of international football/sport is fun and usually harmless nationalism "your lot vs our lot, see who wins", not "one of ours is rubbish so we've got a ringer in" Are the other countries who only ever hire native managers all knuckle dragging xenophobic neanderthals as well? Or is it just the English who get accused of that? Are people genuinely not capable of having a conversation about international football eligibility without calling people names? It's proper pathetic.

I don't think you can take much from the Greece game now that we know Tuchel had already signed up before the game. It's very likely Carsley knew that and was probably quite pissed off about it. Don't think we can assume his tactics would have been the same if he'd thought he was auditioning for the job, probably thought fuck it I'll try and win 10 nil. He would absolutely have been given the job in Germany or Italy or Spain based on his previous. You can see just in this thread what a disrespect there is already towards him, I guess because he's a scowling bald rough looking bloke called Lee who used to kick people for Derby. Even winning the u21 Euros isn't enough for a lot of people to see through that. People want good English coaches but they also want them to look and act a certain way.

On the contrary, I think if the boot were on the other foot, the German FA would hire the manager of Hansa Rostock u13s before they would dream of hiring an Englishman (or any other nationality other than German). They would find it quite the humiliation to have to look outside of Germany.

Has he? He was manager of Chelsea for like 18 months. He was hardly part of the furniture like eg Wenger had become. Not relevant to my position at all mind you.

As far as I'm concerned it's the entire point of international football, nothing more than that. You might as well ask why does the England left back have to be English? If you want to just get whoever you think the best is regardless of nationality, I believe football also has a club game that caters to that.

Seems a rather bizarre throwback to me from the FA. I thought we'd got past having to go foreign because our coaching pool was so poor. I think it's disappointing.