esmer":2bxraj1y said:It was a rhetorical question but I would point out that our record in the World cup has been dismal since it's inception in 1930, way before the Premier League came into being.up_the_line":2bxraj1y said:esmer":2bxraj1y said:You don't have to "adopt" a team to love the Premier League. Every week of the season we are served up a feast of top quality football featuring the best players in the world. What's not to like about it?up_the_line":2bxraj1y said:There is no English Mentality issue.
There is an England Experience issue.
The squad had very in the way of personnel with real big, later stage, tournament.
Similarly, notably the (slight) error for the winning goal was that of a player (Stones), who is a bit part player for his domestic team.
This has been picked up on another thread, but England don't just have to play against another XI, they have to struggle against a domestic league that provides scant opportunity for young English players to cut their teeth in high-level football. A number of last night's players had spent time out on loan at lower league teams whilst their parent clubs employ an import in their position. Some of them have had arduous pathways back into top flight football after being previously discarded. The positive is that people from around the nation identified with the players more, the negative is that they are several stages behind their opponents who learn their trade in league (most obviously our own) and European competition against the best.
The 90s and the advent of Sky, pumping their glamorous product into houses across the country almost incessantly reduced the need to wait 4 years for a chance of football glory. It means legions of armchair supporters who can watch their 'adopted' team almost continually without every having to brave Merseyside or Moss Side. They can bask in the neon glory of their superstars on weekly basis - who needs England every 4 years when you can watch the Gooners put 4 past Stoke or Swansea or West Brom? These glory-hunters (there is no other term) fund Sky, who fund the Premier league teams and that money has attracted the wealthiest of the wealthy to further bask in their own glory and further expand the already bloated transfer kitties of the top tier.
And because their 'consumers' demand to see their team sweep up all silverware in their wake so that they have bragging rights at the local these clubs are under pressure to fill their team photos with the very best, ready made, winners. This means a constant European merry-go round of players. And whilst this includes the brightest domestic prospects being hoovered up by the top clubs, unless Joe Bloggs from Bridlington makes an instant, heroic success in his 3 minute Carabo Cup outing, he'll be farmed out top the likes of Plymouth Argyle to play against the trundling meathead journeymen hoofers of the lower divisions.
Take The Guardian's transfer round-up today: https://www.theguardian.com/football/20 ... dy-chelsea - expect to see the potential future England players phased out even more this season.
I'd bet a hefty wedge that the reaction from plastics around the country when two 'non-prem' players scored against England last night was an immediate 'when are my adopted team bidding for him?!'
I think the Premier League and the Champions League are far more important than a once every four years tournament in which we have failed dismally since it's inception; apart from three notable exceptions (1966, 1990 and this year)
You didn't read my post otherwise you'd have the answer. What's not to like about the 'Product league'? The fact that through the constant pursuit for customers and money the 'Product league' deprives potential future England players of a meaningful football upbringing. So many have faltered in their development after being swallowed up by the big clubs. There's not much beyond the squad that we took in the way of regular top-flight English starters - Southgate took just about the only collection of players he could assemble and, because English talent, playing regularly is at such a premium in an import swamped league he's had to put square pegs in round holes - Walker at CB, Young at LB
'Dismal'? I heard a rumour we won it once. Could be wrong. Quarters in 86 and 70, semis in 90. Hardly dismal. If you love the Premier League so much go join the other bandwagon jumpers, get your Liverpool shirt and sky package. Same teams winning it and in top 5 every season, i.e. those with most money - wow that's fun isn't it?