Is This England?: Recent Episodes
Jordan Harris and Nick Nicholson
"Is This England?" is a look back at classic (and not so classic) England National Football Team matches from across the decades.
Key moments, managers, players and goals are examined and put into the wider context of what supporting England really means.
Your hosts, Nick and Jordan, run down the hopes, fears and all of those oh-so nears associated with being an England fan.
Get in touch with us on Twitter and Instagram (@isthis_england) or email the show isthisenglandpod@gmail.com
Euro 2024 is well underway, with England successfully navigating their group stage opener against Serbia to a mixed reaction from the English Peoples.
It wasn't pretty, but with a huge game against Denmark coming up, those three points could start to hold real value as the tournament unfolds.
We discuss the upcoming game, the reaction to the Serbia win and assess what's next for Southgate's boys in this episode, as well as looking at the wider tournament so far.
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Euro 2024 is knocking on the door!
Nick and Jordan dissect England's hopes, dreams and fears ahead of what could be Gareth Southgate's last tournament as England manager.
Will it be lift-off for England or group stage humiliation? Is a meek exit on the cards? Or, could it finally come home?
Either way, let's all get behind the Three Lions this summer!
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Feel it. Riiide it.
Euro 2024 is just days away, so we're throwing it back to the heady highs of summer 2021 and one of the greatest achievements in the history of English football, as Gareth Southgate's side became the first Three Lions team since 1966 to reach a major tournament final.
The opponents on that heady day were Denmark, who could so easily have felt their name was on the trophy after a horrific start, followed by an incredible turnaround.
Hold on tight and remind yourself - we can do it!
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33 Lions on a List, Euro's Fever peaking.
58 Years of Hurt, Bellingham, Foden, Rice interlinking?
Nick and Jord deep dive Sir Gareth's Euro 2024 long list, which shocked a fair few Three Lions fans earlier this week.
Some big names were left out, some gaping holes became apparent and some exciting call-ups got people talking!
Summer starts here, baby.
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It's been a while, but if the Three Lions are back, then so are we!
Nick and Jord look back at Saturday's Brazil game and ahead to tonight's clash with Belgium, as well as assessing the wider squad issues and points of excitement as the clock ticks down to Germany.
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It's time for England v Turkey: Round Two as Sven's England Army travel to Istanbul with Euro 2004 qualification in mind.
There is huge drama surrounding the game - not just because of the fire and brimstone of the first tie.
A drugs ban and strike action combine to make this a game with genuine stakes on and off the pitch for the Three Lions.
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Baby we're ready to go!
The start of a classic Sven era two legged affair kicks off with an infamous Euro 2004 qualifier at the Stadium of Light as England take on Turkey.
This game marks the official launch of RooMania and maybe the start of the great David Beckham decline - but we've got bigger things to contend with today, such as Turkey's love affair with Blackburn and a lottt of fighting.
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A sporting rivalry steeped in pettiness and bitterness finally crosses over to the Beautiful Game as England take on Australia in a 'bragging rights' friendly.
The game is notable for two key stories: the debut of one Wayne Rooney, and Sven's decision to announce ahead of time he would be making ELEVEN SUBSTITUTIONS AT HALF TIME.
We revisit the aftermath of the 2002 World Cup and England's plans for the future, as well as the footballing history of Australia. We also zip forward to the current day for a recap of England's recent friendly against Australia and Euro 2024 qualification against Italy.
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And now, the end is near. The Rous Cup faces the final curtain.
The tournament born from the ashes of a century of Home Nations ties lasts less than half a decade, taking many strange turns along the way.
This episode looks at the final three years of Rous history and pontificates on the question: just what in the hell were England up to?
Not content with an annual slugfest against Scotland, the FA looks to South America to bring some glamour to the tournament in the hope of elongating this sorry mess.
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The most prestigious UK based annual international football competition since the fall of the Home Nations 12 months previous is back!
That's right, the Rous Cup returns, with Scotland keen to keep their hands on the trophy and England out for revenge.
We also take a detour into qualification for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico and the associated admin based mini-tournaments that England are - of course - more than happy to take part in.
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From the embers of the Home Nations Championship, England and Scotland took history into their own hands in 1985 with the creation of the Rous Cup.
Part one of our deep dive into the history of this not-so-fabled trophy looks at the rise and fall of the Home Nations and the genesis of the Rous Cup.
International football is back!
Is This England returns to assess the latest developments with the Three Lions, from managerial speculation, to squad drop outs and of course, upcoming clashes against Ukraine and Scotland.
The end of an era. A godawful era.
Join us for the final stretch on our McClaren Odyssey, as we look at Big Steve's final two games in charge and reflect on what went wrong during his tenure as Three Lions boss.
The past meets the present in part three of our deep dive into Steve McClaren's tenure as England manager.
With the doors of new Wembley finally opening, Steve has the opportunity to take bold symbolic steps forward after a disappointing start to his time in the hot seat.
However, this was not meant to be. With friendlies against international heavyweights such as Brazil and Germany to think about, plus Euro 2008 qualification, our man decides to rummage around in the bargain bin of years gone by, calling on a HUGE variety of players to try and dig the Three Lions out of their hole.
Will this clash of eras be seen as a stroke of genius, or an ill-fated error that pushes McClaren towards the exit?
Find out on part three of The McClaren Odyssey.
The honeymoon is OVER.
It's part two of our deep dive into the Steve McClaren era. Having beaten some stern competition to ascend to the throne, the time for talking is over.
We jump head first into Steve's first handful of games, with some interesting squad choices, comedy errors and rain aplenty.
It's not the best start really, but things can only get better.
The club season is over, but we all know that football never truly ends. So, it's time for two England Euro 2024 qualifiers!
Southgate's Boys will face off against Malta and Macedonia after a perfect start to their qualification campaign.
After this round of fixtures, we will be half way towards the finals in Germany.
Three Lions, lets go. One. More. Time.
We've tried to put it off for as long as possible, but any self respecting England podcast simply can't ignore one of the Three Lions' lowest ebbs.
Our mega McClaren Odyssey, covering the Hair Island sporting manager's time in the hotseat, starts here.
In Part One, we look at the end of Sven-Göran Eriksson's reign and deep dive the FA's selection process for hiring a replacement for the Sexy Swede.
PART 2 - Please listen to Episode 42 before this one!
Euro 2012 qualification continues for England, whose initial bright performances following the horrors of South Africa are starting to fade somewhat.
In this episode, Fabio Capello warns us that things will get worse before they get better as he continues to fiddle with the Three Lions formula in pursuit of something, anything, resembling a high quality national side.
Our two-part deep dive into the pit of despair culminates with an infamous qualification tie away in Montenegro, where a 'relaxed' Wayne Rooney grabs the headlines for all of the wrong reasons...
Can we crawl over the qualification line? Find out on Is This England?
Nick and Jordan are back to analyse the ups and downs and downs and downs of the England Team What Stole Our Youth.
The World Cup 2010 campaign in South Africa was by all accounts a complete disaster and while there were calls for England's very own Grumpy Italian Fabio Capello to face the chop, he survived and took the Three Lions forward into a new era.
It's a case of out with the old and in with the old who didn't quite make the cut previously.
This is a two part episode detailing every nook and cranny of England's turmoil post 2010 as the Three Lions march onwards towards Euro 2012, sort of.
Join us next week for the exciting and inevitable conclusion.
England's World Cup campaign in Russia was one of low expectations, pessimism and disinterest prior to a ball being kicked.
Our Golden Generation had long gone, it wasn't too long since THAT game against Iceland and in Gareth Southgate, the Three Lions had a manager who was almost universally deemed unsuitable for the job.
However, we did have Harry Kane and by the time our Brave Boys went up against Colombia in the Round of 16, a quite generous route to the final had opened up.
This is the story of one of England's greatest ever nights and a turning point for the Southgate era.
England have wrapped up a perfect international break, with six points from six after dealing with Ukraine and Italy in a professional and fairly routine manner. Feels strange doesn't it?
We look back at Sunday's game at Wembley, as well as Gareth Southgate's SLAM to Marcus Rashford and the inclusion of Dutch striker and 90's Premiership legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in England's coaching team.
For now, enjoy a well earned international break until the end of the season. We'll be back soon to scratch that Three Lions itch!
We are back! After the trauma of the World Cup quarter final against France, England have a new era to look forward to.
Gareth Southgate kicked off his Last Stand in style, with a 2-1 victory over Italy in Naples, while Harry Kane bagged a penalty to break the England goalscoring record.
We also discuss the upcoming Ukraine match and discuss future plans for the pod.
It's all getting very tense now! After a great performance against Senegal, England will face France in an enormous quarter final tie.
For once, it feels like the Three Lions are well equipped to take on a huge side. Our key players are hitting form, we've got strength in depth and we've managed to get this far relatively unscathed with injuries or suspensions.
However, it only takes one moment of magic to change a whole tournament.
England: the whole of England is with you.
After slaying the Welsh Dragon once and for all, England are just hours away from a huge knock-out tie against Senegal at the 2022 World Cup - the first time the two sides have ever met.
Nick and Jord analyse Southgate's Boys' tournament so far and look at the chaos elsewhere in this crazy, crazy tournament.
If you allow yourself to get excited as an England fan, you deserve what you get.
A dull 0-0 with the USA on Friday night has put Southgate and his team in a good position to qualify top of the group, but the lack of bite in their performance has left a lot of fans disappointed and concerned for what lies ahead.
However. We've all calmed down now and with a huge game against Wales just around the corner, now is the time to start cranking up the positivity levels again!
Southgate's boys are looking to put 56 years of hurt in the rear window and as far as starts go, they're off to a good one.
A 6-2 victory over Iran made a top 20 side look like boys against men with Saka, Bellingham, Rashford and Grealish all amongst the goals.
It was the attacking performance England fans had been calling for but can it - or should it - be replicated tonight against the USA?
Nik and Jord look ahead to tonight's huge match in the first World Cup episode of Is This England?
Four years on from his darkest hour in an England shirt, David Beckham was given a shot at redemption.
A lot had changed for the Three Lions since that France 98 knockout tie against Argentina, with Beckham at the centre of the team ever since that fateful red card in Saint-Etienne.
In the years since, Glen Hoddle had departed, Kevin Keegan had come and gone and we all bid farewell to the iconic Wembley stadium.
The FA had turned to foreign shores to steady the ship, bringing in Lazio manager at the King of Cool, Sven-Göran Eriksson.
Despite the tabloid hysteria, the Sexy Swede had got England to the World Cup in Japan & South Korea, where our Group of Narrative included Nigeria, Sweden and Argentina.
Today's clash sees David Beckham and England out for revenge in a HUGE match for the ages.
Today's episode looks back at a monster Home Nations clash from Euro 2016, where England looked to bring a bit of joy to fans during the worst year in human history.
Six years after the Three Lions had knocked Wales down to 117th in the Fifa rankings, The Dragons had undergone a major reset and came into the tournament in the top 10, sitting pretty above their opponents for today's game.
Roy Hodgson found himself in the England hot-seat after a sub-par World Cup two years previous, but had the likes of Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Leicester's Premier League winning hero Jamie Vardy to call upon.
In the Red corner, Wales felt unstoppable with Galactico Gareth Bale leading the charge.
This Group Stage match was set up to be a true test for both sides and an indicator of how each's tournament would unfold.
Let the games begin!
We're back for the USA Bicentennial Cup, celebrating 200 years of American independence.
To mark the occasion, the USA drafted in soccer stars from across the globe to form the one time only line-up of 'Team America' including Stewart Jump, Pele and...Bobby Moore.
That's right, the only Englishman to ever lift the World Cup is facing off against the Three Lions!
England, managed by Don Revie, saw the tournament as an opportunity to warm up for some impending crucial World Cup qualifiers, giving the likes of Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking a chance to freshen up for the Real Quiz.
Would Pele and Moore be victorious or can Mighty Mouse show that the kids are alright?
Find out only on... Is This England?
Phil Neville: England Manager. It seems strange now, but at the World Cup in 2019 Fizzer had helped build a squad of Lionesses who were a force to be reckoned with.
In today's game, we look at their fateful clash with THE team of this era in Women's Football: The US of A.
This one is classic England; a greatest hits medley of everything we've come to expect from our national side.
Sit back and enjoy!
England have been relegated!
A challenging Nations League group campaign has shone a spotlight on everything that's missing from Southgate's Lions right now and with Qatar 2022 just around the corner, we're going to have to press on.
In a break from normal play, Nick and Jordan assess the current situation with England:
What went wrong in the Nations League?
Who's on the plane to Qatar?
Will Southgate stay beyond the World Cup?
Fabio Capello's England arrived in South Africa for the 2010 World Cup as one of the favourites to lift the trophy. Our star players were at the peak of their powers, we had a favourable group and one of the all time great managers in charge.
As time passed, that illusion started to seem more and more farcical.
However, we scraped through the group stage and now was the time to really kick on, with a major clash against old foes, Germany.
There are some HUGE moments in this game - some which still haunt the Three Lions to this day.
Strap yourselves in for a bumpy, bumpy ride.
Part two of our World Cup 1998 qualification deep dive sees Hoddle's Lions travel to Rome, where they would face the daunting prospect of having to secure a draw - at least - away to Italy.
England had reason to be confident, however, having secured a key victory over the Azzurri in Le Tournoi just a few months previous (yes, it counts!)
Gascoigne was brought back into the fold after the Matt Le Tissier experiment didn't quite work out, while Hoddle had to make do without key man and captain, Alan Shearer.
This is a night that's so good, someone should write a song about it...
We loved our first taste of Glenn Hoddle, so here we are; diving head first into a two legged World Cup 1998 qualifying special against...Italy.
This episode looks back at the appoint of 'Hot Stuff Hoddle' and his initial impact as England manager.
We then enjoy a decent encounter at Wembley stadium, where Matt le Tisser would be given a chance to make the impact some always suspected he could at international level.
We couldn't leave Graham Taylor alone any longer.
After deep-diving The Impossible Job early into our pod history, we were always going to revisit the great man's tenure for wider context.
Surely, it can't have been that bad forever?
Turns out it wasn't, actually. Today's show see's Taylor experiment with a young, dynamic England side - including a baby faced Alan Shearer - against a France side led by manager Michel Platini and the mercurial Eric Cantona.
This is a real artefact, and we've gone deep to ask; Is This England?
Well, we've seen a lot across Episodes 12 to 23 of Is This England?
From Lionesses lifting trophies, to GrealishMania, to perhaps the most controversial red card of all time.
England have fared quite well across these 11 matches, but we have also seen others destroy the Three Lions for fun.
Now, it's time to look back and create two sides to represent the best of both worlds.
It's time, for a Is This England face off!
Drama, goals, chaos and a bitter aftertaste. It can only be Kevin Keegan's England!
The FA's 'Man for the Millennium' had dragged the Three Lions to Euro 2000 - a tournament co-hosted by Belgium and The Netherlands - where they would be drawn in a tough group alongside Romania, Germany and Portugal.
The opening group game presented a real challenge for Keggy's boys, with Luis Figo and Rui Costa at the peak of their powers and ready to do damage.
England weren't short of stars of their own however, with David Beckham in the form of his life, Michael Owen's star continuing to rise and Alan Shearer looking to bow out from international duty in style.
This game is a wild ride, so strap your seatbelts and prepare for take off! We're going to Disneyland...maybe.
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The WC 2010 Group Stage enters its final phase and it's do or die for Capello's Army as they face Slovenia.
USA was bad, Algeria was worse. So surely there was nowhere to go but up for the Three Lions?
Preparation for this crunch encounter was far from ideal, with something of a mutiny led by John Terry overshadowing work on the training ground.
The stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to one of the most boring World Cup groups of all time.
Let's get this done.
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Football has come home!
Congratulations to The Lionesses on their incredible Euro 2022 win.
Today's episode takes a look back at a truly special day for women's football in England.
For us, it was a chance to learn about the struggles, successes and sacrifices of the England Women's team over the years, as well as revel in the joy of this current squad, led by Sarina Wiegman.
Enjoy.
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Who remembers the USA Bicentennial Cup? Anyone? No?
For the uninitiated, the four team tournament was held in the summer of 1976 to mark 200 years of American independence.
After failing to qualify for Euro 76, Don Revie's boys made the trip across the pond to compete against Brazil, Italy and Team America (including the likes of Pele and Sir Bobby Moore). The tournament would give Revie a chance to test some new players and tactics out ahead of some major World Cup qualifiers on the horizon.
Today's episode looks at his team's clash against Italy, a fierce encounter held on the unfamiliar terrain of Yankee Stadium. Let the madness commence!
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We've finally reached the summer of 1966 and everything is all peace and love maaan! Or is it...
Alf Ramsey's Lads would've had some inclination as to what to expect when facing South American 'bad boys' Argentina, but nothing could've prepared them for what was to happen in this World Cup Quarter Final.
On home soil Bobby Charlton, Geoff Hurst & Co had the crowd behind them, but would it be enough against an Argentine squad fuelled by conspiracy theory rage?
Today's episode covers real heavyweight clash for the ages that would set the tone for decades of needle to come.
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150 years, one major trophy and countless strange memories.
This week we travel back to 2013, when Brazil returned to Wembley as part of the Football Association's 150th anniversary celebrations - and played their full part in a highly entertaining friendly.
The Samba Boys may not have been enjoying their finest hour but with both Ronaldinho AND Neymar starting up front, they still had plenty to offer.
This game marks our first step into the Roy Hodgson era, with the wise old owl attempting to blend the old and new generations together as England prepared for the upcoming 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.
It's a strange England line-up, with shining stars like Jack Wilshere and Wayne Rooney complemented by peripheral players such as Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling.
By the way, just out of respect, we would like to say congratulations to Ashley Cole for achieving his 100th cap in this game. Nobody else seemed to notice...
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You shit your pants in front of a global audience during England's opening game of Italia 90, you're labelled a prat, and that's the game.
That's right folks, this week we're looking back at the Three Lions' Italia 90 opener against Big Jack Charlton's Republic of Ireland and there's thunderstorms, Route One football and awful commentary aplenty.
Bobby Robson’s boys didn’t know what to expect when arriving in Italy but with the tabloids against him, Robson was looking to wipe the slate clean after years of disappointment.
Love's got the world in motion at the Stadio Sant'Elia, but can England's performance match up to their iconic World Cup song?
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Something a bit different this week as your hosts Jord and Nick look back at episodes one to 11 of Is This England? and create two Super Teams for a once in a lifetime clash!
We've already covered the good, the bad, the very bad and the very ugly and that's just the Three Lions. This is a chance to stop, catch our breath and cherry pick the golden performances that have stood out to us.
Our brave boys will come up against an imposing Rest of the World XI, with star quality spread across the team. But we're ready for the challenge, right?
It's all a bit loosey goosey and quite a lot of fun. Enjoy!
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The Three Lions arrived in Portugal for Euro 2004 full of wild hopes and dreams, spurred on by perhaps the best young footballer on the planet in Wayne Rooney.
After the youngster set the group stages aflame with his unmatched physicality, determination and skill, Sven's boys came up against the tournament hosts in the Quarter Finals.
Portugal's Golden Generation were still going strong, spurred on by a generational talent of their own in the shape of...Cristiano Ronaldo.
Both sides had underwhelmed for decades, but it really felt like the winner of this colossal tussle could call themselves favourites for the trophy.
Come on boys!
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After a nightmare start to their World Cup 2010 campaign, Fabio Capello's Three Lions have a chance to get back on track when they come up against relative minnows Algeria.
Cape Town Stadium hosted the crucial Group C match-up, with England roundly expected to get three crucial points to help them towards qualification for the next round.
With Jamie Carragher starting at the back, 'Calamity' James in between the sticks and our Lord and Saviour Sir Gareth Barry ready for action, we all felt that surely, surely this would be a turning point, right?
However...this is England and anyone who remembers this match knows that isn't exactly how things played out.
This our most requested game, so enjoy it, you sick, sick people.
PS: We also take a look at the tournament’s other major shit show in the form of France’s awful run.
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Be Here Now....for a classic England v Italy face off!
Le Tournoi brought together four of International Football's big dogs for a short tournament one year prior to France 98, presenting England with a chance to lift a trophy for the first time since 1966.
Glenn Hoddle had kicked off his tenure as Three Lions manager in style, putting his trust in a crop of talented youngsters sprinkled with some older, wiser heads.
After Brazil and France had set the stage for Le Tournoi with an exciting opening day draw, England faced Cesare Maldini's Italy at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes.
Italy's team sheet reads like a who's who of 90s football - with Zola, Albertini, De Matteo and more all famiglia to football fans worldwide.
However, the Three Lions weren't short of talent either, with Paul Scholes being given his debut, David Beckham ready to damage and a hungry Ian Wright up top.
Let battle commence. Le Tournoi will be ours!
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This time. More than any other time.
After 18 months of behind closed doors football, Wembley Stadium welcomed Sir Gareth Southgate's Three Lions for a HUGE Euro 2020 knockout game against Germany.
England captain Harry Kane was the subject of much discussion prior to kick off due to an unprecedented goal draught, while strike partner Raheem Sterling had lit up the tournament in the group stages.
Germany had arrived at the knockout stages after scraping through a highly dramatic final day in the 'Group of Death', ready to grow as the stakes got higher and higher, as is tradition/
For a fixture with so much history, it felt like the dawning of a new era on June 29, 2021 - with England's Young Lions ready to discard the shackles of decades of underperformance and heartbreak.
It's Coming Home?
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This week 'Is This England?' dives deep into the history books for a spectacular encounter between England and Hungary from 1953.
Dubbed as 'The Match of the Century' this clash pitted the inventors of the Beautiful Game against a team who epitomised everything football would come to represent.
Full of goals, goals and more goals this all-time classic is something that words can't really do justice to. However, we will try our best...
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Windsor Park is home to this week's epic 'Is This England?' battle for the ages.
Despite being possibly the most bog standard contest we've covered so far, we still manage to have some fun as the Three Lions travel away to face Northern Ireland.
Don Revie is finally in the England hot seat, armed with Mick Channon, Trevor Brooking, Mick Mills and more, while Danny Blanchflower's boys look to deliver a real Home Nations knockout blow.
It's not a classic but at the very least, it is a game of football.
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England's 'Man for the Millennium' Kevin Keegan had started his time as England manager riding a wave of positivity. Of course, this wouldn't last.
However, Keggy's boys were still set on qualifying for Euro 2000 and had ill-conceived hopes of making a real impact at the tournament.
Standing in their way over a two-legged play off were old foes Scotland, under the rocksteady stewardship of Craig Brown.
With Scholes, Beckham, Owen & Shearer at Keegan's disposal, surely this would be a steady ride to the finals.
Let's see if England can do it the easy way shall we?
Join us for lots of Keegan, some marauding Sol Campbell and a dash of our favourite ingredient; excitable John Motson.
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It had been 12 long years since England last appeared in a World Cup finals - and they made heavy weather of reaching Spain 1982 under Ron Greenwood.
However, our boys kicked off their return to the elite tier with a tasty tie against much-fancied France at the Estadio San Mamés.
In the Red Corner, the likes of Bryan Robson and Steve Coppell had worked their way into Greenwood's side for the fixture - although Mighty Mouse himself, Kevin Keegan, would sit this one out through injury.
In the Blue Corner, France had the roots of their Magic Square in place, with Michel Platini ready to make his mark on International Football at the grandest stage of them all.
Can the Three Lions make their World Cup return a happy one?
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The hills are alive with the sound of vuvuzelas! Fabio Capello’s Lions rocked up to South Africa with one thing on their mind: bringing football home.
A handful of England greats had started to hit their peak. Gerrard, Lampard & Rooney have all arguably never gone into a tournament in better form.
However, injuries and all manner of calamity had scuppered the weeks leading up to the campaign.
England’s opening game, held at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, saw a Star-Spangled USA team attempt to further disrupt our boy’s party.
Can we put the Capello Index, Goalkeeping struggles and captaincy strippage behind us and deliver a performance for the ages?
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We think you all remember this one - early morning kick offs and our generation’s real wake up call to the drama of knockout football.
The date is June 21st 2002 and Sven’s boys line up against the stars of Brazil, including the 3 R’s: Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho.
England would actually start the tournament as favourites, with Brazil in bad form and not fancied much by pundits to lift the Jules Rimet.
However, we all know anything can happen once that whistle blows.
Japan’s Shizuoaka Stadium is the venue for one of the biggest tests the Three Lions have ever faced.
Join us as we reminisce about what might have been.
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It's October 17th 1973 and England welcome Poland to Wembley for a crucial World Cup qualifier where literally everything is on the line.
The heroes of '66 have either departed or are nearing the end of their international careers as England face the prospect of missing out on the World Cup entirely.
Poland arrive as Olympic champions, full of confidence with a strong team spirit.
Despite being labelled 'a circus clown with gloves' by Brian Clough, Polish keeper Jan Tomaszewski starts between the sticks.
Spoiler: He. Is. INVOLVED.
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F***ing Paul!
Our deep dive into The Impossible Job reaches its conclusion.
Originally broadcast on January 24th 1994, this Channel 4 documentary follows the England football team through 18 months of their 1994 World Cup Finals qualifying campaign, with the one-of-a-kind manager Graham Taylor central to the action.
Part 2 covers one of the most shocking World Cup qualifying games of all time as England go away to Holland, where referee decisions sting our Lions in the most dramatic fashion.
We also see some incredible footage from inside the mind of Graham Taylor, alongside some absolute tragicomedy gold.
It's been a pleasure and we hope you've enjoyed this as much as us.
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CAN WE NOT KNOCK IT?
Time for something a bit different this week as Nick and Jordan look back at one of the greatest sporting documentaries of all time: The Impossible Job.
Originally broadcast on January 24th 1994, this Channel 4 documentary follows the England football team through 18 months of their 1994 World Cup Finals qualifying campaign, with the one-of-a-kind manager Graham Taylor central to the action.
It's truly an incredible ride, filled with drama, pathos and so many quotable lines. We've split our deep dive into two episodes, there's just too much good stuff to leave out.
Can England qualify for the World Cup in difficult circumstances?
Will Paul Gascoigne turn on the magic?
Do I not like that?
Join us to find out just what makes managing England 'The Impossible Job'
SOCIALS: @isthis_england - Twitter and Instagram
GET IN TOUCH: isthisenglandpod@gmail.com
Gareth Southgate's Young Lions welcome Croatia to Wembley on November 18th, 2018, with revenge in mind months after their traumatic World Cup semi-final defeat.
The inaugural Nations League tournament meant England would face the unusual threat of International Football relegation if they were to falter, but a victory would go some way towards exorcising the demons of that night at the Luzhniki Stadium.
Both sides arrive to the clash missing some key names, but with such high stakes at play, it's a time for all involved to stand up and be counted.
Can Harry Kane end his five game goal drought?
Will Luka Modric decide once again that losing a midfield battle is not something he is willing to entertain?
What happens if England get relegated?
All will be revealed.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG3rw4GL4ok&feature=onebox
SOCIALS: @isthis_england - Twitter and Instagram
GET IN TOUCH: isthisenglandpod@gmail.com
England's World Cup winners welcome Scotland to Wembley on April 15th, 1967.
Sir Alf Ramsey’s men had enjoyed an imperious start to their reign as World Champions and were looking to extend a 19-match unbeaten run when they welcomed the Scots to London.
Scotland, meanwhile, were riding high on the breakthrough of a new wave of top-tier talent, with the country's club sides rampant in Europe.
99,063 people filled Wembley to witness one of the all-time Home Nations classics - we think it's worth another look.
HIGHLIGHTS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSfA7xxBM3w
SOCIALS: @isthis_england - Twitter and Instagram
There's plenty of needle in the Stade De Geneve for the most competitive of friendlies between England and old rivals Argentina.
Sven's boys, led by Rooney, Owen and Beckham, face one of their toughest challenges in the build up to the 2006 World Cup.
Will Argentina's skillful South Americans be too much for England's makeshift defence to handle?
Can Gerrard and Lampard finally complement one another, with the added spice of Ledley King?
Will John Motson ever be the same again?
Find out in one of the best friendlies in recent memory.
HIGHLIGHTS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1WHQNncMzE
SOCIALS: @isthis_england - Twitter and Instagram
A quick trailer to preview the launch of the show
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