SOMALINET NEWS ...Archives
EURO 2008: ENGLAND SUFFERING FROM FOREIGN INFLUX AFTER SPENDING OVER £500 MILLION September 5, 2007
(SomaliNet) From an analytical view point, after English clubs spent over £500 million in the transfer market this summer, eurosport.yahoo.com expert Paul Parker takes a look at the effect such spending has had on the national team.
"I'm not sure exactly how much of the £500 million spent by English clubs this summer was on foreign players, but I imagine the proportion was pretty high, particularly in the Premier League.
Just look at the names Sven-Goran Eriksson brought into Manchester City for a quick snapshot of the current situation in this country - of his eight summer signings, none were English. Or even British, for that matter.
And the policy of bringing in foreign talent to this country - which is prevalent at most clubs, not just City - has had a terrible effect on the national team.
For me, it is no surprise that the current England side is struggling. The pool of quality players Steve McClaren has to choose from is limited at best and is in danger of dwindling even further after the latest foreign influx.
The appeal of foreign talent is clear for everyone to see; all but the biggest names can generally be picked up cheaply and their impact on a team's fortunes can be instant.
But whilst their presence in starting line-ups across the country has undoubtedly improved our leagues, they are depriving home-grown players of opportunities to play and develop their own games.
You almost have to feel sorry for McClaren; the injury list ahead of the Israel and Russia games has only served to highlight the lack of depth of quality English players who have the necessary form and experience to shine at international level.
Jermain Defoe is a perfect example of a player who has enough talent to compete at the highest level, but whose current form is debateable simply because of a lack of playing time for his club.
Defoe stands a chance of playing this weekend, but are England really going to rely on a player who has had to settle for a place on the bench in every one of Spurs' games this season because his place has been taken by two foreigners?
Unfortunately, McClaren does not have a great deal of choice.
Peter Crouch, another contender for the Russia game when he returns from suspension, has also become a victim of a cosmopolitan rotation system at Liverpool and has made just one domestic substitute appearance this season.
Put simply, England are struggling because English players are not playing week in week out.
The Premier League may boast it has the best football in the world - a claim I do not subscribe to, by the way - but its success has come at a price.
And for me, limiting the amount of young homegrown talent coming through is just too big a price to pay."-Eurosport