The word from NOTW as well as Ives Galarcep is that the next meeting between the two nations will take place may 28th. As usual the talk about overrated England has begun, despite the fact none of us fans actually rate England high anyway. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1002_becks.shtml http://http://www.soccerbyives.net/
For our English friends, Ives is a source that can generally be trusted. He's one of the more well-known soccer writers in this country. The timing is also right, as the US will be preparing for its first world cup qualifier on June 15th.
Holy cow. I hope this is true. I would love to see the USA beat England at Wembley. I'd even pay for it.
This would provide Capello with a very easy way out of the Beckham/100th cap saga. In fact, if I was the FA I'd turn it into a celebration of all things Beckham. Announce beforehand that this will be Beckham's last game for the national team, and make a big deal of it. It wouldn't be a testimonial per say, but the concept would be the same. Oh, and there's no chance the US beats England at Wembley. Here's a list of the teams the US has beaten on European soil since 1994: Poland, Switzerland. It would be a massive upset if they won. I'm not saying they can't, but you'd certainly have to favor England by quite a bit. Oh, and I fully endorse the USSF going out and getting this game. It's a great challenge for the American players. Also, there are very few friendlies you'd expect big TV ratings for in the US. And a game against England is one.
Seeing as Ives source appears to be the Sunday Mirror and the other news source is the News of the Screws............ I think we can safely wait for a slightly more trustworthy source.
A celebration for Beckham? Fat chance. Capello will always pick the best team as he should do, no player gets caps given out for sentimentality, not Bobby Moore, not Gary Lineker and certainly not Beckham.
I don't see it happening. England will focus on filling any other time slot for a friendly with a European Team. What reasons would we have for playing the U.S. at home?
I'm going to say something that will make this thread explode. When there were rumours of the game against T&T Capello said he wanted to play weak opposition at the end of the season.
And I'm absolutely thrilled that he feels that way. But i'm not sure about why 3lions believes this is a bad game for England to take. It's not like England needs European competition to gear up for the Euros (and I'm not trying to be funny in saying that). With that being the case, what's the downside of playing the US?
Laughing stock if we lose................... and believe me we are capable of losing to anyone, on our day!
I never said it would be a bad game to take. I just think there are better options. Since we will be qualifying against European teams for the World Cup starting in Sept., I think it would be best that if we are to play another friendly before the qualifiers start, it be a quality European opponent.
I have to give the U.S. props for finally going out and playing legit teams like Brazil a few months ago, Spain later on this year, and possibly England.
I'd prefer us to play European opposition but the US would do. One thing is for certain that this game would be no Sven-type farce friendly. Capello will still be trying to mould his team and the players would still be playing for their places. For England this would be as close to a competitive game as we've played against the US in half a century which I'm sure would give the game some extra spice for the American fans.
Well merging the facts and rumors the U.S. will be playing England on May 28, Spain on June 4th, Argentina on June 8th, followed by Dominica or Barbados on June 14th. That's a busy two weeks.
How about England coming to the US? The US are an excellent team at home. That would be a noteworthy test for Capello's men.
We did, Chicago May 28 of 2005. The weather was crazy hot, half the team was injured. Sent a makeshift squad, basically equivilent to a D Team for us, and won the game fairly easily. Why would England want to go back to the U.S.?? Money? Not exactly, we could put 90000 plus in Wembley. Personally, I'm hoping this rumour goes balls up, and we schedule a quality European opponent.
England have a pretty tough schedule already. I guess the FA could schedule Italy or Portugal at home.
I think you guys are underestimating us, obviously you guys are the favorites but we are no push over either, but you do have the better team and for certain the better manager.
I love how you all say you had a D team but conveniently forget to mention the C team USA squad you played.