[Football] The International Football Myth

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Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,901
Someone online in my feed said that Lewis Dunk is not international standard.

I would agree that Dunk is a decent defender, although I have always felt that if he was one of the best four in England then the side must be weaker in defence than we would hope. I appreciate that comment needs a tin hat on with some.

But he is international standard purely on the basis that he holds down a place in a top half Premier League team.

International standard is not a step up for me. In all bar a handful of teams it is a step down. Look at Argentina's midfield. Two of our players, not automatic starters, are in there. Brazil's midfield mostly comes from teams around us.

I wonder how many international teams would actually make the top half of the Premier League ?
 




jonny.rainbow

Well-known member
Oct 29, 2005
6,844
International class = good enough to play for an international football team be it Germany or Gibraltar.

World class = good enough to hold down a place in any club or country side anywhere in the world.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,014
its a weird "standard" because if your nationality happens to be one of the smaller countries, you can be an international at quite a lot poorer ability than those of larger nations.

really what its saying is, he isn't quite good enough for the team or expectations. and a lot of it is those expectations.
 


Exilegull

Well-known member
Mar 14, 2024
347
Think 6 or 7 national teams would go top 10 if they trained together like clubs do. Not even Chelsea or Manchester City could afford a squad like the French one with 25 top players
 


Wardy's twin

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2014
8,866
Someone online in my feed said that Lewis Dunk is not international standard.

I would agree that Dunk is a decent defender, although I have always felt that if he was one of the best four in England then the side must be weaker in defence than we would hope. I appreciate that comment needs a tin hat on with some.

But he is international standard purely on the basis that he holds down a place in a top half Premier League team.

International standard is not a step up for me. In all bar a handful of teams it is a step down. Look at Argentina's midfield. Two of our players, not automatic starters, are in there. Brazil's midfield mostly comes from teams around us.

I wonder how many international teams would actually make the top half of the Premier League ?
The fact that he was picked for one of the top 5 international teams to play against some other top teams would indicate he is at that standard and he would walk into the CB role for probably 90% of the other countries without question.

Fans are fickle, in his 2nd and 3rd appearances he was best thing since sliced bread now he's crap and should never have been picked.

He is out of form and has recently made some bad decisions costing us and England to concede goals , one of his strengths on the pitch which is hard to do when you are the junior (cap wise).

Personally would like to see him revert to playing simple centre half balls i.e. if in doubt kick it out.
 




hart's shirt

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2003
11,076
Kitbag in Dubai
Despite poor form by his own standards and being punished for both mistakes he made, I'd still see him as international level.

That probably says more about the general level that we currently have at CB for England than it does about Dunk.
 


AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
Oct 14, 2003
13,091
Chandler, AZ
...

International standard is not a step up for me. In all bar a handful of teams it is a step down. Look at Argentina's midfield. Two of our players, not automatic starters, are in there. Brazil's midfield mostly comes from teams around us.

....
Those statements are doing a lot of heavy lifting :lol:
Valentin Barco made his debut as a second-half sub on Friday. Facundo Buonanotte has the grand total of.....two appearances (one of those as sub). They are hardly the engine room of a World Cup-winning behemoth. :lol:
 






Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,901
Those statements are doing a lot of heavy lifting :lol:
Valentin Barco made his debut as a second-half sub on Friday. Facundo Buonanotte has the grand total of.....two appearances (one of those as sub). They are hardly the engine room of a World Cup-winning behemoth. :lol:
I'm not convinced that their team that won the World Cup would win the Premier League. Far from it.
 


AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
Oct 14, 2003
13,091
Chandler, AZ
I'm not convinced that their team that won the World Cup would win the Premier League. Far from it.
The point I am making is that saying that Buonanotte and Barco are a part of Argentina's midfield is like saying Cam Peupion and Joshua Duffus are a part of Albion's forward line, ie stretching a point until it breaks!
 


BNthree

Plastic JCL
Sep 14, 2016
11,452
WeHo
Whitehawk currently have 2 international players but play in the 7th tier of English football. (Pakistan and Montserrat if you’re curious.)
 




Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,901
Whitehawk currently have 2 international players but play in the 7th tier of English football. (Pakistan and Montserrat if you’re curious.)
I'm a Hawk. I knew that. Although you aren't a proper Hawk until you've had the burger. Which I haven't yet.
 


Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
5,695
Darlington
The point I am making is that saying that Buonanotte and Barco are a part of Argentina's midfield is like saying Cam Peupion and Joshua Duffus are a part of Albion's forward line, ie stretching a point until it breaks!
Having said that, I don't think it's critical to the point being made i.e. a good Premier League player will very often be above the level needed to get into most international teams.
 










Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
25,901


AZ Gull

@SeagullsAcademy @seagullsacademy.bsky.social
Oct 14, 2003
13,091
Chandler, AZ
Whitehawk currently have 2 international players but play in the 7th tier of English football. (Pakistan and Montserrat if you’re curious.)
Back in July 2015 the Albion U-18s won 4-1 against a Shoreham side that contained five Montserratian internationals.
 




Sid and the Sharknados

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Sep 4, 2022
5,695
Darlington
Do we get a CLUE ?
Very famous initials (not including the surname).
Most of those runs scored for Warwickshire, did play a match for Sussex and a few tests for England.
Born in Newhaven. Lived 1872 to 1951.
I have looked up the details now, I don't have the guy's date of birth and death knocking around my head. :lolol:
 




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