Why, when England can draw upon a host of talented players who match the best in the world at club level, has our international team only managed a thimbleful of commendable performances over the last five years? A word that has been widely used to describe England’s performances in Germany, which seems quite apposite, is ‘joyless’. Sven […]

Before the tournament there was a prevailing consensus that Owen Hargreaves was one of the worst players ever to pull on an England shirt. WCH posted an article when the England squad was announced querying whether the widespread vilification of Hargreaves was perhaps a touch misplaced. His performances in the pre-World Cup games were disappointing, however, and fuelled […]

Rivalry between Olde Albion and Die Vaterland has always been intense – both on and off the football field. On the field, Germany are known as strong, ruthless and efficient, and are always somehow able to grind their way to victory. England on the other hand are known to play with fierce competitiveness, but their […]

It’s a populist cry, but England would surely be better off without captain David Beckham in their starting XI. Beckham’s work-rate cannot be faulted and his delivery from the right is still impeccable at times, but these qualities are more than counterbalanced by his limitations. The accommodation of such a plodding wide player must lead to […]

England have made it to the second round after just two games - the World Cup is surely ours! Unfortunately the brute stats don’t really reflect England’s form very accurately. We have looked very uninspiring whilst defeating two weak opponents in the tournament’s ‘Group of Dearth’. Things need to improve, but England have shown enough to […]

The World Cup starts today! It therefore seems an appropriate time for a message from Herr Hippo and his team before the action begins.  We hope that World Cup 2006 is a memorable and fun competition played in the right competitive spirit, but most of all we hope that England win! Our recent poll (a massive 101 […]

There was predictable criticism of Sven Goran Eriksson’s inclusion of Owen Hargreaves in his squad. Hargreaves is the player England fans most love to criticise – when England perform inadequately Hargreaves is singled out as an example of England’s lack of purpose and dynamism. This is unfair and inappropriate.
Hargreaves was a Champions League winner with Bayern […]

Defence: Sol Campbell gets in of course and was assumed by all the papers to be a ‘definite’ prior to Sven’s announcement. Injuries have restricted him this year, but in the games he has played he’s looked very suspect. Forwards like West Ham’s Bobby Zamora and Wigan’s Jason Roberts have exposed Campbell’s lack of form, […]

The absence of Rooney would be a huge blow to England’s World Cup hopes, but let’s not despair - England could still have an excellent 2006. Rooney stood out at Euro 2004 as by far our best attacking player. However, as a result of England’s malformed team structure, it was only a dynamic loose cannon like Rooney […]