The Fan

Media knives out for England and McClaren

New coach's honeymoon period over

A sample of the media criticism levelled at the England team and management after their dismal 2-nil defeat to Croatia.

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With Jamie Carragher and Scott Parker included in tonight’s England team, the much advertised five man midfield now contains their 2 full-backs, Ashley Cole and Gary Neville.

Surely that makes it a 5 man defence, rather than a 5 man midfield.

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Who’s running the England team?

Venables to push for his favoured 5 man midfield

Newspapers having been reporting with increasing frequency that England are to start playing a 3-5-2 formation for their Euro qualifier against Croatia. England’s players don’t seem to want it, and coach McClaren seems happier with a 4-4-2. Is Terry Venables finally getting his way?

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England recall for Scholes?

31 year old United star likely to turn down pivotal role

Owen Hargreaves’ broken leg has prompted the England management team to try and tempt Paul Scholes out of his international retirement.

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A two-tier qualification?

European minnows should face pre-qualification

With the new expanded European qualifiers starting at the weekend, it has become obvious that there are too many poor quality nations competing.

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England cruise past Andorra

England 5 - Andorra 0

Defoe and Crouch score two goals apiece as McClaren’s perfect start as England coach continued.

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Greeks bearing gifts give McClaren perfect start

England 4 - Greece 0

England gave new coach Steve McClaren a perfect start by scoring four first half goals against a poor Greece side in a friendly at Old Trafford.

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McClaren names first England squad

No Beckham - Large Manchester Utd influence

David Beckham looks unlikely to add to his 94 England caps as the 31 year old was left out of new England coach Steve McClaren’s first England squad.

Winners are West Ham’s Dean Ashton, and a large number of former McClaren players from his time at Manchester Utd.

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England crash out on penalties again

England 0 - Portugal 0 (Portugal win on penalties)

England lose in the quarter finals (again) on penalties (again) to Portugal (again). The inquest started immediately with the prime villains being Eriksson, Rooney and Ronaldo.

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Beckham free kick sends England into last eight

England 1 - Ecuador 0

England continued to do the minimum necesary to qualify for the quarter finals. A David Beckham free kick providing the only goal of the game.

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