The appointment of a new England manager produces a seismic week on TSC‘s beat, but there’s been some other stuff going on as well. The world of football stops spinning for no man, even if he’s not the man the media wanted.
Back in February, I got an early look at the new England home kit from Umbro, and very nice it is too. On that evening, the boys with the double diamond also kindly gave us a sneaky look at one or two other items, which were launched today as the St George Collection. The date is no coincidence, of course.
When England kicked off their recent friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley, one position in particular provided cause for alarm. Of the squad’s three remaining forwards none had ever started for their country at senior level and one had never played for England at all. Stuart Pearce’s options up front were limited to say the least, and it wasn’t just a temporary problem caused by frivolous withdrawals from the squad.
It’s not unusual in football, but in the international game the feeling that matches represent 90 minutes of relative peace in a world of chaos and skewed perspective seems much more profound. Wednesday’s Wembley international friendly between England and the Netherlands, rearranged after it had been postponed because of the riots in England last year, is a perfect example. With John Terry’s racial abuse case still yet to be heard, Fabio Capello now long gone and the fervour with which the media are demanding the Football Association replace him with Harry Redknapp ever increasing, it’s a relief to have a football match with which to distract ourselves.
It’s time for yet more bad news for England, whose chaotic build-up to UEFA Euro 2012 will now have to feature the establishment of a new strikeforce: Aston Villa striker Darren Bent is out for the season with injury.
Supporting the England national football team from a fresh perspective.
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