If you Think Things Got Bad Under Dean Smith........

[wcorkcanary 3,984]

1 minute ago, TheDarkKnight said:

No. I get it.

I do miss English football when it was all home owned , though.

Sure, but thats like missing yer mams cooking  and shes passed away..... 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

18 hours ago, TheDarkKnight said:

In fairness, you could say that Scottish football has its soul intact.

The EPL is about 85% foreign owned. American and Middle Eastern owners make up the majority.

And that's even before I mention that the numbers of English players that make up EPL clubs is 35%.

Just looked at the Aberdeen squad again and count 7 Scottish players out of 27 (25.9%), its 6 out of 29 at Celtic (so 20.7%), and it's 10 out of 32 at Rangers (31.2%).

Meanwhile neither Rangers or Celtic have a Scottish manager, and Aberdeen are in-between managers but the one they just sacked was Irish.

Meanwhile 8 out of 22 in the Man City squad are English (36.4%), 13 out of 30 at Newcastle (43%) and they have an English manager. At Man Utd it is 13 out of 32, or 40.6%. Even at Arsenal where they haven't had an English manager since 1986 it is 30.4%.

The largest shareholder at Celtic is not British, he's Irish and lives in Gibraltar, one of Rangers biggest shareholders is Danish, the Aberdeen owner is an American citizen who lives in the US. Dundee are owned by Americans and Dumbarton are owned by an obscure holding company registered in Belize.

So could you kindly tell me what the f*ck you are going on about?

Edited January 31 by TeemuVanBasten

[TheDarkKnight 285]

8 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

So could you kindly tell me what the f*ck you are going on about?

Wait. Are you comparing the foreign percentage of the EPL to the foreign percentage of the SPL?

I apologies. I wasn't clear. I was comparing the foreign percentage of the EPL to the foreign percentage of equivalent leagues (La Liga, Serie A, etc)

Comparing the EPL to the SPL is akin to comparing Andy Murray to Tim Henman.

But I take it as a backhanded compliment that you'd put the SPL in the narrative.

It's no secret that foreign players cut their teeth and learn their trade in their own league, before expanding their horizons in the EPL. It's actually one of the reasons why England struggle against the major teams.

That's what the f*uck I'm talking about.

Oh cool. Enzo Fernández is joining Chelsea. Seven months ago he was worth £10m, now he's worth £115m. Makes sense...

Edited January 31 by TheDarkKnight

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

9 hours ago, TheDarkKnight said:

I apologies. I wasn't clear. I was comparing the foreign percentage of the EPL to the foreign percentage of equivalent leagues (La Liga, Serie A, etc)

The problem is my opinion is that historic unwillingness of English players to go and play overseas. That's certainly the issue with the national team. 

That seems to he changing now with lots of talented kids going to Germany.

Unfortunately a couple of internationals have gone to Italy only to then be completely disregarded by the national team manager, despite doing very well, so that won't encourage further emigration (sack him).

Although the fact that players probably earn more money to rot and go backwards on the bench at Chelsea or Man City like Ross Barkley than going to play week in week out at Roma or Dortmund is probably a factor.

Spanish players going overseas was credited for delivering them their period of dominance and their 2010 World Cup win. For two reasons. Firstly, it meant that many of their best players weren't domestic rivals so didn't spend all season hating each other before  a major tournament. Secondly, it meant them leaving Spain made room for another youngster at their clubs to graduate to first team football.

Their 23 man World Cup 2010 squad contained 3 players who played their club football in Spain. 

Edited February 1 by TeemuVanBasten

[TheDarkKnight 285]

8 hours ago, TeemuVanBasten said:

The problem is my opinion is that historic unwillingness of English players to go and play overseas. That's certainly the issue with the national team. 

That seems to he changing now with lots of talented kids going to Germany.

Unfortunately a couple of internationals have gone to Italy only to then be completely disregarded by the national team manager, despite doing very well, so that won't encourage further emigration (sack him).

Although the fact that players probably earn more money to rot and go backwards on the bench at Chelsea or Man City like Ross Barkley than going to play week in week out at Roma or Dortmund is probably a factor.

Spanish players going overseas was credited for delivering them their period of dominance and their 2010 World Cup win. For two reasons. Firstly, it meant that many of their best players weren't domestic rivals so didn't spend all season hating each other before  a major tournament. Secondly, it meant them leaving Spain made room for another youngster at their clubs to graduate to first team football.

Their 23 man World Cup 2010 squad contained 3 players who played their club football in Spain. 

Yeah. That's my view with Scottish players, too. They're too unwilling to leave the comfort and the safety of their own country. It's kinda changed recently, as there are a few Scots playing abroad. But it's still a factor.

You know, it's exactly the same, but not just with Serie A. I love  Steve Clarke as he's done wonders, but when a Scottish player moves out of the UK it's like they drop off the edge of the World.

Yeah. It's true. The downside about having the richest league in the world is that some young players can have too much, too soon, and it sucks their drive and desire.

Exactly right and exactly my point. Another drawback about having the richest league in the world is that every player wants to play there, which marginalised the young English players.

The EPL get credit for their "homegrown rule", but it's not what it seem. A "homegrown" player could come from anywhere, as long as they're under 21 and been at a UK (or English) club for three years.