FIFA World Cup 2014
Posted by: Chris Dolan on 18 May 2014
Atletico Madrid win La Liga and Arsenal sneak the FA Cup. Citeh's money taints the Premiership - sadly.
So who is going to win the FIFA World Cup (sponsored by McDonalds). Is Suarez is going be the top scorer - or would he fail to score with Jordan? Eddie that is 
Well it's being held in Brazil - the smell up coffee and wake - imho - what do you guys think?
p.s. As for dropping Sturredge because you think he is not a "team player" is Quite ludicrous.
Well I would advocate trying it - Sturridge is not that good imho - Citeh and Chelski clearly took a view.
If it doesn't work then bring him back and see what that achieves - if I'm wrong then so be it - but I think he is a good substitute at about 60 minutes.
I personaly don't buy into the premise that the influx of foreign players is having a detrimental effect on the ability of home grown talent to develop. As it relies on the 'negative' premise that better quality does not affect its environment in a positive way, but hinders it. So why then in an environment where you receive a constant flow of positive energy, will this not affect its environment in a positive way?
Surely, better quality also encourages better quality? One would assume that there would be a trade off in both directions and given that England probably has one of the most extensive networks of amerature and professional football playing and coaching systems in place in the world, and a steady stream of high quality foreign imports, this should encourage a slow but gradual improvement in general. This works for both the footballers and the coaching aspects of the game in England/UK.
So to solely put the blame on 'foreign players' hindering the natural development of English talent is a rather weak and negative argument that does not consider the wider positive complexities of the situation.
Jason.
p.s. As for dropping Sturredge because you think he is not a "team player" is Quite ludicrous.
The issue with foreign players is that they take the place that home grown talent might occupy.
It does not matter what potential a home grown player has when a big club will buy a foreign player who already has the ability they want.
Also, it is one way traffic in that these foreign players learn pro football in what is proclaimed to be the "best league in the world" and then return to their homeland to stuff us in international competition.
I agree Lionel - if the English players were good enought then the would get in to the teams.
Perhaps they will be in the future - who knows.
Not sure about these 2 !!!
I am.
I personaly don't buy into the premise that the influx of foreign players is having a detrimental effect on the ability of home grown talent to develop. As it relies on the 'negative' premise that better quality does not affect its environment in a positive way, but hinders it. So why then in an environment where you receive a constant flow of positive energy, will this not affect its environment in a positive way?
Surely, better quality also encourages better quality? One would assume that there would be a trade off in both directions and given that England probably has one of the most extensive networks of amerature and professional football playing and coaching systems in place in the world, and a steady stream of high quality foreign imports, this should encourage a slow but gradual improvement in general. This works for both the footballers and the coaching aspects of the game in England/UK.
So to solely put the blame on 'foreign players' hindering the natural development of English talent is a rather weak and negative argument that does not consider the wider positive complexities of the situation.
Jason.
p.s. As for dropping Sturredge because you think he is not a "team player" is Quite ludicrous.
The issue with foreign players is that they take the place that home grown talent might occupy.
It does not matter what potential a home grown player has when a big club will buy a foreign player who already has the ability they want.
Also, it is one way traffic in that these foreign players learn pro football in what is proclaimed to be the "best league in the world" and then return to their homeland to stuff us in international competition.
Crowding out domestic players is a factor but certainly not the only one. It becomes a convenient excuse for an inconvenient truth. Domestic players have the advantage of having roots here, knowing the climate, speaking the language etc. These are major advantages.
The national game, like all things in UK PLC, had a price label slapped on it and was sold to the highest bidder. We can't approve of this then complain about the outcomes. No-one is going to play billions for TV rights if the best players in the world are not playing. We love the money. Its big business right?
One might equally comment that if some of the young English players were less money-grabbing they would be less willing to sit in the reserves when crowded out by better foreign players. Not all are, those who can see beyond the pound signs do try to get out to their credit.
Other factors:
- Rubbish amateur facilities in England. As mentioned before, the facilities in developed countries like Germany are embarrassingly better - many you would not see outside a pro club in England.
- Persistent underfunding of state schools including for sports coaching. If you are pushed into youth club football, get spotted and into a pro outfit, good luck. If you don't get spotted or you're not encouraged to pursue it, bad luck.
- Less people out playing football. Often it takes the form of once a week for an hour. Like a violin class. In my day it was 4+ hours per day, 365 days oer year. Ok, Xmas day off. Walk through the local park sometimes and there are no or just one or two games going on. What is that about? Certainly there is no street football these days. There are lots of fans who never play the game at all. Maybe twice a year or something. In some places abroad football is being played everywhere and at all hours. People live the game.
- We have no mental fortitude as a team. As Cannivaro and Vialli said when tipping Italy to beat England, the Italians have that ability to find a way to win a game. England don't have this.
- We have no world class players or particularly skillful ones. The focus was on Suarez naturally but exactly which England players would have got into Cavani's position, feinted the strike to buy time and then picked that pass? None. I haven't seen anyone who can do that sort of thing since Gazza.
Not sure about these 2 !!!
I am.
So am I.
You don't have to be Italian to get it, but it doesn't hurt!
It makes sense that the same requirement of the players to have the citizenship of the country they represent should also apply to the coaches.
Don't forget to thank your hostess on the way out...
How did the old folks of Redhill find out the World Cup was on.
Don't forget to thank your hostess on the way out...
Mista Dolan should be posting at least one picture a day like this. IMHO he has let us all down quite badly on this!!
Mista H
.
The issue with foreign players is that they take the place that home grown talent might occupy.
It does not matter what potential a home grown player has when a big club will buy a foreign player who already has the ability they want.
Also, it is one way traffic in that these foreign players learn pro football in what is proclaimed to be the "best league in the world" and then return to their homeland to stuff us in international competition.
Crowding out domestic players is a factor but certainly not the only one. It becomes a convenient excuse for an inconvenient truth. Domestic players have the advantage of having roots here, knowing the climate, speaking the language etc. These are major advantages.
The national game, like all things in UK PLC, had a price label slapped on it and was sold to the highest bidder. We can't approve of this then complain about the outcomes. No-one is going to play billions for TV rights if the best players in the world are not playing. We love the money. Its big business right?
One might equally comment that if some of the young English players were less money-grabbing they would be less willing to sit in the reserves when crowded out by better foreign players. Not all are, those who can see beyond the pound signs do try to get out to their credit.
Other factors:
- Rubbish amateur facilities in England. As mentioned before, the facilities in developed countries like Germany are embarrassingly better - many you would not see outside a pro club in England.
- Persistent underfunding of state schools including for sports coaching. If you are pushed into youth club football, get spotted and into a pro outfit, good luck. If you don't get spotted or you're not encouraged to pursue it, bad luck.
- Less people out playing football. Often it takes the form of once a week for an hour. Like a violin class. In my day it was 4+ hours per day, 365 days oer year. Ok, Xmas day off. Walk through the local park sometimes and there are no or just one or two games going on. What is that about? Certainly there is no street football these days. There are lots of fans who never play the game at all. Maybe twice a year or something. In some places abroad football is being played everywhere and at all hours. People live the game.
- We have no mental fortitude as a team. As Cannivaro and Vialli said when tipping Italy to beat England, the Italians have that ability to find a way to win a game. England don't have this.
- We have no world class players or particularly skillful ones. The focus was on Suarez naturally but exactly which England players would have got into Cavani's position, feinted the strike to buy time and then picked that pass? None. I haven't seen anyone who can do that sort of thing since Gazza.
I would agree with much of this, particularly about the falling grass roots support.
For those that argue the foreign imports don't affect the quality of the home-grown talent that gets to the top, I'd ask them to name the top English players that ply their trade in the other big leagues in Europe e.g. Spain, Germany and Italy? Becks was the last one that springs to my mind. I think that paucity says a lot about how the management of the teams in those leagues rank English players.
MDS,
For those that argue the foreign imports don't affect the quality of the home-grown talent that gets to the top, I'd ask them to name the top English players that ply their trade in the other big leagues in Europe e.g. Spain, Germany and Italy? Becks was the last one that springs to my mind. I think that paucity says a lot about how the management of the teams in those leagues rank English players.
Or it could simply be a reflection of the fact that (outwith say, PSG, Barca and Real - and maybe 2/3 others) there is more money to be made in the EPL.
I'm sure that plays a big part.
Jim
MDS,
For those that argue the foreign imports don't affect the quality of the home-grown talent that gets to the top, I'd ask them to name the top English players that ply their trade in the other big leagues in Europe e.g. Spain, Germany and Italy? Becks was the last one that springs to my mind. I think that paucity says a lot about how the management of the teams in those leagues rank English players.
Or it could simply be a reflection of the fact that (outwith say, PSG, Barca and Real - and maybe 2/3 others) there is more money to be made in the EPL.
I'm sure that plays a big part.
Jim
Jim
I'm sure money plays a part in incentivising the middling English players to stay in the premier league but my point is that the big clubs elsewhere in Europe, to which I would the German ones, and who can afford to match or better the wages on offer in the PL, seemingly choose not to pursue the so-called top English players. I suspect this is more about those clubs' perception of the (lack of) quality of the top English players.
MDS
Wonderful goal by Messi against Iran.
How did the old folks of Redhill find out the World Cup was on.
Glad to see some from my club made it too. PUP.
MDS
Wonderful goal by Messi against Iran.
It was, but you have to feel sorry for the Iranians, who not only contained the Argentinians for 90 minutes, actually outplayed them on occasion.
How did the old folks of Redhill find out the World Cup was on.
Glad to see some from my club made it too. PUP.
MDS
I think one of the banner holders has ESP as it sums up Englands early departure perfectly and the way the team played.
Mexico seems to have some picturesque presenters too.
I was at the threatre last night, so missed the seven-goal feast between France and Switz, but caught up with it earlier. OK, the Swiss defence was leakier than a leaky thing, but the French were superb, playing free-flowing football and seemingly able to score at will. Ecuador - Honduras was another good game too.
In another twist in this extraordinary World Cup, Costa Rica, the team everyone (except, perhaps, the Costa Ricans) expected to finish bottom of Group D, actually became the first from the Group to qualify.
Iran fans. No veils here!
