The "Too Many Foreigners" Myth

[TrentVilla]

I both agree and disagree. I agree in regards coaching, it isn't good enough in this country, in terms of numbers of coaches period, the number with suitable qualifications and what/how they coach.

But it's more than that it's also about weather and facilities plus mentality. There is lots wrong.

But where I disagree with you and agree with NV is that some English players don't lack on the technical side of the game but they seem to lack something on the mental side in terms of professionalism.

NV gave the example of Rooney and it was a good example. He might not have ever been Ronaldo or Messi but nobody every questioned his technique or the technical aspect of his game as a young player.

He had the game at his feet but other distractions and wealth have got in the way and he is now in what should be the peak years of his career and he is a shadow of his former self. Not because of injuries like with Owen but largely because of what goes on in his head.

That is what NV was talking about, society and our game throws too much too soon at our top young players and even some very average ones and it has a negative impact on their development.

[villa4europe]

I think the England team is poor because young English professionals are a reflection of most English guys of the same demographic.

England are not poor.

Northern Ireland are poor.

For the size of country, pool of players, quality of club teams, and level of investment into the English football industry - England are relatively poor.

Actually, I think England perform more or less as you'd expect them to for those criteria.

We're not "poor". We're just "as poor as we should be"

Yeah I never understood this idea that we always fail. We make a lot of QF or R016 appearance which puts us anywhere between 5th and 16th, I think that's about where we should be. Oddly enough, it's often the moaners that give unrealistic expectations like SF minimum, then say we fail when we don't get there. Something to moan about I suppose.

I said a few pages back I'd seen on another forum after we won the U17s a couple of posters discussing how 3 of them would be good enough in 2016 and we'd have a good shot at winning the euros...

You can't help people like that, IMO same with people who claim that we lost in 2010 because of a ref, we were **** awful for 4 games

I don't know what's worse, saying we won't get out oft he group because we're shit but t)3! being pleased when we do or saying that we have a chance and being angry when we lose

Personally I'd be happy just going out with no drama! When was the last time we went out with no red card, no penalties, no shit ref etc? 2002 probably, but pretty much every tournament other than that there has been something

[AVFCforever1991]

 

 

 

Yeah the Brazil point completely baffled me.

 

That's because you're from Canada, buddy.

 

 

 

 

Which one are you 91?

 

 

 

I'm all of them.

[Rovers13]

I don't think it's crazy to suggest England underachieves. Out of the countries with a top five league in Europe, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and England, England has the worst national team in recent history and it's not that close. I would think that's who England should be competing with.

[RunRickyRun]

NV gave the example of Rooney and it was a good example. He might not have ever been Ronaldo or Messi but nobody every questioned his technique or the technical aspect of his game as a young player.

 

 

There will always be exceptions to the rule as certain individuals will practice in the right way despite poor coaching. GB has produced very technical players in the past as well as the present but to succeed at international level these days, you need a team of technically gifted players.

 

Rooney is certainly good enough but the rest struggle to trap a football (see Gerrard's slip!), kick a ball with their weaker foot or play a 5-10 yard pass accurately and with the right weight on the ball.

 

They're not bad players (some are even very good) and clubs compensate for this by pairing these players with technically better foreign imports but at international level, eleven English players usually results in poor performances.