The Hindu : Sport : Press pounds England loss

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 23, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Press pounds England loss

— Photo: AP

NOWHERE TO HIDE: Steve McClaren shelters under an umbrella before the match that brought an end to England’s disastrous Euro 2008 qualification campaign.

London: Britain’s newspapers savaged Steve McClaren on Wednesday after the England manager failed to guide his team to the 2008 European Championships.

The Sun’s front page was filled by a picture of a punctured England football lying in the gutter.

“England taught the world how to play football. Sometimes it seems we’ve forgotten how to do it ourselves,” its editorial read.

“The World Cup in South Africa is only two-and-a-half years away. We need to rebuild, and quickly.”

Besides McClaren, it was time to show the “blazered buffoons” running English football “the door of their sumptuous offices.”

Shaun Custis wrote: “Useless, pathetic, insipid, spineless, desperate, rubbish. “England are the joke of European football.

‘Disgraced’

The front page of the Daily Mirror read: “England disgrace”.

“Furious England fans turned on Steve McClaren last night after a pitiful defeat by Croatia dumped us out of Euro 2008... on one of the most disastrous nights in our football history.”

McClaren avoided being lashed by the rain by using a huge umbrella. However, there was no escaping the lashing he got from the newspapers for doing so.

“What a bunch of losers,” said the Daily Star’s front page.

“McClaren... looked a fool and it is the first time I have seen a coach using an umbrella on the touchline. It gave out the wrong messages while the soaked Croatia boss Slaven Bilic lept about barking orders,” wrote Brian Woolnough.

The Daily Mail said: “Great leaders inspire their men to glory. Steve McClaren will be remembered as a wally with a brolly.” He seemed to be “auditioning for ‘Singing in the Rain’. Was he trying to summon the insouciance of Fred Astaire?

“Hopeless, hapless, helpless” said The Guardian’s sports section.

Richard Williams said the crowd booing Croatia as they kept possession in their own half “was a minor example of the kind of ignorance that has held English football back for half a century.”

The Times had a picture of McClaren looking glum under his umbrella.

“On the darkest night in the recent history of English football, the multi-millionaires of the national team suffered their greatest humiliation as their European Championship qualifying campaign ended in failure and angry scenes,” wrote Oliver Kay. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport