Depressing Football Fact

By Bill on Monday 12 February 2007 at 10:53

The following is taken from a BBC article highlighting the lack of talent coming out of the North East (previously including the talent of Gazza, Waddle and Beardsley)

“Trevor Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development, highlights the issue as a national problem, and not simply a north east one.

Just over 40% of all starting line-ups in the Premier League are English, said Brooking.

'In Italy, they're up to 70% now. Spain and France are at 60%. It's down to us to raise that level.'”

Depressing stat, is it not?

8 comments:

On Monday 12 February 2007 at 12:03, Mark B said:

The way our national team play, I'm surprised we haven't just chucked the whole thing in and invented something else we can be best at for a few years (before everyone else catches up).

Seriously, watching England is so boring that I don't see why anyone would feel inspired to take up the game and try to become better. There's no-one to look up to, apart from all the foreign superstars who keep flooding in.

Plus most of our teenagers would rather play XBox and then go and get pissed - but if I had a go at them for that it would be a tad hypocritical Smile

On Monday 12 February 2007 at 14:58, billybean said:

We need to invent the 'Get Pissed and Play Pro Evo 6 on Xbox Live, World Cup'.

On Monday 12 February 2007 at 21:24, Matt said:

I see that differently - I think it can be attributed to: the high demand for English footballing talent around the globe; and the reputation of the English Premiership drawing in the best players in the world. Which is excellent for club football.

But it would be nice to be able to put a decent international team together.

On Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 18:03, stu said:

michael carrick, stewart downing, steven taylor (when he's not getting sent off), lee cattermole (he's shit hot), jonathan woodgate (played for madrid for fuck's sake), james milner (who I believe is keeping your european hopes alive), all the rest of the middlesbrough youth team - there's loads of them bill, and there all young. if it werent for the scousers, it'd be the area that produces some of the best players. Did you just put this up to piss me off? An I don't reckon its the team - its the dreary dreary manager. And Chelsea - they are always to blame.

On Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 18:04, pablo said:

It cant be because of demand for english footballing talent around the world, cause theres only about 5 playing outside of the premiership.

On Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 18:16, billybean said:

Don't have a go at me, Stu. I just thought it was an interesting story. Sorry for bothering.

You're right about Milner, though. I don't know why he wasn't playing last week. He can cross like Beckham AND run at the same time.

On Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 19:09, stu said:

wasnt having a go bill - just saying theres loads of them, and scousers, mancs, cockneys and brummies and all other massive regional areas we just hire wankers to make a shit team out of them. milners the classic case - why is shaun wright phillips playing for england when he plays 2 minutes a season at chelsea, and milner is not when he is single handledly pushing newcastle towards europe - although i'll have a fiver sez we pip you to it - what you say?

On Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 19:58, billybean said:

I'll take that bet but lets make it whoever finishes higher.

In fact, I was offering that bet several weeks ago when we were still in the bottom half.

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