World Cup article

It is an understatement to say that the nation is buzzing after England emphatically qualified for the 2010 World cup in South Africa. Fabio Capello’s men were drawn in a tricky qualifying group, which included Croatia, who decimated England’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2008. However, the three lions sank their teeth firmly into their fledgling challengers in group 7, finishing top with 27 points out of a possible 30.

But can England make our summer dreams come true and bring the World cup back home? Despite the way Capello seems to have rejuvenated a previously stale side, I fear we will once again return home empty handed. My reason for holding this pessimistic view is that we are serial chokers, lacking the nerve to pull through in the difficult penalties. England have lost on penalties in five of their last seven major tournament outings, showing that when it comes to the crunch England never fail to crumble.

Many people have said that under Capello England are a different beast to what they were under Messrs McLaren and Eriksson. But many forget that England’s embarrassing 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland was the only defeat in three qualifying campaigns under Eriksson’s stewardship. So with virtually the same players that we had starting for England at Germany 2006, is South Africa really going to throw up a different ending? Since our World Cup triumph in 1966, there seems to be one record that has been constantly on repeat- England qualify with a bang and go out with a whimper.