http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World- ... 0828?f=rss

Well, you do have to watch out for the England fans...mind you, they'll be heading home quite early...

At least they get to leave in the first place

Come off it, as a country we couldn't give a cr** about that metrosexual clotheshorse pantomime they call soccer - we only have 3 teams to pick from. England have one of the biggest leagues in the world and they still haven't managed to get anywhere since 1966. Frankly I'm tired of seeing them dig out the old footage every 4 years!

Good job too otherwise you'd be a bunch of unhappy chappies, with the mighty Benin and the mighty Burkino Faso all rated higher.
Though England are still better in the egg shaped ball game as well link

I blame that on too many foreign players in our Premier League. Not enough choice for the national manger to pick from.

Well if the FA give our players bullet proof jackets as well that seems sensible. Though no size zero jackets for the WAGS, then they will not go. Then maybe our players can concentrate on the game? Probably not. Any bets that we get kicked out by Samoa or some other miniscule country?

Guns are for pussys, that's why english fans use stanley knives and chelsea bricks, up close and personal, you're going to get your f u c k ing head kicked in.

Quater final misery by penalties by Germany.

Why on earth do our players not practise penalties? It seems to be a dead cert for who ever we play if we ever get to penalties. Numpties.

Being devils advocate for just one second as I happen to agree with you I believe the logic is that the high stress situation of a penalty shootout in a high stakes football match cannot be recreated in a training scenario. That said if it's possible for a footballer to practice every other aspect of their game to improve technique then why not penalties. The Germans do it, and arguably they are the best in the world at it.

You could make it a condition to get on the final squad. That would up the pressure considerably. As for the goalie they need practise as well.

Now, I'm a rugby man, through and through, but I surely that the more experienced and practiced anyone is at a given skill under standard conditions, the easier it is to carry out under pressure. They can focus on managing the pressure and not have to worry so much about using the skill itself.

Also it is not as if they have not played in front of a big crowd before.