By Leigh Sanders
So we’ve had another weekend of sleazy accusations and disgraced football stars. What’s new? But for me the story which really caught my eye was not Rooney’s exploits with another disgusting wench who is happy to take a man’s money for sex and then betray him to his country, but English newspaper The Sun’s choice of article on Friday before England took on Bulgaria at Wembley in their opening Euro 2012 qualifier.
As the Fabio Capello debate raged on in the English press they ran two interviews facing each other on whether he should still be leading the country in to battle. On the one hand his skipper Steven Gerrard was defending him saying that the players were to blame for the dismal World Cup showing. On the other we had the man he dragged out of retirement for South Africa, Jamie Carragher, stating that an Englishman should be in charge.
He also believes that every coach, every member of the backroom staff and every player should also be from this nation. This was a thinly veiled swipe at the likes of Mikel Arteta and Manual Almunia who have recently voiced interest in playing for England having won residency in the UK following five years of living here.
“I’ve always said the English squad should be just English,” said the 38-times-capped Liverpool defender. “Other countries might break and bend the rules but I don’t think we should – and it’s not just about the players either. I also think the manager should be English as well.”
“I’ve played for Fabio Capello, we have a good relationship, I have great respect for him and I’ll always support him. But I think it’s best for the national team if everybody is English. That includes managers, coaches, doctors and players. That’s what it’s all about.”
“People say English managers aren’t good enough but it doesn’t matter. The point of international football is you have the best players, the best coach, the best kitman, the best physio from your country.”
I actually commend Carragher’s ideals. In a perfect world this is how things would work and in years gone by it undoubtedly has.
But 21st Century football is a new and multicultural world. The days of this are long dead and it is the mentality of people like Carragher which is holding some countries back on the International scene. Very few countries are managed by a man of their nation. Many favour either forward-thinking souls from other countries or big name former players who they believe will raise the profile of football in their country (see Brazilian superstar Carlos Alberto managing Azerbaijan).
This stretches to the playing staff too. If they are good enough for your side and qualify to play for you should they not play? Look at Brazilian-born Deco being selected for Portugal. Despite the reservations of staunch patriots like Luis Figo, Deco starred for many years in the Portuguese engine room and his flair and skill added something different to the side.
The same with Eduardo playing for Croatia, Allesandro Santos playing for Japan and Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski playing for Germany.
There are also the many smaller nations like Wales and Scotland who readily accept those players who have a parent or grandparent from that nation as the player pools are so much smaller to choose from.
As a Welshman I have come to accept this way of thinking as long as those players still sweat as much as their more “pure” teammates when they pull on the red of my country.
But I also agree that it would be great to see a team of 100% Welshmen dominate European football (yeah, like that would ever happen).
Back in 2008, world football pantomime villain and FIFA President Sepp Blatter voiced his concern that too many players of Brazilian descent were playing for other nations after obtaining citizenship.
“I am not a prophet, but I would say we could have half the players in the 2014 World Cup (in Brazil) could come from Brazil,” he said. “That is why we have to introduce a hurdle which is higher.”
This is when FIFA introduced the five-year residency rule after some countries were accepting immigrant players after as little as two years. Using Capello’s lack of grasping the English language after the two-and-a-half years he has managed here is this acceptable?
The case is not just with football of course. Athletics and tennis frequently see players switching nationalities while the Italian rugby team is full of New Zealanders of Italian descent deemed not good enough to represent The All Blacks.
As much as idealists would love to revert to the “good old days” the modern metropolitan world of football simply does not allow it. And countries like England who refuse to embrace modern happenings are in danger of really being left behind when it comes to facing those countries that do.
Imagine the blood the Red Tops would be spitting if England failed to pass the group stages at the next World Cup because some Spaniard playing for Ecuador slotted home a last minute penalty or a Ghanaian lining up for Bosnia powered home a back post header?
As distorted as it sounds this is how modern football has become as globalisation has engrossed every aspect of life from trade to holidays to sport.
And unless everyone welcomes it for what it is and uses it to their advantage, those who don’t will be left way back in the Middle Ages where they can discuss the good old days over a pint with Jamie Carragher.
1) I don’t see the problem with bringing in talent from abroad. I see his point but England needs to import talent. If it weren’t for foreigners the EPL would still be mired in a ‘kick and rush’ style of play. They’re still suspicious of tactics but even that’s changing and Capello is the guy to do the job.
2) Hockey does the same thing. North Americans of Italian and German descent do go play for those national teams. Why not? If the player knows they’ll never get a shot with Team Canada or USA, and the Italy and Germany squads need them, I’m not against. If anything, those countries will benefit and only enhances the chances of making them competitive which, in turn, only good things can come of it for the overall sport.
3) I take it you’re pleased with the Wales u-21′s performance so far? It all comes down in one game against Italy.
I am delighted for the boys as Brian Flynn has one of the hardest jobs around. As soon as his players begin performing well they are drafted in to the full team and he has to start again. Now Toshack is FINALLY leaving I hope he’s given a chance with the first team but I’m not sure if he’ll want a job that big anymore in the twilight years of his career.