MONEY FOR NOTHING?
With another Premier League campaign nearly upon us, Oliver Pickup steps back from the dollars and hype to take stock of the current health of the English game
Hold on to your berets - there are but three weeks until Premier League XVI kicks off. Can’t wait? I can. Aside from the ongoing Carlos Tevez debacle, the farcical close season has provided yet more controversial foreign takeovers and a liberal dose of silly-money (mostly non-English) signings.
As football and business become even cosier bedfellows, the most important ingredient - the fans - will be left to lament not only being priced out of the game, but also the state of their national team. The 2007/8 Premier League will involve a record number of nationalities - 62 at the last count. Overseas influence will be even more pronounced, and English players will find themselves even less likely to start regularly for their club side. The upshot being that the national team will suffer, so said Sir Trevor Brooking, FA Director of football development, in a recent publication: “In ten years’ time I can see the national team struggling.”
Last season saw an average of 40 per cent Englishmen in Premiership starting elevens. This figure pails in comparison to the 70 per cent of Italians starting in Serie A. In spite of the Calciopoli scandal that rocked their foundations, the Italians are reigning World Champions, and AC Milan are current European champions. A coincidence perhaps, but that a majority of Azzori debutants will have already appeared over a hundred times for their club sides is not something that Steve McClaren’s England can boast. Now brimming with non-English players, the Premiership offers scant opportunity to showcase even the most talented Englishmen, week in, week out.
In its infancy, the Premier League promoted the influx of cherry-picked foreigners, in order that they might pass on their bountiful talents to aid fledgling English youngsters. To begin with it worked, and how. The totemic Eric Cantona inspired Manchester United - equipped with English youngsters such as Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, the Neville brothers and David Beckham, all of whom had progressed through the United youth teams together - to nineties dominance. Similarly Dennis Bergkamp added much needed flair to an otherwise staid Arsenal team while Gianfranco Zola flew high Chelsea’s flag.
Increasingly however, for every Cantona, there have been a dozen Andrea Silenzis; for every Bergkamp there have been a hatful of William Pruniers. There was, thankfully, only one Ali Dia, who in 1996 gained a comical run out for Southampton, having duped Graham Souness into believing that he was George Weah’s cousin, and a Senegalese international. Back then red faces illuminated the fact that investment in overseas talent was de rigour, and it didn’t always work; but worse, rather than falter, that trend has increased exponentially.
The ebullient and well-meaning Zola could not have guessed where the foreign revolution he helped ignite, would lead. It is no surprise that he took his boots back home to Italy, where he is now involved in coaching the U21s. Roman Abramovich’s big-money takeover at Stamford Bridge paved the way for other high-rolling overseas investors. It was as though Championship Manager cheat mode was being used in real life, as the Russian afforded first Claudio Ranieri and then Jose Mourinho unlimited millions with which to create a dream team. Other investors have followed suit, and the fashion looks set to continue.
The Premiership has long been one of the most fervently watched leagues on the planet, thanks largely to Sky Sports’ marketing (‘Super Saturday’, anyone?) and the hyperbolic media, and is consequentially one of the most lucrative. The £1.7 billion shared out from the latest TV deal has further boosted clubs’ coffers, and raised the talent bar higher. Such is the magnetic wealth of the Premiership’s top clubs, the cream of global talent can be attracted at the peak of their powers, or in some cases before. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are two of the best players in the game, both with at least ten years left at the highest level, all being well.
Though one would like to think that club owners have a moral conscience and a love of the game, the truth is most want to make a quick buck. In May, ahead of Liverpool’s European Cup final, the club’s US co-owner, George Gillet, likened football fans coming through the turnstiles or buying replica shirts to selling units of Weetabix. Regardless of the strange comparison, the sentiment was clear: he couldn’t give a hoot about the football in terms of football, and it will be the fans who will be squeezed until their pips squeak. Money, however, does not always amount to long-term happiness and glory.
Wanting instant success - therefore the best players in their prime - many chairmen seek out the services of proven footballers, and overlook young, untested Englishmen, who they deem to be a risk. The latest example being Thaksin Shinawatra - the ousted Thai Prime Minister condemned by Amnesty International for humanitarian crimes - who has taken control of Manchester City. With the help of his advisors and in spite of a blooming youth academy, he chalked up a shortlist of transfer targets and has appointed Sven-Goran Eriksson (has anyone else pocketed more thanks to England’s penchant for all things exotic?) as manager; and lo, the first (and only, going to press) three signings have been foreign.
The problems for English youngsters are more deeply-rooted. Howard Wilkinson penned the FA’s 1997 Charter of Quality which stipulated that clubs be restricted to nurturing English players who were within a 90 minute drive of their club. With this in mind, is it little wonder Arsenal employ 28 full-time scouts, worldwide.
Further, English youth teams are mollycoddled in comparison to their European peers, such as the French, Dutch and Spanish. Through their most receptive years, youngsters in England are not training for as long, or as often in a group (a la Scholes, Beckham et al) as many coaches would like. Liverpool’s youth team won the FA Cup last term, but their long-serving coach, Steve Heighway, stepped down due to tensions with Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard wanted the youngsters to play in the reserve rather than youth team, limiting Heighway’s access to them, thus effecting their development.
The Premiership may play host to breath-taking world footballers - ranging from Brazilians, Spaniards, Argentineans, Bulgarians, Nigerians to Peruvians - but forget the glitz and window dressing for a moment and you can see that it will be the loyal supporters and the national team who will be crippled. It will continue to be a billionaires’ playground (to coin former Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn’s phrase) if people like Shinawatra can slip through the Premier League’s Fit and Proper Person net, and there will be less space for the true fan, and the English youngsters. As Arsenal fan, Nick Hornby wrote: “The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score.” So hold on to those berets a little longer - it’s going to be a bumpy and costly ride.
For I-Fan - a new football fans' website. Check it out.
With another Premier League campaign nearly upon us, Oliver Pickup steps back from the dollars and hype to take stock of the current health of the English game
Hold on to your berets - there are but three weeks until Premier League XVI kicks off. Can’t wait? I can. Aside from the ongoing Carlos Tevez debacle, the farcical close season has provided yet more controversial foreign takeovers and a liberal dose of silly-money (mostly non-English) signings.
As football and business become even cosier bedfellows, the most important ingredient - the fans - will be left to lament not only being priced out of the game, but also the state of their national team. The 2007/8 Premier League will involve a record number of nationalities - 62 at the last count. Overseas influence will be even more pronounced, and English players will find themselves even less likely to start regularly for their club side. The upshot being that the national team will suffer, so said Sir Trevor Brooking, FA Director of football development, in a recent publication: “In ten years’ time I can see the national team struggling.”
Last season saw an average of 40 per cent Englishmen in Premiership starting elevens. This figure pails in comparison to the 70 per cent of Italians starting in Serie A. In spite of the Calciopoli scandal that rocked their foundations, the Italians are reigning World Champions, and AC Milan are current European champions. A coincidence perhaps, but that a majority of Azzori debutants will have already appeared over a hundred times for their club sides is not something that Steve McClaren’s England can boast. Now brimming with non-English players, the Premiership offers scant opportunity to showcase even the most talented Englishmen, week in, week out.
In its infancy, the Premier League promoted the influx of cherry-picked foreigners, in order that they might pass on their bountiful talents to aid fledgling English youngsters. To begin with it worked, and how. The totemic Eric Cantona inspired Manchester United - equipped with English youngsters such as Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, the Neville brothers and David Beckham, all of whom had progressed through the United youth teams together - to nineties dominance. Similarly Dennis Bergkamp added much needed flair to an otherwise staid Arsenal team while Gianfranco Zola flew high Chelsea’s flag. Increasingly however, for every Cantona, there have been a dozen Andrea Silenzis; for every Bergkamp there have been a hatful of William Pruniers. There was, thankfully, only one Ali Dia, who in 1996 gained a comical run out for Southampton, having duped Graham Souness into believing that he was George Weah’s cousin, and a Senegalese international. Back then red faces illuminated the fact that investment in overseas talent was de rigour, and it didn’t always work; but worse, rather than falter, that trend has increased exponentially.
The ebullient and well-meaning Zola could not have guessed where the foreign revolution he helped ignite, would lead. It is no surprise that he took his boots back home to Italy, where he is now involved in coaching the U21s. Roman Abramovich’s big-money takeover at Stamford Bridge paved the way for other high-rolling overseas investors. It was as though Championship Manager cheat mode was being used in real life, as the Russian afforded first Claudio Ranieri and then Jose Mourinho unlimited millions with which to create a dream team. Other investors have followed suit, and the fashion looks set to continue.
The Premiership has long been one of the most fervently watched leagues on the planet, thanks largely to Sky Sports’ marketing (‘Super Saturday’, anyone?) and the hyperbolic media, and is consequentially one of the most lucrative. The £1.7 billion shared out from the latest TV deal has further boosted clubs’ coffers, and raised the talent bar higher. Such is the magnetic wealth of the Premiership’s top clubs, the cream of global talent can be attracted at the peak of their powers, or in some cases before. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez are two of the best players in the game, both with at least ten years left at the highest level, all being well.
Though one would like to think that club owners have a moral conscience and a love of the game, the truth is most want to make a quick buck. In May, ahead of Liverpool’s European Cup final, the club’s US co-owner, George Gillet, likened football fans coming through the turnstiles or buying replica shirts to selling units of Weetabix. Regardless of the strange comparison, the sentiment was clear: he couldn’t give a hoot about the football in terms of football, and it will be the fans who will be squeezed until their pips squeak. Money, however, does not always amount to long-term happiness and glory.
Wanting instant success - therefore the best players in their prime - many chairmen seek out the services of proven footballers, and overlook young, untested Englishmen, who they deem to be a risk. The latest example being Thaksin Shinawatra - the ousted Thai Prime Minister condemned by Amnesty International for humanitarian crimes - who has taken control of Manchester City. With the help of his advisors and in spite of a blooming youth academy, he chalked up a shortlist of transfer targets and has appointed Sven-Goran Eriksson (has anyone else pocketed more thanks to England’s penchant for all things exotic?) as manager; and lo, the first (and only, going to press) three signings have been foreign. The problems for English youngsters are more deeply-rooted. Howard Wilkinson penned the FA’s 1997 Charter of Quality which stipulated that clubs be restricted to nurturing English players who were within a 90 minute drive of their club. With this in mind, is it little wonder Arsenal employ 28 full-time scouts, worldwide.
Further, English youth teams are mollycoddled in comparison to their European peers, such as the French, Dutch and Spanish. Through their most receptive years, youngsters in England are not training for as long, or as often in a group (a la Scholes, Beckham et al) as many coaches would like. Liverpool’s youth team won the FA Cup last term, but their long-serving coach, Steve Heighway, stepped down due to tensions with Rafa Benitez. The Spaniard wanted the youngsters to play in the reserve rather than youth team, limiting Heighway’s access to them, thus effecting their development.
The Premiership may play host to breath-taking world footballers - ranging from Brazilians, Spaniards, Argentineans, Bulgarians, Nigerians to Peruvians - but forget the glitz and window dressing for a moment and you can see that it will be the loyal supporters and the national team who will be crippled. It will continue to be a billionaires’ playground (to coin former Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn’s phrase) if people like Shinawatra can slip through the Premier League’s Fit and Proper Person net, and there will be less space for the true fan, and the English youngsters. As Arsenal fan, Nick Hornby wrote: “The natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score.” So hold on to those berets a little longer - it’s going to be a bumpy and costly ride.
For I-Fan - a new football fans' website. Check it out.
Labels: FA, football, Manchester City, Premier League
