International Football: F.A set to reduce prices in order to please fans
F.A are ready to reduce their ticket prices in order to lure more football fans to England’s friendly matches. The English national team, inclusive of all the players and the manager Fabio Capello has come under immense pressure and criticism from British media and fans as well.
England were one of the favorites to lift the World Cup trophy in South Africa earlier on in the summer but all of that changed when they drew their first match against U.S.A in the group stages of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In their second match against Algeria, English players again failed to impress and the match ended in a nil all draw.
However, England did manage to win their last stage match against Slovenia by one goal to nil. England then progressed onto the knockout stages of the FIFA World Cup, where they met Germany in the round of sixteen. England’s great European rivals, Germany, knocked them out of the World Cup by inflicting a humiliating 4-1 defeat on them.
The English team also saw off-the-field controversy, as during the group stages, former English captain and squad member John Terry came out and criticized Fabio Capello’s team selection and tactics. Capello, in return, termed Terry’s boldness in the media as a big mistake by the center back. English footballing stars such as Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Aaron Lennon all failed to perform for their national sides.
F.A has stood its ground recently and retained Capello’s services as the English team manager till the year 2012. However, the media in England has played a destructive role ever since the World Cup has ended. They have consistently called for the F.A to take a firm decision and fire Capello as the national team manager.
They have also criticized English national team members by branding them as over-paid and over-hyped footballers who are not fit to perform at the International level for their country.
Capello has come out after the World Cup and declared that there will be changes in the English national team setup. He is set to exclude some of the superstars which were unable to perform for England during the World Cup. He has also agreed with the F.A on bringing an English coach into his coaching squad.
England are scheduled to play their next friendly match at Wembley against Hungary on August 11th 2010. The F.A have announced that they are slashing the ticket prices by 33 percent in order to make national football, more accessible to the fans. English Football Association has also come out and said that, they will be taking more steps to restore English enthusiasm and confidence in the national team.
F.A’s spokesperson said that, reduction in the ticket prices might come as a form of compensation to the thousands of English fans who spent fortunes to watch England at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
Tags: