Ronaldo

You say this like he's been England's best player for years. He wasn't even a guaranteed starter till very recently.

WHATTHEFUCK?

Steady on.

Nah, Rooney's been fine. Done the right things with the ball when he's had it. Can't same the for the players around him, but he's an easier target.

Credit where due, mind. Fantastic finish.

The Fifa rankings sound like the NE Journalism Awards.

He's been the top goal scorer and a very important squad member, aye - but like I said I doubt we'd have failed to qualify without him We certainly wouldn't have qualified automatically without him.

Since 2004 he's been poor in the tournaments, granted.

In recent years we qualified for the last World Cup because of him and his goals. He has 7 in the last 8 since the WC.

To be fair to him, he deserves to start on his England performances. He's always been bright in an England shirt. Very effective running at limited defenders.

Colo doesn't have 'lapses', though. He's consistently outmuscled and outthought by his opponents, and that's when he is putting effort in. I do worry a little about Cabella, mind. I look at all the small-statured players who've been successful in the PL and they've all had outstanding attributes that protect the weakness from exposure - pace, intelligence etc. Cabella doesn't.

Far more likely to mean people aren't putting money on him.

That's Ireland not qualifying, then.

How much of Spain's success in the past 7 years would you attribute to his coaching/management?

40 next year if Jake's username is accurate.

Yep, 1-0 under Souness in early '05. Shearer knackered Wayne Bridge.

I think we were playing Watford at home and he brought on LuaLua, Stepehn Glass and Wayne Quinn (maybe). Our equalising goal ended up being crossed in by Quinn, LuaLua miskicked it and then Stephen Glass scored. Don't think I've ever seen that before or since Nah, that was home to Man U. Cordone crossed it, Lua Lua sliced it and Glass finished. You're right though, 2 or 3 of them had just been subbed on.

Bobby was a very good in-game manager. Made a lot of substitutions that changed games.

How's there 'no way that Sterling won't become a better player than Sanchez'? Because you've just decided? Sanchez couldn't make it at Barcelona, neither did Ibrahimovic, nor would Sterling, it's not even a point to make. Sterling's 20 years old and already one of the best players in the league in his position. You watch him become a better player than Sanchez.

You're kidding, aren't you? Sanchez is 6 years older. Barring serious injury there's no way Sterling won't become a better player than Sanchez - who couldn't make it on the biggest stage.

My issue was with you erroneously bringing Bobby into it. I agree re. McClaren.

He'll go to better than us, basically.

No. He'd been shifted upstairs. He'd been shifted upstairs by January 1997 when Keegan quit?

Robson turned us down before he took the job because he wasnt offered enough cash. He didn't turn 'us' down. I'm sick of repeating this on here now. He turned down an utterly derisory salary.

So he was in a managerial role elsewhere.