The Official World Cup 2010 Thread

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

Originally Posted by Bulldog

Basically, I'm with Chris Waddle on this one;

BBC Sport - Football - World Cup 2010: Waddle blames FA for England exit

I think the real blame is the premier league, and the clubs. Billions of pounds being thrown around and none of it going to lower league clubs or grass roots level. Why bother trying to bring through english talent when you have scouts & schools all over africa & south america. Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal don't give a flying fuck if their next midfield starlet is English or not, and why should they?
Until there's something in the rules about the number of english players in a team it's always going to be like this. It might not make the players better as such but it'll give them much more experience at a higher level.
It wasn't that long ago that players like Ian Wright & Stuart Pearce were in the England squad, and both those men came from Non league football.
And we reached Semi Finals with them in the squad.

[right-track]

Once upon a time Scotland produced a wealth of class players, until the Old Firm began to spend it's money on foreign imports.
The big 2 rarely produce any home grown talent anymore and Scottish football has not only suffered on a club level, but quite tellingly, on a national level as a consequence.
English football looks to be suffering in the same way.
What concerns me more with the advent of UEFA's level playing field approach concerning club teams in the future (the limiting of clubs spending within there profits) is the effect it will have on foreign players signing for English clubs.
The logic being foreign players will be more expensive than home grown talent and the short term effect that will have on English football.

It could be argued that the less foreign players, the more opportunity for English born players to gain the experience necessary to become top quality footballers.
Something I think we can all agree we don't have in abundance at the moment.
The problem with that is, the process before we can produce enough of these top quality players is going to take years.
Decades even.

The current state of affairs may be the cause of the Premier League fat cats, but the long term solution lies with the F.A.
Not just with the future of the England team, but with the future of English club football at home and in Europe.

For English football to progress and succeed the F.A. need to implement their own blue print for the future of English football before it's forced upon us by UEFA & FIFA.
Not only do I believe it's too late, but the F.A. seemingly have no plans in place whatsoever.

Some, if not all of these points below have already been mentioned. One, or two may even be in place. Although I doubt it.
What's obvious to me, is all of the below should already be in place by now.

1. Introduce a self imposed limit on foreign players playing in the Premier League.
2. Ban clubs from signing any foreign players under the age of 18.
3. Coach young players at grass roots level with the emphasis on skill.
4. Reduce the fixtures by cutting the Premier League to 16 clubs, force all clubs to play at least 8 reserves in the League Cup, or scrap it completely.
5. Allow all clubs with European commitments to rest the weekend before the fixture.
6. Introduce a winter break similar to the Bundesliga.

Disclaimer. Typed quickly due to pain in the arse kids doing my head in. :/

[right-track]

One more thing!

3. Coach young players at grass roots level with the emphasis on skill.

^ This is without doubt THE most important factor.

Look at Brazil. It's no coincidence, no lucky streak that the Brazilians have amassed 5 World Cup titles.
There's no magic trick, (although it might look like it) no coincidence that the Brazilians are the most successful, most entertaining and skilful players on earth.
It's a mind set...a philosophy.
They have an approach to football that is unique to them, but you don't have to be born in Brazil to put it into practice.
They have a philosophy and they stick to it. And it's been paying dividends for decades.

What's the point of employing a successful Italian manager and putting him in charge of a squad of English players, that as far as Capello is concerned, may as well be from a different planet.
He might be able to get the best out of them, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
You could employ every world cup winning Brazilian coach to do the England job and the result would still be the same. Coming home early with the also rans.

Teach the kids at grass roots level the Brazilian way and stick to it.

[TheCunningStunt]

Brazil kids learn on sandy beaches with no shoes, their control has to be perfect from the get go. Kids today get their mommy's to buy them the latest Nike Predators.

[Urban Hat€monger ?]

Yes but they can still practice with smaller balls to emphasise ball control.
Also make kids football more about acquiring skills than results based.

[right-track]

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

Brazil kids learn on sandy beaches with no shoes, their control has to be perfect from the get go. Kids today get their mommy's to buy them the latest Nike Predators.

Assuming every Brazil player that has ever learned to play football on a beach with no shoes (I think we both know that's not true) has anything to do with it, then how can it be worse with decent boots and top facilities, providing the philosophy is there?

[TheCunningStunt]

Originally Posted by right-track

Assuming every Brazil player that has ever learned to play football on a beach with no shoes (I think we both know that's not true) has anything to do with it, then how can it be worse with decent boots and top facilities?

I'm just saying that a lot of them do play beach football. I bet most Brazilian kids have played beach football, even if they've played it with boots as well. I reckon kids today should go to North Wales and get in touch with natural football. None of this pitch bollocks!

I actually have no idea why the English and Brazilian's play so differently. When I was a kid, we were all trying to do what the foreign players were doing and we all tried to play the foreign way. I can't fathom why different countries styles are so different. I was just throwing the fact they DO play beach football out there. No socks = better control.

[right-track]

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

I actually have no idea why the English and Brazilian's play so differently...I can't fathom why different countries styles are so different.

Which is a bit like meeting your long lost mate from off your street and finding out he's since become a self made millionaire, then moaning to your missus. "How the fuck has he managed that? Lucky bastard!"

How about finding out how he's done it and then doing it for yourself?

And I bet it's got nothing to do with having no socks or shoes. If you know what I mean?

[TheCunningStunt]

Originally Posted by right-track

Which is a bit like meeting your long lost mate from off your street and finding out he's since become a self made millionaire, then moaning to your missus. "How the fuck has he managed that? Lucky bastard!"

How about finding out how he's done it and then doing it for yourself?

I have no idea why they're so different, is there a definitive answer as to why? If I ever seen my long lost mate Robinho on the street, I'll be sure to ask.

[right-track]

Originally Posted by TheCunningStunt

I have no idea why they're so different, is there a definitive answer as to why? If I ever seen my long lost mate Robinho on the street, I'll be sure to ask.

Give him a smack in the mouth from me.