Greece V Republic of Ireland - Friday, 16th June 2023 - Euro 2024 Qualifier

**pineapple stu** · 19/06/2023, 6:26 PM

Mypost is gone through the looking glass at this stage.

**Trequartista20** · 19/06/2023, 6:34 PM

Now the Championship is a pub league too?

**pineapple stu** · 19/06/2023, 6:35 PM

Originally Posted by Trequartista20

Now the Championship is a pub league too?

Of course. A league "that all of them are constantly trying to either get out of, or stay out of"

You know - like every other league in the world...

Don't feed the gondolas is all I can say

**tetsujin1979** · 20/06/2023, 8:40 PM

Interesting

**weldoninhio** · 22/06/2023, 12:19 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

I didn't blame him, I highlighted the inescapable fact, that we've lost the last 3 games with him in goal, and 4 of the last 5. I don't know how that fact can be disputed, but obviously it looks like it is.

Southampton lost their patience with him with 6 games to go, but apparently he still has to be playing for us, despite goal after goal after goal of every type flying past him. No amount of good saves can cover that up. But if that's enough to earn him motm, that tells you the strength in depth we have.

The championship is rotten, Division 2 in old money, a pub standard league that all of them are constantly trying to either get out of, or stay out of. Unfortunately most of our players are stuck in it, but not others. When was the last time a player from that league played for England? Germany? Spain?

I didn't expect anything from the Greece game, and all we got was a goal thanks to VAR, the first such goal in our history, and demonstrating again why it's essential at this level. I don't expect us to beat any opposition, bar the bottom seeds at home. So expecting us to win in Greek heat, with a team who haven't played a game in 6 weeks, was way beyond the capabilities of this team.

Of course, the default reaction after every game, is sack the manager. Yes literally after every single game, win lose or draw. This job must be the only football management job on earth, where the manager's head is demanded after winning his matches, let alone the ones he doesn't.

You mean except Sam Johnstone? Wilf Zaha? Jay Bothroyd? David Nugent? David James? Kevin Philips? Michael Gray? Stuart Pearce? Steve Bull? Mark Woods? Mark Hately?

**tetsujin1979** · 22/06/2023, 12:35 PM

Southgate definitely named someone in a squad from the Championship in recent years, can't think who it was though

**Diggs246** · 22/06/2023, 12:38 PM

Philips when Leeds where in the championship?

**ColourfulPeanut** · 22/06/2023, 1:09 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

Southgate definitely named someone in a squad from the Championship in recent years, can't think who it was though

Phillips made his debut for England after Leeds were promoted but a month before he played for them in the Premier League. This was due to the Premier League kicking off in September due to COVID. Not sure if that counts?

Sam Johnstone has definitely been in a squad whilst with West Brom in the Championship, not sure if he was capped during that time

**tetsujin1979** · 22/06/2023, 1:14 PM

I might be thinking of Zaha, in weldoninho's list.
Phillips was called up in September 2020, Leeds had been promoted, but he hadn't played a premier league game, due to the delayed start to the season because of COVID, when he made his debut against Denmark

**zero** · 22/06/2023, 2:43 PM

Not sure there's much value in us trying to disprove that the championship is a 'pub league'.

It's a very competitive league with plenty money at stake, most games televised and high attendances etc. Scotland, for example, had 4 players from the championship starting when they beat Spain 2-0 in March (Gunn, Porteus, Dykes, Hanley). Most good young English players will inevitably end up in the PL given that you need 8 homegrown in the squad.