With England now out of the World Cup after Costa Rica’s shock win over Italy, the usual debate by both fans and media about what went wrong will begin – before they have even played their third match. Although they were unlucky in both games, England were simply not good enough, especially in defence. The typical complaints about there being too many foreign players in the Premier league will inevitably be spouted, but instead of reducing the number of players coming in, I believe the solution may be to send our young talent the other way.
Only one player in England’s 23 man squad plays his league football outside of the country, Celtic GK Fraser Forster. This is a very low number compared to other countries- only one team picking less players playing for a club outside of their country (Russia), and Italy are the only other team with less than five. I understand some may see it as a good thing that we keep so many players at home, but the fact that we are the exception, rather than the rule, should tell you all you need to know.
There are definite benefits to getting experience playing football in other countries. There are inevitable variations in playing style between leagues, and getting this experience can be really useful in international matches, with each country having their own quirks and unique qualities.
But the main reason for a player going abroad should be the chance to improve as quickly as possible by starting for a team every week. Although in recent years the Champions League has been dominated by teams from Spain and Germany, England has unquestionably the best quality of football in its lower leagues of any country in Europe, if not the world. The best teams in the championship are comparable to mid-table sides in countries such as Portugal, Italy and France, and I challenge you to try to find a 3rd division game in any other country quality of football that is seen in League One.
Although becoming a star in a league on the continent doesn’t guarantee success in England (just ask Andrey Shevchenko, Diego Forlan and Jozy Altidore), starting every week against top teams is the best way to develop. And with many good, young players simply not getting the chances in the Premier League, I believe more should look elsewhere for the chance to develop, something which could potentially benefit both the players and the national team.
A perfect example of this is Tom Ince. The former Blackpool winger has shown great potential for the Engalnd under-21s, and was wanted by multiple big Italian clubs after becoming a free agent this summer. But he has turned down the chance to join Inter Milan, and the latest rumours suggest he could go to QPR.
Considering the lack of attacking options the three time European Cup winners currently have, he would have had the chance to play and would have benefitted from a different environment with some top class players. It would have unquestionably given him the best chance of competing for a place in the full national squad, which will probably never happen if he plays for a team that has to fight to stay up in the Prem or ends up on the bench of a team like Tottenham, who has also shown interest.
The lack of precedent means many players would see it as a risk, but making sure all our best players are on the pitch for 90 minutes every week can only be a good thing for the national team. It may not be the only solution to our World Cup woes, but getting more players starting abroad could really help England.
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