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Ron Atkinson, who was replaced by Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, talking to the Daily Star admitted that the 13th Premier League title for Manchester United this season will be a heck of an achievement for Ferguson.
On England‘s chances of winning the World Cup, he said, “Our boys are over there, fighting on foreign soil with a mission to get down to Rio next summer. As ever, our loyal supporters are there with them, flying the flag. Expectations are high. The dream is on again for players and fans alike.
“But I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news on the current state of our footballing nation despite the flattering scoreline against the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers of San Marino.”
But citing the very slim chances of the English to be the world champs again in the near future, he said, “We’ll never win the World Cup again.”
He followed, “I have been saying that for a long time, too. Since the turn of the millennium everyone has talked about the golden generation of English football.”
But he always believed that England’s present team possesses some world class defenders and midfielders. However, he thought that the English team lacks some superlative strikers. He also mentioned that they had a great chance of winning the 2004 European Championship title in Portugal as well as the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
But on the reason they failed to do so, he told, “We needed Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney to be at their maximum. But we have had many sub-standard strikers since then. We started the 1990s with Gary Lineker at the World Cup. Then we had Alan Shearer, we had Les Ferdinand, Andy Cole, Robbie Fowler.There were loads of great center- forwards. Now we haven’t got that quality in our front positions. In the 1986 Mexico World Cup, we didn’t get the breaks. Again in 1990 in Italy.
“I can’t see us winning the World Cup again. Certainly not in the foreseeable future. Not unless, of course, we get one in England. And that could be possibly 25 long years away. But can you really see that happening?It’s just a political game for the people of FIFA. They don’t want England to get the World Cup again.
“I can’t worry about that. That’s for future generations. What I do have concerns about now, though, is that although we have got some very good players capable of wearing the Three Lions shirt, we also have a lot of ordinary ones. And you don’t win World Cups without great strikers. Rooney (above) could have a phenomenal time from now until – hopefully – our qualification for Brazil. But I’ve searched high and low and I’ve watched many, many games both live and on television. And I can’t see anyone else on the horizon who can go to Brazil and shoot us to glory.”
He concluded saying that England’s only chances of winning a major title in the near future is at the European Championships.
Source-Daily Star
