Come anticipate Fabio Capello's two years as England manager with me

I have never attempted to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.

England will play friendly internationals against Slovakia and Slovenia at Wembley in 2009, the Football Association has announced.
Fabio Capello's side will face Slovakia on 28 March, three days before the home World Cup qualifier against Ukraine.
Slovenia will be England's opponents on 5 September ahead of the Group six match against Croatia on 9 September.
"It's very important to play similar style opposition as practice for the competitive matches," Capello said.

reminiscent of what Sven said re playing Jamaica to prepare for playing Trinidad & Tobago

mid-ranking countries England haven't played this decade:

Norway (last met in '95)
Ireland (last met in '95)
Bulgaria (last met in '99)
Belgium (last met in '99)
Scotland (last met in '99)

Fifa has fined the Croatian Football Federation £15,000 for racist behaviour by their fans during the World Cup qualifier with England on 10 September.

YEAH, THAT'LL LEARN 'EM

15k is Bilic's wage for three years though.

He tops that up with income from his band.

He's in Skrewdriver?

RAWBAU

So, about that dawning of an exciting new era, eh lads?

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/TEE_RIPJ/BOJS002~Women-s-Borat-I-Heart-Kazakhstan-Posters.jpg

(to be revised at fulltime, no doubt)

Also they've kidnapped Rooney and replaced him with a bricklayer.

need 4-3-2-1 with Owen up front

The Wembley pitch is still as big and slow as its always been.

Kazakhstan should be 1-0 up.

The Wembley pitch England team is still as big and slow as its always been.

http://seoulcurry.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/bob-the-builder.jpg

that's more like it!

LOL@KAZAKHSTAN

I really think England can go on and win now, if they put 10 men behind the ball.

WHO THE FUCK IS BORAT????

all v reminiscent of Albania game 7 years ago

England "putting Kazakhstan in their place" there, ITV cheerfully inform us

Even compared to the BBC commentators Tyldesly and Pleat are full of jingoistic crap.

you'd think they were Englishmen!

I know it's a vain hope, but a little bit of objectivity is not too much to ask for, surely.

why, do we get objectivity with the cricket?

i wonder how few places below England a country could be in the rankings before 'putting X in their place' wouldn't come up (it comes in the context of goal-less first half tho)

Game's not on Scottish TV, btw, so jingoism not as annoying as it is on the BBC (am watching via the magicks of Sky)

x-post Relative to football, cricket is objective, although that's still not saying much.

Jingoism is fair enough I reckon, it's just that Pleat is a complete fucking arsehole whatever he says.

BBC is always less jingoistic than ITV! Tho Motty most at fault for jingoism at the Beeb.

Flukey second goal!

Motty most at fault for jingoism at the Beeb

Only cos Barry "Look at that disgusting cheating foreigner, they don't like it up 'em the fuzzy wuzzies you know" Davies has been retired.

What a load of complete horseshit.

What, Barry Davies or England?

steady on pinefox, they may yet scramble a third xp bah

LOL

Everybody knows you can't just sit deep and hang on against quality opposition like Kazakhstan.

i've just accepted England will always struggle and perform poorly against the lower-ranked teams

four words too many there.

England fans may be wishing Capello had fallen through a TRAPP door.

BORE-AT

ROO ARE YA

a goal using feet...just imagine it!

Nice to see Rooney representing for male pattern baldness sufferers.

and ferrety beard wearers

he's gonna look like john mccririck in 20 years

I see Wales are sticking it to the Liechtensteiners.

FOUR-AT

I DON'T RECALL THIS GAME IN MUNICH YOU MENTION CLIVE....I DON'T RECALL IT.

same scoreline and everything!

i mean sure it was 0-0 in Munich until the last minute but still

hope it stays 0-0 in Kiev

a game you may just remember ... seven years ago ... two years after that magical night in Barcelona ... and four years before that amazing night of drama in Istanbul

That was the worst 5-1 victory I have ever seen. Stevie Me is a serial international bottler and should never play in an England shirt ever again.

However, Shaun Wright-Phillips shoulder-barging a Kazakhstan player off the ball = classic to the power of 100.