Booing a player for your national team

[The Baron]

It is no secret that I think Frank Lampard was one of the most overrated midfielders England had. I never was a Frank Lampard fan but even I was more than happy to admit that for the last 3 seasons he's been top class for Chelsea and for two years he's been great for England.

Now pretty much all of a sudden he's getting booed for England. I'm not really sure where it's come from seeing as other players in the team have had dips in form also. (Beckham had a 5 yr dip in form without one boo!)

It's happened to Barnes, Anderton, Crouch and Beckham in recent years (I don't feel any of those were justified either tbh) and pretty much all of them have come good whilst playing for England.

So why does it happen? It's obvious that Lampard has the quality to play at that level. No doubt a guy of his class will score for England sooner or later.

I've heard the "Lampard doesn't turn up in big games against big midfielders" argument a lot of times before but I'm not convinced. If you look at Chelsea's record vs the top clubs and against some of the top teams in Europe their results are hard to argue against. Yes, Lampard does have the odd quiet game vs other world class midfielders but if his team is winning...

He hasn't dived, cheated, had a go at his teammates, committed a terrible backpass that cost us a goal or come out like a Billy Big Bollocks and started wearing a sarong in front of photographers.

He wasn't playing at Old Trafford or Anfield, it was at Wembley.

I find it sad. I dont think he should be in the first XI if Hargreaves is fit but I don't feel like he should be booed.

Has he really been that bad?

[matt674]

One word: scapegoat

England fans demand success, when they don't get it they look for someone to blame. Off the pitch they blame the manager, Eriksson or MaClaren.

On the pitch they need someone to vent their frustration with while the game is in progress - more often than not recently most England players under performed / under achieved and i think that because Lampards play over the last few seasons with Chelsea has been better than most of the England players to the fans it looks as though his performances are the worst based on what they have seen in the last few years.

[bolt pp]

happy to admit that for the last 3 seasons he's been top class for Chelsea and for two years he's been great for England.

   >:?

when has he done a job for england?

internationally i think hes been consistently appalling, he does a competent job for Chelsea but it's a job that Gerrard does with Superior proficiency and prowess.

he cant play alongside Gerrard, just doesn't work, theres just no place for him in the team and consequently he looks uncomfortable at international level.

the fans know this, they can see how his sub standard performances are impacting upon the team and they want him out, they're right to boo, its how they express they're frustration and displeasure at an underachieving international squad who's problems have manifested themself  primarily in the disjointed midfield.

[The Baron]

happy to admit that for the last 3 seasons he's been top class for Chelsea and for two years he's been great for England.

   >:?

when has he done a job for england?

He was voted the national team's best player by fans two years in a row.

[matt674]

Be honest though - England haven't had an outstanding player for a good few years now so the title of "best" player is hardly a top accolade.

The team is void of creativity and is left with nothing but hard grafters - if they don't graft hard then they are made to look ordinary. England need to find players capable of unlocking a defence in a blink of an eye otherwise they will continue to struggle and underachieve especially under the current regime.

[kinboshi]

Be honest though - England haven't had an outstanding player for a good few years now so the title of "best" player is hardly a top accolade.

The team is void of creativity and is left with nothing but hard grafters - if they don't graft hard then they are made to look ordinary. England need to find players capable of unlocking a defence in a blink of an eye otherwise they will continue to struggle and underachieve especially under the current regime.

 

I'd say Gerrard and Rooney are fairly special players. 

[AndrewT]

Be honest though - England haven't had an outstanding player for a good few years now so the title of "best" player is hardly a top accolade.

The team is void of creativity and is left with nothing but hard grafters - if they don't graft hard then they are made to look ordinary. England need to find players capable of unlocking a defence in a blink of an eye otherwise they will continue to struggle and underachieve especially under the current regime.

 

I'd say Gerrard and Rooney are fairly special players. 

When was Rooney's last outstanding performance for England?

The reason why England players get stick is because they don't turn it on when it matters for their country. Michael Owen never gets booed because he always seems to actually achieve things in an England shirt. Lampard never does. All we ever see are long range shots which are not even close to the goal. The one against Brazil nearly hit the arch.

[matt674]

Be honest though - England haven't had an outstanding player for a good few years now so the title of "best" player is hardly a top accolade.

The team is void of creativity and is left with nothing but hard grafters - if they don't graft hard then they are made to look ordinary. England need to find players capable of unlocking a defence in a blink of an eye otherwise they will continue to struggle and underachieve especially under the current regime.

 

I'd say Gerrard and Rooney are fairly special players. 

For club yes, still yet to prove it for country.

[turny]

happy to admit that for the last 3 seasons he's been top class for Chelsea and for two years he's been great for England.

   >:?

when has he done a job for england?

internationally i think hes been consistently appalling, he does a competent job for Chelsea but it's a job that Gerrard does with Superior proficiency and prowess.

he cant play alongside Gerrard, just doesn't work, theres just no place for him in the team and consequently he looks uncomfortable at international level.

the fans know this, they can see how his sub standard performances are impacting upon the team and they want him out, they're right to boo, its how they express they're frustration and displeasure at an underachieving international squad who's problems have manifested themself  primarily in the disjointed midfield.

then why was he vote englands player of the year for 2 years running if he was that appalling?

[turny]

i agree lampard isn,t doing it for the england team at the moment. maybe it is time to change things a bit though apart from his shooting against brazil i thought lampard and gerrard worked well together.

this topic isnt a thread to slate lampard its about booing ANY player in your national team.

personally i think its very wrong and from very ignorant fickle fans some of whom cannot disaassociate club football from internationals.

when any player pulls on a england shirt regardless of his club he becomes one of me English!

[dan]

I dont support England so I dont care   but I think Lampard for Chelsea is one of the best midfeilders in the league Lampard for England is just average.

People say he cant play with Gerrard but I'm not sure thats entirley true. When he 1st came on to the international stage he was superb and gerrard was playing then. I would personally play gerrard as the attacking midfielder and have hargreaves or carrick sitting in but as I said I dont care.

[Acidmouse]

England fans and footy fans in general are pretty much fukwits..

Leeds fans were booing a few players this season, makes no sense to me..

[turny]

England fans and footy fans in general are pretty much fukwits..

Leeds fans were booing a few players this season, makes no sense to me..

a small percentage that infest the majority, just the same as hooliganism

[matt674]

England fans and footy fans in general are pretty much fukwits..

Leeds fans were booing a few players this season, makes no sense to me..

People who pay decent money to go and watch so called "quality" players deserve to get their moneys worth, England's recent performances have not been good enough and someone who has paid £250-£400 to take the family to watch has a right to vent his frustration at those players he has paid to watch who are not performing to the best of their ability.

[The Dark Horse]

The team is void of creativity and is left with nothing but hard grafters

Admittedly I only see about 50% of the matches, but for me the main thing that has been wrong with the England setup for the last five years is the total lack of 'hard grafters'!  

Sure, a lot of the players do a great job for their club, but for whatever reason they have not produced for the country.  If Lampard - or anyone else for that matter - was to be seen working his cajones off in every match (as any player graced with the shirt damn well should do) then it wouldn't matter if we lost every game - no-one would boo him.  English fans sometimes have unrealistic expectations, but on the whole they respect players who work hard.

As for the Estonia game... no doubt it will be yet another pathetic, half-arsed game of football, which we will probably win 2-1 and then have to listen to the lazy sods papping on about how we've 'turned a corner' and got things 'back on track'.  Estonia - no goals, no points in the group so far.  With the standard of players McLaren has available to him, if he wants anyone to think we might qualify for (or win) the Euro Champs then that team has to beat Estonia by six or seven clear goals, if you ask me.