English Sportsmen Like Flintoff Do Not Want To Rule The World

It is in the nature of British sporting triumph that it generally stands out. Unfortunately great triumphs are not built on but mythologized instantly and the players concerned fall into a fit of being whores to marketers and self indulgence. Indeed sometimes these English teams do not need to win or become world champions to do this.

I was pondering why last year our cricket team was on the rise and threatening a few years down the line to be world no 1 and is now what 4th? Being generous. What can one boast about from a record of: Home loss to Sri Lanka: Away loss to Pakistan: An away draw to India.

In Golf when discussing one of our many active players who seem to have talent, but have not won a major, their Ryder cup record is brought up. This has seemingly become a metaphor for success. Beating a US team not particularly wanting to be there: muttering away about the money the USGA is making out if it and why should they not get some, to give to charidee of course….. Played often on the kind of golf course that is not a major championship track but a novelty small course - whereas by and large the team is picked of players who have done well in harder and longer conditions. That is not to decry our triumphs, I like beating the Yanks as much as most people and more than many. Merely have any of our young golfers threatened to actually win a major recently? Does even being in the lead or close to it in a major not seem to send their careers spiraling down? See Casey or Westwood.

Rugby Union I am not so dogmatic about after all it was an old team that won it all in 2003 but they have descended into a rabble. Coached by the former no 2 we see a young team go to Australia and get pummelled and rather than stick with them and see if they gel a week later he makes 6 changes and sends out another scratch team. Way to go Robinson. Nonetheless this England team reached the absolute peak and it has been downhill since at least with some, by English standards, valid excuses.

In football you wonder when our footballers are interviewed if the height of their ambition is to be an England regular and that is it - making the team and cementing their status. None ever challenge the current coach or ever complain or say anything that may need saying. They all talk of proving people wrong rather than winning. Indeed when by luck more than judgement the team gets a positive perception as in the failed campaigns of 1990 and 1996 they ponce around for a couple of years like they achieved something when quite the opposite has happened. Indeed from 1990 Des Walker stayed in the England team for 4 years despite costing us points and failing in Italy. Gascoigne was rarely fit again. Never mind the 1990 campaign was mainly laced with amazing fortune, blundering incompetent management and the good fortune to actually go out playing probably their best game of the tournament (see 96, 98 campaigns) giving the veneer of glorious failure. Nonetheless perceived success by a youngish team seemed to herald a new era but instead saw immediate decline.

Thence we move to our latest much heralded team the Ashes winning team of 05. Like many English teams the triumph was one of magnificent underdogism. Getting behind 1-0 and then winning at Edgbaston. The England team then failed to finish off Australia at Old Trafford before making a woefully weak but successful effort to get 130 to go ahead at Trent Bridge. It was almost like every time England went underdog they picked up and every time it looked winnable they choked. In the end at the Oval Pietersen surviving two drops showed he isn't typically English by taking the game not just away from Australia but out of reach. England had beaten the best in the world. It did not make them no 1 but what a platform to go and become no 1.

Yet one year later they are likely to go to Australia as long odds under dogs. Injuries have occurred but initially most replacements have come in and done a job. Indeed the failures have often been of the established players. Even the injuries have shown up in players who have frequently been interviewed at other sporting events enjoying the booze. It seems they no longer have anyone to prove wrong.

The reasons may vary between sports and individuals but it can safely be said that English sporting teams never seem here for the long term. That being accepted and settled causes them to become defensive of their position and not motivated to push on to become legends. The Australians, Tiger Woods or Nicklaus mentality is alien to them. It is why for a true sports fan many of our triumphs ring hollow looking back.

Old pros rattle on about best XI etc but how many of them have been successful in the recent sporting world? I certainly feel that in team sports the drop is much under used. If proving people wrong is their motivation or being a first XI player then add to that motivation. Why does Jose Mourinho once or twice a season say something like "If Joe Cole does that again he has no place in my team?".