European clubs ?
Yesterday and during the WC the media and pundits etc keep saying we need players who play for the top clubs. Last count was 68 odd English players in the PL.
Thats still a lot, my argument is that if a player is good enough then he will play regardless of the nationality. But if an English player is good enough doesn't that mean they can compete with other countries players.
If you look at Arsenal and Liverpool. These teams have had many Foreign stars but still produce English talent.
This players have competed against big signings.
Sterling, OX, Walcott,Sturridge, Wilshere, Henderson, Chambers and even now Welbeck (and many more) make up a large contingency of England players. We also see many Chelsea players. These 3 teams play in the biggest competition in football the CL.
Yesterdays 1st team play in a Euro competition of some kind
Hart - CL
Stones, Baines - Europa
Cahill - CL
Jones, has played in the CL
Wilshere, Henderson, Stirling - CL
Delph - Europa
Rooney and Welbeck - CL
We also still have Smalling, OX, Chambers, Milner etc who have and will play CL football.
OK some are not fantastic but they play in Europe. They play for some of the best teams in Europe. Experience can mean as much as talent.
We also have players coming through different teams in the PL, Southampton, West Ham and even Villa produce young exciting English players. We see big teams like Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man U, Spurs....Everton producing new English stars.
Man C at the monent have stopped but with their new football academy this will change soon.
I think the media need to stop harping on about this, we have talent, we have Big European clubs, and in some cases the infrastructure to produce future stars.
I always said if a player can learn from Suarez, Henry, Aguero etc then its a good thing for English football....
Is it a myth of lack of English player in
posted on 9/9/14
But in Spain and Germany, you have a much larger pool of home-grown players playing for top clubs and therefore they have much greater strength in depth.
I remember England teams choosing between Fowler, Wright, Shearer, Ferdinand, Sheringham, with emerging players such as Owen, Collymore and Heskey (I know but he was rated at the time!), Only Rooney would seriously challenge those (apart from Heskey) now. In midfield, Hoddle and Le Tissier hardly got any games. Nowadays people are talking Henderson, Delph and Wilshere. And what about Campbell, Terry, Ferdinand, Carragher, King ... what have you got now? Cahill.
The truth is that one or two of these players may become excellent international players (I won't say world class as it is overused) but your current crop is below average in ability and numbers. You do have some good young players coming through but these players need to play for their teams now - Chalobah, Ake at Chelsea for example, before they become another McEachran or Mancienne.
posted on 9/9/14
Joel ward at Palace is worthy of inclusion for the San Marino squad imo for cover in the RB spot. A very solid player.
Despite facing the same opposition week in/out in a considerably weaker team than many, it won't happen though as he doesn't play for a top side.
I'm not saying he'll set the world alight but..................
posted on 9/9/14
Stirling was bought into the club.
posted on 9/9/14
Sterling, OX, Walcott,Sturridge, Wilshere, Henderson, Chambers and even now Welbeck.
And from the OP list above only two were developed thought the clubs, the rest were bought in.
Flanno is one that's been added by Liverpool but is yet to make a senior start for England.
Stones-Barnsley
Baines-Wigan
Jagielka had time as a young lad at Goodison but moved on with Stoke and I hear City before settling at Sheffield United. Only Rooney and Barkley via Goodison.
posted on 9/9/14
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posted on 10/9/14
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posted on 10/9/14
Even if players are brought to a club from elsewhere at 16, I think you must give those clubs credit if they are playing for England by the age of 20.
posted on 10/9/14
maths lesson.
68 players
20 clubs, 25 man squads..... 500 playing slots in prem
68/500 = 13.6% now sorry but that shows precisely the issue
posted on 10/9/14
The fault lies with the FA. English kids are not taught how to play the game technically at a young age - as they are elsewhere in Europe. In Spain, France, Germany etc, they are playing small games with no (or small) goals - taking on players one-on-one, learning to control the ball in limited space. That's not what we learn in England. It's all about physique - fighting for possession through tenacity and strength and fitness. It's no wonder there are fewer English kids who are actually good enough coming through the ranks. We just don't develop good players like they do elsewhere.
It has nothing to do with how many foreigners there are in the Premier League. If English kids were better, they would get into the Premier League teams without teams having to search for better players elsewhere.