What's the real reason England was knocked out of Euro 2004

What were your thoughts when England crashed out to Portugal?

Did you blame the referee for disallowing Sol Campbell's winner?

Did you blame Sven's awful tactics?

Me, I believe there is a different reason altogether, which goes back to the grass roots of football.

Overall, England seems to always lose the bottle on the big stage in major international tournaments.

To me, the only team considered to have the bottle on the main stage was the Italia '90 team managed by Bobby Robson.

No other England has shown consistent, decent performances in most of their games more than the team of Italia '90.

Thinking back to 1990, it was the Conservatives in government, a time that changed Britain forever, including the selling of fields of our green and pleasant land.

Children could have been playing on many on them fields, and compared to nowadays inner urban cities, there are hardly any parks for children to play football.

Even when there were fields, they are in poor shape -- deprived and under invested to play football on.

Sure you can say all you need is a ball, jumpers for goalposts, and some mates to play the game, but how many times did you hate getting the ball that has travelled for ages into trees and goodness knows what?

There's nothing better to play on a flat pitch, suitable for a kick around on.

For example, my local park has 15-year old goalposts, which are on a lopsided pitch, with no nets, and has an infestation of molehills.

That discourages me wanting to play football, and instead I would rather spend an hour or two on the Playstation.

For new goals posts and nets, it would be a minimal cost to upgrade, but one which our local council doesn't do, as our views are often ignored.

However, for that cost it would be give an incentive for kids to play football.

The birth place of many great talents -- improving their headers, striking the ball -- has to be done with many hours down at the local park playing football.

With so much money in football today, surely some of it could be given back to help support the grass roots game?

With myself hearing out of control amounts of money being given to agents, such as Rooney transferring 1.5 million pounds to his agent.

I think even a percentage of that cash could help improve sporting facilities for local rural communities I feel outraged.

My hope is that with more money being placed into grass roots football, we can nurture better players, and just maybe we can change are national team from being achievers into a team with fighting sprit.

A team to finally match what the lads of 1966 did.

Michael Cole Football Chat UK Owner at www.footballchatuk.com

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