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E Fri 26 years later, memories are alive for Tony Daley. The infamous defeat of England by the hosts of Sweden at the 1992 European Championship is generally known for the surprise substitution of Gary Lineker and the title "Swedes 2 Turnips 1". But for the former Aston Villa, Wolves and Watford winger, it was also the end of his international career.
One of the 59 players used by Graham Taylor in tournament preparation, Daley was selected for the last group match in Solna "I will always remember that there was a lot of negativity with the press – it seemed that some of them hoped we were going to lose, "he added. Daley tells the Guardian before England meets Sweden on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the World Cup. "There was a lot of pressure on the players and the manager – it was a mentality of us and them – in the press conference I did before the match, I remember them. trying to make me tell them if I was going to play – they were very aggressive.There was no positivity, which is very different from what happened at this World Cup.
Taylor, in the incredible absence of his top four back because of an injury, had chosen central defender Keith Curle and winger Andy Sinton in both previous matches, but opted for a young David Batty for the meeting with Sweden The formidable side of Tommy Svensson, led by Captain Jonas Thern and notably Anders Limpar of Arsenal, Martin Dahlin of Borussia Mönchengladbach and rising star Tomas Brolin of Parma, had arrived at the head of the pack after beating Denmark their open match
"We went to all the games full of confidence because the results were really good for a while," says Dahlin. "We were all playing in good leagues in Europe and there was a lot of talent in the team.We felt that we could beat any team so England had no afraid for us. "
The violent scenes provoked by English fans in Malmö and Stockholm had raised doubts as to the permission of England for the 1996 tournament. But Taylor's fears on his Fortune team were dispelled when David Platt took over the center of Lineker's head after four minutes of play. "19659004" "We started like a house on fire," says Daley, who runs Pro Level Performance. , providing additional training to young players, having spent nearly a decade as a fitness coach in wolves. "There were a few chances to go 2-0, but we were pretty happy to lead at half-time – it was a complete second-half turnaround."
Six minutes after the interval, Jan Eriksson came home from a corner and suddenly England was on the ropes. Taylor responded by telling Arsenal striker Alan Smith to warm up before removing Lineker, who needed a goal to tie Sir Bobby Charlton's record with 28 minutes to play.
"At the time, because it was a tactical substitution in such a big game, I probably did not realize the meaning," admits Daley. "But in retrospect, it was a surprise to see someone who had scored so many goals off, all the more so as it had ended up being his last game.I still remember Gary as a d & # 039; An accomplished professional, I do not remember that he threw away his shirt or moan or anything of that kind. "
With Denmark in the lead of France, England had to keep his chance in the semifinals but Brolin had other ideas. "Everything happened very quickly," recalls Dahlin. "Klas Ingesson picked up the ball and played a brining with Brolin, then he played another one-two with me. This goal is always shown in Sweden and everywhere I go people ask me about it. I know that the commentary has become very famous in England.
"Brolin-Dahlin-Brolin! It's glorious, absolutely glorious," said Martin Tyler. England was outside. Sweden then lost to Germany in the semi-finals, only to see its Danish rivals claim a sensational win in the final after they were drafted as a late replacement for war-torn Yugoslavia.
"Dahlin, who played for Roma and Blackburn and is now a player agent, points out." But the success at Euro 92 gave us the confidence to succeed in the World Cup in the United States. United, where we reached the semi-finals. This time, I think we can do it again. Sweden has absolutely nothing to lose and has played very well up here. I think that they realized more than they expected, but on the other hand, they set very high goals, as you can see on some results up to that point. now. They did well against France in qualifying and that gave them the confidence to compete with the best.
For Daley, the public perception of Gareth Southgate's team could not be more different than what he had experienced.Despite intense pressure, Taylor remained after the elimination of England but he was sacked when he failed to qualify for the USA 94. After the Swedish defeat, the sun showed Taylor's head on a turnip, the last humiliation of the On Daley's career
"It was horrible," says Daley, who, despite the injuries he's endured, played for Taylor at Wolves and Watford but did not go out of his way. has never added his seven selections. "You are happy to criticize your performance, but when it becomes personal, it is too far away. The way they treated Graham was a shame. It really hurts because we were all part of the team but he paid the price.
"Gareth made a difference for this tournament – everything is a lot more positive and the players have really reacted," he adds. "It helped everyone behind them, it will be a tough match, but if we play well, I think we'll win this time."
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