Quote:
Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger
England have had Rooney, Gerrard & Lampard in the running for world & european player of the year in the past few seasons. Joe Cole is just as skilful as any Brazilian player and was by far & away England's best player at the last world cup. And a fully fit goal poacher like Michael Owen would walk into any international team.
This is exactly the kind of thing I mean when i say people look at south american teams with far too much reverence. Hell Diego Maradona's favourite player is warming benches at Manchester City right now.
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Injury is the key word for both Cole and Owen, especially in Owen`s case.
Tevez is just the kind of player that world`ve done better in southern europe as the climate and culture certainly helps. In general south american players just don`t flourish in England, sure there are always going to be exceptions (Juninho at Middlesbrough comes to mind) and they have their flashes of brilliance (Robinho, Tevez etc) but its the Spanish and Italian leagues where they flourish and can produce it week in week out. When you think of great foreign players who have graced the premiership, players such as Bergkamp and Cantona come to mind (western europeans) along with european latins such as Zola and Ronaldo.
At times its hard enough for south american players to adapt to the Spanish and Italian game, let alone to the frantic pace of the Premiership.