Probably not many here interested in a rant post about my national team (Iceland), but here it comes. It wasn't even a bad performance or result but it's just how I feel the team is moving in a bad direction.
Birkir Bjarnason, previously had taken 1 pen (scored tbf) in his career, 5 years ago. The guy who won the penalty has a record of 20 goals in 22 penalties.
A man up, he puts on Emil Hallfredsson, 36 year old who has barely played in two years. But has his spot in this team. There are so many untouchables because of the good results of the last two national coaches.
Birkir Bjarnason, who only passes backwards but has a knack for being at the right place and scores some important goals, just isn't good enough to warrant his lofty status in the starting eleven anymore. Picked even when he hadn't been on a club for months.
Our goalkeeper, 36 years old and plays in Iceland. The ones not chosen are in Olympiacos and Dijon.
Our centerback, 38 years old and plays in a midtable team in Iceland. Had a wonderful game but only when we park the bus, his distribution is suspect and he hasn't been good in the Icelandic league.
Jon Dadi Bodvarsson, forward but a scorer of no goals wherever he goes, does not have to perform at any acceptable level as a club player to get his caps.
Arnor Traustason, scored a goal at the Euros four years ago, hasn't had one decent performance since but still gets picked. We have players in CSKA Moscow and a starter at Danish champions Midtjylland behind him. Both Traustason and Bjarnason are mostly used as wingers at an International level but do not pass the ball forward at all. I don't warm to such wingers.
There are some other good young guys around, f.x. the top prospect in the Swedish top division is Icelandic, but isn't picked even when Gylfi and three others can not play. Some players just seem to live off the good results a few years ago. The plan moving forward isn't visible. I for one can't understand why a foreign, ageing manager like Erik Hamren was brought in at that time. The squad desperately needs a good overhaul but he only cares about the short term future and his results.