Is the Premier League Destroying England?

A new start for the national team and big money spent on English talent all points to signs of positivity for the national team

As the dust settles on the transfer window it appears that the media and Premier League are celebrating the fact that the money spent this summer has smashed the previous record. Over £800m has been spent by Premier League clubs, an astronomical amount of money. However we hear no talk of frivolous behaviour, of unsustainable actions? No, this is somehow celebrated as an achievement. 

Sky appear to give themselves a deserved pat on the back for their billion pound TV deal which has helped clubs exceed their transfer spending power. Yet it is not just Sky which has helped these clubs find excessive amounts of money; sponsorship deals have become exceedingly lucrative as the market and commercial value of the Premier League reaches ever new heights. Man Utd and Arsenal have benefited from these deals, while Man City and Chelsea have the backing of billionaires to fund their spending might. All this is done in the light of Financial Fair Play, FFP, which is supposed to make clubs more sustainable and prudent in the market, this summer would prove this is not the case. All FFP has done is increase the demand for extra revenue to justify excessive spending.

While the league has added very talented players to its ‘roster’, this blog cannot help but look at the pressure put on the England national team. In this article we will look at whether this summer has been a positive for England’s future or whether it is another nail in the demise of the national team.

This past summer saw England knocked out of the World Cup after just two games. It was supposed to be a 'new era' for England, the end of the Golden Generation and the start of something new. But it turned out to be the teams worst performance at a World Cup for over 50 years!

With the retirement of Gerrard and Lampard post World Cup, two players who although have not perhaps been used effectively  by England, are still top quality players, appears to have left a void to fill. Perhaps the Golden Generation failed to reach the expectations put on them, but at least you could see the quality in the team. 

One has to look at this new generation with a type of blind positivity, yes we have some emerging talent, yet make no doubt about it, Roy Hodgson is almost starting from scratch. Looking at the England squad for the upcoming fixtures we see the inclusion of names like Colback, Delph and Rose. These are players who many would’ve felt lacking in the sufficient quality to play for their national side. However, it does appear to point towards a worrying trend, the lack of options to Roy Hodgson. Or does it?

Being English not valued

While the transfer window has been dominated with the money spent on Di Maria, Falcao, Sanchez, Costa and Fabregas, many have neglected to see that English players have not been neglected, in fact they have been favoured, and this trend has been rising in recent seasons. 

We can say that is a new start for the England national team, however let us firstly address the problems we face in the Premier League; notably Manchester City and Chelsea. I am not going to say these are doing anything wrong, these sides are striving to succeed both in the league and in Europe, both have the money to make their ambitions a reality and (unfortunately) both Mourinho and Pellegrini see more quality and value in foreign players over English players. 

Of the two squads only four English players have genuine opportunities of playing; Joe Hart, James Milner, Gary Cahill and John Terry. Of these 25 man squads (50 players in total) there are only four possible England potentials, and when we discount Terry, and take into account the lack of starting chances Milner has, we see only two players who are genuine starters and main stays in England’s top two teams. This is very worrying. 

However while the rules do not stop sides making this a reality, while the home grown is ambiguous and allowing of foreign players and while there is no quota to restrict clubs neglecting domestic talent, clubs will act according to their belief and wishes. 

In the case of Chelsea and City, who ironically and arguably have the best youth Academies in England, the opportunities for English talent to emerge is limited. Those who have tried have often failed and their career post Chelsea/City has not been positive; the list of Wright-Philips, Joe Cole, Scott Parker, Steve Sidwell, Jack Rodwell, Adam Johnson and Scott Sinclair are just some examples of those who moved for big money (and big wages) yet failed to make an impact and ended up being reserves which stunted their development. 

Were these players bought to fill quotas rather than be regarded as genuine members of the team, or did they decide a lucrative wage was better than playing? Or was it a case of not been of ultimately not been of the required standard? All three are a factor I feel. However what this window has proven is that ultimately the key for any player is to be valued by the coach, to have a ‘worth’.

A positive window for England?

English football is in the hands of a Frenchman and a Northern Irishman. In Arsene Wenger and Brendan Rodgers English football’s future lies. This summer we have seen several English players move to these Champions League sides, and we have seen in recent seasons a true value and worth given to domestic players by these coaches. Thanks to these two men English football’s future is not as worrying as it appears. 

Although this blog has been critical of both Wenger (still has doubts) and Rodgers (has pleasingly proved this blog’s doubts wrong) there is no doubt that both men feel inclined to embrace domestic players, not just to fill quotas or help the squad’s depth but to genuinely build their starting team around young English talent. 

Arsenal have Gibbs, Chamberlain, Wilshere, Walcott and now Chambers and Welbeck all part of the first team set up. For Chambers and Welbeck they will have the advantages of playing regular first team football as well as being in the Champions League. This will unquestionably help their development and progression as footballers and will thus help the national team.

As for Liverpool we have seen the burgeoning talent of Sturridge and Sterling reaching heights which many did not think possible, both thriving from the opportunity and support which Rodgers have provided them. Their movement, intelligence and skill levels point to a very positive future for these players, as well as them being key players for club and country for years to come. Add in to that Jordan Henderson’s progress under Rodgers, as well as the new arrivals of Adam Lallana and Ricky Lambert and we see good players moving to a top club who are challenging for the title and playing in Europe. 

Rodgers has sought to build his side around young English players, seeing in them a value and worth which other coaches in the league neglect. He has either paid high prices (Lallana) or found great value (Sturridge/Lambert) or embraced youth (Sterling/Henderson) and has thrived on the back of this. Ultimately he has wanted these domestic players in his side. And it comes down to his philosophy as a coach, and fortunately for England he see’s, like Wenger, a need and perhaps responsibility to have English players in his team.

A model for success and sustainability

Alex Ferguson was the same while at United. He wanted English players in his team because they knew the league, knew the culture and importantly allowed the fans to have an affiliation with the players. The fact an Academy player has been part of United's first team XI for so many consecutive games is proof of his beliefs and philosophy. 

And yet United have come to a crossroads; post-Ferguson has saw added financial investment, more sponsors, those who want more commercial value from the club. Is this why United have sought to bring in ‘big names’, something Ferguson decided against for a long time. United have embraced the modern game and are playing the game like a big game player does. Yet will this come at the expense of young English talent of which they are famous for? 

Although they have a coach in van Gaal who values youth and strives to embrace and develop these players, he also has an expectation to succeed and pressure to achieve. It appears United needed to spend vast money on proven talent now. Short term this is a disadvantage for youth, yet long term this is the model which will bring out the best from youth players. 

Look across at the dominant sides of the past several years, Barca and Bayern and we see a mix between recruiting world class talent; Ronaldinho, Deco, Eto’o and Henry at Bayern, and Ribery, Robben, Neuer and Martinez at Bayern and you see a trend and model which works; blend world class players with up and coming youth players. Long term this model will work for United and we will see the promising talent of United’s youth players benefit from the quality in the first team. United have not forsaken English players, they spent £30m on Luke Shaw! But they see a need to have greater quality in their side, to help them in the short and benefit the long term. 

The key is to play, not matter how much the pay

However in the case of Danny Welbeck he had to move in order to further his career, he needed to play more, and while there were rumours of him moving to mid-table Premier League sides, the fact he has found a move to Arsenal is excellent for his development. He will excel under Wenger playing weekly (at least until Giroud returns). 

As for Tom Cleverley he has made a massive error of judgement in not moving to either Everton or Aston Villa. While Everton only wanted a loan Villa were willing to take him on a permanent deal and this would have been great for Cleverley, the opportunity to play regularly would only have helped him. But ego and wage demands dented this chance. He sought £80k and Villa would not pay it. Unfortunately Cleverley has derailed his career by seeking too much money over playing. Like those who have left to go to City and Chelsea, they have benefited financially (and importantly so have their agents) but they have stunted or killed their careers. 

And it is England which has suffered because of it. The amount of players who see the cash over the chance to play means that the national team pool has been reduced markedly. Even Ashley Young and James Milner have not helped their careers by moving to Manchester, although both have title medals there is an argument to say that staying at Villa would have helped their careers progress further (however it was the transfer fee which made these moves possible – a problem which these big clubs don’t mind spending excessive, over the odds fees to lure these players away).

England and Hodgson has one club in particular to thank for the development of England’s new generation, and that is Southampton. Lallana, Shaw, Lambert and Chambers have made the club almost £80m and have proven that Southampton are the best developers of youth players not just in England but perhaps Europe. Add in Bale, Chamberlain, Walcott and the emerging talent of James Ward-Prowse and we certainly cannot fault what they are doing on the south coast. 

The fact the club has had to sell these players points to the food chain of modern football, but when you see Bale winning Champions League’s with Real Madrid you see that a move is necessary for developing world class talent. Those mentioned who have left Southampton are now playing for some of the biggest teams in Europe and pleasingly (as mentioned in the case of Wenger and Rodgers) they are playing and regarded as key players for the first team. With a development club like Southampton feeding these top sides who have a belief in English talent, we see a model which ‘works’.

An excessive summer, but England are benefiting 

Although this summer has been excessive in terms of spending and while it seems some sides are loathe to pay the fees for English players, there are some clubs and managers who see the value in English talent.

Yes, when £800m+ is spent on players, while wages and agent fees are extortionate and yet there is no money for grassroots football there is a big issue to address! Of courser there needs to be more money given to coaching in England, and there needs to be tighter regulation of the home grown ruling as well as the introduction of quotas in the league. 

However, while English football enters its new era, while it leaves the Golden Generation behind, the future is not all negative. We are seeing the emergence of some very talented English players, we are seeing coaches value these players, providing them opportunities to excel and improve. This is what young players need; opportunity and support. 

It is no surprise that Sterling, Sturridge and Henderson have come on under Rodgers. No surprise that Ross Barkley and John Stones have excelled under the excellent Roberto Martinez. And while it is not English coaches who are developing England’s future talent, we should be happy they are in good hands. In fact when we consider some of the English coaches in the league; notably Pardew, Allardyce and Bruce we see their desire for foreign imports over developing and buying domestic talent. This is a shame.

Ultimately if English wishes to make something of this new generation then we need players who are playing regularly. Wasting in the reserves or on the bench will not help their progress. And this is why you commend Rodwell and Welbeck for making the moves necessary to help their careers move forward. And it is why you feel disappointment that players like Tom Cleverley and Scott Sinclair have decided a high wage is better than playing, this mentality is a shame. 

This has been a positive summer for English football, although the World Cup was a disappointment it was the start of a new beginning for England and the hope is that this new generation improve their cohesion and understanding as a group in the coming years. As for the transfer window, yes it was excessive and somewhat ludicrous but the Premier League and the crazy money is not killing England. Don’t forget that many English players have made good and positive moves in this window. We are seeing that those clubs and managers who see worth and value in English players will help them develop, and this will only help England’s future. 

The Premier League is not destroying England, the players and their agents need to be smarter and work harder to move to new levels, demanding high wages and being willing to sit on the bench is not what a player should want to achieve in their career. Playing week in week out should be their ambition, and with that I bet they will become a better player...accepting £50k a week may be an acceptable loss for their development - what a crazy world modern football is when £50k a week is deemed unacceptable...incredible!

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address

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