20 Years In The Making...

This embarrassment has been some years in the making - and the reasons behind it have been staring right in our faces for the same period of time.

For as long as I can remember, players in this country have been taught mainly one way to play, that way is to get the ball out of danger by any way and means possible - ala Route One, Crazy Gang style. We put so much pressure on kids when they first play to just win the game that the basics of technique and getting enjoyment out of playing football are forgotten.

Why is it that the likes of Rooney, Lampard, Gerrard and Barry are all at sea when they play for England - its because the tactically and gifted players that they play with in the Premiership are probably playing for England's opposition.

Until, we change the emphasis to technique for our youngsters, and allow them to express themselves in the way that they want to instead of being shackled, we are not going to get anyway from a international football point of view.

A kid sees one of his heroes doing a fancy step over on the TV and tries to replicate it on the pitch and is immediately told to play the percentage ball, there is one of the fundamental problems. We have to allow them to have the freedom to play how they want, develop their own skills and the tactical side of the game can be developed later when they are playing proper football.

The FA was supposed to be having a 'root and branch review' into youth football, and that was to include a Clairefontaine style National Academy at Burton-upon-Trent but they cancelled that when Wembley came in over budget. Today is the culmination of 20 years of mismanagement.

Money, like everything in our dirty, corrupt game, rules.