Media pour scorn on England while Croatia crow

LONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) British newspapers greeted England's 2-0 Euro 2008 qualifying defeat in Croatia with derision today, taunting goalkeeper Paul Robinson and attacking manager Steve McClaren.

In Croatia the media rubbed in the humiliation saying their side had brought the English to their knees.

''What a chump,'' was how the Daily Mail described Robinson after he missed a routine backpass and conceded England's second goal in Zagreb.

''Robinson gaffe sums up confusion and farce of England's slapstick night,'' the Daily Mail said.

The Sun said the keeper's ''comedy caper'' showed McClaren's new England era was ''fast turning into a joke'' and said fans jeered the England players as they made their way to the team bus.

In more measured tones, the country's broadsheet style newspapers criticised McClaren's tactics in adopting a 3-5-2 formation.

''McClaren's shapeless England fall to pieces,'' said the Guardian.

''After all the debate over the shape England ought to adopt, Croatia decreed that it would be a severely dented one. The damage is severe as well for Steve McClaren whose strategy was supposed to help the team get forward,'' the paper said.

England, who started favourites in Group E which also includes Israel, Macedonia, Russia, Estonia and Andorra, have seven points from four games after the defeat and a lacklustre 0-0 home draw against Macedonia last Saturday.

McCLAREN'S EMBARRASSMENT ''Defeat was bad enough but it was the embarrassment that will have hurt Steve McClaren the most,'' The Times said.

''If only England could have blamed exceptional opponents or a hostile atmosphere but...the players faced little that they should not have been capable of overcoming.

''Croatia did no more that exploit England's many weaknesses,'' he wrote. In Croatia the mass circulation Vecernji List said the entire country ''was shedding tears of joy for knocking the Three Lions' teeth down their throats.

''It was a night to remember and we won the battle with self-belief, passion in our hearts, love for our country but with a clear head too,'' it said.

Daily Jutarnji List, referring to Croatia's 30-match unbeaten home run said: ''Even the famous England walked away empty handed from the unconquerable Croatian fortress.

''We have knocked over the cradle of football and this must be the sweetest if not the greatest Croatia victory over a world-class opponent,'' it said.

REUTERS PDS KP1453