Football Dynasty-Chapter 36: Day Two With Pundit Richard

Richard Maddox (pointing to the problem): "For starters, they had no idea just how fired up Jack Charlton had his team to play against us. Did you see the match before it even began? When the squad arrived at the stadium, every single man, from the coach to the players' entrance, was greeted with a standing ovation."

They did not disappoint indeed. Their manager knew how important this was to the fans, who cheered rabidly, and he played into that energy to prime his players to feed off the crowd. He fed their egos!

And look at what the British press wrote about them—the tournament's no-hopers? Hah, they were written off by most as whipping boys. Richard picked up the chalk and began drawing a formation on the board, continuing to explain:

"Tactically, the Irish found a simple but effective way to neutralize England's midfield by having Frank Stapleton drop deep to provide an extra man. Their full-backs, Chris Hughton and Chris Morris, were well-protected by the tireless work of Ray Houghton and Tony Galvin, who shut down John Barnes and Chris Waddle at every turn."

"Two layers of defense on the wings, and an extra body centrally to prevent Bryan Robson or Neil Webb from creating anything," Richard said, tapping the chalk sharply against the board. "England were in trouble."

"Next," he continued, "it was our impersonator again. Kenny Sansom completely misjudged the bounce of a ball he should've cleared easily. Instead, he kicked it high and behind himself into danger. Tony Adams, bracing himself to head the ball clear, was unaware of Aldridge's hunger to win it. He made no challenge, and boom—goal."

Richard finished, dropping the chalk and clapping his hands together. "Any questions?"

"..."

The studio fell into stunned silence. His analysis had struck a chord.

Tactically, there was no denying it.

From that moment on, with the upset so early on, Ireland dug in and stuck to their game plan. England struggled to get a foothold, unable to break through.

Richard Maddox (sitting back in his chair): "And lastly, it's the preparation."

After saying this, Richard remained silent for a moment, leaving everyone in the studio puzzled by his sudden pause. He was lost in thought, and the tension in the room was palpable.

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He said in serious tone, "It's not personal against Mr. Robson. He's a respected manager, but when you have players underperforming and not executing the game plan consistently, it's not just bad luck. It simply means they don't have the capacity to represent England on the highest stage."

The room went quiet, everyone processing his words.

Then, Jimmy Hill (interjecting, with curiosity): "Richard, do you believe there are any players in the squad who simply don't belong in the national team?"

The question hung in the air like a challenge, almost baiting Richard into another confrontation. But Richard didn't flinch.

Richard Maddox (without hesitation): "If the shoe fits, Jimmy. But let's be honest here—half of the squad, if I were the manager, I wouldn't even call them up."

A heavy silence enveloped the room.

This...this...

Before anyone could respond, Richard continued, "Beardsley's listlessness in front of goal, just like Barnes. Both of them had just completed an exhausting year with Liverpool. They'd played 96 games last season. They were both in dire need of a break. And then there's Waddle, who came into the Euros after a tough year. But I'm not going to comment on that, as it's personal."

As soon as he mentioned "personal," the room seemed to understand. People began to realize what he was hinting at.

Waddle's situation—it was well known in the circles that, after undergoing a hernia operation with his club's medical team, he had neglected his recovery. He was even spotted sneaking out of the hospital to visit Madame Tussauds, something that raised eyebrows.

It wasn't until club manager Terry Venables surprised him in a pub for an impromptu progress check that Waddle finally took his recovery seriously. By the time he returned in April, technically fit, he was still nowhere near his best, struggling to regain his once electrifying pace.

Mark Hateley, Trevor Steven, and Lineker had also suffered minor injuries in one of the two unofficial games organized by Robson, resulting from knocks and injuries caused by hard tackles on a less-than-ideal pitch.

Mark Lawrenson (brow furrowed in disagreement): "So, you're suggesting we just drop them because they're not at their peak? It's not as simple as you're making it sound. For the national team, we need the best players, not just the ones who are fit on paper."

Richard clicked his tongue. There's Matt Le Tissier, Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright, and not to mention Graeme Le Saux. So much talent, but it's being wasted.

Richard Maddox (clearly clarifying): "And that's the role of Mr. Robson as the national team manager. I'm not bringing up injuries, but if the players aren't physically or mentally prepared to compete at that level, he should know better than anyone. What I'm saying is, why is he only looking at the same players over and over again?"

England had regressed, struggled with injury, and Bobby Robson had trusted players he might have been better questioning. It suddenly looked like it would take a miracle for them to get anything from a world-class competition like the Euros.

On top of the obvious issues, there were several unquantifiable factors.

Kenny Sansom, once England's Mr. Reliable on the left, was approaching 30 and suddenly looked vulnerable, destined to lose one-on-ones against anyone with pace. Hoddle, supremely talented but only in games designed for him to thrive, now seemed markedly slower and was on the wrong side of 30.

Then there was the spine. No one in his position looked like they were on the same level as Terry Butcher. The decision to field 24-year-old Wright and 21-year-old Adams against Ireland was a mistake, especially against players as streetwise as Aldridge and Stapleton.

The debate continued until Richard brought up the USSR, or known as Soviet Union. The humiliation against Ireland was compounded further by the USSR's 1-3 loss that evening, making it mathematically impossible for England to advance.

Richard could already see things unfolding further. In a bid to shake things up, Mr. Robson made changes to the side for the final game—a dead rubber against the Soviets.

Almost inconceivably, despite urging them to play for pride due to their poor results, things only got worse, and England suffered yet another chastening defeat.

Like so many England managers before him, Mr. Robson relied too much on established players and refused to take risks. They played it safe.1988 had proven them all to be smoke and mirrors.

With Terry Butcher missing, several carrying injuries big or small, Barnes and Beardsley out on their feet and Waddle struggling, the last thing they needed was Lineker to be in anything less than top gear.

This is where Richard aimed his criticism the most—not at the players or Mr. Robson, but at the whole situation, where players had no choice but to answer the national team's call, regardless of their physical condition.

Richard's Maddox (intense): "This is what disgusts me the most. Don't any of you see how badly Lineker is playing?"

Despite coming into the tournament on the back of another 20-goal season in Spain, Lineker had struggled terribly. His lack of sharpness was already evident in the Republic of Ireland match, and it only worsened in the subsequent games.

Richard Maddox (his tone serious and urgent): "Mr. Gary Lineker, I need to say something to you."

People were shocked by the sudden mention of names. In sports journalism, it was a known taboo to call out someone by name and throw direct criticism their way.

A slip-up could mean not just a disruption of the show, but also potential backlash from the public, sponsors, and the football community. The unspoken rules of decorum were often more important than the opinions being voiced.

The two pundits and analysts were at a loss for words, momentarily stunned and slow to react. As for the host, Alan Hansen, he immediately sought guidance on what to do next.

As a seasoned host, he certainly knew how to handle such situations, but he needed direction from behind the scenes before proceeding.

The executive director had raised his hand, ready to intervene at the slightest hint that Richard might say something inappropriate. His fingers were already poised to signal for the broadcast to be cut if Richard crossed the line.

Richard didn't care at all. And what people never expected was what he said next.

"Mr. Gary Lineker," Richard said, his voice dropping low, "if a player is not physically there, they shouldn't be out on the pitch—no matter what. I'm not talking about who's better at football; everyone knows who's better. What I'm saying is whether you should even be playing in the first place—"

'What are you even saying? Are you really questioning Gary Lineker? Are you just cursing at him now?'

CUT—

Alan Hansen (panicked, quickly trying to regain control): "Alright, Mr. Richard, that's a tough lesson, and it's clear we've got some different views on this one. Let's leave it there."

His tone rose with urgency as he shot a quick glance at the crew, who scrambled behind the scenes. With a nod from the executive producer, the cue for the closing shots was given, and Alan Hansen smoothly guided the show to its conclusion.

"It's a tough time for England, no doubt about it. Euro '88 has been a wake-up call for the team, Bobby Robson, and the fans. Hopefully, they'll take this lesson and move forward. But there's still plenty of football to come. In just three days, we've got the semi-finals—West Germany vs. Netherlands and the Soviet Union vs. Italy. Big matches ahead. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you next time."

The camera zoomed out as Alan gave one last glance at the crew before the show smoothly transitioned to the closing credits.

After the show concluded, the crew, who had been working behind the scenes, visibly relaxed. A few exchanged glances, wiped the sweat from their brows, and let out long, relieved sighs. It had been a close call, but they had managed to avoid a total disaster.

As the studio lights dimmed and the crew began to pack up, a sense of exhaustion settled over everyone. Some of the pundits exchanged quiet words, trying to make sense of what had just transpired.

"Mr. Richard, thanks for coming," Alan said, forcing a smile as he extended his hand to Richard.

"Likewise, Alan," Richard replied, shaking his hand before moving on to Jimmy and Mark, who greeted him with a quick handshake, even if their body language clearly signaling that they wanted nothing more to do with him.

'This crazy person' they seemed to think.

Alan glanced toward the executive producer. "What about the producer?"

"Ah, he's still a bit busy," Alan hesitated, then couldn't help but add, "Probably sorting through something."

Managing egos, handling tough topics, and staying professional in a world where the line between commentary and controversy was razor-thin— it's difficult.

What Richard had just done could end up making their show more controversial than they ever intended. And that was enough to give their competitors—The Sun—a chance to exploit the chaos.

Richard gave a nonchalant shrug, knowing that trying to explain would be pointless. They wouldn't get it.