***Offical*** English Football Season 2004/05

[Scaly piscine]

I'm envisioning English cricket ending up like this in say, 10 years time?

It might do if some European bureaucrat decides the foreign player limit is unlawful or something, although I reckon it would take longer than 10 years. Also if the ECB continues to accept Sky's thirty pieces of silver then it would certainly become more affordable.

 

[Langeveldt]

It might do if some European bureaucrat decides the foreign player limit is unlawful or something.

Haven't they already? Kolpak?

Surely any nationality of player who is denied "employment" can take it to an EU tribunal... Rendering any player limit pointless?

 

[Tom Halsey]

I really do think Pires is the worst diver in the entire football league, a disgrace.

And some people think Ronaldo is worse (!)

Delighted at Ar$e's result, I hope they lose the replay too.

What has Jeff Stelling done to his hair, btw?!

 

[Scaly piscine]

Haven't they already? Kolpak?

Surely any nationality of player who is denied "employment" can take it to an EU tribunal... Rendering any player limit pointless?

Yea but there are still certain conditions involved with Kolpak (which I'm too lazy to look up) and you would struggle to get enough that are good enough to half-fill 18 teams.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If the Englishmen are better than the foreigners, they'll play. Stop whinging.

 

[BoyBrumby]

If the Englishmen are better than the foreigners, they'll play. Stop whinging.

I think that's the definitive word on the situation.

A football club manager's main duty (his bottom line) is to get results.

 

[Tom Halsey]

No-one is denying that, but I don't think there is enough money being invested on English players. Wenger's comment particularly made me laugh.

I'm not going to have a go at Mourinho as yet, because he hasn't had enough time yet to do anything, and Chelsea have several English starters. I loved Mourinho's comment today, though: 'I'm not English but I want English teams to do well in Europe... especially Chelsea!'.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If the investment on an English player is a better one, then it will be made - it's not rocket science.

 

[Langeveldt]

If the Englishmen are better than the foreigners, they'll play. Stop whinging.

But how do we know?? An average player like Michael Vaughan was in his early days could easily have been snuffed out early on by Kolpak players and quit the game.. And its bye bye England captain..

 

[Langeveldt]

Back to the football anyway, Caroll getting an absolute pelting at Goodison, with missiles and verbals.. Disgraceful but very expected..

 

[Neil Pickup]

But how do we know?? An average player like Michael Vaughan was in his early days could easily have been snuffed out early on by Kolpak players and quit the game.. And its bye bye England captain..

If you've got the mental make-up to play International sport, you're unlikely to get put off by that. It's not like there aren't huge numbers of pro clubs who will take on players who aren't Premier standard anyway.

Besides, Vaughan's ability and talent (like anyone else's) showed past the statistics. Coaches and scouts aren't idiots - they know what they're looking for in players and even if they aren't playing and scoring at Junior level, they'll mark them down for future reference if they like what they see.

 

[Langeveldt]

Well lets hope that is the case and you don't get some sort of KP in the future, where for "quota" insert "kolpak"

 

[Tom Halsey]

If the investment on an English player is a better one, then it will be made - it's not rocket science.

I meant general investment in academy. And most of Arsenal's academy is foreign anyway - all the young players today were foreign.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Which doesn't mean anything else than the foreigners are better.

I wouldn't worry too much about London football - it has produced Defoe, Terry and Lampard of late...

 

[Neil Pickup]

Well lets hope that is the case and you don't get some sort of KP in the future, where for "quota" insert "kolpak"

The difference being the quota system is/was a law which restricts opportunities based on factors other than performance.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Which doesn't mean anything else than the foreigners are better.

But why?

I don't see why a bunch of Swiss/French/Portuguese/whatever imports should be any better than the players England are producing. Which points back to the money being invested in the academy...

 

[Neil Pickup]

If Arsenal aren't picking up kids who are better than the continentals, then it's nobody's loss except Arsenals, as Tottenham/West Ham/Chelsea/Charlton/Fulham/Brentford/Barnet/Leyton Orient etc will sign them up.

 

[Tom Halsey]

The problem is there aren't very many at all. I agree it's Arsenal's loss, but it is also English Football's loss.

 

[Langeveldt]

But why?

I don't see why a bunch of Swiss/French/Portuguese/whatever imports should be any better than the players England are producing. Which points back to the money being invested in the academy...

Simply put, there are way more foreigners than English players

 

[roseboy64]

I would think so.I mean England's only one country.Surely those from Spain and France, etc. would number more.