Tuesday, July 27, 2010

World Cup 2010 Blog: Soundoff: What Next for Your National Team?

World Cup 2010 Blog: Soundoff: What Next for Your National Team?

Link to World Cup Soccer - South Africa 2010

Soundoff: What Next for Your National Team?

Posted: 26 Jul 2010 11:10 AM PDT

tulipsThe World Cup is oh-ver, but international football continues. There’s the Asian Cup, Copa America, Africa Cup of Nations, Euros and then – before we know it – qualification for World Cup 2014 will begin. Maybe more importantly (at least for the purposes of this post) is that the immediate post-World Cup period is usually a time for change and rebirth.

International stalwart names like Thierry Henry, Fabio Cannavaro and Gio van Bronckhorst have all hung up their national team boots to make space in the changing room for new names. There’s a changing of the coaching guard too with Raymond Domenech, Marcello Lippi, Dunga and many many more moving on. The post-World Cup period is like spring, except it comes right after summer.

So here’s my question: What’s next for your national team?

Do you want a new coach? If so, who? Do you already have a new coach? Or is your old coach staying? If so, what do you want to see from them? Do you want a change in playing style? (Looking at you Dutch fans, Brazil fans.) Which new players do you want to see wearing the national team jersey?

I’m an England fan. Fabio Capello is staying on as manager and I’m OK with that. But I want to see a gradual phasing out of the old guard like John Terry and Steven Gerrard and an infusion of younger faster and fresher players like Theo Walcott and Gabby Agbonlahor. I want to see a little more flair and a little less ball in the air.

So, please share your hopes for your national team by letting us know:

1. Who is your team?
2. Keep the manager or replace him? (if replace, who with?)
3. What changes would you like to see on the pitch?