England 3 The Cameroons 2 (World Cup 1990)
In their Football Classic series ITV yesterday showed the 1990 World Cup Quarter Final between England and the Cameroons.
After winning the World Cup in 1966 on home soil playing every game but one at Wembley, English national football did not fare so well.
Indeed they did not even qualify for the World Cups of 1974 and 1978. 1990 is – and remains – our best effort since then reaching the Semi Finals only and inevitably to lose to Germany on penalties.
England had a capable side, its strengths being the midfield of David Platt, Paul Gascogne, Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley. The goals of Platt and predatory striking of Gary Lineker meant the latter was only needed as the one orthodox striker.
In the ITV build-up Jimmy Greaves and Ron Atkinson, as Brian Moore’s summariser, were dismissive of the Cameroons. Unfairly so as for large stretches of the game they out-played England with their movement, speed and passing.
Platt scored early, heading home a Stuart Pearce cross, but the Cameroons asserted themselves and were 2-1 up with 6 minutes left.
A penalty which Gary Lineker converted put the game into extra time which England won with another penalty.
If I asked you to name the players on the pitch at the final whistle probably the one you would not recall was Trevor Steven. Yet he had a heroic game tackling back.
Yesterday Tom mentioned a football quiz of choosing an Earth XI v Mars. The danger, to which I succumbed, is of nominating virtuosi not team men. Trevor Steven was precisely that. Without him and Peter Shilton’s goalkeeping England may not have made the Semi Final.
Mark Wright played as sweeper and that illustrated England’s problem with that position.
The sweeper is a libero, a free man who can break out and deliver passes with either foot.
English team football in the sixties and seventies were based on a central defence of a big centre half and hardman, think Ron Yeats and Tommy Smith, Jack Charlton and Norman Hunter – none of these equipped to be a sweeper so a non tradition was established.
The only international defender of that era that was two-footed was Mick Mills of Ipswich.
So Mark Wright had difficulty in that position and as the match progressed took up a position alongside Des Walker and Terry Butcher in what became the popular 5-3-1-1 formation.
Bobby Robson, who was let go by the FA at the end of the tournament, proved to be a successful England manager but losing on penalties as happened in Turin against Germany was the nemesis of many a future and less competent English manager.
