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Tuesday 19 July 2016
Friday 15 July 2016
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Saturday 9 July 2016
Euro 2016: 3 Frenchmen we need to see in the Premier League
With France making the final of Euro 2016 in their home country, I thought I'd take a look of 3 of their most valuable players who don't play in the Premier League at the moment that we would love to see. The French team is of course full of talent so we will be taking a look at some of those who would fair well in the Premier League.
1. Antoinne Griezmann.
Star of the show with regards to goals so far, he looks certain to win the golden boot of Euro 2016, and is in inspired form. His goal scoring has hugely helped France get to the stage they are at in the competition. His pace and work rate are his best attributes and it certainly looks like he would be able to adapt his talents to the Premier League. I think he'd suit Arsenal best out of the Premier League clubs, maybe Tottenham if they were looking. No matter what side he goes to he is certainly a player who needs to at some point be playing in the Premier League, just so we can all see what he is capable of. He would be a fantastic addition as he would be immediately competing to be one of the best players in the League, which would improve the performances of other contenders as they put their heart and soul into being the best.
2.Paul Pogba
A move which may well be happening. Paul Pogba's move from Juventus to the Premier League has been long awaited and this summer could finally be on the cards. A fantastic young talented midfielder with many skills under his belt. He is linked with Manchester United and would certainly liven up their particularly dull midfield. His ability to pick out a pass as well as having an incredible shot is something he can adapt to the Premier League to meet the fast pace. Although he hasn't really hit his full potential yet and with the Premier League being highly competitive, he may not be as good as everyone thinks he would be. There is no doubt however that he has talent and a move to the Premier League could be the best way to adapt that talent and build on his potential.
3 Blaise Matuidi.
Another incredible midfielder who would be marvellous in the Premier League, is PSG's Matuidi. The defensive midfielder is particularly strong with his high work rate making him one of the most energetic midfielders in the France side. The reason he needs to come to the Premier League is to build on this and be breaking down some of the best players in the world who are playing in the Premier League. With the potential exit of Nemanja Matic at Chelsea I feel Matuidi would be the perfect replacement and would fit in well at Chelsea. His ability to breakdown play and find key passes would be essential next to a more creative Cesc Fabregas and the pairing could be a great one.
France look favourites to win this years European Championships, but looking on from that it would be great to see some of their squad gracing the Premier League next season or in seasons to come. Hopefully some moves go through which improve the Premier League, as it needs a return to former glory, and some of the players coming in could aid towards that.
1. Antoinne Griezmann.
Star of the show with regards to goals so far, he looks certain to win the golden boot of Euro 2016, and is in inspired form. His goal scoring has hugely helped France get to the stage they are at in the competition. His pace and work rate are his best attributes and it certainly looks like he would be able to adapt his talents to the Premier League. I think he'd suit Arsenal best out of the Premier League clubs, maybe Tottenham if they were looking. No matter what side he goes to he is certainly a player who needs to at some point be playing in the Premier League, just so we can all see what he is capable of. He would be a fantastic addition as he would be immediately competing to be one of the best players in the League, which would improve the performances of other contenders as they put their heart and soul into being the best.
2.Paul Pogba
A move which may well be happening. Paul Pogba's move from Juventus to the Premier League has been long awaited and this summer could finally be on the cards. A fantastic young talented midfielder with many skills under his belt. He is linked with Manchester United and would certainly liven up their particularly dull midfield. His ability to pick out a pass as well as having an incredible shot is something he can adapt to the Premier League to meet the fast pace. Although he hasn't really hit his full potential yet and with the Premier League being highly competitive, he may not be as good as everyone thinks he would be. There is no doubt however that he has talent and a move to the Premier League could be the best way to adapt that talent and build on his potential.
3 Blaise Matuidi.
Another incredible midfielder who would be marvellous in the Premier League, is PSG's Matuidi. The defensive midfielder is particularly strong with his high work rate making him one of the most energetic midfielders in the France side. The reason he needs to come to the Premier League is to build on this and be breaking down some of the best players in the world who are playing in the Premier League. With the potential exit of Nemanja Matic at Chelsea I feel Matuidi would be the perfect replacement and would fit in well at Chelsea. His ability to breakdown play and find key passes would be essential next to a more creative Cesc Fabregas and the pairing could be a great one.
France look favourites to win this years European Championships, but looking on from that it would be great to see some of their squad gracing the Premier League next season or in seasons to come. Hopefully some moves go through which improve the Premier League, as it needs a return to former glory, and some of the players coming in could aid towards that.
Thursday 7 July 2016
Review on exit: Gareth Bale
Last night we saw Wales leave Euro 2016 in the Semi final stage, after a magnificent performance from them. One of their stand out performers has been Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale who impressed from the start with 3 goals in his first 3 group games, but just how good was his tournament ?
Bale came out with intent from the off getting a goal from a free kick against Slovakia. It was from then that we knew Wales weren't just coming to make up the numbers, Gareth had helped his side to being top of the group after one game after England's draw with Russia. This boosted Welsh confidence massively as it proved that the Welsh could do it. They went on to finish top of the group with Bale getting another 2 huge goals for his side, and his presence on the pitch was giving hope to the players and fans alike. It almost seemed like seeing him on their side made the Wales players want to play better.
His tournament wasn't a complete success however, at some times he struggled, not really through fault of his own but sometimes he went unnoticed because of the ability that the Welsh team had. Every player was passionate and up for the challenge and Chris Colemans tactics were spot on throughout the tournament ! This took away from Bale as an individual as the nation began to comment on the strength and passion of their team,
There is no questioning Bales desire, he is as is evident incredibly proud to be Welsh and he puts his heart and soul into it. It's fair to say he had a fantastic tournament and him and his team probably deserved to go all the way to the final, they were stopped however by w strong Semi final performance from Portugal and no criticism should be made of their display, they had a fantastic unexpected run and it really helps the nation, things are looking bright now for the future of Wales FC.
Bale came out with intent from the off getting a goal from a free kick against Slovakia. It was from then that we knew Wales weren't just coming to make up the numbers, Gareth had helped his side to being top of the group after one game after England's draw with Russia. This boosted Welsh confidence massively as it proved that the Welsh could do it. They went on to finish top of the group with Bale getting another 2 huge goals for his side, and his presence on the pitch was giving hope to the players and fans alike. It almost seemed like seeing him on their side made the Wales players want to play better.
His tournament wasn't a complete success however, at some times he struggled, not really through fault of his own but sometimes he went unnoticed because of the ability that the Welsh team had. Every player was passionate and up for the challenge and Chris Colemans tactics were spot on throughout the tournament ! This took away from Bale as an individual as the nation began to comment on the strength and passion of their team,
There is no questioning Bales desire, he is as is evident incredibly proud to be Welsh and he puts his heart and soul into it. It's fair to say he had a fantastic tournament and him and his team probably deserved to go all the way to the final, they were stopped however by w strong Semi final performance from Portugal and no criticism should be made of their display, they had a fantastic unexpected run and it really helps the nation, things are looking bright now for the future of Wales FC.
Wednesday 6 July 2016
Euro 2016: Wales V Portugal preview: The verge of something Special.
We've made it this far. The semi finals of Euro 2016 are to kick off tonight with Wales in action against Portugal, after nearly a month of football we are nearly reaching the end. I'm going to be taking a look at both teams chances of winning, before the big game tonight.
1.Wales
We all know their story, and what a fantastic one it is too. They're coming in to uncharted territory now having made this Semi Final and will be looking to progress even further against a weakened Portugal side. They go into the game without Aaron Ramsey which could be a huge blow for their chances and I guess tonight we shall see just how vital he is for them. They must rely on Gareth Bale to light up the pitch tonight as they could struggle if he is having an off day. As has been proven however, Wales are far from a 2 man team, they have strength all over the pitch and everyone will be looking to perform to send their country through to the final. They have arguably one of the most passionate sides ever seen by a home nation, and have really set new boundaries for any of the home nations for tournaments to come.
So, How can they win it?
For me Wales must simply keep doing what they have been doing if they are going to win, and that's sticking to the game plan. Coleman has managed his tactics tremendously so far this tournament and his players trust him. So tonight they will be looking to play good football in at their feet when they need it, defending as a defensive and midfield unit, and looking for Bale as an outlet to begin to create chances for a Wales side capable of doing damage.
2.Portugal
Surprisingly, not being outright favourites for this game, I feel Portugal have nothing to fear tonight. They have done extremely well to be in the position they are after an unconvincing tournament, but all it could take is one strong performance tonight and they've made it to the final. I think we are all expecting something big off Christiano Ronaldo and for me if he wants to show he is the best, he must perform on the biggest stage. Winning this tournament would mean a lot to him as he is an incredibly passionate player. Portugal do not however just rely on him, they have an incredibly strong midfield and a defence capable of stopping Wales in their tracks, before this tournament began they would be out and out favourites to win this game, but as Wales have shown their strength, and Portugal haven't been playing their best football, things are different.
How can Portugal win?
One important thing which could help Portugal is if they Started Quaresma, he hasn't had the most play time in this tournament but when he has featured he has looked sharp and dangerous, and has come out with real intent to cause problems. I think this is Portugal's chance. I think that tonight they will come out and finally arrive at this tournament with a great footballing display, if not, serious questions have to be asked of their managerial staff. If you can't perform at this level you don't deserve to get to this level, especially for some of the World class players Portugal have.
Overall I do not think this game is out of Wales reach, both teams could win and it should be an exciting fixture. Portugal will be looking to silence critics and a good performance for them is vital, its what everyone wants to see, because to many at the moment it doesn't look like they deserve to be where they are. Good luck to Wales and good luck to Portugal, lets hope for plenty of goals.
1.Wales
We all know their story, and what a fantastic one it is too. They're coming in to uncharted territory now having made this Semi Final and will be looking to progress even further against a weakened Portugal side. They go into the game without Aaron Ramsey which could be a huge blow for their chances and I guess tonight we shall see just how vital he is for them. They must rely on Gareth Bale to light up the pitch tonight as they could struggle if he is having an off day. As has been proven however, Wales are far from a 2 man team, they have strength all over the pitch and everyone will be looking to perform to send their country through to the final. They have arguably one of the most passionate sides ever seen by a home nation, and have really set new boundaries for any of the home nations for tournaments to come.
So, How can they win it?
For me Wales must simply keep doing what they have been doing if they are going to win, and that's sticking to the game plan. Coleman has managed his tactics tremendously so far this tournament and his players trust him. So tonight they will be looking to play good football in at their feet when they need it, defending as a defensive and midfield unit, and looking for Bale as an outlet to begin to create chances for a Wales side capable of doing damage.
2.Portugal
Surprisingly, not being outright favourites for this game, I feel Portugal have nothing to fear tonight. They have done extremely well to be in the position they are after an unconvincing tournament, but all it could take is one strong performance tonight and they've made it to the final. I think we are all expecting something big off Christiano Ronaldo and for me if he wants to show he is the best, he must perform on the biggest stage. Winning this tournament would mean a lot to him as he is an incredibly passionate player. Portugal do not however just rely on him, they have an incredibly strong midfield and a defence capable of stopping Wales in their tracks, before this tournament began they would be out and out favourites to win this game, but as Wales have shown their strength, and Portugal haven't been playing their best football, things are different.
How can Portugal win?
One important thing which could help Portugal is if they Started Quaresma, he hasn't had the most play time in this tournament but when he has featured he has looked sharp and dangerous, and has come out with real intent to cause problems. I think this is Portugal's chance. I think that tonight they will come out and finally arrive at this tournament with a great footballing display, if not, serious questions have to be asked of their managerial staff. If you can't perform at this level you don't deserve to get to this level, especially for some of the World class players Portugal have.
Overall I do not think this game is out of Wales reach, both teams could win and it should be an exciting fixture. Portugal will be looking to silence critics and a good performance for them is vital, its what everyone wants to see, because to many at the moment it doesn't look like they deserve to be where they are. Good luck to Wales and good luck to Portugal, lets hope for plenty of goals.
Tuesday 5 July 2016
Manchester United: Why it won't be plain sailing for the Special One.
The arrival of Mourinho has led to many people speculating big things for Manchester United, some fans hinting at challenging for the title. It won't be easy for United however, they have really struggled since the departure of Alex Ferguson and haven't really filled that gap yet with someone capable of what he spent so long building up. Mourinho will find it hard, and here's why.
1. The Premier League is changing
If there is one thing we have seen from Transfers so far this season it is that The Premier League is having an overhaul. I think this is going to be the biggest window yet for Premier League clubs, with huge amounts of money already being spent on top players. Manchester United have began to build and spend too but even clubs like Crystal Palace are throwing huge bids on high profile players, which you usually wouldn't see because of the big TV deal coming into place for this campaign. It should make for an incredibly exciting season with many teams with much higher quality, meaning there could possibly be another surprise winner come next May. All of this means Mourinho may not be used to such competitive games every fixture, and he could struggle with this, like he did in his short time at Chelsea last season.
2. Plenty of Special Ones this season
Another thing for Mourinho to consider and Manchester United fans to think about is some of the names which will be managing in the Premier League next season. There's Guardiola in charge of a very strong City side, Conte buidling a Chelsea outfit to challenge for the title, Klopp's first full season at Liverpool, and the ever present ever Stubborn Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. 4 top managers who will be putting their all into securing Champions League football and competing for the title itself. That is without thinking about last years Champions Leicester and a young Tottenham side who are capable of great things. Mourinho needs to be careful with what he promises because the strength in depth in the Premier League this coming season is going to be incredible, and no team will be taking it lightly.
3. His squad
Another thing for Mourinho to consider is his team, which obviously he will be on top of. It isn't looking particularly strong at the moment even with new additions who may struggle to adapt to the fat pace of the Premier League. If you ask me, this is going to be Ibrahimovic's toughest test, and i don' think hes up to it personally. Time will tell. United really do need to sort out a jumbled team with a variety of players playing out of position. They need a structure and a game plan which they haven't clearly had for a few seasons now. Hopefully Mourinho has one, and can restore United to their former glory, but it wont be easy.
Overall I really would like to see Manchester United restored and go on to win the Premier League, but I think they are a long way from that at the moment and have a lot of work to do. If they could possibly do that within a season it would be fantastic, but unfortunately I cant see them doing so! only time will tell and we can see just how good Mourinho really is with probably his toughest challenge yet.
1. The Premier League is changing
If there is one thing we have seen from Transfers so far this season it is that The Premier League is having an overhaul. I think this is going to be the biggest window yet for Premier League clubs, with huge amounts of money already being spent on top players. Manchester United have began to build and spend too but even clubs like Crystal Palace are throwing huge bids on high profile players, which you usually wouldn't see because of the big TV deal coming into place for this campaign. It should make for an incredibly exciting season with many teams with much higher quality, meaning there could possibly be another surprise winner come next May. All of this means Mourinho may not be used to such competitive games every fixture, and he could struggle with this, like he did in his short time at Chelsea last season.
2. Plenty of Special Ones this season
Another thing for Mourinho to consider and Manchester United fans to think about is some of the names which will be managing in the Premier League next season. There's Guardiola in charge of a very strong City side, Conte buidling a Chelsea outfit to challenge for the title, Klopp's first full season at Liverpool, and the ever present ever Stubborn Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. 4 top managers who will be putting their all into securing Champions League football and competing for the title itself. That is without thinking about last years Champions Leicester and a young Tottenham side who are capable of great things. Mourinho needs to be careful with what he promises because the strength in depth in the Premier League this coming season is going to be incredible, and no team will be taking it lightly.
3. His squad
Another thing for Mourinho to consider is his team, which obviously he will be on top of. It isn't looking particularly strong at the moment even with new additions who may struggle to adapt to the fat pace of the Premier League. If you ask me, this is going to be Ibrahimovic's toughest test, and i don' think hes up to it personally. Time will tell. United really do need to sort out a jumbled team with a variety of players playing out of position. They need a structure and a game plan which they haven't clearly had for a few seasons now. Hopefully Mourinho has one, and can restore United to their former glory, but it wont be easy.
Overall I really would like to see Manchester United restored and go on to win the Premier League, but I think they are a long way from that at the moment and have a lot of work to do. If they could possibly do that within a season it would be fantastic, but unfortunately I cant see them doing so! only time will tell and we can see just how good Mourinho really is with probably his toughest challenge yet.
Monday 4 July 2016
BPL transfers so far, a big season?
We have been treated to some huge signings already this transfer window as many clubs are looking to be doing business early, but just who of the big names stand out so far ? And who is going to be contender for player of the season come next May ? Let's take a look at what's been going on.
1.Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Manchester United have been notably busy already this window making two signings, the one I've chosen to focus is Mkhitaryan, who United signed from Borussia Dortmund. The wide player could be of incredible importance to Mourinho's plans next season as he is the sort of player Jose would like. In ways he is similar to Edin Hazard and ex Chelsea star Arjen Robben, as he is the sort of winger who runs at defenders at great pace and like to come inside and shoot, most known for his great dribbling he can threaten any defence and I'm sure will do so. I do struggle however to see how he's going to adapt to this United team, obviously Mourinho will make more changes but at the moment I feel we're still looking at a confused Van Gaal style side, where wingers haven't been the best performers and there has been more emphasis on how good De Gea is in goal. I think Mkhitaryan may struggle to adapt to the Premier League early on but has the potential to be a special player for the special one, let's hope he settles quickly and can show us all his talent.
2.Ilkay Gundogan
Another Dortmund player moving to Manchester, but this time to the blue side. Gundogan was Pep Guardiola's first signing as the new City boss, and with the potential departure of YaYa Toure you can see why they may have wanted to sign him. He is a strong midfielder with a great engine and the ability to work hard in midfield. He has a good eye to pick out a pass and should fit Well into a very strong City midfield dominated with big names. He is a player who I can see fitting into the City squad very easily and for a player of his midfield ability he should adapt to life in the Premier League very quickly and I think he will hit the ground running.
3. Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea only yesterday secured the signing of Marseille Striker Batshuayi, and costing just over 30 million I feel he could be a great addition to a Chelsea attack who looked stuck at times during last season. There is now some huge competition for Spanish striker Diego Costa which has been needed as his form has dipped. This could be a huge season for the pair. The thing I like about Batshuayi is he is strong but he doesn't struggle to get around the pitch, he is also only incredibly young and could be a huge asset to Chelsea in the up and coming seasons. Around his team mates at Chelsea I can see him settling in well as some of the talent they have they will be able to assist him and this combined with his ability means he shouldn't struggle finding the net.
Overall I think with all of the money coming into the Premier League this season we should be in for one huge campaign. Every club involved is going to be spending big money to compete with each other, and we should expect many more big names coming to the Premier League before this window is out. Let's look forward to all who come in, and hope next years Premier League season is the best yet.
1.Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Manchester United have been notably busy already this window making two signings, the one I've chosen to focus is Mkhitaryan, who United signed from Borussia Dortmund. The wide player could be of incredible importance to Mourinho's plans next season as he is the sort of player Jose would like. In ways he is similar to Edin Hazard and ex Chelsea star Arjen Robben, as he is the sort of winger who runs at defenders at great pace and like to come inside and shoot, most known for his great dribbling he can threaten any defence and I'm sure will do so. I do struggle however to see how he's going to adapt to this United team, obviously Mourinho will make more changes but at the moment I feel we're still looking at a confused Van Gaal style side, where wingers haven't been the best performers and there has been more emphasis on how good De Gea is in goal. I think Mkhitaryan may struggle to adapt to the Premier League early on but has the potential to be a special player for the special one, let's hope he settles quickly and can show us all his talent.
2.Ilkay Gundogan
Another Dortmund player moving to Manchester, but this time to the blue side. Gundogan was Pep Guardiola's first signing as the new City boss, and with the potential departure of YaYa Toure you can see why they may have wanted to sign him. He is a strong midfielder with a great engine and the ability to work hard in midfield. He has a good eye to pick out a pass and should fit Well into a very strong City midfield dominated with big names. He is a player who I can see fitting into the City squad very easily and for a player of his midfield ability he should adapt to life in the Premier League very quickly and I think he will hit the ground running.
3. Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea only yesterday secured the signing of Marseille Striker Batshuayi, and costing just over 30 million I feel he could be a great addition to a Chelsea attack who looked stuck at times during last season. There is now some huge competition for Spanish striker Diego Costa which has been needed as his form has dipped. This could be a huge season for the pair. The thing I like about Batshuayi is he is strong but he doesn't struggle to get around the pitch, he is also only incredibly young and could be a huge asset to Chelsea in the up and coming seasons. Around his team mates at Chelsea I can see him settling in well as some of the talent they have they will be able to assist him and this combined with his ability means he shouldn't struggle finding the net.
Overall I think with all of the money coming into the Premier League this season we should be in for one huge campaign. Every club involved is going to be spending big money to compete with each other, and we should expect many more big names coming to the Premier League before this window is out. Let's look forward to all who come in, and hope next years Premier League season is the best yet.
Saturday 2 July 2016
Germany through, why is German football thriving at the moment?
With Germany through to the Semi Finals of Euro 2016, I'm going to be taking a look at one of the main reasons that their side thrives, their youth system. I'm going to be taking a look deeper into how their youth system works and what we can learn from it. Germany have some of the forests young talents in the world and they appear to keep on producing, let's see how they do it.
The DFB
The DFB is the German football association, and they have helped tremendously in providing young stars for the German national side. Their changes all began after a poor performance in Euro 2000 which saw Germany finish bottom of their group. They therefore decided to go back and develop their youth system in an attempt to better the quality of younger players breaking into their side. The way the DFB did this is by introducing a talent development program in 2003 which was set up in 366 areas of Germany and was ran by nearly 1000 volunteers, and it was aimed to improve the skill and technical ability of 8-14 year olds showing potential to be some of the worlds next best players. Since this time the talent development program has worked with over half of the German national side, showing the positive impact of this work at a young age. They do not help anyone whoever and it must be the elite who are scouted. Every volunteer of the 1000 for example must be a trained uefa B level coach, and must scout the players as well as train them to become Germany's next stars.
The number of high level coaches Germany has is phenomenal in comparison to the likes of England and is worth comparing, Germany have around 30,000 uefa B level coaches compared to England 5000 and have around 1500 coaches with a pro license compared to England's 150, so obviously there is a larger number of young players getting much better coaching. The system is also completely contrasting to England's as England let clubs scout and sign and train players to pick for the national side, whereas Germany train their players nationally and then let clubs scout from that stage of their development, meaning the players are much more aware and dedicated to their national team as its a mean of them being successful , rather than English players who may know they have a good club to fall back on if their international career doesn't flourish.
The other important thing to consider is money, bringing though your own talented players is much cheaper than spending huge amounts of money on overseas stars, which is what Premier League clubs tend to do, in the bundesliga around 50% of players are homegrown and this isn't the most in Europe with the Netherlands Eredivisie on 68.5 % but still it is better than England who sit lowest out of the 6 major European leagues with 36.5% of players playing at clubs being homegrown. This stat alone shows that it is no wonder England are so commonly underperforming on the international stage.
Overall Germany's improvements to youth football have incredibly improved results ! And England should certainly slowly move towards making these huge changes to their footballing system ! Germany are on course to win another Euros title ! And fair play to them, the turn around they have made since 2000 is phenomenal.
The DFB
The DFB is the German football association, and they have helped tremendously in providing young stars for the German national side. Their changes all began after a poor performance in Euro 2000 which saw Germany finish bottom of their group. They therefore decided to go back and develop their youth system in an attempt to better the quality of younger players breaking into their side. The way the DFB did this is by introducing a talent development program in 2003 which was set up in 366 areas of Germany and was ran by nearly 1000 volunteers, and it was aimed to improve the skill and technical ability of 8-14 year olds showing potential to be some of the worlds next best players. Since this time the talent development program has worked with over half of the German national side, showing the positive impact of this work at a young age. They do not help anyone whoever and it must be the elite who are scouted. Every volunteer of the 1000 for example must be a trained uefa B level coach, and must scout the players as well as train them to become Germany's next stars.
The number of high level coaches Germany has is phenomenal in comparison to the likes of England and is worth comparing, Germany have around 30,000 uefa B level coaches compared to England 5000 and have around 1500 coaches with a pro license compared to England's 150, so obviously there is a larger number of young players getting much better coaching. The system is also completely contrasting to England's as England let clubs scout and sign and train players to pick for the national side, whereas Germany train their players nationally and then let clubs scout from that stage of their development, meaning the players are much more aware and dedicated to their national team as its a mean of them being successful , rather than English players who may know they have a good club to fall back on if their international career doesn't flourish.
The other important thing to consider is money, bringing though your own talented players is much cheaper than spending huge amounts of money on overseas stars, which is what Premier League clubs tend to do, in the bundesliga around 50% of players are homegrown and this isn't the most in Europe with the Netherlands Eredivisie on 68.5 % but still it is better than England who sit lowest out of the 6 major European leagues with 36.5% of players playing at clubs being homegrown. This stat alone shows that it is no wonder England are so commonly underperforming on the international stage.
Overall Germany's improvements to youth football have incredibly improved results ! And England should certainly slowly move towards making these huge changes to their footballing system ! Germany are on course to win another Euros title ! And fair play to them, the turn around they have made since 2000 is phenomenal.
What can England learn from Wales?
Yesterday we saw Wales progress into the semi-final of Euro 2016. They shocked us all in beating Belgium 3-1 and showed us all how dedicated and committed they are to this tournament. Playing every match with an energy fuelled on passion and love for their country. Something English players need to learn, lets take a look at what Wales can teach England and English football.
1. It's not about stars or money
Yes obviously Wales have Gareth Bale, one of the best players in the world right now, but he is only one player in a squad which isn't packed with world class talent. Neither is England's but the difference comes when players in the Wales squad are picked for their ability and form rather than their name or how they can possibly play if they had a good day. For example Ashley Williams. He has been playing well in a struggling team all season. Swansea had a rough ride this season and Williams if English would be nowhere near the England set up if he were English. Coleman however, knew he was strong and gave him a chance. Look at players like Danny Drinkwater and Mark Noble, all season they've put in the work, shown their passion and desire for football and are picked ahead of Jack Wilshere who I do like but has only played 141 minutes of football all season, and hasn't done anything notable in those minutes anyway. Players like Daniel Sturridge who okay has been scoring goals but had a large amount of the season out through injury. Wales seem to pick players who have shown they want to play for their country and they deserve to, rather than anyone available.
2. Tactics
What I mean by this is, Wales had a game plan. Every player knows what each others role is and are used to playing in the position they are placed in. England kept experimenting and it wasn't working. Poor tactics introduced by Hodgson including a leading poacher style goal scorer being put on corners, and this was just the beginning. Wales know they're strengths and they play to them, England use a policy of 'try this and hope' and 'if that doesn't work bring all the strikers on' Which isn't the way to approach things. The new England manager needs a system, a plan, the best plan which he should see from watching his players at club level and during training sessions.
3. Don't hold back
Look at Wales, when they beat Belgium yesterday they didn't sit on a one goal cushion, they came out and secured the win with another goal. This is another thing England are incapable of doing. After going 1-0 up against an incapable Russia side, everyone sat back and invited pressure, we even bought on Milner because 'we were in control' at 1-0. Everyone has been saying it but it is just ridiculous how at 1-0 you can be in control of a football match. Wales played football, and tried to score as many as they could, which is what England needed to do, not sit on any 1 goal lead.
Overall its frustrating for England fans as nothing can be changed now, and it's also frustrating to sit and watch Wales do so well. Fair play to them they are really proving what a good passionate team can do and they could cause an upset. If they do it will be incredible! Credit to everyone involved at With Wales. As for England, things need to change and be sorted out and fast, not just in the national squad, but the fact English players are twice the price of overseas players is also ridiculous. These issues need to be addressed, and soon, before English football becomes worse than a 2-1 defeat to Iceland.
1. It's not about stars or money
Yes obviously Wales have Gareth Bale, one of the best players in the world right now, but he is only one player in a squad which isn't packed with world class talent. Neither is England's but the difference comes when players in the Wales squad are picked for their ability and form rather than their name or how they can possibly play if they had a good day. For example Ashley Williams. He has been playing well in a struggling team all season. Swansea had a rough ride this season and Williams if English would be nowhere near the England set up if he were English. Coleman however, knew he was strong and gave him a chance. Look at players like Danny Drinkwater and Mark Noble, all season they've put in the work, shown their passion and desire for football and are picked ahead of Jack Wilshere who I do like but has only played 141 minutes of football all season, and hasn't done anything notable in those minutes anyway. Players like Daniel Sturridge who okay has been scoring goals but had a large amount of the season out through injury. Wales seem to pick players who have shown they want to play for their country and they deserve to, rather than anyone available.
2. Tactics
What I mean by this is, Wales had a game plan. Every player knows what each others role is and are used to playing in the position they are placed in. England kept experimenting and it wasn't working. Poor tactics introduced by Hodgson including a leading poacher style goal scorer being put on corners, and this was just the beginning. Wales know they're strengths and they play to them, England use a policy of 'try this and hope' and 'if that doesn't work bring all the strikers on' Which isn't the way to approach things. The new England manager needs a system, a plan, the best plan which he should see from watching his players at club level and during training sessions.
3. Don't hold back
Look at Wales, when they beat Belgium yesterday they didn't sit on a one goal cushion, they came out and secured the win with another goal. This is another thing England are incapable of doing. After going 1-0 up against an incapable Russia side, everyone sat back and invited pressure, we even bought on Milner because 'we were in control' at 1-0. Everyone has been saying it but it is just ridiculous how at 1-0 you can be in control of a football match. Wales played football, and tried to score as many as they could, which is what England needed to do, not sit on any 1 goal lead.
Overall its frustrating for England fans as nothing can be changed now, and it's also frustrating to sit and watch Wales do so well. Fair play to them they are really proving what a good passionate team can do and they could cause an upset. If they do it will be incredible! Credit to everyone involved at With Wales. As for England, things need to change and be sorted out and fast, not just in the national squad, but the fact English players are twice the price of overseas players is also ridiculous. These issues need to be addressed, and soon, before English football becomes worse than a 2-1 defeat to Iceland.
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