The 2012 UEFA European Championship - Poland/Ukraine - The Thread!

[Addick]

Originally Posted by NBC

Development. It is easier for big clubs to pay for foreign stars than to develop their own. Too many big clubs that play in Europe against other top clubs are light on home grown talent. You need your best players playing at your best clubs. Granted it is a bit better now, but a few years ago Aston Villa supplied a disproportionate number of England squad players and clubs like Arsenal did not.

But this is a major digression from this thread.

I'm not entirely convinced with this argument. While clubs in the top flight might not be able, or willing, to offer youth players first team opportunities, England has a lot of well funded clubs across the divisions that could provide homes for budding talents. Personally, I believe that the problem is the curriculum at these academies across the country rather than the lack of opportunities at those operated by the top six or seven clubs.

Academies across the country need to take lessons from places like Southampton. As they have produced Bale and Oxlade-Chamberlain, they are doing something right.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Addick

I'm not entirely convinced with this argument. While clubs in the top flight might not be able, or willing, to offer youth players first team opportunities, England has a lot of well funded clubs across the divisions that could provide homes for budding talents. Personally, I believe that the problem is the curriculum at these academies across the country rather than the lack of opportunities at those operated by the top six or seven clubs.

Academies across the country need to take lessons from places like Southampton. As they have produced Bale and Oxlade-Chamberlain, they are doing something right.

Just so long as they dont look to copy the German model. Thats not working very well at all. Want to stay away from that....

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by Addick

Personally, I believe that the problem is the curriculum at these academies across the country rather than the lack of opportunities at those operated by the top six or seven clubs.

Michael Owen agrees with you.

Pirlo was awesome but we have a player of a similar age and equally as good. Unfortunately he wasn't there. #Scholes

Easy for people to say 'until we keep possession better we will never win anything'. We are not as good as others at doing that.

We played to our strengths but are just not quite good enough. We were hoping to 'do a Chelsea'. If you are not the best team then you have to find an alternative way to win.

The other option is to forget results for a while and start from scratch playing a different style. Doubt we have the type of players to do that though. Answer has to be to start coaching our youngsters a different brand of football.

https://twitter.com/#!/themichaelowen/

[d_phaneuf]

he's right about Scholes

It's still crazy to think that England haven't been built around him the last 15 years, he's one of the 5 best CM's in that time

[Bagor]

A pre 2010 WC article on coaching qualifications across Europe.

As England fans grasp for indicators of how their team will perform at the World Cup, Digger can reveal statistics that will lead only to pessimism.Three years ago an official report concluded that coaching is the "golden thread" leading to international success, but new Uefa data shows that there are only 2,769 English coaches holding Uefa's B, A and Pro badges, its top qualifications. Spain has produced 23,995, Italy 29,420, Germany 34,970 and France 17,588.
Between them those four nations have provided eight of the 12 finalists at all the World Cups and European Championships since 1998. England, meanwhile, have not appeared in a tournament final in 44 years.
There are 2.25 million players in England and only one Uefa-qualified coach for every 812 people playing the game. Spain, the World Cup favourites, have 408,134 players, giving a ratio of 1:17. In Italy, the world champions, the ratio is 1:48, in France it is 1:96, Germany 1:150 and even Greece, the Euro 2004 winners, have only 180,000 registered players for their 1,100 coaches, a ratio of 1:135.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...ortage-england

[VANFLAMESFAN]

So what's the final look like?

Spain/Germany will be the popular choice id imagine and rightfully so.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Locke

Just so long as they dont look to copy the German model. Thats not working very well at all. Want to stay away from that....

You mean cheat? errr - take from other countries?

[Senator Clay Davis]

Two potential group stage rematches out there, but I'll say it'll be Germany and Spain because Germany is the best team despite not playing like it yet, and Spain will complete 16,290 passes in the 90, killing the entire Portugal team of boredom.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by VANFLAMESFAN

So what's the final look like?

Spain/Germany will be the popular choice id imagine and rightfully so.

At this stage, its a total crapshoot. I'd like to think that this German team wont allow Italy to greasily slide their way into the final again though, but we'll just have to see.

Personally I'd rather see Portugal in the final, both because I think Germany would have a better shot of winning against Portugal and also because I really dont want to watch Spain play any more than I absolutely have to.

[GirlySports]

I'd like to see Ronaldo in the final. I've had enough of Spain as well.

[Bagor]

Well if history is to repeat itself the Germans will advance easily scoring a bagful of goals only to be owned by Spain ...... again.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Well if history is to repeat itself the Germans will advance easily scoring a bagful of goals only to be owned by Spain ...... again.

Except nobody scores a bagful of goals against Italy, ever

[#22]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Except nobody scores a bagful of goals against Italy, ever

Nederland 3, Italia 0, Euro 2008

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by #22

Nederland 3, Italia 0, Euro 2008

Yes , what else?

/that was a group stage game anyways.

[#22]

Sorry, wasn't trying to start an argument. After the bitter taste of this Eurocup, I just wanted to remind myself of better times. I agree that Germany will have a tough time finding the net against Italy, who are, as always, very organized in the back.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

You mean cheat? errr - take from other countries?

Like who? Klose and Poldolski?

In 1987, when Łukasz Podolski was two years old, his family emigrated from Poland to West Germany and were given Aussiedler status as a result of his paternal grandparents having German citizenship prior to WWII (Gliwice had until 1945 been a part of Germany as Gleiwitz).[6] Podolski grew up in Bergheim, North Rhine-Westphalia, and later in Pulheim, both near Cologne.

Klose:

In 1985, Klose and his mother joined his father in Kusel, a small town in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Klose's father is an ethnic German and holds German nationality.

.... Everyone else on the team was born in Germany

[PIMking]

I'm just waiting for the Italians to quit and change sides.

[PIMking]

This time there wasn't a scuffle after the German game that the cry baby Italians can get players suspended for their game. We will be at full strength this time.

[d_phaneuf]

I don't think it's in an issue as they were born there and played for Germany at youth levels, but when you say "only Klose and Podolski"...

it's a combined international 110 goals, more than the other 21 combined

[sadora]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Italians always give the Germans trouble though. It's sort of the German's boogie team.

In fact Germany (East or West or Unified) have never beaten Italy in a competitive match.

I think this is the year that the Germans break that loosing record against Italy. History may have its merits, but this German side is definitely more talented than Italy. I would honestly consider this German team, with youth and skill, to be World Cup contenders.