As a football fan, in terms of my great loves in the game of football there are dark days ahead for me. The last few weeks of the Confederation Cup, whatever the hell that is, have been a stark reminder of how far behind the top teams in world football England have fallen. As Roy Hodgson complains about the fixture lists effecting England’s chances of qualifying for next year’s World Cup, it begs the same question I now ask about Arsenal’s qualification to the Champions League; why are we bothering?
Don’t get me wrong, a World Cup without the heartache of England’s imminent early departure via a penalty shootout to the strains of 3 Lions and Vindaloo, just would not be the same! That said, we simply cannot compete in that Brazilian heat, nor can we match against the technically gifted Braziians, Argentinians or Spainish , and even the Germans handle the heat better than us. Hell, even some of the African nations would certainly give England some thing to think about given the clime! Am I being pessimistic or just realistic?
After the last World Cup debacle, I ask the question four years on; how are we now better equipped to win a World Cup in South America, or even just to compete in one?
The cream of our last crop of players are basically on the decline. The media crowned king of that Crop ,Wayne Rooney, as simply not good enough, and half of the England squad cannot even get into their own club’s starting line-ups or even the bench in some of the premiership clubs that simply stock pile English players for their own ends.
Some time ago I said that England were “Scotland in waiting”, as many Scottish players drowned in a sea of foreign imports. I fear the worst for England, as much as it pains me.
Last season after Arsenal had annihilated Newcastle 7 – 3, I was invited to Jack Wilshere’s box with of all people, Piers Morgan, by a friend who knows them both. As we walked through the empty Emirates it was obvious just how excited Mr Morgan was too be meeting this bit of a kid who has been entrusted with not only the future of Arsenal Football Club, but also the future of England! This excitement and expectancy it would seem is shared by most of the English media and by all Arsenal fans
Jack Wilshere is some footballer, and in the future he could be anything as a player if he can stay injury free. Based on Arsenal’s medical track record, which is akin to the Borgias, I wouldn’t get my hopes up. But as I watched Jack holding his own kid up to the sky, I wondered why Arsenal don’t give this boy what he needs at Arsenal to flourish. Or will we just simply sell him when the time is wrong but the money’s right !
But then suddenly Arsenal players, yes, Arsenal players , make up 25% of Englands starting line ups. With Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Wilshere now an integral part of the England set up , it seems the deluded are leading the blind .
Walcott and the OX struggled at various times to make the starting line-up at Arsenal. On some occasions, Arsene Wenger preferred Gervinho to both , a worrying indictment of his own struggling demons, and Wilshere was barely fit for most of the season . How do you build a world cup winning team around that ?
Factor in the politics of the demise of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand as starting central defenders, the amount of games played by James Milner, Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck, Frank Lampard, and Steven Gerrard’s age. The reality is England will be very lucky to qualify for a tournament we simply cant win .
For this unlucky football fan 2 of the things I love most in this world outside of my family are England and the Arsenal, but they have both taken a pact of self destruction and delusion . The FA can build all of schools of excellence and St. George’s centres it likes, the simple fact is if English players cant get games in the Premiership for their own teams , the National side will continue in its demise and clubs will triumph over country !
Is it healthy for English to have Milner, Johnson, Rodwell, Joleon Lescot, Micah Richards and Gareth Barry, spending half their time in the reserves at Man City , then all of a sudden being expected to turn it on for England? Jermain Defoe, OX , Welbeck ,struggle to make their clubs line ups , yet the same applies to them .
I know, I’m mad but I would like to see a rule that demands each Premiership team fields at least 3 English players for a minimum of 20 league games a season – if Arsenal can do it, any team can .
As a supporter of England, Arsenal and my home team Brentford , I’ve spent most of this so-called summer on suicide watch. England’s road to recovery is a long and painful one, while the FA continue to dither and be lap dogs to the premiership .
Is it an unhappy coincidence that England’s demise goes hand in hand with the sudden influx of Arsenal players to the national team? Is it an unhappier coincidence that both England and Arsenal are both desperate to qualify for tournaments neither has a hope in hell of winning. Or is it just plain bad luck on me that both of my teams are lead by egotistical megalomaniacs whose only ambitions are to make the money and run ?
I know Im the prophet of doom, but why should I be the only one on suicide watch this summer? While England may be a lost cause, Arsene Wenger holds the key to my rehabilitation. My simply buying some of the players we need , get Marouane Fellaini, get Rooney and we have the last England starting front line up . Give Jack the chance to flourish and maybe win some thing before we sell him, or Wenger takes him to PSG with him next season .
If nothing changes with England or Arsenal , than I’m back home to Bretford. I know the football resembles a Harlem Globetrotters game I once saw , but at least the Manager there , both knows the truth and tells the truth .
Richie Rich Goddard
El presidente
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photo credit: Ronnie Macdonald via photopin cc
