With the deep investigation into English football in transfers and the structure of the way we develop our players, due to our failure to qualify for the European Championships. There is one main point that not one person has stated on the FA panel, that is the media. The media have a responsibility to our nation as much as our nations head coach, players and FA. The media loves to create hype on a player or manager, but what they love to do more is tear that person or team apart when it goes wrong. Can we as a nation really be proud by the weight of expectation that we put upon our teams in Football. The main reason behind why we are so expectant on our team is the media, our so called pundits who are the people who should be the teachers to the general public mostly come back with the same thing and that is that we have the best football league in the world and we have a ‘golden generation’ so we should be amongst the favourites to win or be the favourites in major tournaments. They create a mass hysteria before any of the two big tournaments (World cup and European championships) have even began and then slaughter our players for choking under the pressure and not producing the goods when it matters. For example look at our Rugby team in the world cup, they were written off early and turned it round into a positive and made the final I ask myself can we just once back our team before and after the big games and the big tournaments, if the players have it in the their minds that if they fail they are more than just letting there nation down, this will have a negative impact on a player and it has been known to ruin careers; just look at Darius Vassell.
Another big issue within our game is that the common fan is being out priced from supporting there nation. It is turning more corporate in the game these days, and with the £798 million pounds that was spent on the new Wembley it is no surprise that the FA are having to lose out on the common English fan and make money from the business’s willing to spend the money. With this it has a massive effect on the atmosphere and the once supreme form which England had at home. You only have to look at the last tournament we actually did well in, that was Euro 96, we were playing at home, playing good football with good players. We had a new song that made everyone stand up and sing, this creates the unique atmosphere that we once had and what is slowly diminishing from our modern game. The game against Croatia is a perfect example of what is happening, after Croatia had made it 3-2 and there was still 13 minutes of normal time to be played, you would imagine and hope for the team to be lifted by the crowd and give the boost that they needed. But that did not happen, the crowd was stunned and never lifted the players that they blatantly needed to get back in the game and save our qualification hopes.
What I would like to see is the FA set up a organisation run by true fans, these people would be held responsible in creating a good atmosphere, they would be the people who coerce in songs and knowing when to get the crowd to push the players on. The would be put in small groups and placed strategically within the stadium. Also we must find a identity as England fans again, we should have a song that represents us and one that every fan should know and can sing. The importance of identity is huge for its part in atmosphere and holds a vital key in making Wembley and fortress, which then builds a base for our players to perform play to their capabilities.
