It's not unusual for the national press to go slightly overboard when assessing the prospects of England just before a major tournament. Rightly or wrongly, many squads have departed for World Cups and European Championships with a nation expecting. Germany 2024 will see the hype ramped up to 11.
You can see why many see this as the ideal opportunity for England to end all those years of hurt. The squad Gareth Southgate has at his disposal - certainly from an attacking point of view - suggests England can go one stage better than 2021. But whatever happens, it surely has to be better than their last European Championship in Germany.
Euro 88: be afraid. Be very afraid. What started as a tournament England were fancied to win ended with manager Bobby Robson fighting for his job and the status of the national team in doubt. Defeats, hooliganism, punch-ups, bed-wetting, illness, a snub from the BBC, and a number 64 single. England at Euro 88 was the very definition of an omnishambles.
Perfect
Optimism for the tournament was fuelled by an impressive qualification campaign. Travelling to Belgrade in November 1987, Robson knew a draw would be enough to see England reach the finals. Within 25 minutes, England were 4-0 up and cruising. The 80th minute consolation scored by Yugoslavia was the first England had conceded in the group.
"This result will raise a few eyebrows around Europe," Robson noted. "It's never easy coming here, and this result will have shaken one or two people." England's manager, boosted by the fact that league fixtures had been cancelled prior to the Yugoslavia match, was understandably confident.
"For the first time since the 1970 World Cup, England will be setting off for a major tournament with their case for winning it, or at least reaching the final, based on something other than patriotic sentiment," David Lacey wrote in the Guardian after qualification had been achieved. It's the hope that kills you.
Gimme Hope England
With just seven countries joining the hosts, there were some notable absentees in West Germany. Holders France failed to qualify, as did Euro 84 semi-finalists Portugal. World Cup semi-finalists Belgium were also missing
Drawn in a group with the Netherlands, the USSR and Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland, England were installed as second favourites at 5/1 for the tournament, the bookies naturally not wishing to write off the Germans who were priced at 6/4.
It did not take long for England to make an impact at the tournament. In the opening match, Roberto Mancini had given the Italians the lead against West Germany in Dusseldorf, but the hosts equalised when referee Keith Hackett awarded a free kick after keeper Walter Zenga had taken too many steps with the ball.
Crash
For the estimated 10,000 Irish fans that had made the trip to West Germany, this was unchartered territory. Qualifying for their first major tournament after a little help from Scotland, Jack Charlton's direct style of football was paying dividends. Eight wins in nine matches prior to Euro 88 suggested they were dangerous opponents.
Nevertheless, England expected as ever. Even after Ray Houghton scored a scrappy goal in the sixth minute, Robson's team created chance after chance. But a combination of poor finishing and an inspired display by keeper Pat Bonner kept England at bay. Ireland, priced at 7/2 to beat England, had done just that.
Bobby Robson was bullish in defeat. "It's not irretrievable. We found ourselves in the same position two years ago when we lost our opening World Cup match to Portugal. We recovered then." But the form of his key man Gary Lineker was a concern. When it was later revealed that the striker had been suffering from hepatitis during the tournament, a beleaguered Robson must have cursed his poor luck.
Ship of Fools
The behaviour of English fans had long been a problem that seemingly would not go away. In March 1985, as the FA finalised their bid to host Euro 88, rioting fans at the Luton-Millwall FA Cup match crushed any hope of success. The tragedy at Heysel led to English clubs being banned from European competition.
Trouble continued to follow the national team. Riots in Stuttgart after the Ireland defeat led to over 100 arrests, and the violence continued in Dusseldorf prior to the Netherlands match. The English were not alone in causing mayhem, with many Dutch and German fans involved. But any hopes of English clubs returning to Europe evaporated.
In truth it came was hardly surprising when the press circulated stories that the government were giving serious consideration to withdrawing England from the 1990 World Cup. "The immediate threat to England's participation in the next World Cup is Mrs Thatcher," Lacey stated in an article discussing Robson's future. Italia 90 seemed like a distant dream.
Shattered Dreams
On the pitch England were all out of luck. Twice hitting the woodwork against the Dutch, the performance in Dusseldorf was not as shoddy as most of the reports would have you believe. But Marco van Basten, a player who had undergone two ankle operations in the past year, proved the difference.
After Van Basten's opener just before the break, Captain Marvel Bryan Robson briefly restored hope with a typically thrusting run and finish. Yet two more strikes from Van Basten extinguished the lights. Ireland's draw with the USSR later that day saw England exit the tournament and the press round on manager Robson.
Robson's ill-fortune started less than a week after the glory in Belgrade. Playing for Rangers against Aberdeen, Terry Butcher broke his leg and would be ruled out of Euro 88. His absence left a gaping hole in terms of experience and leadership. Mark Wright filled the void, yet it would be Butcher's new centre back partner that would suffer the most.
Tony Adams had taken to international football like a duck to water, but he slowly drowned in West Germany. There was no shame in being outclassed by Van Basten, but the 21-year-old suffered at the hands of opposing fans the following season with cruel donkey chants. Adams soon lost his international place too. Yet this did at least leave him free to concentrate on captaining Arsenal to the title.
Where Do Broken Hearts Go
The wheels were now well and truly coming off. Adams explains in his gripping autobiography Addicted that the team drowned their sorrows after the Dutch defeat. "When I woke up the next morning, my bed was soaked and a chambermaid was standing in the room holding her nose and saying 'pee pee'."
Skipper Robson punched Peter Shilton after the England keeper had unwisely called his teammate a bottler. And the BBC decided to show Ireland's last game live instead of England's dead rubber against the USSR. "This may well disappoint English football fans," a BBC spokesman stated, in response to this move, although of course this quote could have applied to the whole tournament experience.
As the watching millions saw Ireland lose to a freak Shane Warne style winner from Wim Kieft, England exited in an appropriately messy fashion. Adams got over his embarrassment by scoring his second international goal but the 3-1 defeat left England pointless and Robson offering his resignation.
The Only Way Is Up
Fortunately FA Chairman Bert Millichip ignored Robson's request, but things were going to get a lot worse before they got better. A 0-0 draw against Sweden in a World Cup qualifier saw a headline of "In the name of God go!", as the press circled. A month later "In the name of Allah go!" adorned the Mirror after a poor 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia.
Eventually Robson and England turned things around, squeaking through to Italia 90, and playing a full part in a summer that changed English football forever. Fittingly, World In Motion by New Order topped the charts during the tournament that saw England reach the last four. It was also apt that the Stock, Aitken and Waterman effort All The Way only reached number 64 during Euro 88.
Euro 88 somehow got over the absence of England, with the Netherlands finally lifting a major trophy. Van Basten's volley in the final against the USSR was the crowning glory, as a team overflowing with world-class stars such as Ronald Koeman, Frank Rijkaard, and Ruud Gullit, provided Rinus Michels with some closure from 1974.
England's wait goes on. But if Euro 2024 ends in glory then Southgate will have his own redemption after 1996 and 2021. If not, then the knives may be sharpened for him just as they were for Robson back in the less than glorious aftermath of Euro 88.
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