For me, the entire National set-up is a shambles.
Until we manage to find selectors / management with the necessary fully functional spinal cord to pick the best and most in-form players for the task at hand, and form a system and playing style around them (instead of trying to shoe-horn knackered square pegs into round holes) – we will continue to be failures, and possibly worst still, a laughing stock.
Caring is too hard, when the players wearing the shirts so often don’t really seem to give a fuck themselves.
Essentially – until we summon the testicular fortitude to pick our best team, regardless of what club sides they play for, and we accept that “experience” (of mostly being shit for so long) is not necessarily ‘beneficial’ under the wrong circumstances, and can be just as much a hindrance in the form of mental scar-tissue obstructing progress, we will most likely never shake the perrennial ‘under-achievers’ tag.
In short – give those at the top of their game, with a real hunger and desire to represent their country the chance to show what they can do, (rather than washed up has-beens who have rarely to never delivered when it counts, and care more about money and celebrity than wearing the shirt). Then build the future of an exciting team around them. One unencumbered with the mental and emotional burden of consecutive failure to produce the goods. One playing for the love of the game, and pride in wearing the Three Lions over their hearts.
Then just maybe – it will ignite the country to start believing again, and we can actually look forward to enjoying watching a National Team that plays with its heart on its sleeve, with passion and character. Then it will actually be worth investing ourselves fully and really caring again – as the players themselves will – and we’ll actually have something we can genuinely get behind and support.