World Cup Qualifier: England Vs Croatia - IT'S
payback time
2010 World Cup
Qualifier:
England Vs
Croatia
Wednesday, 09 September
2009
Channel 24: 3:00 am
- (Live) (Thur
Morning)
I am not talking about the friendly against Slovenia at
Wembley today. I am referring, of course, to our World Cup
qualifier against Croatia under the Arch on Wednesday.
It will provide us with the chance to settle an old
score, exorcise a demon or two and finally lay to rest one of the
biggest ghosts of England's recent football past.
It will be the first time we have hosted Croatia since
THAT fateful, wet and rainy night in November
2007. A night when the football gods conspired to rain on England's
parade, both literally and metaphorically. A night when the nation
that gave the world the beautiful game was denied a place at Euro
2008 in the cruellest and most bitter of fashions. And a night made
even worse by our opponents' unsporting behaviour after the final
whistle.
I should point out that this is not a case of sour
grapes. As assistant to then-boss Steve McClaren, I acknowledge we
should have done better on the pitch to book our place at the
finals in Austria and Switzerland the following summer. Especially
after coming back to make it 2-2 in a match we would eventually
lose 3-2.
And I would never deny a team the right to celebrate a
goal or win. Such moments are the reason we all love the game so
much.
However, we should never EVER forget
that, first and foremost, football is a SPORT. And
by definition that means it commands a degree of sportsmanship,
whether in victory or defeat.
NO NEED TO CRO ... Venables is still seething
at Croatia's post-match antics
That is something the Croats seemed to forget
on that night at Wembley as they basically danced in our dejected
boys' faces.
I can understand any nation's delight at beating
England. Especially at the new Wembley. But it seemed to me Croatia
were more intent on celebrating our failure to qualify for Euro
2008, instead of their own prestigious victory.
Why did they act like that? I do not know. They had
already qualified for the finals, so the outcome was academic to
them. I am sure the likes of Steven Gerrard, Gareth Barry, Frank
Lampard, Jermain Defoe and David Beckham have not forgotten the
Croatians' behaviour. But I am sure they will not be looking to
avenge the celebrations - they will be looking to avenge the
result.
That is the all-important thing at this stage of
qualification. We have done tremendously well to get ourselves into
this position, having won seven out of seven.
Now we just have to make certain we get across that
line with as little fuss as possible - and I'm sure we'll do just
that. The senior stalwarts of England's team have taken a while to
get it right in a Three Lions shirt.
For too long they have performed better for club than
country. With South Africa on the horizon, there has never been a
better time to put that right. Some of the current squad may never
get a chance to write their names into international footballing
folklore.
They should not be thinking: I am going to play as well
for England as I do for my club. They should be vowing: I am going
to play BETTER for England than I do for my club.
Starting today against Slovenia and continuing it against Croatia
on Wednesday and, hopefully, beyond.
We have nothing to fear, certainly not from Croatia.
Their ridiculous inference that Lee Bowyer deliberately put Luka
Modric out of the Wembley showdown gave me a wry smile.
Not at the Tottenham midfielder's misfortune, you
understand. But the fact that Croatia, of all teams, have the nerve
to complain about injuries. They have only lost one of their star
men.
How many do you think England were without on 'that'
night in November 2007? It may surprise you to know that the answer
is EIGHT - including arguably our first-choice
back four.
Yes, Gary Neville, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley
Cole, Owen Hargreaves, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney
were all missing from the starting line-up.
With a cleaner bill of health, I expect us to beat
Croatia comfortably on Wednesday - before showing our guests the
utmost respect by celebrating in the right manner.
TERRY VENABLES - Columnist
