Greg Dyke ..... spot on ....

[fleet]

Not a prem issue - how many of the Championship players are English? Not many more than the Prem I would say. Is League 1 that much higher %? We need outstanding English players in the Football League - which means they need wage expectations in line with those of the overseas players that are being signed instead. When we have a Championship with a high% of starting English players the best will go to the Prem and they need to be good enough to start for the teams they go to.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

I actually disagree that the strength of the England team is what Dyke et al should be treating as a priority for the FA. Not while clubs are going bust and dodgy owners are still be allowed to take control of sides before asset stripping them. Not while clubs are still being allowed to place miles away in a different town.

Makes nice headlines though.

For anyone bored, I did a little blog on. Just click in the link in my signature It will take you to the Albion section, but just look on the list of posts on the right hand side...

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I blame Jimmy Hill (for not including some kind of wage cap back in the day), Ted Heath and subsequent Prime Ministers for getting us all tied up in Europe and Euro employment Law, Blatter for being a ****, and the owners of football clubs for putting their own clubs before their country by not being supporters of english talent. The FA weren't strong or clued in enough when the premier league started, they just let them walk all over them. They are all to blame and I don't think they will all get together to sort it out, they have all got too much and their own interests at stake. Sadly, the price of watching premier league football on your tellies is, in part, at the expense of seeing England win a major trophy again.

Sussex have just blown county cricket title because of players being called up for internationals, I don't hear them complaining.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

UEFA Pro and 'A' licenced coaches

Spain 32,000
Germany 22,000
France 24,000
Italy 18,000

England 2,000.

Nuff said?

Dyke can point as many fingers as he likes at the PL but the problem lies at grass roots.

Yes agreed. The influx of foreign players hasn't helped, but the crux of the problem is at grass roots level, and in particular the lack of sports teachers and football coaching at junior schools.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

So we spend £600,000,000 on the last transfer window and yet to get my Under 11s playing this Sunday I've had to buy the kit (£450), ask a parents to buys some balls and extra First Aid bits (£200) and they'll be the odd £50 here and there, to coach and develop tomorrow's stars. Grassroots football in England is not just short of money it's short of parental support, community links with clubs, grassroots links with revenue generation and people, like me, dip in my pocket but when Portsmouth, Fulham, Albion or anyone else like a player I've developed he's off and I'm lucky of I get my kit back.

Still love it though seeing a bunch of lads have a great time and build good friendships which help them in all ways in life generally.

 

[Waynflete]

Yes agreed. The influx of foreign players hasn't helped, but the crux of the problem is at grass roots level, and in particular the lack of sports teachers and football coaching at junior schools.

For a similar point, a good/amusing article on Football 365 here:http://www.football365.com/john-nicholson/8907364/But-We-Were-Rubbish-In-The-70s-Too...

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

So we spend £600,000,000 on the last transfer window and yet to get my Under 11s playing this Sunday I've had to buy the kit (£450), ask a parents to buys some balls and extra First Aid bits (£200) and they'll be the odd £50 here and there, to coach and develop tomorrow's stars. Grassroots football in England is not just short of money it's short of parental support, community links with clubs, grassroots links with revenue generation and people, like me, dip in my pocket but when Portsmouth, Fulham, Albion or anyone else like a player I've developed he's off and I'm lucky of I get my kit back.

Still love it though seeing a bunch of lads have a great time and build good friendships which help them in all ways in life generally.

Fantastic Tim, keep it going mate.