Yeah, because we haven't employed the correct manager.

McClaren made some simple mistakes, the first was dropping D Beckham as he 'stamped' his authority on the squad.

We have enough good english players to have qualified, but he buggered about with formations and introducing new players at bad times.

I assume that you're on about the number of English players in their squad?

I never said they were good enough to beat croatia, but they are good enough to have qualified. We didn't because of the managers bizarre decision making and tinkering.

I don't believe there is a genetic defect in English kids that they can't dribble a ball like Ronaldinho - it's just that it's coached out of the kids from an early age.
That kind of individualism is frowned on, all the coaching manuals in the UK must be a crock of shit, yet every coach must abide by it like it is the bible.
That's the first place I would start - and stop discouraging kids who want to be entertainers if they are talented enough. The skilful ones should be identified early on and encouraged to use their flair, as well as being a good team mate and making good decisions on the ball. Other countries have this combination of flair and team work, why not England?
They'll enjoy it more, and people watching will enjoy it more.
The reason I say this, is because successive England managers have discarded/ignored skilful players, as if they are suspicious of them.
Bowles, Worthington, Marsh, Le Tissier, are just four off the top ofmy head.
We've had Geoff Thomas, Carlton Palmer, Bob Latchford etc far too many times and if they are good enough to beat teams like Brazil, Germany etc then I should be playing as well.

spot on - this would also make the Premiershit more competitive at a stroke, and fuck what all their managers, owners and especially their fans think

It is probably the manager mostly, motivating and encouraging his players. Managers like Cloughie and Shankly turned journeymen pro's into European cup winners.

I watched the England U21 game Tuesday versus Portugal, England were the best side by far, with Walcott being the best player by far and Portugal are supposed to be one of the most gifted and naturally talented sides in Europe.

I also agree it's bollox to force the premiership sides to play three english players.

The Premiership is a business, it doesn't have to do anything to help the national team. And if I was a millionnaire owner of a business, why should I be forced to use english staff? Surely there's a law against that sort of thing.

I know that bobby, in a kind of 'Dom knows somebody' way!

Well said MJ.

But why would they want to? What benefit is England doing well to Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United. Take Newcastle, I bet they wish England would never play another game for the rest of time and some, that way they might get a couple more games out of M Owen.

Since the inception of the Premier League our 'top' clubs will do nothing unless there is money in it for them. Look at the tours they go on in the summer, far east, usa, they are not to assist in the development of their players, they are to generate money.

Well for that to happen we need Mr Platini to exercise some muscle, that's out of our hands.

Basically, there are less kids playing the game because there are more alternatives... and I believe the majority of the talented ones are seen by their parents as prospective cash cows and sadly so do most of the kids. Cloughy always avoided promising youngsters as he was convinced they'd be burnt out and be bored by the whole thing by the age of 16. Kids now have the wrong mindset, I didn't see the former top managers humouring kids to perform and there possibly lays the problem.... like boxers, there are no hungry footballers anymore and we're ending up with a game that represents the state of our shallow society.