50 ton elephant

[SuitsBlue]

If English football ever wants to reach the halcyon heights of yesteryear, then no foreign player should be allowed to play in th english league.

a bit crazy? maybe

a bit outlandish? maybe

how many foreign players play in italy? brazil? spain?

not one tenth of the percenage of those that play in the professional english leagues.

I can appreciate that cantona, ronaldo, ardilles, kanchelskis, arteta, vieira, henry add to the entertainment and to the spectacle of the english game, BUT, the pursuit of the sky money has strangled the places that grass roots players could take.

lets do a comparison

gordon banks........
nobby stiles..........
roger hunt............
jack charlton........
george cohen.......
ray wilson............
martin peters........
geoff hurst...........
bobby moore........
alan ball...............
bobby charlton......

If the English international setup wants to get back amongst the elite, then drastic measures need to be taken, it isnt the foreign players fault, they are only doing what they love in the best paying league in the world, the problem is at FA HQ, allowing the English game to drink from the poison chalice that rupert murdoch offers.

In its current state, its only going to get worse.

 

[chicoazul]

Join us after the break for more on tonights 'What really gets my goat' with Suitsblue...

 

[SuitsBlue]

'what grinds my gears', some executive producer you are.

 

[chicoazul]

Is that the Family Guy show with Peter?

I got it wrong didnt I?

 

[SuitsBlue]

yes

yes you did.

thin ice chico, thin ice.

 

[Neiler]

Could be worse you could have the Eircom Premeir Leauge on your door step!

Look on the bright side weve a [Poor language removed] leauge and a [Poor language removed] international team!

Id go for what makes suits blue!

 

[neonleon]

I think we need more english players playing overseas not less foreign players here.

I mean how monocultural are england players when it comes to leaving England to seek their fortunes elsewhere?

only a select few ever bother to look overseas for clubs.

 

[Neiler]

I think we need more english players playing overseas not less foreign players here.

I mean how monocultural are england players when it comes to leaving England to seek their fortunes elsewhere?

only a select few ever bother to look overseas for clubs.

Aye mate, good point its where the reddies are though in the P.L.

 

[chicoazul]

Sorry Suits.

Neiler. I support Ireland in the footie.

Join us next week for 'chicoazul's boring trivia'.

 

[SuitsBlue]

I think we need more english players playing overseas not less foreign players here.

I mean how monocultural are england players when it comes to leaving England to seek their fortunes elsewhere?

only a select few ever bother to look overseas for clubs.

A very valid point , and welcome to the board.

could it be that foreign leagues only want/accept the best players we have? because there are some seriously mediocre players plying their trade in the english (and scottish) leagues currently, and have been for some time.

we look at mark hughes, we look at linekar, platt, ince, backham (ha [Poor language removed] ha), owen.

numbers wise, its incomparable.

politicians, the left hand of politicians (the FA) talk about grass roots, bringing the next generation through, but year after year the english/british percentage falls.

football isnt working, and looking at brazilian children that play football to get out of the slums and out of poverty, its very easy to see why. (oh, and france can recruit as many african nationals as it likes, i wont recognise a so called french victory as such) - (fuckers) - (the french... )

 

[Neiler]

Mate im from Dublin we're cack at the Mo!

How about an all time 11 from the country you follow and whod win. Ill start.


--------------Shay Given--------------

Shay --------Paul----------Mark----------Dennis
Brennan------Mcgrath-----Lawranson----- Irwin



Kevin---------Johnny------Roy------------Ray
Sheedy-------Giles--------Keane---------Houghton


---------------------Liam--------------------
---------------------Brady------------------

--------------------Robbie-----------------
--------------------Keane-----------------


Bench:
Duff
Whelan
Heighway
Aldridge
Moran

 

[Neiler]

A very valid point , and welcome to the board.

could it be that foreign leagues only want/accept the best players we have? because there are some seriously mediocre players plying their trade in the english (and scottish) leagues currently, and have been for some time.

we look at mark hughes, we look at linekar, platt, ince, backham (ha [Poor language removed] ha), owen.

numbers wise, its incomparable.

politicians, the left hand of politicians (the FA) talk about grass roots, bringing the next generation through, but year after year the english/british percentage falls.

football isnt working, and looking at brazilian children that play football to get out of the slums and out of poverty, its very easy to see why. (oh, and france can recruit as many african nationals as it likes, i wont recognise a so called french victory as such) - (fuckers) - (the french... )

You should do like the Italians at the next world cup mate and organise a match fixing scandel.

Seriously though i often wondered why england dont do better then they should in major tournouments.

Ive come to the conclusion its the press, unreal expectations, driving hype and expectations in suppporters, following their girlfriends and picturing them farting. It all has to have an effect mate.

 

[SuitsBlue]

when it it easier to throw money at the problem, a real solution is never found.

once upon a time clubs looked for players of worth within the british isles, one of the greatest ever players to grace the game was george best, we got ball from blackpool - a bolton lad, we got kendall from preston, harvey - liverpool lad - actually had trials at the kopites before signing for us and making his debut in the san siro.

Quite simply, If English football wants to be the best in the world it has to stop looking abroad for its entertainers.

 

[monty]

Everything you say Suits is right but, and this is how it works imo, each league has its moments of financial boom, Italy's has just finished, Spain continues, Germany is in decline whilst we may have peaked, Chelsea spending freeze is an example. Footballers from John Charles to Jimmy Greaves have always chased the best financial deal hence the present influx. The Prem starts generating huge sums of money and our league attracts the best players, unfortunately imo far too many of them. Football is a business and it follows any financial trend arising, once this balloon goes pop most will disappear especially when the next eldorado appears, eg USA

 

[Dylan]

Radical Reform. Hmm, good idea. Actually great idea.

The problem is, even if the FA did it, there would be massive uproar from the clubs. Imagine the big four without their foreign players. Apart from Utd in the '90s, those 4 have all been foreign based sides. And as such we probably would never have had a chance to pick up gems like Lescott and AJ as they would be coveted by the biggest wallets in the game (and they would get a game).

If implemented now, it would certainly level the playing field alot, and we would actually be better equipped than most, but even so, we would be missing a center-back, 2 midfielders, a goalie and a striker.

Anyhoo, good post Suits, very thought-provoking, and some good replies in here.