England At The World Cup 2014

Hello everyone, after another good season with Liverpool, I had a huge challenge ahead of me, my first World Cup as England manager! We were drawn in a group alongside Switzerland, Ecuador and Iran. I was confident of our chances.
Here is the squad I took to Brazil:

I was confident going into the tournament, I felt that we had a strong squad with a good mix of experience and youth, I was hoping that we could go a long way, I felt that we should reach at least the semi finals.

Here is my strongest team, the team I put out when everyone is fit.

The only regen in the team is young full back Anthony Anderson, he plays for my Liverpool side and has developed into the best English left back, you can find his profile in the Current Squad section.

So onto the important stuff, the matches. We started against Switzerland, the team expected to challenge us for top spot in the group. We got off to a good start, the players were knocking it around with confidence and we went ahead when Wayne Rooney played in Ashley Young, who slotted home. It was 2-0 just after half time, Gerrard plauyed a nice ball to Rooney, who got on the scoresheet. After that we started to defend more, we did that comfotably and we made a good start to our World Cup campaign.

After that good start, we needed a win in the next game to edge closer to qualification to the knockout stages. We were up against Iran, I expected a win as they were ranked 50th in the world, 48 places behind us. Once again we started well, and we were ahead in the 16th minute, Jay Rodriguez slotted in from 10 yards after a good move. We had to wait until after half time to get our second, Steven Gerrard smashed it in from the edge of the area, and he had his second soon after, it was a brilliant goal, he picked it up in midfield and hammered it in from a full 35 yards. He was on a hat trick and got a perfect chance to get it not long later, we won a penalty which he took, and he grabbed the chance with both hands, to round of a fantastic performance. It was an important game for Gerrard, it was his 126th apperance for England, he broke Peter Shiltons long standing record.

After that win we were all but secure of qualifcation so I decided to rest a few players for the final game, against Ecuador. In the previous game Ben Foster picked up an injury, putting him out for the tournament. Joe Hart replaced him in goal for the remainder of the tournament. We did the opposite of the previous games this time, we went behind early on through a brilliant goal. We were the better team however, and on the stroke of half time Rooney equalised. I expected us to go out and get a second after that, but it wasn't to be, the game finished level, despite a number of chances for us.

Despite that draw we still finished as group leaders, one point ahead of Switzerland, who went through with us.

So we were through to the knockout stages, we learned that we had a very difficult game ahead of us, we were drawn against Brazil!
Loooking at their team, they had some good players, but I felt we had a great chance, we have some good players as well. Again, we got off to a good start and we went ahead when Wayne Rooney was played in by Lennon, and he fired past the keeper one-on-one. I wanted us to hold out to half time, but I didn't expect us to score again. I was shocked, therefore, when Jack Rodwell burst from midfield to hammer in a second goal for us. The match was even in terms of possession and shots, but whereas Brazil's efforts were mostly from range, ours looked much more threatening, and we killed the game off when Rodwell got his second, he slid it in from eight yards out. It was a great result, we were through to the quarter finals and we would face Nigeria.

In the quarters we were to face Nigeria, they have a good side and are ranked 14th in the world. I still expected a win, but we didn't play well and their keeper had a blinder. After Jay Rodriguez had put us ahead we just couldn't break through again, and they snatched a goal meaning it went to extra time. It was the same story in the additional period, and the match went to penalties, I was disappointed about that, but confident that we had good spot kick takers. I was proved right as, Anthony Anderson, Tom Huddlestone, Wayne Rooney, Jay Rodriguez and James Milner all scored and one miss from them meant we were through! I was very pleased, particularly as we were missing Gerrard in the shootout, he went off injured, but fortunately no injury was there after the game so he was going to be fit for the semi final, where we were to face France.

So we were to face France, they have a very good side, I knew the game was going to be very tough. Sure enough, France started the better, and after just twelve minutes we were behind through Karim Benzema. We looked stunned and they got a second before half time, rounding it off in the second half. We were out then, beaten by a good French side, but I was disappointed with the performance.

We had one more game to play, it was the third place play off against Italy. We didn't play very well again, but we snatched a victory thanks to goals from Curtis Davies and Ashley Young, and some wasteful finishing from the Italians.

That concludes our World Cup campaign, I am pleased that we ended on a high, and I'm satisfied that we got to the semi finals, but our performance against France was woeful, I am disappointed with that. I will stay on as manager though, I've still got to win more trophies with England before I'd consider resigning.

That's all for now, thanks for reading!