If this is true
Wayne Rooney's been named England's new captain
https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/504948124277026816
Wayne Rooney's been named England's new captain
https://twitter.com/ManUtd/status/504948124277026816
The English have a strange sense of humour..........
- Thread starter tay
- Start date
I don't see the problem. Rooney will make a great England captain. With the veterans of captain Gerrard and vice-captain Lampard retiring from international football, Rooney would have been the strong favourite to be picked by Hodgson as the new England captain.
After all, he always gives 110% when he plays for England. He has a phenomenal workrate and, despite being a striker, he often appears all over the pitch in every position during a match. He's a fantastic footballer and is England's fourth-highest goalscorer of all time with 40 goals since his first appearance for England in 2003, the same as Michael Owen (1998-2008 ) and behind only Sir Bobby Charlton (49, 1959-1970), Gary Lineker (48, 1984-1992), and Jimmy Greaves (44, 1959-1967). It's almost a cert that Rooney will, in the not-too-distant future, become England's all-time highest goalscorer.
Giving him the captain's armband was the right decision.
After all, he always gives 110% when he plays for England. He has a phenomenal workrate and, despite being a striker, he often appears all over the pitch in every position during a match. He's a fantastic footballer and is England's fourth-highest goalscorer of all time with 40 goals since his first appearance for England in 2003, the same as Michael Owen (1998-2008 ) and behind only Sir Bobby Charlton (49, 1959-1970), Gary Lineker (48, 1984-1992), and Jimmy Greaves (44, 1959-1967). It's almost a cert that Rooney will, in the not-too-distant future, become England's all-time highest goalscorer.
Giving him the captain's armband was the right decision.
Yes, during thr last World Cup I had to apologize to my son for making him an England fan. Weclome to a lifetime of frustration! Then again he's a Canuck fan too. Ouch. Oh well, at least we're not Leaf fans.
None of which involve the feet. Why on earth would you call it "foot"ball?
There was plenty of forward passing and tackling, but touchdowns aren't allowed in football. The aim is to put the ball into the net.
In the same way that the Yanks call it the World Series, when only two countries take part in it and it didn't leave the US until 1992.
Yeah.
SPORT IN 1992
In football, the 1992 FA Cup Final was contested by Liverpool and Sunderland at Wembley. Liverpool won 2–0, with goals from Michael Thomas and Ian Rush.
This was the first FA Cup Final to feature a Second Division team since Queens Park Rangers reached the final in 1982, and the last until Millwall played at Cardiff in 2004.
******
In football, Leeds United won the English league title for only the third (and, so far, last) time in their history when they topped the First Division, then the English top flight. It was the last season in which the First Division (known as the Championship since 2004) was the top tier of English football, as it had been since 1892. Season 1992-93 was the first Premier League season, making the First Division the second tier of English football.
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In football, Manchester United won the League Cup, beating Nottingham Forest 1–0 in the Final in what was their first ever League Cup win. A Brian McClair goal where he hit low left footed to the goalkeeper's left after a pass from Ryan Giggs enabled United to become the first losing finalists in the League Cup, after their loss to Sheffield Wednesday in 1991, to return the next season and take the trophy. The Final was also notable as Brian Clough's last major domestic cup final as a football manager.
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Meanwhile, also in football, 1992 saw Barcelona win the European Cup (which became known as the Champions League the season after) - the greatest prize in club football - for the first time, beating Italian side Sampdoria 1-0 after extra time in the Final in front of 70,827 fans at Wembley Stadium in London. It was the first victory in the tournament by a team from Spain since 1966.
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1992 was also a momentous year for Danish football. That year saw Denmark win their only major title, when they upset the odds to beat next door neighbours Germany 2-0 in the Final of Euro 92, thanks to goals from Jensen and Vilfort.
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In rugby union, Bath won the English title. It was the second time out of four times in succession that they won it.
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In the other code, rugby league, Wigan Warriors won the English title for the third time in succession, and would go on to win it for the next four times in succession. Similarly, 1992 saw the Warriors win the Challenge Cup for the fifth time in succession after beating Castleford Tigers 28-12 in the Final (above) and they would go on to win it for the next three times in succession.
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In cricket, 1992 saw Essex win the County Championship, with Kent runners-up. Essex were duly awarded the china plate awarded to all County Championship winners. It was Essex's fifth china plate and they have six so far. Middlesex's Mike Gatting was the 1992 season's leading run-scorer, with 1,980 runs, and Courtney Walsh of Gloucestershire was the leading wicket-taker, taking 92 wickets.
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I'm sure Captain Rooney (note the Irish name?) will lead mighty England to its nineteenth consecutive World Cup victory.
Not too surprising, considering he's from Liverpool.
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England's next game, which I'm assuming will be the first with Rooney as captain, is a friendly against Norway at Wembley on Wednesday night.
Then their next game after that is their first competitive game since the World Cup - their first Euro 2016 qualifier, against Switzerland at St Jakob-Park in Basel.
For those qualifiers for Euro 2016, which France is hosting, England are in the six-team Group E, with Switzerland, Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania and San Marino.
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I realize the Captain does not have to be the 'best' player but more of a motivational leader but even Wayne Gretzky knew that you can't play forever..........
Based on the following English corner kick fail by Rooney, you'd almost be inclined to think something's up regarding throwing the game away for profit.
soccer - Jiffier gifs through HTML5 Video Conversion.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=akHpg7TBdo0
Based on the following English corner kick fail by Rooney, you'd almost be inclined to think something's up regarding throwing the game away for profit.
soccer - Jiffier gifs through HTML5 Video Conversion.
www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=akHpg7TBdo0
Wayne Rooney's amazing goal for Manchester United against local rivals Manchester City:
Wayne Rooney - Amazing Bicycle Kick vs Manchester City - Polish Commentary [by Leito] [HD] - YouTube
***********************
By the way, these are the groups for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
There are 53 UEFA member associations taking part in the qualifiers including Gibraltar, who are taking part in the qualifiers for a major tournament for the first time having just become a full-time UEFA member (Spain's objections were rightly ignored). Twenty four of them will qualify for Euro 2016.
Group winners, runners-up, and the best third-placed team among all groups directly qualify for the finals.
Remaining eight third-placed teams advance to the play-offs.
The qualifiers will commence on 7th September.
Euro 2016 will be held in France from 10th June to 10th July 2016. It will be the first European Championships to have 24 teams, having been expanded from the 16-team format that had been used since Euro 96 in England.
QUALIFIERS
Group A
Netherlands
Czech Republic
Turkey
Latvia
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Group B
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belgium
Israel
WALES
Cyprus
Andorra
Group C
Spain
Ukraine
Slovakia
Belarus
Macedonia
Luxembourg
Group D
Germany
Republic of Ireland
Poland
SCOTLAND
Georgia
GIBRALTAR
Group E
ENGLAND
Switzerland
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
San Marino
Group F
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Finland
NORTHERN IRELAND
Faroe Islands
Group G
Russia
Sweden
Austria
Montenegro
Moldova
Liechtenstein
Group H
Italy
Croatia
Norway
Bulgaria
Azerbaijan
Malta
Group I
Portugal
Denmark
Serbia
Armenia
Albania
Wayne Rooney - Amazing Bicycle Kick vs Manchester City - Polish Commentary [by Leito] [HD] - YouTube
***********************
By the way, these are the groups for the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
There are 53 UEFA member associations taking part in the qualifiers including Gibraltar, who are taking part in the qualifiers for a major tournament for the first time having just become a full-time UEFA member (Spain's objections were rightly ignored). Twenty four of them will qualify for Euro 2016.
Group winners, runners-up, and the best third-placed team among all groups directly qualify for the finals.
Remaining eight third-placed teams advance to the play-offs.
The qualifiers will commence on 7th September.
Euro 2016 will be held in France from 10th June to 10th July 2016. It will be the first European Championships to have 24 teams, having been expanded from the 16-team format that had been used since Euro 96 in England.
QUALIFIERS
Group A
Netherlands
Czech Republic
Turkey
Latvia
Iceland
Kazakhstan
Group B
Bosnia-Herzegovina
Belgium
Israel
WALES
Cyprus
Andorra
Group C
Spain
Ukraine
Slovakia
Belarus
Macedonia
Luxembourg
Group D
Germany
Republic of Ireland
Poland
SCOTLAND
Georgia
GIBRALTAR
Group E
ENGLAND
Switzerland
Slovenia
Estonia
Lithuania
San Marino
Group F
Greece
Hungary
Romania
Finland
NORTHERN IRELAND
Faroe Islands
Group G
Russia
Sweden
Austria
Montenegro
Moldova
Liechtenstein
Group H
Italy
Croatia
Norway
Bulgaria
Azerbaijan
Malta
Group I
Portugal
Denmark
Serbia
Armenia
Albania
England v Norway - international friendly
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 3 September
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live
England play their first match since the World Cup tonight, a friendly at Wembley against Norway.
England then start their 2016 European Championships qualifiers on Monday with a match against Switzerland in Basel.
Tonight's match is Rooney's first as the new England captain in what will be a very young England side.
Everton's John Stones will make his first start for England.
Five players in manager Roy Hodgson's side are aged 22 or under.
His line-up is: Joe Hart, Stones, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney.
Uncapped midfielder Jack Colback is out because of injury and forward Danny Welbeck was hurt in training.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster has returned to club West Brom as a "precautionary measure" after suffering a thumb injury in training.
The problem suffered by Welbeck on Tuesday - a day after he completed his £16m move from Manchester United to Arsenal - means he is not expected to feature.
The other uncapped players in the squad - Calum Chambers, Danny Rose and Fabian Delph - are on the bench.
"This is a team that contains interesting young talent with enormous potential," said Hodgson. "There will be one or two that wouldn't have played many games.
"The young ones have to step up to the plate and make certain they don't let themselves down."
Wednesday's game will be England's first since the disappointing World Cup campaign in Brazil, where they were knocked out at the group stage.
"We've only been together since Sunday evening and we seem to have crammed an awful lot into that period of time," added Hodgson, who is preparing for his third qualifying campaign as England boss.
"I get the feeling the players can't wait."
After facing Norway, England begin their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign in Switzerland on Monday.
Tottenham full-back Rose, Chelsea defender Cahill and Arsenal midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain took part in a recovery session on Monday after sustaining minor injuries while playing for their clubs at the weekend, but will be fit for Wednesday.
However Foster will also miss the Switzerland game, although his club says it is "optimistic" the injury suffered on England duty is not a serious one.
The Norway game will be watched by the lowest crowd for an international fixture at the new Wembley, with an expected gate of between 35,000 and 40,000.
The statue of England's 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore outside Wembley. Following England's poor World Cup, the Norway game tonight will be watched by the lowest crowd for an international fixture at the new Wembley, with an expected gate of between 35,000 and 40,000
Both Hodgson and his new captain, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, said it was a "good crowd" but acknowledged the team's performance at the World Cup had affected the attendance figure.
"You look around Europe and we will have one of the biggest crowds," said Rooney, 28.
"We didn't do well at the World Cup - it's a backlash from that. We want to make sure we are trying to give everything we can to win the game."
Norway will be facing England in London for the first time in 20 years.
Defender Vegard Forren said it would be "scary" facing the Three Lions' forward line, although he thought Rooney was looking "a bit chubby".
The Molde player added: "They're obviously good players, and many of them are on good form already after three games in the Premier League, but we're looking forward to it."
England and Norway have played each other 11 times previously, with England suffering two defeats - 2-1 on 9th September 1981 in a 1982 World Cup qualifier in Oslo and 2-0 on 2nd June 1993 in a 1994 World Cup qualifier in Oslo.
That shock 2-1 victory for the Norwegians in 1981 had one of the most famous football commentaries in history.
After Norway's shock victory, the commentator for Norwegian TV Bjørge Lillelien exclaimed:
"Vi er best i verden! Vi er best i verden! Vi har slått England 2-1 i fotball!! Det er aldeles utrolig! Vi har slått England! England, kjempers fødeland. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana--vi har slått dem alle sammen. Vi har slått dem alle sammen."
Maggie Thatcher can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, jeg har et budskap til deg midt under valgkampen. Jeg har et budskap til deg: Vi har slått England ut av Verdensmesterskapet i fotball. Maggie Thatcher, som de sier på ditt sprog i boksebarene rundt Madison Square Garden i New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
Translation:
"We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten England 2-1 in football!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten England! England, birthplace of giants. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana--we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all.
"Maggie Thatcher can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, I have a message for you in the middle of the election campaign. I have a message for you: We have knocked England out of the football World Cup. Maggie Thatcher, as they say in your language in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden in New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
(They hadn't knocked England out, though. England still qualified for the 1982 World Cup).
Norway 2 England 1 1981 Commentary - YouTube
BBC Sport - England v Norway
Venue: Wembley Stadium
Date: Wednesday, 3 September
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Coverage: Live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and live commentary on BBC Radio 5 live
England play their first match since the World Cup tonight, a friendly at Wembley against Norway.
England then start their 2016 European Championships qualifiers on Monday with a match against Switzerland in Basel.
Tonight's match is Rooney's first as the new England captain in what will be a very young England side.
Everton's John Stones will make his first start for England.
Five players in manager Roy Hodgson's side are aged 22 or under.
His line-up is: Joe Hart, Stones, Phil Jones, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jack Wilshere, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge, Wayne Rooney.
Uncapped midfielder Jack Colback is out because of injury and forward Danny Welbeck was hurt in training.
Goalkeeper Ben Foster has returned to club West Brom as a "precautionary measure" after suffering a thumb injury in training.
The problem suffered by Welbeck on Tuesday - a day after he completed his £16m move from Manchester United to Arsenal - means he is not expected to feature.
The other uncapped players in the squad - Calum Chambers, Danny Rose and Fabian Delph - are on the bench.
"This is a team that contains interesting young talent with enormous potential," said Hodgson. "There will be one or two that wouldn't have played many games.
"The young ones have to step up to the plate and make certain they don't let themselves down."
Wednesday's game will be England's first since the disappointing World Cup campaign in Brazil, where they were knocked out at the group stage.
"We've only been together since Sunday evening and we seem to have crammed an awful lot into that period of time," added Hodgson, who is preparing for his third qualifying campaign as England boss.
"I get the feeling the players can't wait."
After facing Norway, England begin their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign in Switzerland on Monday.
Tottenham full-back Rose, Chelsea defender Cahill and Arsenal midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain took part in a recovery session on Monday after sustaining minor injuries while playing for their clubs at the weekend, but will be fit for Wednesday.
However Foster will also miss the Switzerland game, although his club says it is "optimistic" the injury suffered on England duty is not a serious one.
The Norway game will be watched by the lowest crowd for an international fixture at the new Wembley, with an expected gate of between 35,000 and 40,000.
The statue of England's 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore outside Wembley. Following England's poor World Cup, the Norway game tonight will be watched by the lowest crowd for an international fixture at the new Wembley, with an expected gate of between 35,000 and 40,000
Both Hodgson and his new captain, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, said it was a "good crowd" but acknowledged the team's performance at the World Cup had affected the attendance figure.
"You look around Europe and we will have one of the biggest crowds," said Rooney, 28.
"We didn't do well at the World Cup - it's a backlash from that. We want to make sure we are trying to give everything we can to win the game."
Norway will be facing England in London for the first time in 20 years.
Defender Vegard Forren said it would be "scary" facing the Three Lions' forward line, although he thought Rooney was looking "a bit chubby".
The Molde player added: "They're obviously good players, and many of them are on good form already after three games in the Premier League, but we're looking forward to it."
England and Norway have played each other 11 times previously, with England suffering two defeats - 2-1 on 9th September 1981 in a 1982 World Cup qualifier in Oslo and 2-0 on 2nd June 1993 in a 1994 World Cup qualifier in Oslo.
That shock 2-1 victory for the Norwegians in 1981 had one of the most famous football commentaries in history.
After Norway's shock victory, the commentator for Norwegian TV Bjørge Lillelien exclaimed:
"Vi er best i verden! Vi er best i verden! Vi har slått England 2-1 i fotball!! Det er aldeles utrolig! Vi har slått England! England, kjempers fødeland. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana--vi har slått dem alle sammen. Vi har slått dem alle sammen."
Maggie Thatcher can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, jeg har et budskap til deg midt under valgkampen. Jeg har et budskap til deg: Vi har slått England ut av Verdensmesterskapet i fotball. Maggie Thatcher, som de sier på ditt sprog i boksebarene rundt Madison Square Garden i New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
Translation:
"We are the best in the world! We are the best in the world! We have beaten England 2-1 in football!! It is completely unbelievable! We have beaten England! England, birthplace of giants. Lord Nelson, Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Winston Churchill, Sir Anthony Eden, Clement Attlee, Henry Cooper, Lady Diana--we have beaten them all. We have beaten them all.
"Maggie Thatcher can you hear me? Maggie Thatcher, I have a message for you in the middle of the election campaign. I have a message for you: We have knocked England out of the football World Cup. Maggie Thatcher, as they say in your language in the boxing bars around Madison Square Garden in New York: Your boys took a hell of a beating! Your boys took a hell of a beating!"
(They hadn't knocked England out, though. England still qualified for the 1982 World Cup).
Norway 2 England 1 1981 Commentary - YouTube
BBC Sport - England v Norway
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Consistency is important. Don't want to be good at one thing. Makes all the other things you are bad at even worse.