Maybe 2.5 Million Is Worth It

It's like a nightmare that unfolds as time goes by. When it seemed to have hit rock bottom, it seemed that there's never a bottom to go by.

It just goes down and down.

4 games without a goal consecutively including matches against mighty Israel and Macedonia paints a dark portray of McClaren's reign. But that's beside the point.

Just imagine England NOT qualifying for Euro 2008.

Sounds like the wedding without the wedding cake. Or maybe to people like us who watches England because we're used to it, it's like the bride is missing.

Qualification in the group is not an exactly easy thing but it doesn't mean they should take the old cliche of 'there is no easy games at international level', so literally. Although Croatia and Russia proves to be formidable opponents for the Three Lions, but one would expect the likes of Lampard and Rooney to carry them through.

But it seemed that now, it's these players who are making a mess of things.

It doesn't surprise me to read about Wayne Rooney doing a 'Fergie' when he threw an almighty tantrum in the dressing room after the defeat....oh draw at Tel Aviv and not knowing that all the abuse he thrown at Bolton defender, Tal Ben Haim, could be heard.

It was over McClaren's comment on Rooney, for not delivering the goods. The burden of scoring goals lies on the very shoulder of Rooney. Bullish and well built he might be. But he might be too young to take over the mantle from previous masters like Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.

And this boy's temperament is questionable. He'll crack under pressure and I think he didn't handle Ben Haim's 'vendetta' against him well at all.

But is McClaren right to pin point him?

He's half right. You have to look back 3 years prior before you see Rooney's name on the England score sheet. Yes, back in Euro 2004, which seemed like ages ago but it's true. And that sort of goal scoring record from a boy extolled to be the hope of England? Just embarrassing.

But why is McClaren only picking on the poor lad? Yes, his record is poor but is it really ONLY him who didn't show any effort at all?

That's something deplorable from the man himself. Is he really deluded, myopic or just like everyone, finding a scapegoat? I can't tell but it might just be a mix of everything.

Rooney, meanwhile, showed us that youths nowadays really have some problem when dealing with criticisms. I'm not to be discounted from that group of people as we grow up having everything nicely packed for us, placed in front of us and spoon fed to everything we need.

When we face trials and difficulties, we either wither and die or we avoid it totally. We aren't able to take the fact well and when things doesn't go our way, we whine and throw toys out of the pram.

It's being really harsh on Rooney's part as he was pin pointed out as the sole scapegoat for a soul-less performance and with temperament like him, it's easy to see why he exploded. But underneath perhaps is the key to the problems.

When going gets tough for McClaren, it's only going to be even tougher. Even reports claim the FA just needs 2.5 Million to sack the man and just by the look of things, the amount could be accounted for in perhaps even before England plays Andorra.

Transforming England into Middlesbore Mark 2 isn't the solution and fitting round pegs into square holes won't help. But when there are square pegs for the holes and he doesn't pick them, then he's to hold a certain responsibility.

Players too, should be ashame of themselves for all their big talks and small actions. Prior to every England game, you'll never fail to see a player coming out to rally the troops. The more you see it, the more you go 'ah, whatever'.

Talking is one thing. Doing it is another. Want to make the fans believe? Then SHOW it.