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An ordinary England Keegan and co. head home searching for answers
Posted: Wednesday June 21, 2000 10:26 AM
In the end it didn't take the hooligans and an act of expulsion from UEFA to send England packing from Euro 2000, just a very ordinary football team. I've covered England for many years. Rarely have I seen a more disjointed, lackluster, classless and clueless English national team. Romania deservedly beat them 3-2 in the last round of matches in Group A. They dominated possession for long periods, were faster and more energetic and generally looked worthy of a team capable of at least offering Italy a decent challenge in the quarterfinals. And yet England almost got away with it. A penalty and a Michael Owen goal just before the halftime whistle saw Kevin Keegan's team go in ahead 2-1. It was almost beyond belief. Romania had been in complete control until Paul Ince was felled in the box and captain Alan Shearer scored from the spot. Suddenly, England had the lead. There was an extra spring in the team's collective steps. But Nigel Martyn, a late stand-in for warmup injury victim David Seaman, added to the collection of goalkeeping gaffes at this tournament. Early in the second half, before England had even had chance to sit on its lead for any length of time, he came out for a cross he had no right chasing. A poor punch went straight to Dorinel Munteanu -- who duly smacked it immediately past a hapless Martyn. Still the English were within a couple of minutes of taking the point they needed to follow Portugal into the last eight, in spite of all their rigid 4-4-2 nonsense which had them out-run and out-classed in midfield. Then came Phil Neville's howler. A terrible tackle on Viorel Moldovan in the area. A clear penalty. Ioan Ganea scored it for 3-2 and Romania had rightfully claimed its quarterfinal berth. England manager Keegan said he and his team were devastated. "It wasn't to be. We rarely got to play as well as we can in this tournament," he said. "There was plenty of determination. We've spent three matches chasing a football. It [the problem] has been passing. We've got to go and lick our wounds again and look at the next mountain we've got to climb." Boy! Where do I start with that one?
He was largely at fault for England's failure to perform. Even leading Portugal 2-0 in the opener, his team was being bombarded and overwhelmed. Yet no tactical changes came. Why have four defenders marking one lone striker? Portugal won 3-2. Germany controlled much of the possession in the second group game and was unfortunate to lose. England hadn't beaten the Germans for 34 years in a competitive match, so this was one where the result, as much as the display, counted. 1-0 England. Keegan and squad had a reprieve. But they were back to their ludicrous ways Tuesday night in Charleroi, chasing shadows and failing miserably to catch them. Determination they had in abundance. Keegan's got it exactly right, though, when he talks of the problem of passing. David Beckham and Paul Scholes aside, it was pitiful. Did they ever string more than three or four meaningful passes together all tournament? If so, I bet we could count them on one hand. And if Keegan is so aware that the passing was awful and his team was "chasing a football," why didn't he do something about it? Where was Steven Gerrard or a fit-again Steve McManaman? Shouldn't Gareth Southgate have been in a back three with Gary Neville and Martin Keown against the nimble Romanians? There was no Carsten Jancker for Sol Campbell to stop this time. His distribution from the back left much to be desired. I give Keegan a lot of credit for holding his hands up about England's shortcomings. He didn't try to sugar coat it. He pretty much said they were decidedly average. But he didn't make full use of his alternatives.
Romania, even without suspended Gheorgie Hagi, moves on -- and deservedly so. Hagi will have another international game at least. England's hero against Germany Shearer will not. His retirement from the national team takes immediate effect. England is gone; hopefully, their hooligan fans will stay at home, too. As for that mountain Keegan talks about having to climb next, that has to be World Cup 2002 qualifying and finding a team capable of taking England through to the finals in Japan and South Korea. Good luck, Kev. You'll need it. Phil Jones is co-host of World Sport, the international sports show that airs live on CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNN International. Jones is part of the World Sport crew that is in the Netherlands and Belgium covering Euro 2000.
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