A Word Of Advice For Hodgson: Don't Prima Donna Your Players

StarSport 29 June 2012

England's current manager Hodgson has jumped to the defence of Wayne Rooney in the latter's spat with former England coach Fabio Capello.

Hodgson was quoted to have said

Capello is entitled to his opinions, I suppose, but I always think that it's a bit cheap to kid on a player who was anxious to do well

He further went on to say of Rooney's physical condition

His attitude was magnificent.....He was putting in extra work because he was concerned he was behind the others, having missed the first two games through suspension.....His desire to do well was enormous and we were trying to put the brakes on

A word of advice to Hodgson: Don't jump so quickly to the defence of your player, especially when it is not deserved.

Rooney was obviously not in his physical best or anywhere close to. He couldn't even hold on to the ball well in the match against Portugal. It was just pathetic to see him struggling.

An anxiety and enormous desire to do well is not enough. You must be physically fit in the first place and well placed for the challenge.

But just because he was being lionised by everybody as England's saviour and expected to play a central role, did not mean that he must be fielded and expected to play the role.

If only Hodgson had continued to have faith in Carrol as the central striker and played him from the start with Wellback as his partner, with Theo Walcott on the flank, and even had Ox-Chamberlain play a major role instead of using the Arsenal players as late substitutes, England might have had a happier outcome than being eliminated at the q-final.

There is this weakness of today's managers/coaches - their alacrity in jumping to defend their players whether justified or not or wise or not.

Let your players defend themselves, let them prove that they are men and not boys who can be on their own without the need of a mother hen clacking behind them, especially if they are the ones who start a spat.

Many of today's footballers are just spoiled rich brats anyway. And some of them think and behave like prima donnas.

There is no need to further prima donna your players.

Spare the rod and spoil the child - urgh! 

Will Spain Win The Uefa Euro 2012?

UPDATE: 4.42 a.m Malaysian Time. I am wrong. Italy have got the better of Germany, beating the latter 2-1. But I still hold on to my views as far as Spain are concerned.


Will Spain be this year's Euro 2012 champion?

A lot will depend on whether Spain can still play their short-passing game to perfection. I am assuming that Germany will meet them in the final and not Italy whom they meet in two and a half short hours from now.

I don't fancy the Italians getting the better of the German machine.

But if Spain play the way they did against Portugal last night, I am not too optimistic of the Spanish dream of becoming the first country to win three major international titles in a row.

Last night was boring.

The Spanish team are getting to be too predictable.

You don't win games by passing the ball to death the way Arsenal do.

You have got to mix it up, long balls now and then, first-timers too and, most important of all, have players who are able to and are willing and not afraid to take on defenders like Barca's Messi does very well.

Otherwise, your opponents are likely able to shut you out like how Portugal did and frustrate you in the process.

And unless the Spainish players stop the cavalier way in which they sometimes pass the ball, Spain is going to have a hard time playing the speedy German machine.

Del Bosque should stop trying to be too clever, not playing an established striker like Torres.

Against the Germans, I dare say that if the Spanish coach fails to play Torres or Fabregas early on, then he is asking to pay the price and my vote goes to the Germans.

But if Del Bosque wises up, Spain is still my choice.