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The ongoing woes of England football

Perthcat new author
Roar Rookie
20th July, 2016
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England's Gary Cahill reacts during the Euro 2016 round of 16 soccer match between England and Iceland, Monday, June 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)
Perthcat new author
Roar Rookie
20th July, 2016
37

Fifty years ago this month (30th July 1966) England won its only FIFA World Cup.

The team for the final included Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson, Nobby Stiles, Alan Ball, Bobby Charlton, Martin Peters, Geoff Hurst and Roger Hunt.

Oh, how England would have loved some players of their calibre when they recently played and lost to Iceland in Euro 2016. As an indication of England’s talent at that time, players such as Peter Bonetti, Jimmy Greaves and Norman Hunter were not even selected.

Alas, I feel we will never see another such talented England line-up. The reason, I believe, is because of the way English football has sold itself out in order to have the top league in the world. The English First Division, which has become the English Premier League, has grown to be worth millions of pounds annually just in the sale of TV rights worldwide and statistics show, in the last 30 years, this has resulted in an increased importation of foreign stars at the expense of nurturing home grown talent.

Back before the EPL grew to be what it has become, clubs like Manchester United, Leeds, West Ham and so on signed up and nurtured players like Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Geoff Hurst, and George Cohen when they were still schoolboys because the clubs could see their potential. Obviously, there is a significant cost involved in nurturing home-grown talent. Consequently, EPL clubs now tend to pull out the cheque book and buy readymade talent from each other or from the other major European leagues.

The result is great entertainment for EPL fans worldwide but, unfortunately, continuing embarrassment for supporters of the England national team.

It is interesting to note that in the World Cup, since they beat West Germany in 1966, England have twice failed to qualify and only once reached the semi-finals. Since 1966, West Germany (now Germany) have played in six World Cup finals and won three of those.

What more evidence is needed than the apparent stagnation and demise of one of those teams compared to the other? Arguably the two best teams in 1966 are now poles apart regarding their football skills and potential.

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It is sad that while the EPL continues to thrive England supporters will, I believe, never know what international football success feels like as we did when we cheered endlessly watching England lift the FIFA World Cup fifty years ago.

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