Why are England rubbish?

[DangerousSausage]

I stumbled across an excellent article by David Conn this morning. Recommended reading:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/28/england-football-team-we-deserve

This isn't a new problem. We have competing in international tournaments for 66 years and have reached a grand total of one semi-final outside our own country. Our footballing achievements have been eclipsed by Turkey, Sweden, Croatia and Denmark. We used to go out honourably to the first genuinely world-class team we met; now we don't even make it that far.

IMO we have a number of problems. One is the chronic short-termism throughout the English game. OK, if Joe Hart had saved the second we may still have been looking forward to a humilia... I mean clash with France. If the FA spends loads of money to attract a top coach (I'm thinking Slaven Bilic) who can make playing for England fun again, pick the right players and get us playing to a system, we may yet do well in a tournament one day. But we will only ever be papering over the cracks.

Looking at the long term, grassroots football. Facilities are poor and are ever more expensive to use. Then there is the quality of the coaching. In Germany, a UEFA A Licence only entitles you to manage up to the fourth level - any higher than that and you need a UEFA Pro Licence. It's no problem - there are over 1,000 holders in Germany, and double that number in Spain. In England we have 200.

I could go on about the sloppiness, anti-intellectualism and greed that runs through the English game, but David Conn describes it better than I can. What do you think?

[Piethagoram]

David Conn always write good articles.  What i would say there is a major disconnect with grassroots football. The largest football clubs (especially Premier League and some geographically close Championship clubs) have expanded their Academies so much, in the fear of missing the next Wayne Rooney. It does nothing to really enhance those Academy graduates...maybe the fall out rate is over 95 per cent??? of those Academy graduates not making the grade.

The Premier League and the FA have set the agenda. A few years back FA Cup money for the earlier rounds of the FA Cup was halved..thereby seriously affecting the financial rewards to L1 L2 and National league clubs...who could use some of that money wisely. Notts Academy relies primarily on grants ( perhaps @erindoors can clarify in rough terms, the split between Grants and cash injections from Notts)... The real selling point for Notts is that their academy players have more of a chance of first team football and be "battle hardened" by the age of 19 /20. I was disappointed that Jordan Agathise left in the summer, as i thought if finances allowed, he could "make it" in the game...maybe a Wes Morgan type moment lost?

Before the Premier League there was a financial flow when the top clubs picked up "talent" from Leagues 1 and 2 , who in turn received good fees in return. Those transfers, especially in cash terms, have dried up over the years. Any apprentice showing signs of promise in the top academies, are offered lucrative contracts at a young age...there is then no incentive for extra training for self improvement. Mollycoddled at a young age, is then the appropriate word. Their football career stagnates with uncompetitive U21 league games, with no rel threat of relegation.

I have been a great advocate of Luther Wildin, and hope Notts can develop this talent....Jordan Richards at Sligo Rovers too., with same sentiments.. these players have a real chance of making it at Notts ....whereas at Premier League academies, they may be just making up the numbers

Things can only change if Premier League release more monies to the FA for distribution down the Football pyramid.... but reality is that isnt going to happen...excess monies earned with be paid as dividends to the Premier League club owners. 

The real RISK to the future of football in this country, is when foreign ownership get enough percentage control of Premier League clubs voting rights,  that they vote to no relegation from the Premier League...THAT IS THE REAL THREAT

 

[Turkey_Twizzler]

Because there are no B teams! Obviously!

[Chris]

I think much of the problem falls down to the fact we don't have 'football minded' people inside the FA, most are just corporate suites seeking big pay.

The very costly training base was supposed to pave its way towards restructuring things, however much of their decisions is just a case of papering over the cracks. Managerial appointments aren't the best, certainly we haven't been very focused on keeping talent and they tend to rush decisions. I honestly believe we need someone who can change their opinion because rather than focusing on our assets, the FA focus on what other nations are doing (which is often best for them and not us). Where does this sound familiar?

Much of the problem is caused by the Premier League, we have a lot of managers who aren't English and the one's who do cut it - aren't really the level we have seen before in the past.

I'm not saying we need to reduce it, however clubs should give good Championship managers a chance. Would Eddie Howe be in charge of a Premier League team had Bournemouth not gained promotion? No, because he would be overlooked because of his brief stint away (which did fail).

We need to see English players pushed, nurtured and looked after.

But I think we do have the foundations to change things and fairly easily, it's just a case of making sure the people in charge (the FA) actually want this to happen.

I'm not suggesting they hold us back but perhaps their lack of knowledge from the game does this naturally? How are they to say what is best for the English game to improve without remotely grasping the concept of it? The recent interviews highlight we have people with no clear insight watching over our national game.

[liampie]

because we have overpaid players, who are not as good as people make out.

english teams have the attitude of making their players sound and seem like world class. we have good players but there is no helping them to become world class because our nation team is a joke. world class players do well regardless of where they play or who.