Don't flatter yourself Clive. I used to watch for decades, home and away, but saw through the game for what it is, and started to get very pissed off with paying my money to over paid prima donas who were shite.
So what if Denmark had individuals, didn't England have a 'golden generation' of these as well not so long ago? Shame they didn't have any balls for the big moment and decided to spend their talents on cultivating their collective brands instead and organising their much publicised shopping trips with the WaG's circus in close attendance
Bulgaria were a team of two players as I recall (Lechkov being the other), and the fact they beat Germany (as I recall) illustrates the point. When was the last time England beat a top team? Argentina in 1998 I reckon? once every 20 years - that's a poor return.
Your excuse that it all comes down to the "luck of the draw" is just risible. England, (if they hadn't panicked) against Russia would have had the draw open right up for them. Instead they choked. They can't complain that they weren't given ample opportunity. They failed to take it. Same in 2010, you can't complain about facing Germany in the last 16 without looking at how England came to be there. That's nothing to do with bad luck, it's do with not being able capitalise on the seeding they were handed. If they can't beat Algeria, then they don't deserve to finish top. Uruguay are an impoverished South American population of 3.5M. There's no real excuse for not beating them. And why shouldn't they be able to beat Italy either? Someone has to win. Top teams beat top opposition. They don't cower from them. Less said about Costa Rica the better
They had a great opportunity in 2002 as well with the likes of Italy, Portugal, France and Argentina eliminated. They only had to beat one team, held the lead, but choked.
England feckless chokers. Their return is no where near being acceptable. But you carry on if you want with them, pretending that they're unlucky losers. You must be really pleased at the spirit they show when the like of Jamie Garragher explained that he at least didn't miss a penalty for Liverpool, or Kyle Walker who would rather be in Ibiza than representing his country
