Once again England crashed out of a major tournament at the Quarter Final stage when losing on penalties to Italy.Those are the bald facts but there's an underlying problem with our game that needs addressing quickly if our game is to grow allowing our national team to compete with the World's football powers.If not we will remain in the "Also Rans" paddock...
I have not seen the stats from our four games in Ukraine but i'd wager a hefty bet that we had the least possession coupled with the least successive pass completion and that includes a very poor Irish team.This is nothing new as older England fans will tell you.Even the so called "Golden Generation" of Beckham & Co failed when it came to the basics of International football.
English players have never been found wanting when it comes to fighting spirit and a never say die attitude.These are admiral qualities but can only get you so far.Technically we are far behind many teams and not just the best...
I am not talking about beating four or five players or blasting in a 30 yard volley.I'm talking about the very basics of the game.Ball retention,passing to a teamate and creating the space to receive a pass.
When Paul Scholes came out of retirement last season we were all purring at his passing ability.In any other country it would be seen as nothing special but over here we were agog with admiration...What a sad state of affairs.
Before i am shot down in flames let me ask a question.How many English players are currently playing in a country with a strong International team? Spain,Italy,Germany...None have,or seemingly want,our players in their leagues.The only English player i can think of is Joe Cole playing in Northern France with Lille.There must be a reason for this.It's because our players are inferior...Simple.
It's all well and good banging the drum that we have the best league in the world in the England,Yes it's the most watched Worldwide but that does'nt mean best in my book.How many World class players does it produce? Very few if any.People will point to Rooney but he's never done it on the International stage versus any of the top dogs.Even if we had then one or two players is a poor return for the amount of money pumped into the game over here and that's because we're constantly looking for the quick fix rather than investing for the future.
So how do we get English players who're as good as their international counterparts? Root & Branch...
From an early age work with the ball.Don't worry about results.Get the young lads--i'm talking from when they first kick a ball---concentrating on the ball,how to pass and make space.Learn to enjoy possession and not worry about losing either the ball or the game.
Look at the plaudits Swansea got by playing a very simple possession game.Their manager had given them licence to wait till the opportunity arose while holding the ball rather than hit it into the box whenever they got near the opponents area.Almost as important the fans were onside with this approach too.In any other country this would'nt be seen as anything other than normal.Over here it was almost revolutionary...Their players also proved that they had the basic skills to do just that.
So maybe the problem lies with coaches who want to win at all costs rather than developing skills required to improve no matter the cost.The Swansea midfielder Leon Britton had one of the highest successful passing completion rates in Europe last season.Never got a sniff of getting near the England squad.Go figure...
Also a vast majority of us fans need educating too.I have seen it myself at Wolves in the few times we retained possession for a period of time the moans go up that we should bang it forward.I'm sure this is repeated at many English football grounds.Thus putting pressure on the team to play the sort of game that knocks out the pass move pass move pass move approach.
Until the approach of the Owners,managers,coaches and fans change in this country we will continue to reach no higher than the Quarter finals in major tournaments.Or worse we will be overtaken by so called minor football countries who have embraced the basics of the game...
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