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

[Neil Pickup]

How's that going to magically create talented English players? Every year only one or two children who are going to make it are born. There's gonna be no difference in how good they are whether they spend their childhood at Arsenal, Aston Villa or Arlesey Town (google it, we played them in the Trophy last year).

In fact, I'd even suggest that players are better off playing their "apprenticeships" in the lower leagues. The competition will in all likelihood improve their mental edge and make the player who's spent the time from 18 to 22 playing at Exeter a better one than the one who's played in low-pressure matches in front of a handful of fans for Arsenal kids or in the Combination leagues.

 

[Tom Halsey]

If Arsenal invested in Academy, they'd have much better facilities...

It isn't a coincidence that some of the best players to come through in the '90's were all at United, because we invested, teams like Arsenal rely on imports.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If Arsenal invested in Academy, they'd have much better facilities...

It isn't a coincidence that some of the best players to come through in the '90's were all at United, because we invested, teams like Arsenal rely on imports.

Well, yes, it is a coincedence, because you've not produced anyone since.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Because it isn't seen as the key to success anymore. And anyway, there are a few kids at the moment I feel have potential, Kieran Richardson being one.

 

[Neil Pickup]

If it's not the key to success, why go on about it for the last three pages?

Let's face it, the future of English football takes place in back gardens, parks and playgrounds long before clubs get involved.

If Richardson was going to make it, he would have impressed someone else by now, don't you think?

 

[Tom Halsey]

If it's not the key to success, why go on about it for the last three pages?

And I never once said it was the key to success for clubs. I think it isn't unreasonable to want a few English players in an English team.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Just to divert the topic somewhat:

There are no good club sides in the whole of the Irish Republic - yet they beat Portugal a couple of weeks ago, and by rights should have beaten France in the WCQs if John O'Shea could finish. However, there is a football culture (witness the attendances at Landsdowne Road) and so they succeed.

'Night...

 

[marc71178]

Yeah but to get to the level man utd are now was built on english players in the early 90's, with the exception of cantona for 1.2million, a snip.

If it were so built on English players, how come they had so many problems fielding a side in Europe under the 3 foreigner rule (even allowing for the 2 assimilated players)

 

[marc71178]

To win the title in '93 from being mid table plodders in '86, he spent almost nothing.

Same could be said of Wenger in much fewer than 7 years and spending less cash.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Just to divert the topic somewhat:

There are no good club sides in the whole of the Irish Republic - yet they beat Portugal a couple of weeks ago, and by rights should have beaten France in the WCQs if John O'Shea could finish. However, there is a football culture (witness the attendances at Landsdowne Road) and so they succeed.

'Night...

The difference is there are hardly any English players playing in foreign leagues and that has always been the case.

Scotland is an example England should stay clear of emulating getting back to the original topic.

 

[marc71178]

Because it isn't seen as the key to success anymore. And anyway, there are a few kids at the moment I feel have potential, Kieran Richardson being one.

Since that one group of players, how many have come through?

Erm, that'll be about nil.

 

[marc71178]

There are no good club sides in the whole of the Irish Republic - yet they beat Portugal a couple of weeks ago, and by rights should have beaten France in the WCQs if John O'Shea could finish.

I blame the Manure academy...

 

[twctopcat]

If it were so built on English players, how come they had so many problems fielding a side in Europe under the 3 foreigner rule (even allowing for the 2 assimilated players)

Trouble yes, but compared with today it was overwhelmingly british isles.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Just to divert the topic somewhat:

There are no good club sides in the whole of the Irish Republic - yet they beat Portugal a couple of weeks ago, and by rights should have beaten France in the WCQs if John O'Shea could finish. However, there is a football culture (witness the attendances at Landsdowne Road) and so they succeed.

'Night...

Oh, I dunno, Shelbourne are decent.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Same could be said of Wenger in much fewer than 7 years and spending less cash.

Taking a team from 3rd to champions on no money isn't as good as taking a team from mid-table to champions on no money.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Since that one group of players, how many have come through?

Erm, that'll be about nil.

Look at my reply to Neil...

 

[Tom Halsey]

I blame the Manure academy...

Why?

 

[bugssy]

*news **rumours have it from a good source gerrard signed with chelsea a couple of days ago.......

 

[Scaly piscine]

Interesting I think to compare George Graham's tenure at Arsenal and Wenger, they've been manager about the same length of time at Arsenal.

Graham: 2 league titles, 2 league cups, 1 FA Cup, 1 European Cup winners' cup

Wenger: 3 league titles and 3 FA Cups

Considering Wenger inherited part of Graham's team and the team Graham had inherited had done nothing for the past few years and the league cups and the lesser European cups meant something back then, I think Graham compares favourably. So why is it a certain person on CW thinks Arsene Wenger is the best thing since sliced bread?

 

[superkingdave]

George Graham's Arsenal lost 3-1 to Oldham in the 1989/90 League Cup.