European Qualifier - UEFA Euro 2020
at Wembley Stadium
England (2) 5
Raheem Sterling 24, 62, 68,
Harry Kane 45+2 pen, Tomas Kalas 84 OG
Czech Republic (0) 0
Attendance: 82,575
Today's targets were a teenage prospect, who was in line to make his debut from the subs bench tonight, but who'd displayed a level of immaturity and naivety on social media when he was even younger (imagine being immature and naive to the ways of the world when you're a sixteen years old, eh!?)... and Jordan Pickford (who in the event had an easy night and kept a clean sheet), whose credentials as an international goalkeeper were being questioned.
I guess that while a number of the so called sports journalists can't get much mileage out of the England manager's approach in his dealings with them, where he behaves in a calm, collected and thoughtful manner, sticking to the facts and avoiding any hype; their job must be increasingly difficult for them, as they scratch their heads thinking of some exclusive angle or another to fill their diminishing number of a column inches, while wishing that they had a soundbite man at the helm of the England set up, to provide them with the kind of knee-jerk reactionary remarks that they thrive on.
Though I must add, among the detritus of the written word, there are also those who are an oasis of common sense... even though it isn't too difficult to see any given star shining against such a filthy and murky, black background.
England were quality tonight... and they made a very limited Czech Republic side look even more ordinary than they actually were. But I guess that there are still the sort of dinosaurs and throw-backs hanging around and passing themselves off as professional writers, who don't have the required mental dexterity to make a headline out of such an event. So I'll help them out... here's a bi-line about Raheem Sterling and his long overdue hat-trick: after the game, a young black guy with tattoos stole the match ball and took it home with him.
Arriving in London shortly after 1PM, afforded me with the opportunity to nip across to Loftus Road during the afternoon, where Queens Park Rangers were hosting Birmingham City in a Professional Development League Under 23 game that kicked off at 2PM.
Seriously, sometimes you would think that I plan this sort of stuff, when such coincidences occur around my schedule of football travels and adventures.
No, my missus didn't believe that this one was a coincidence either, but hey! At least I didn't wile away the afternoon in some dodgy bar, or a seedy Soho snuff joint, or trawl around the record shops blowing our kids inheritance on even more 'essential' purchases. Besides, you've got to have something else to do nowadays, because the Scotsman pub near to King's Cross has become a posh Bistro of late... and put all of those 'exotic dancers' who used to ply their trade there out of work.
When the teams were announced, it transpired that the eighteen year old Jadon Sancho would be making his first international start. While the aforementioned youngster, West Ham's Declan Rice would be getting a run out in the second half, along with Callum Hudson-Odoi, the youngest player to ever make his debut for England in a competitive match, aged just 18 years and 135 days.who replaced that naughty little coloured lad in the 70th minute, who also nicked a tracksuit top off of the subs bench, before going on to steal the ball..
OMG! Talk about 'Give youth a chance'. Gareth Southgate, where have you and your ilk been hiding, since I first attended an England game at this stadium back in 1975? They won 5-0 that night too, as it happens.
I guess some nosy Parker is bound to ask me how old I was, back when 'Supermac' scored all five goals on the occasion of my 'England debut' all those years ago; so for the record, I was there with my Granddad the day after my twelfth birthday.... and he took me to my second international match too, when England beat Scotland 5-1 that same year.
It would be fair to say, that results between those initial 5-0 and 5-1 wins and tonight's, weren't always quite so enthralling, but I'm still eternally grateful for being steered in the right direction by one of the greatest men that ever lived, during my formative years.
But let bygones be bygones... if the national press are of a disposition and inclination to turn a blind eye to the fact that the leader of the opposition party in Parliament, and one of his cronies were as thick as thieves with the Provisional IRA and other terrorist groups in days of yore, who they still refuse to condemn, then it would be hypocritical of them to tear a youngster to bits for posting a Twitter hashtag glorifying that same organisation.
Though please don't imagine for one moment that I'd ever condone such ridiculous views, or use-age of social media #FTIRA.
On the subject of young players, tonight was the first time since February 1881, one hundred and thirty eight years ago, that England fielded two eighteen year olds, when Thurston Rostron (Darwen FC) and Jimmy Brown (Blackburn Rovers) made their debuts in a 0-1 defeat against Wales. Because I know that you love to absorb all of the minutiae and details, that game was played at Alexandra Meadows, in Gawthorpe, Blackburn. And the referee that afternoon was a real bastard! Mr Segar R Bastard to be precise.
World Cup semi-finalists England, cruised to an easy and comfortable win against a below par Czech side, whose coordinated noisy and bouncing travelling support, probably used up far more energy than their players on the night. The game itself could've been subtitled: 'the Raheem Sterling Show' as the Jamaican born, Manchester City striker netted a hat-trick of goals in an impressive display.
It was the first time that an England played has scored three in a single game, since Jermaine Defoe did the same, against Bulgaria, nine years ago. Bulgaria will be England's next visitors to Wembley, when the the two sides play each other in a Euro 2020 Qualifier in September. They drew 1-1 against Montenegro tonight, who themselves will be England's next opponents on Monday night.
Sancho, who plays his football for Borussia Dortmund, created Sterling's first goal, provided the square ball across the visitors area that the live-wire striker diverted into the net at full stretch, while Harry Kane netted the second from the penalty spot in first half stoppage time, after two Czech defenders combined to chop Sterling down in the area.
Sterling added two more goals in the second half, including one that took a deflection off of Ondrej Celustka, before he was substituted to a standing ovation by Hudson-Odoi, who was making his England debut before completing his first Premier League start for Chelsea... and he was involved in England's fifth goal,when his strike was turned away by the Czech keeper, Jiri Pavlenka, who could only look on in despair, when Tomas Kalas knocked the rebound past him for a comedy own goal.
FT: England 5 v Czech Republic 0
I guess the journalists who desperately wanted to stir it up about a couple of the players, will have to find something else to write about tonight.
Is there genuinely a brighter future ahead for international football in this country?
Well, obviously, the signs are very promising... and the personnel involved are certainly in the right place at the right time. While, if the cynics haven't shut the f*ck up by now, they never will! But their barbs are wholly unwarranted... and border on being pathetic in the current climate.
But personally, I'm just going to go with the flow and enjoy the ride for a while, seeing where it all goes and treating anything above and beyond the positive transition that the national team are undergoing as a bonus.
