The count today is TWO.
That is the number of Championship players in the 22-man England squad for the friendly against France this evening.
I'll try and remember to check it for every England game.
The number went up from one originally in the squad (Jay Bothroyd of Cardiff City) to two (Scott Loach of Watford) when Joe Hart had to pull out, having been in injured in Tuesday's training session.
I believe the number of Championship players in the England squad will slowly grow over the coming months and years as the number of foreigners in our Premier League teams continues to grow unabated, with uncaring foreign managers and owners and people in charge of the Premier League who don't care what the England team achieves.
It was forecast all the way back in 2000 by Kevin Keegan when he resigned after losing to Germany in the last match at the old Wembley.
Nobody took any notice then. And they still don't.
Showing posts with label Kevin Keegan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kevin Keegan. Show all posts
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
How on earth did this happen?
As England approach their latest World Cup qualifier with Croatia, it brings back to mind the European qualifier of two years ago and England's 3-2 home defeat to the same nation. With Steve McClaren in charge.
How did we come to end up with this man in charge? For he unquestionably proved incapable of doing the job.
Following the era of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the clamour of the English press was for a return to an Englishman to take charge. McClaren had managed Middlesbrough and won the League Cup in 2004 and finished runners-up in the UEFA Cup in 2006. He was also assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson when Manchester United won the Treble in 1999. That was apparently enough. It reminded some of us of the appointment of Graham Taylor, who had only had minor successes with Watford.
However, the choices were few. Glenn Hoddle had been sacked and Kevin Keegan had resigned prior to Sven's appointment, but the dearth of English managers in the English league (and the situation is just as bad now) meant that McClaren's flimsy CV was sufficient to get him the job. (Note that the last England manager to win the English league was Howard Wilkinson with Leeds United in 1992.)
McClaren managed England between 1 August 2006 and 22 November 2007, and was dubbed 'The Wally with a Brolly', after he used an umbrella to protect himself from rain during his final game in charge.
Note to the English press: Be careful what you wish for!
How did we come to end up with this man in charge? For he unquestionably proved incapable of doing the job.
Following the era of Sven-Goran Eriksson, the clamour of the English press was for a return to an Englishman to take charge. McClaren had managed Middlesbrough and won the League Cup in 2004 and finished runners-up in the UEFA Cup in 2006. He was also assistant manager to Sir Alex Ferguson when Manchester United won the Treble in 1999. That was apparently enough. It reminded some of us of the appointment of Graham Taylor, who had only had minor successes with Watford.
However, the choices were few. Glenn Hoddle had been sacked and Kevin Keegan had resigned prior to Sven's appointment, but the dearth of English managers in the English league (and the situation is just as bad now) meant that McClaren's flimsy CV was sufficient to get him the job. (Note that the last England manager to win the English league was Howard Wilkinson with Leeds United in 1992.)
McClaren managed England between 1 August 2006 and 22 November 2007, and was dubbed 'The Wally with a Brolly', after he used an umbrella to protect himself from rain during his final game in charge.
Note to the English press: Be careful what you wish for!
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