My brother analysis football and crunches stats for a living, this is what he reckons:
England have never reached the final of the U-20 World Cup, a record bettered by Qatar. Even if we did produce a team of wonder-kids, they'd only sit on the bench at Premier League clubs. It's too easy to snap up every promising youngster. A couple of years ago, John Bostock made his debut for Palace when he was 15. He came on against top of the table Watford and for 20 minutes, was the best player on the pitch. His passing, shooting and generally ability on the ball was far superior to every other player on the pitch. What happened? Due to a stupid **** rule he went to Spurs for peanuts, and then sat on the bench. Didn't get game time, developed a massive ego due to his reported wages of 5k a week (for a 16 year old, sitting on the bench!) and his career has gone backwards. Was last seen on loan at Brentford, being told he had to sort his attitude out. If he'd stayed at Palace, he'd have played close to 75 first team games by now. Every so often we get a Joe Cole, potentially Jack Wilshere is the next one, but they are the exception and not the rule.
The fact is, we just don't produce enough talented players. Look at our midfield: Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard. Everyone goes on about how Barry is a holding player and Gerrard needs to play behind the front man but if you think about it, they are basically the same player. They are all big, strong, athletic players who get the ball forward quickly and have plenty of energy. They are very explosive players, capable of inspiring a good performance from the rest of their team. Somewhere in the last couple of years, Gerrard has been pushed further forward, and Barry further back but I can remember Barry being much more prominent in an attacking sense for Villa, and Gerrard played the holding role for England during the 5-1 in Munich. Both did those jobs fine, they are true box-to-box midfielders. There's nothing wrong with that, look at Gennaro Gattuso for Italy four years ago. The problem is that you need someone alongside them who can put their foot on the ball and control the game. Spain have Xabi Alonso sitting next to Sergio Busquets, Italy and Milan partner Gattuso with Andrea Pirlo. The only player that England have produced in the last few years who can play that sort of role is Michael Carrick, who through injury and lack of playing time at United has dropped away massively in the last two seasons. Tom Huddlestone could potentially play there, but he seems to be suffering from the same disease that Gerrard has, where every ball has to be a 70 yard defence splitting crossfield pass.
If you look at nearly every other team that reached the second round, every one of their midfield or defence is at least as good if not better than their English counterpart in terms of their passing and control. Their movement is better, they are more patient and perhaps most critically, they all want the ball. If England faced Japan in a game of keep ball, they'd get murdered.
The problem starts at a young age. It's all about winning, so the tall kids go in goal and in the centre of defence, and the fast kids go up front. Fabio Cannavaro would never have been allowed to be a centre back in this country, because he's too short. The kids who aren't very good on the ball go in the middle, and compensate by running around a lot and getting 'stuck in.' We have this wonderful obsession with 'grit' and 'passion.' You think Xavi Hernandez isn't passionate about playing for Barcelona or Spain? Of course he is, but he doesn't prove it by throwing himself about and jumping into tackles. If he was English, he'd be criticised for being too lightweight, and for fading in and out of games. It's the same reason pundits do the 'yeah, well Messi hasn't done it on a wet, Tuesday night in January away to Wigan.' Of course he hasn't, he's too busy scoring four against Arsenal in the Champions League.
The reason I mentioned the lack of coaches is because that, coupled with the structure of youth football in this country, is ruining promising youngsters. Ten years old is far too young to start playing 11-a-side and competing for a league trophy. Add to this the fact that most youth teams are managed by ignorant parents. I can distinctly remember when I was nine, over-hearing an opposition manager telling one of his players after he'd been skinned for the nth time by our winger 'I've told you before, if the ball gets past you, he doesn't.'
When I was 11, I spent three weeks before our league season kicked off doing pre-season training, to get fit. It was completely **** pointless, at that age, you really don't need it. In Spain, Brazil, Argentina etc. the kids play small sided-games, with a smaller ball. Training revolves around getting used to the ball, and how to use it, instead of running a bit faster for a bit longer.
