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Do we have an Island mentality?



Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
12,390
Brighton
Of course we do, we're an island (well Great Britain is).

But does our mentality need to change? Is it time we encouraged our young players to travel abroad and get into the great clubs of Spain, Germany and Italy through their youth schemes. After all, our domestic clubs are very good at farming talent from abroad - why shouldn't our own talent seek to learn more from the very clubs where we farm our managers from?

I'm starting to like Southgate's broad view ethos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39347434
 






BBassic

I changed this.
Jul 28, 2011
12,220
Of course we do, we're an island (well Great Britain is).

But does our mentality need to change? Is it time we encouraged our young players to travel abroad and get into the great clubs of Spain, Germany and Italy through their youth schemes. After all, our domestic clubs are very good at farming talent from abroad - why shouldn't our own talent seek to learn more from the very clubs where we farm our managers from?

I'm starting to like Southgate's broad view ethos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39347434

Agree.

I'd like to see us improve the youth coaching in this country before sending players abroad to get experience though. Part of this improvement should be a cap of some sort on the hoarding of players by clubs like Chelsea, City etc. They've got many talented youngsters who will likely never get a game, get farmed out on loan repeatedly and then end up drifting away into the lower leagues.

Another thing I've thought about recently is how you never, or hardly ever, see players from outside the championship named in the England first team. There's quality players in this league and they'll never get a sniff unless they're playing in the top flight.
 


Hamilton

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 7, 2003
12,390
Brighton
Agree.

I'd like to see us improve the youth coaching in this country before sending players abroad to get experience though. Part of this improvement should be a cap of some sort on the hoarding of players by clubs like Chelsea, City etc. They've got many talented youngsters who will likely never get a game, get farmed out on loan repeatedly and then end up drifting away into the lower leagues.

Another thing I've thought about recently is how you never, or hardly ever, see players from outside the championship named in the England first team. There's quality players in this league and they'll never get a sniff unless they're playing in the top flight.

I agree. All the while we default to selecting the English players from the Premier League we're are restricting ourselves to drawing from a small pool of talent. We're routinely getting found out by teams that are often made up from players plying their trade in the Championship, League 1 or equivalent from other leagues. It's not just the Spain's etc. that beat us.

To increase that pool we need younger players seeking playing opportunities in the best leagues in the world - not just the best league in England (if indeed it is that).

What you say about the top teams hoarding talent is so true. I think your cap idea is a good one.
 




Eeyore

Lord Donkey of Queen's Park
NSC Patreon
Apr 5, 2014
23,379
I agree with the above. To give one of our own examples, would Solly March look out of place on the wing against Lithuania on Sunday ? I don't think so. There are many others elsewhere in this league.
 


Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patreon
Jul 11, 2003
73,369
West west west Sussex
Can you call West Sussex an island?
 


Thunder Bolt

Ordinary Supporter
Scholars sign up, and get some sort of a general education, whilst training, but in this country their education is not a particularly good standard. Educated players are mocked. Those who are rejected at 18 often find it difficult to find work, because their sole dream up to that point, is to be a professional footballer.

To play abroad needs language skills, which are often missing. You can see the number of foreign players in our club who have a good command of the English language.

I agree with clubs having a cap on young players.
 




W.C.

New member
Oct 31, 2011
4,927
Of course we do, we're an island (well Great Britain is).

But does our mentality need to change? Is it time we encouraged our young players to travel abroad and get into the great clubs of Spain, Germany and Italy through their youth schemes. After all, our domestic clubs are very good at farming talent from abroad - why shouldn't our own talent seek to learn more from the very clubs where we farm our managers from?

I'm starting to like Southgate's broad view ethos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39347434

Spanish football used to be as insular as the English game. I'm not saying their 2 European cups and a World cup in 6 years was solely down to their players spreading their wings more, but I think it might have helped a little.
 


Yoda

English & European
Yes, but it will now all depend on what is negotiated for Brexit re travel/working abroad for UK Nationals in the EU. Remember, we're leaving the common market as well so the automatic right to do this could be lost.
 














Tom Hark Preston Park

Will Post For Cash
Jul 6, 2003
69,880
bus-wanker-island-wankers.jpg
 


portlock seagull

Why? Why us?
Jul 28, 2003
16,979
Of course we do, we're an island (well Great Britain is).

But does our mentality need to change? Is it time we encouraged our young players to travel abroad and get into the great clubs of Spain, Germany and Italy through their youth schemes. After all, our domestic clubs are very good at farming talent from abroad - why shouldn't our own talent seek to learn more from the very clubs where we farm our managers from?

I'm starting to like Southgate's broad view ethos.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39347434
Been saying this for years. Trouble is our education system almost cripples our youngsters ability to play abroad before they have a chance. How many school leavers are fluent in another language by the age of 16 compared to Italians, Dutch, Spanish kids potentially coming the other way? It's a massive barrier to kids wanting to live and play abroad. It's not all the FA's fault...(just most of it!)
 


studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,553
On the Border
They won't meet the eligibility criteria for the major European leagues given that they will be classed as Non-EU players in 2 years time.
 


dangull

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2013
5,105
Our players are generally not good enough to play in the major European leagues. That's why our over hyped English premier league players embarrass themselves in the major tournaments like against Iceland. Any success in club football in Europe is mostly achieved by highly paid foreigners.
 


The Tactician

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2013
1,052



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