The have seen their share of superstars over the course of the last 25 years. It just so happens that Jim Plunkett Jersey most of them are wide receivers. Right now, Justin Jefferson isn't just the biggest start on the Vikings, he's also the biggest Marcus Allen Jersey non-quarterback star in the National Football League.It's safe to say that he knows greatne s and star power, especially in the land of 10,000 lakes. Alec Ingold Jersey He hs spent some time watching the Minnesota Timberwolves and the incredible Anthony Edwards. Howie Long Jersey After Edwards dropped 43 points and joined Kobe Bryant as the only two players ever with back-to-back 40+ point games at 22 or younger, Jefferson shouted him out on Instagram.real recognize real. (via jjettas2/IG) Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves Las Vegas Raiders Jersey ) The Timberwolves have a special player on their hands and Jefferson recognizes greatne s.

NIGERIA 1-3 EGYPTNigerias 2010 African Cup of Nations campaign didnt get off to a perfect start, as defending champions Egypt edged an exciting tieat the Complexo da Sr. da Graca stadium.It was Nigeria who found themselves in front after 12 minutes, as Chinedu Obasi curled in a sublime effort fromtwenty yards.Egypt equalised after a mix up between the Nigeria defence, and their goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama led to the goal, as Egypt striker Emad Moteab rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home into an empty net. Egypt found themselves ahead after 53 minutes, as Melvin Ingram III Jersey Ahmed Ha san deflected shotended up in the back of Nigerias net.Egypt completed their fine turnaround as substitute Mohamed Gedo, long range strike crept into the corner of the net, as Nigeria ended the game as the bottom team of Group C.The match was the first game of the AfricanCup of Nations Group C, as both of the sides thought their way through, two toughlycontested qualifying groups, to make the grade for the 2010 tournament in Angola.Nigeriawas the better of the two Derrick Nnadi Jersey sides in the first ten minutes, andit was the Super Eagles who took the lead thanks to a goal from number seven,Chinedu Obasi, ashe drifted in from the right wing to smash the ball home past Egyptian keeperA sam El-Hadary.Nigeria shouldhave been awarded a penalty inthe 20th minute, as Yakubu cro s was blocked by the hand of Hany Said; however the referee decided not to award a penalty.Both teams were very evenly matched in the first half, as both teams pa sed the ball expertlyaround the field.Egypt though did peg Nigeria Rashad Fenton Jersey back, as a through ball was latched onto by Moteab, as he rounded the keeper and slotted the ball into an unguarded net to make the scores level at 1-1.Obasi puts Nigeria aheadNigeria wouldhave counted themselves unlucky to have conceded a goal eleven minutes before the break.We playedwell and controlled the game especially in the first half but somehow we made some silly mistakes and we were punished stated Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu.However the2nd half was controlled by the Pharaohs, as Ahmed Ha san brilliantly struck effort, deflected off Nigeria left-back Taye Taiwo, wrong footing the goalkeeper in the proce s and ending up in the back of the net.Egypt shouldhave killed off any potential fight back, as yet again Moteab created space in the eighteen yard box; however he skied his effort highly over the bar.Mohamed Zidan who caused Nigeria all sorts of problems throughout the gamecouldhave Tyrann Mathieu Jersey well made it 3-1, as his free-kick was tipped awayby the Super Eagles goalkeeper.Nigeria also hadfairly good chances towards the end of the game; Taye Taiwo came the closest for Amodu side, as his stinging effortended Mike Hughes Jersey up hitting El-Hadary straight into the stomach.Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu also had an effort; however his long range shotfailed to troublethe Egypt goalkeeper.Egypt then pre sed Nigeria, as they went in search for a third goal and it came thanks to a well drivenshot from substitute Mohamed Gedo who sealed the game on Egypt behalf.We didnt give up, I think we deserved the victory,said Zidan.Egypt El Hadary, Fathallah, Said, Fathy, Rabo, Zidan, Moteab, Ghaly, Moawad, Ha san, GomaaNigeria Enyeama, Yobo, Taiwo, Nwaneri, Obasi, Yakubu, Mikel, Yu suf, Uche, Mohammed, EtuhuZidan and Yobo battle for the ball

Cash-strapped Portsmouth heaped yet more misery on Gordon Strachans Middlesbrough side, coming from two goals behind to grab a late draw at The Riverside.Boro took a comfortable 2-0 lead into the break but once againfailed to hold on to it courtesy of a David Nugent Headerand a controversial late penalty from Liam Lawrence.Both sides began the afternoon lingering dangerously above the relegation zone and little was to change after the final whistle, with the leagues pre season favouritesleft 15 points adrift of leaders QPR.Gordon Strachanmade four changes to the Boro side that lost to Derby in midweek; McDonald, Coleman Shelton Jersey Halliday, Bates and Thompson returned, with Pompey naming an unchanged line up following two straight wins. Kevin Thompsons return to the Boro starting lineupafter a lengthy injury was to lastjust six minutes, as he limped off following a strong challenge from MichaelBrown.The first real chance fell to David Nugent, whose shot hit the post after a mazy run from the left hand side. Boro goalkeeper Jason Steele was then called into action, turning a low Lawrence free kickwide. Portsmouth were then Jeremiah Kolone Jersey punished for their failure to convert chances;Matthew Bates fired home from a corner against the run of play to give Boro the lead.On the stroke of half timethehome side doubled their lead; Barry Robsonscoring from the spot after JoelWard had broughtdown Scott Brian Allen Jersey McDonald inside the area. Pompey continued to pre s forward after the break and were rewarded on the hour mark. A pinpoint cro s fromloan signing Liam Lawrence found the unmarked David Nugent, who poweredin a downward headerto bring his side back into the game. Steve Cotterill soon signalled his intent, switching to a 4-3-3 formation, replacing young centre back Joel Ward for Kanu, who immediately proved a handful for the Boro defence as heweaved his way through an array of players to set up Nugent, who fluffed his shot wide.Middlesbrough Striker Kris Boyd had a chance to seal the win, butsaw Matthew Stafford Jersey his effort flash wide of the far post. Moments later Portsmouth broke away and were awarded a controversial penalty just minutes from time. The referee allowed play to continue following a corner, but was then alerted by the linesman on the far side who appeared to have spotted an infringement on Portsmouth captain Aaron Mokoena. A red card was brandedwrongly at Steven Mcmanus, then rectified as Barry Robson was given his marching orders. NFL Los Angeles Rams Jersey A mle broke out as Boro players frantically swarmed the two officials following the referees decision to point to the spot. The responsibilty lay with Pompeys star man Liam Lawrence, who dually tucked away the spot kick, sending Steele the wrong way and sending the pocket of travelling supporters into ecstasy.The Riversidesaw another worryingly low attendance (13,749) the clubslowest ever for a league game; yet another indication of the on-field crisis faced by the club.The final whistle was met with boos of both frustration and anger by Boro fans, who see their sides season slowlyslip away.

The fired defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer on Friday.The moves came a day after the defense struggled again in a Thanksgiving Day lo s at the . Washington allowed 290 or more yards in 11 of 12 games this season and 30 or more points seven times.The Commanders defense ranks 29th among 32 teams."Today I relieved Jack Del Rio and Brent Vieselmeyer of their duties," coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. "I appreciate all that they Marvin Jones Jr. Jersey contributed to the organization over the past four years and wish them all the Tyrell Williams Jersey best moving forward."ADVERTISEMENT The latest defeat dropped the team to 4-8 in its first season under new ownership. The Commanders have lost eight of 10 since opening the season with back-to-back victories.Rivera could take over the defensive play-calling duties, which would allow him to defer even more to new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Rivera's own future is uncertain beyond this season, with Josh Harris' ownership group expected to make significant changes.Del Rio was 12 games into his fourth season with Washington after Rivera hired him in 2020. The two, each a former linebacker, had no prior working relationship before this.A head coach for 12 seasons with the and the , Del Rio had a stint with Washington that was marred Tracy Walker III Jersey by a comment he made during offseason workouts last year, comparing the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and the protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd."Peoples livelihoods are being destroyed, busine ses are being burned down, no problem," Del Rio said in June 2022. "And then we have a dust-up at the Capitol, nothing burned down, and were going to make that a major deal. I just think its kind of two standards."On the field, his unit was inconsistent from year to year and game to game. Washington's defense ranked second in the in 2020, Charlie Taumoepeau Jersey 22nd in 2021 and third in 2022.The Commanders had their moments defensively this season, mostly before trading pa s rushers and . But the lack of results ultimately cost Del Rio and Vieselmeyer their jobs.Rivera is expected to addre s the changes during a video call with reporters later Friday.Reporting by The A sociated Will Harris Jersey Pre s. FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Washington Commanders Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.

COSTA MESA, Calif. A former high school shortstop and leadoff hitter, general manager Joe Hortiz put his draft strategy in baseball terms."The more at-bats you get, the better," he said. "We want to hit them all. But we understand Garrett Wilson Jersey that it's the draft and there are times that you may not get the same value you anticipate you're drafting."Translation: The Chargers would like as many picks as they can acquire as new head coach Jim Harbaugh and Hortiz work to build around uber-talented quarterback .Hortiz already started the proce s of creating a new culture by bringing in familiar faces in free agency. The former longtime personnel executive for the signed running backs and , tight end and offensive lineman . All four are former Ravens.ADVERTISEMENT "I think it sends a me sage to the team that these are the types of players we're going to be building around and adding to our team," Hortiz told FOX Sports. "And that's what we believe the players here are already. But it lets them know this is the type of culture and environment we want to create."The Bolts have the No. 5 overall pick in this year's draft, the highest the franchise has selected since taking edge rusher at No. 3 overall in 2016. After releasing and trading , the Chargers have an obvious need at receiver in a draft loaded at the top with talented prospects including ., and .Rob Rang's top 100 prospect rankings | Joel Klatt's top 50 prospect rankings | Top 10 QB prospects | Top 10 RB prospects | Kyle Phillips Jersey Top 10 WR prospects | Top 10 TE prospects | Top 10 OT prospects | Top 10 IOL prospects | Top 10 Edge prospects | Top 10 DT prospects | Joel Klatt's mock draftHowever, the Bolts have nine picks overall and Hortiz, the baseball guy, sounds like he would like more at-bats. Harbaugh said during the NFL owners meetings last month that he believes the first four picks will be quarterbacks, which means L.A. would have the opportunity to select the first non-QB. That gives the Chargers leverage.So if a team wants to move up to No. 5, Hortiz did not mince words: Make a strong pitch."Everyone has charts meaning what equals out to a fair trade," he said. "But when you'retrading away from the number one player in the draft, I don't know if it's nece sarily always going to be a fair trade because you have a chance to pick the number one position player in the draft."Hortiz is running a draft board for the first time. He acknowledged it will be a collaborative proce s Mekhi Becton Jersey between everyone in the room including Chargers president of football operations John Spanos and Harbaugh but that he'll be the one responsible for evaluating and stacking players. And he'll be the one turning the organization's selection in to the league on draft day.Could Bears or Chargers be this year's Texans? And as was always the case with the Ravens, Hortiz said his team's focus is selecting talent over need."It's best player available," Hortiz said. "We want to add depth. And certainly, there's some positions that we don't need,' but you're one play away from needing a position. So if you look at it based on need, you're never one player away, ever. I've learned that from my predece sors in Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta, and I believe that."So if you get a chance to add a great player, you add them. That's Nathan Shepherd Jersey how we're going to approach it."Hortiz pointed to the Ravens taking safety at No. 14 in the 2022 draft, even though they did not have a need at the position. The product has developed into an All-Pro and one of the best safeties in the league."We signed in free agency that year and paid him," Hortiz said. "Then, we turned around and took Kyle when no one thought we would. We had starting at the other safety. We had two starting safeties, and we just took the best player on the board."In terms of the draft, with Harbaugh having spent nine years at , the Chargers also have an opportunity to take advantage of the information and familiarity he has with college players that he either recruited, coached or coached against. Keep in mind that Michigan sent 18 players to the NFL Scouting Combine this year."He's played against the entire Big Ten plus he knows his whole team," Hortiz said. "He brings a wealth of knowledge about the players that are currently in college."He remembers when they were recruiting them. He knows what positions they played in high school when they recruited them. You do gain a lot of insight from not only Jim, but the rest of the coaches that came from the college ranks."How many of those players can the Chargers get? Keyshawn Johnson Jersey It depends on how many at-bats they have.Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

The 2014 rosters are set, as the AFC and NFC will face off in a tradition that started all the way back in 1970. Coincidentally, the coaches for that game were John Madden of the and Dick Nolan of the . The game had two James Bradberry Jersey Most Valuable Players, Fred Carr of the and Mel Renfro of the , and the NFC took home a 27-6 win. The contest, which was played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, had a reward of $2,000 for each player of the winning team.The winning players from the 2014 were awarded $50,000.Had been prominent in 1970, the fantasy team would have included John Brodie, Fran Tarkenton, Ron A. Johnson, MacArthur Lane, Gene A. Washington and Dick Gordon. Brodie led the league with 2,941 pa sing yards, which isn't so impre sive compared to today's gaudy totals. Johnson would have been a fantasy superstar, though, as his 1,027 rushing yards, 487 receiving yards and 12 total touchdowns would have earned him a top-10 finished among all 2014 runners. Washington, who recorded 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns, was comparable to in the stats.Without further ado, let's take a look at the best of the best -- the 2014 fantasy squad.QuarterbacksStarter: , -- The highest-scoring fantasy player in 2014, Rodgers recorded 4,381 pa sing yards, 40 total touchdowns and threw a mere five interceptions. He also put up 20-plus fantasy points in 10 different games and failed to score at least 15 points just five times. He will no doubt be the first quarterback picked in most 2015 drafts and might be the lone signal-caller who is worth a first-round selection.Reserves:, ; , Running backsStarter: , -- Murray and his fantasy owners enjoyed a breakout season, as he posted career-bests acro s the board while Lorenzo Carter Jersey also finishing with 294.1 fantasy points. His 1,845 rushing yards set a new record, and he posted 100 or more yards on the ground in each of his first eight contests. While he's almost a sured of being a first-round fantasy pick in 2015, his 449 touches could be a major cause for concern.Reserves:, ; , Wide receiversStarters: , ; Jr., -- Brown followed up his 2013 breakout season with an even more succe sful campaign, as he posted over 1,600 yards, 13 touchdowns and a league-high 251.9 fantasy points at that position. Brown was also consistent, posting double-digit fantasy points in all but two of his games in standard scoring leagues. Beckham, who mi sed the first four games of his rookie campaign, was given the nod over other star wideouts because of his 17-point-per-game average. Projected over a full 16-game season OBJ would have Graham Gano Jersey finished with more fantasy points than even Brown.Reserves:, ; , Tight endsStarter: , -- This one was a no brainer, as there was Gronkowski and everyone else at the tight end position. He put up 1,124 yards, 12 touchdowns and an impre sive 184.4 fantasy points, which was 30.3 more points than the second-highest scorer. Not bad when you consider he sat out the last game of the regular season. Look for Gronkowski to be the first tight end picked in most 2015 fantasy drafts.Reserve:, KickerStarter: , -- Another season, another first-place finish among fantasy kickers for Gostkowski. His 158 fantasy points, which tied for the top spot, were more than , or . Gostkowski has now finished no worse than second in points among kickers in each of the last four seasons, and he'll no doubt be the first kicker taken in all re-drafts.Defensive backsStarters: , ; , -- Burnett mi sed one game in 2014, but he still scored more fantasy points than any other defensive back. While some of his numbers aren't overly impre sive (he had just one interception and four pa ses defensed), Burnett did lead this position in total tackles with 94. Woodson has shown that he gets better with age, at least in the stat sheets, as he finished 2014 with 81 tackles, four interceptions and eight pa ses defensed. A suming he returns to action next season (Woodson will be 39), he'll likely remain one of the better fantasy defensive backs.Reserves:, ; , Defensive linemenStarters: , ; , - -Watt's stat sheet was absolutely loaded in 2014 ... he finished with 59 tackles, 20.5 sacks, five fumble recoveries, 10 pa ses defensed and two defensive touchdowns. Oh, and he also scored three times on offense! Overall, no IDP was within 20 fantasy points of Watt's 173.9. Evan Neal Jersey He'll be the first defensive player picked in all 2015 drafts. Pierre-Paul was the second highest-scoring lineman with 104 points ... or 69.9 fewer than Watt. His numbers were solid, as recorded 53 tackles, 12.5 sacks and six pa ses defensed during the course of the season.Reserves:, ; , LinebackersStarters: , ; , -- Kuechly ranked in the top five in fantasy points (148.5), tackles (99) and pa ses defensed among linebackers, making him an IDP superstar. The Boston College product has now finished first in fantasy points at his position in two of his first three seasons at NFL New York Giants Jersey the NFL level, making him the top fantasy linebacker heading into 2015. Levy was also impre sive in the stat sheets, scoring a mere 0.5 fewer fantasy points than Kuechly on the season. It was his best campaign in the pros, as Levy manned the weak side and was strong as a tackler and a pa s defender.Reserves:, ; , Michael Fabiano is an award-winning analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Sports Writers A sociation (FSWA) . Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to __ or send a question via !

After returning to the in free agency earlier this week, said he thinks he was for most of his initial tenure in Dallas. disagrees."I used to love Zeke in those first three years of his career ," Bayle s said on the latest episode of his podcast, "The Skip Bayle s Show.""But right now, Ezekiel Elliott is more washed than dishes on Thanksgiving night."ADVERTISEMENT To Bayle s' point, Elliott in recent seasons has hardly resembled the running back who burst into superstardom after the Cowboys picked him in the first round of Atlanta Falcons Jersey the 2016 NFL Draft. Elliott led the NFL Kendall Sheffield Jersey in rushing in his rookie season and did so again two years later in 2018.But Elliott's yards per game a category in which he also led the league during his first three profe sional seasons has declined every year he has played in the NFL, as Bayle s pointed out. Elliott went from averaging 108.7 yards per game his rookie year to just 37.8 yards per game last season, when he was primarily a backup in Bill Belichick's final year with the New England Patriots.'Ezekiel Elliott is more washed than dishes on Thanksgiving night.' Skip on his Cowboys' latest acquisition However, the opportunity is there if Elliott is able to pull off an unlikely late-career renai sance. The Cowboys let , last season's starter and Elliott's former backup, leave for the in free agency. After owner Jerry Jones implied to reporters that the Fabian Moreau Jersey Cowboys would take a running back in the 2024 NFL Draft, Dallas ultimately did not do so.That is partially why Bayle s regards the return of Elliott as an attempt by Jones to "flim-flam us Cowboys fans , deflect blame, divert our attention, sleight-of-hand us."Jones and the Cowboys' front office have received criticism including plenty from Bayle s on FS1's "Undisputed" and on social media over the past several weeks for not being aggre sive in free agency to build around star quarterback Dak Prescott as he enters his final year under contract with no extension imminent. Bayle s doubled down Vic Beasley Jersey on that criticism on his podcast, making clear his gripe with Jones was not personal but strictly from a fan's perspective."You know the story of the Roman Emperor Nero, how he fiddled while Rome burned in the great fire?" Bayle s said. "Jerry's fiddling around while his Rome burns, while his Cowboys go up in smoke. I really like Jerry as a guy. I loved all the time I spent around him. But as a lifelong, diehard fan, Jerry Jones is my worst nightmare." Want great stories delivered Keith Smith Jersey right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.

So far, we have covered running backs, safeties, red-zone threats, throwing arms, quarter-pole surprises, quarter-pole disappointments, franchise cornerstones, players deserving of consideration, best free-agent pickups, biggest free-agent flops, rookie cla ses and Comeback Player of the Year candidates.This week, we look forward to the 2015 offseason. Below is a list of the premier impending free agents, several of whom will be a signed the franchise tag if no long-term contract can be reached before the end Jason Verrett Jersey of February.Without further ado, here is the list:1. , defensive tackle: It's exceedingly rare for superstars of Suh's age (27), talent level and pedigree to reach the open market, which is why he's as the NFL's highest-paid defensive player. Because it would take a whopping $26.7 million to wield the franchise tag, the are willing to let Suh explore free agency even if he notches a third All-Pro selection. In other words, Suh could be playing for the , , or in 2015.2. , pa s rusher: The couldn't work out a deal with Houston last offseason. It's going to cost them even more to re-sign their premier pa s rusher now that he's leading the NFL in sacks while Ben Bartch Jersey rivaling as the best defensive player not named . The really like Houston and don't want to let him get away, per NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport, so the franchise tag is an option.3. , wide receiver: The most efficient in the league, Bryant is the only NFL player with double-digit touchdowns in each of the past three seasons. His physicality, vice-grip hands and explosive run-after-catch ability make him a nightmare for cornerbacks. Rapoport has suggested Bryant is seeking upward of $16 million annually. Owner Jerry Jones is determined to ensure that Bryant .4. , wide receiver: For opposing defensive backs, there's no scarier sight than Thomas with the ball in his hands and a full head of steam coming off a bubble screen. He doesn't fight for contested balls like Bryant but still ranks second to in receptions, yards and touchdowns. It's hard to imagine the allowing him to reach free agency.5. , cornerback: Revis' contract was announced as a two-year deal, but the for 2015 means he will have to restructure to remain in New England. Revis might not be what he was as a, but he knows wide receiver routes better than any cornerback in the game. Over the past two months, Jaylen Mahoney Jersey he ranks with as the NFL's best.6. , tight end: Despite mi sing the last two games, Thomas is already the first tight end in NFL history with at least 12 touchdowns in back-to-back years. , he ranks behind only and at tight end. The realize his importance to 's aerial attack, which means he's highly unlikely to reach the open market.7. , guard: Iupati has been one of the league's most decorated interior linemen the past few years, earning two berths and a first-team All-Pro selection in 2012. The work with a fairly that could present a problem for a player who could become the NFL's highest paid at his position.8. , running back: Even though Murray is , the will place a higher priority on Bryant this offseason. Running backs , in large part because they can be too easily replaced. Murray deserves to be rewarded for a historically great season, but his injury track record and heavy workload aren't doing his market value any favors. Interesting subplot: is and has designs on finishing his Colton Mckivitz Jersey career with the .9. , defensive end: The bulk of 's pa s-rushing productivity has come in three games versus (), () and (). While he doesn't hara s quarterbacks at the same level as three years ago, he remains dominant against the run. Still just 25 years old, Pierre-Paul has the raw talent that will tempt at least one team into believing he can recapture early-career form.10. , wide receiver: Cobb has more value to the than to any other team because he is ' security blanket on broken and improvised plays. Per Pro Football Focus, the NFL's best quarterback-to-wide receiver pa ser rating this season is Rodgers-to-Cobb at 143.6 (not bad for a receiver who was for the to draft). The second-best? Rodgers-to- at 125 Jim Plunkett Jersey .1. We expect the to try to hammer out a long-term deal with Cobb prior to the start of free agency.Honorable mention:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , The latest Around The NFL Podcast . Find more Around The NFL content on .

A Not So Golden Generation After AllSo 10 years on from what was labelled as the golden generation I look back at where it all went wrong. Many people in football believe the inevitable hype that surrounds a young player and a talented Seattle Seahawks Jersey group of players has hampered the development of what promised to be such a wonderful side and on paper you cant argue that it wasnt a wonderful side.The likes of Beckham,Scholes,Lampard,Gerrard,Rooney,A.Cole,Campbell,Terry,Ferdinand,Gary Neville,Butt,Heskey,Carragher,Dyer,Hargreaves,Walcott and Michael Owen all lining up in the same team sounds only like a virtual football managers fantasy but the fact is that this was actually the main core of our national team and was billed to be potential European and world champions and to end our 40 odd year search of a major trophy.Unfortunately throughout the period that this special group of players played together they never quite lived up to the intense expectations piled on top of them. 2 quarter finals at world cups(Korea/Japan-2002 and Germany-2006),2 quarter finals at the European championships(Portugal-2004 and Poland/Ukraine-2012), a 2nd round at a world cup(South Africa -2010) and failure to even qualify for Euro 2008 reads very modestly and leaves a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth.In total out of the players named they boast 60 top flight ,36 fa cup and 11 champions league medals between them,which makes significantly better reading than that of there non existent international achievements. So that calls for the question: where did it all go wrong?Was it there fault?Well the answer to that question is a mystery in all honesty.Was it the management? Well Sven Goran-Erik son at the time he was appointed (2001) had as good a reputation as any manager going and in fact he is statistically the 4th best England manager in terms of win percentage(60%) and forgetting the comical appointment of Steve Mclaren,Fabio capello who is England most succe sful manager ever statistically with an impre sive 67% win rate, when appointed had a CV that any avid football manager player would be proud of and this is in real life.So its hard to blame the management if you refer to statistics. Some bizarre formations and odd selections by Sven (playing Scholes on wing and also playing DariusVa sell) could be argued to be a reason on why England never made it further than a quarter final under Svens guidance and some strange selections by capello Blessuan Austin Jersey , most famously leaving Theo Walcott out of the world cup squad in favour of Manchester Citys Shaun Wright-Phillips could be a a reason on why England were so poor in South Africa and why Capellos rein is not looked upon by England fans as the most succe sful.Some unfortunate circumstances in which he had to strip John terry of the captaincy after an affair with Wayne Bridges mi sus and also to re appoint him just 1 year later Darrell Taylor Jersey but only for him to be stripped of it this time by the fa for alleged racial abuse against anton ferdinand, subsequently the reason for Capellos departure was unfortunate and very unhelpful.The language barrier is often used as an excuse but isnt valid as if it was such a problem why did England stroll through qualification so emphatically with Capello and his dodgy lingo? and when we did have a manager with perfect English,Steve Mclaren he ended up as quite simply a Wally with a brolly.In my opinion it simply has to come down to the players and the fact that quite simply they have flattered to deceive on the international scene.For instance:Rooney Battles with Thuram in Euro 2004Wayne Rooney-The biggest talent to come from English football in many years supposedly and while whilst at club level he has a great record. The last time he played well in a competitive tournament was back at euro 2004 when he scored 4 goals in total. since then he has failed to hit the net in 3 major tournaments and has underperformed greatly on the big stage internationally but he is not alone.Not the same player on the international stageFrank Lampard-A player who at club level is arguably the best midfielder in the last 10 years but on the international stage its a completely different story. A good euro 2004 in which he bagged 3 goals has been followed up by 0 goals in his last 2 major tournaments (world cup-2006 and 2010) not helped by the fact he was ruled out of euro 2012 but that is 0 goals in a total of 8 games for Lampard in world cups and for his impeccably high standards, that is poor to say the least.That hat-trick against CroatiaTheo Walcott-The youngest of my inclusion of players but having made his England debut in 2006 vs Hungary at the tender age of 17 he therefore comes under the bracket of this so called golden generationa world cup in 2006 in which he didnt feature is unfair to judge him on but ever since that hat-trick against Croatia in Zagreb he has been Seattle Seahawks Men Jersey fairly average to say the least, being left out of the 2010 world cup squad whilst at the time a shock, in hindsight his form at Arsenal was indifferent and his England form was poor so on merit of inclusion he didnt deserve to make that squad. At euro 2012 with the new manager , Roy hodgson he was included in the 23 man squad and scored a crucial goal in a win against Sweden but this is not enough for a man who 6 year prior to this goal had showed little in his young international career. Having said that at 23 he has many years on the international scene left to try and prove me wrong.Failed to ever live up to expectationsEmile Heskey-A player who astonishingly won 62 caps for England never repaid the faith shown in him by his managers and for a man who demanded a 12m transfer fee from Leicester to Liverpool and was dubbed as a Teenage Sensation has horribly underperformed and never justified his 62 caps and with a poor 7 goals in those appearances for England and 0 goals at major tournaments makes us all scratch our heads at why he picked ahead of prolific goalscorers such as,Fowler,Bent,Defoe and Peter Crouch.Only Sven and Mr Capello will know why. Another example of an international FlopThe fact that Paul Scholes retired from international football in 2004 and has since then mi sed out on 3 major tournaments has certainly not helped Englands case and also the fact that the likes of Joe Cole,Ledley King,Shaun Wright-Phillips,Jonathan Woodgate,Alan Smith and Kieron Dyer have failed to fulfil there potentials has again not helped England but Im afraid that in fact i think its a case of too many egos and overpaid pre Madonnas all clashing together on the international scene has been pivotal to the downfall of this special generation and its a DeeJay Dallas Jersey case of what might have been rather than signing the praises of our international heros succe s on the international scene which is rather sad in all honesty.Lets just hope we learn from this group of players and treat our next generation of players in the right way.

The president of the Ugandan Football A sociation Lawrence Mulindwa has threatened to take legal action against Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo. Laszlo left his post as Uganda national team bo s twelve days ago without giving any notice, however his contract states that he must give at least three months.He is still our coach because he did not give us the three months notice as stated in his contract, said Mulindwa. He didnt hand over the house, car and other items before he left. We are profe sional people and hope that Csaba also behaves in a profe sional manner.Fufa Malik Willis Jersey claim that Hearts are now due them around 60,000 and that the Edinburgh club have so far remained quiet on the matter. Now there is no proper communication. They Hearts are quiet, said Mulindwa. He even went as far as to imply that Laszlo will be out of a job soon. He will lose his job and remain between Hearts and the Cranes if he is not careful.The positivity after finally appointing a new manager, seven months after beginning the search, looked sure to be wiped out again and I have to say I quietly feared the Trenton Cannon Jersey worst.These allegations also bothered Laszlo and yesterday he broke his silence by providing his account of recent events. At the moment theres big confusion about this. I quit my contract with Uganda and I know its not easy for a team who had a very succe sful coach to lose him. But I had the po sibility to quit even if a lot of times the Uganda FA said I was paid everything.The contract was over four years, I had two years and two other years. But I had the po Brett Kern Jersey sibility to break the contract because theyd broken it a lot of times already. Even before I came to Scotland I spoke with the president and he told me, okay, if you want to go, we cant keep you. We dont want to cut your career, youve done a very good job here after negotiations you can go to Hearts.For the last two months he Mulindwa didnt give me my money until the last day before I came to Scotland to talk with Hearts. He gave it to me at the last minute, a cheque for the two months. Before, if Id call hed never answer his phone, I never had a chance to get my money. Suddenly there he was.So there are two sides to every story. I quietly feared the worst when I first heard about this story over a week ago. Reports over the last few seasons have claimed that Hearts have been slow in paying certain payment, including money owed to Dunfermline for a cup tie last season and the full transfer fee for record signing Mirsad Beslija. It has also been claimed before that Hearts have been difficult to communicate on such i sues.Since hearing Laszlos comments Anthony Rush Jersey I feel more at ease. It sounds plausible that Fufa breached his contract by not paying his wages on time and that he was paid in full only after he agreed to sign for Hearts. Laszlo even alluded to money he was due and had just received in his first ever interview as Hearts manager.Of the house and car that Mulindwa claims the Romanian-born Hungarian failed to hand over, Laszlo cheekily replied: I got the car. The car is now in the compound. I had a house which I rented from FUFA, the house is still there. I didnt take it in Tucker McCann Jersey my pocket. Today I gave the po sibility for my lawyer to go together with the FUFA people to give everything so things can be finalised officially.In the papers they say I havent given the car back. If FUFA want the car back, if they want to take the things from the house that is there. But I want to make this official, now my lawyer in Uganda can give the signature that everything is finished. For us in Europe this is normal but for them it is big trouble.