England's Banter Era: 2008-2018

FT Desk

• 24 Sept 2022 20:29 BST
• 4 min read

England have just been relegated from UEFA Nations League A, but things have been worse for the country who were European Championship finalists 14 short months ago…

From "Wally with the brolly" Steve McClaren to Sam Allardyce's one-match stay in charge of the Three Lions, Football Transfers reflects on England's Banter Era between 2008 and 2018…

McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager in 2006. While the Swede's off-field affairs made for stories front and back of the British tabloids, he did at least qualify for major tournaments.

McClaren's first attempt to do so with England was for Euro 2008. The former Manchester United assistant manager handed first caps to Kevin Davies, Jay Bothroyd and, er, Martin Kelly.

A blooper for the ages

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson forgot how to kick a ball in a 2-0 loss to Croatia at Wembley, McClaren watched on in the rain under an umbrella - hence the "Wally with a brolly" moniker that caught fire, and England finished third in their group behind the Croatians and Russia.

Fast forward two years and England did qualify for the World Cup in South Africa under McClaren's successor Fabio Capello, but they got there under a cloud with John Terry replaced as captain by Rio Ferdinand after the former's affair with Wayne Bridge's ex and the mother of his kids.

Bridge had refused to shake Terry's hand when Manchester City faced Chelsea that February before missing out on the squad for South Africa. Terry's successor as captain Ferdinand also missed out after being injured in training by Emile Heskey - a striker who had managed three goals with Liverpool that season.

Rob Green gifted the USA a goal in the first match, but England made it to the round of 16 where they were knocked out by Germany, Frank Lampard having a perfectly good goal ruled out in the days before VAR.

When Capello resigned in 2012, bookies' favourite Harry Redknapp was overlooked in favour of Roy Hodgson. He steered them to that year's Euro 2012 quarter-finals, but at the World Cup in Brazil two years later, England finished bottom of their group behind Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Italy. Hodgson duly got a two-year extension.

Big Sam, small reign

Hodgson bowed out after taking the Three Lions to the Euro 2016 Round of 16 and was replaced by Allardyce… for all of two months. Allardyce had arguably deserved the job years earlier after moulding unfashionable Bolton into Premier League ever-presents, but allegations of corruption saw him sacked in September having been appointed in July.

Southgate took the reins from then, and England have generally been on an upward trajectory, with the former defender steering his nation to fourth at the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

Harry Maguire, a key figure in Manchester United's banter era, has generally held his own for England, but Southgate's faith in players like him who have never really let him down regardless of club form could be beginning to wear thin…