LONDON ¨C For a week we have been told how boring England were in the 0-0 draw against the Republic of Ireland. How Roy Hodgson¡¯s tactics are sterile. How the England players wear a tactical strait-jacket.
True, it was a match that did not raise the pulse. Yes, it was as exciting as watching 90 minutes¡¯ of a North Korean television documentary about farming.
But a little perspective is needed. It was a friendly which Hodgson and Martin O¡¯Neill used for preparation ahead of this weekend¡¯s rather more important Euro 2016 qualifiers. Friendlies rarely excite because they are exactly that ¡ª there are no loss of points so whatever the result, it is little more than a W, D or L in the record books.
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