I don't know about you but I do find it increasingly frustrating that England are recruiting players from other nations, mainly in cricket, but not exclusively. Remember the Mikel Arteta is being courted by England manager Fabio Capello, as has Manuel Almunia in the past.
I'm not saying that these people that were born in another country don't try very hard or don't deserve to play for England but I do worry as to why English youngsters aren't coming through the ranks.
The likes of Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen have openly admitted to coming to England to increase their chances of playing internationally, blaming the "quota system" in South Africa where a certain number of non-white players must be selected. They have to play for 5 years in England before they qualify but the financial rewards at the end of it are worth the wait.
The real worry is why young players born in this country are not making it.
Could it be that English youngsters don't have the dedication to succeed at the highest level in general?
Does England simply not have the talent?
I doubt it on both counts. What I think is happening is that sport is a results driven business and coaches/managers can't afford the time it takes to develop a young player so choose the quicker and easier option of a non-English player whose already got to the required standard. If the coach/manager waits, they could face the sack before all their hard work comes to fruition.
It's a real shame, but patience is not common in sport nowadays. Sport is a business that can't afford a couple of bad seasons whilst young players acclimatise.
I would also like to add that England are not the only country to do this!
No comments:
Post a Comment