Picking themselves up off the floor as they watched Podolski or Mueller disappear into the distance, England players may have looked to the bench and cast their eyes upon two ex-England players for guidance and inspiration.
Had they looked to the first player they would have seen the most capped outfield player ever, a multi-millionaire celebrity with a showbiz wife and more mansions than I have road bikes. No doubt this player would have shaken his head in disapproval at the performance in front of him but inwardly felt a warm wave of relief that he was not out there with his own reputation joining the many that were being crudely mangled in a ruthless display of fast counter attacking football.
But then perhaps they would have looked at a second player. His face still slim showing the rare sight of ex England player in his 40s still determined to keep himself in shape. His simple cropped hairstyle looks no different from the days when he used to play in non-league grounds around London to crowds that numbered in their hundreds. In contrast this former international is quietly seething and cannot believe the lack of passion and anger that he is witnessing on the pitch. He is not relieved not to be part of it, he is furious. He wants to be younger, he wants to boot up and get out there and restore some order and leadership on the pitch.
So contrasts David Beckham and Stuart Pearce. Two very different England internationals from two very different England eras.
I've no inclination to write extensively on Beckham. No inclination to question a player for whom personal ego has always come before the team, who somehow has outcapped players who had twice his ability and commitment, who for almost eight years has traded on excellent performances in the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign but has never matched them since. No interest in writing that he is the single player who embodies the self-indulgent indolence and stupidity that has characterised England over the last decade. No I'd rather write about Stuart Pearce.
"Psycho" would have to be in any Top Ten Living Englishmen. A hard left back who never gave quarter nor expected none in return. A player who never hid when it got tough. A player who formed part of the core big hearted players who made the Italia 90 team now the best England side most of us are likely to see for decades. A player who learnt his trade in the lower leagues in his own words "getting the sh7t kicked out of me". A player who said that "Englishmen are more prepared to put themselves on the line than other nationalities" (subsequently how wrong he was). But likewise a player who said how impressed he was with the modesty the Germans showed in victory in that semi-final in Turin. A player who was passionate for England but who always respected other nation's and their passion.
But above all the current England players would see in Pearce a big game player for whom the tougher the opponent and the grander the occasion meant the bigger the performance because that is what you did if you pulled on an England shirt.
Had they looked to the first player they would have seen the most capped outfield player ever, a multi-millionaire celebrity with a showbiz wife and more mansions than I have road bikes. No doubt this player would have shaken his head in disapproval at the performance in front of him but inwardly felt a warm wave of relief that he was not out there with his own reputation joining the many that were being crudely mangled in a ruthless display of fast counter attacking football.
But then perhaps they would have looked at a second player. His face still slim showing the rare sight of ex England player in his 40s still determined to keep himself in shape. His simple cropped hairstyle looks no different from the days when he used to play in non-league grounds around London to crowds that numbered in their hundreds. In contrast this former international is quietly seething and cannot believe the lack of passion and anger that he is witnessing on the pitch. He is not relieved not to be part of it, he is furious. He wants to be younger, he wants to boot up and get out there and restore some order and leadership on the pitch.
So contrasts David Beckham and Stuart Pearce. Two very different England internationals from two very different England eras.
I've no inclination to write extensively on Beckham. No inclination to question a player for whom personal ego has always come before the team, who somehow has outcapped players who had twice his ability and commitment, who for almost eight years has traded on excellent performances in the 2002 World Cup qualifying campaign but has never matched them since. No interest in writing that he is the single player who embodies the self-indulgent indolence and stupidity that has characterised England over the last decade. No I'd rather write about Stuart Pearce.
"Psycho" would have to be in any Top Ten Living Englishmen. A hard left back who never gave quarter nor expected none in return. A player who never hid when it got tough. A player who formed part of the core big hearted players who made the Italia 90 team now the best England side most of us are likely to see for decades. A player who learnt his trade in the lower leagues in his own words "getting the sh7t kicked out of me". A player who said that "Englishmen are more prepared to put themselves on the line than other nationalities" (subsequently how wrong he was). But likewise a player who said how impressed he was with the modesty the Germans showed in victory in that semi-final in Turin. A player who was passionate for England but who always respected other nation's and their passion.
But above all the current England players would see in Pearce a big game player for whom the tougher the opponent and the grander the occasion meant the bigger the performance because that is what you did if you pulled on an England shirt.
