Fundamental changes required for England to be competitive once more

En route to Nottingham to watch the epic Boxing Day clash between Forest and Peterborough, my Dad and I were listening, as usual, to radio five live. During the Chelsea versus Fulham commentary, former Crystal Palace striker Mark Bright became increasingly agitated with Chelsea’s patient, possession-based build up play, bemoaning the lack of “tempo” and eventually proclaiming furiously that it was “just like a continental game!” Bright’s comments are symptomatic of the stubborn and damaging mistrust that still pervades English football of a more considered, “continental” tactical approach, which allows technically gifted playmakers such as Juan Mata at Chelsea and David Silva at Manchester City to flourish in style.

That isn’t to say that a high tempo, “English” style is ineffective or even unattractive. Spurs are arguably the most exciting team to watch in the premiership, and play at a relentless intensity, relying on the power and pace of figures such as Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor, along with the industry of Scott Parker. Manchester United have played in a similar high tempo style throughout the massively successful Alex Ferguson era, with the current side’s physical prowess embodied by figures such as Ashley Young, Wayne Rooney and Phil Jones.

However, in last year’s Champions League final against Barcelona, United were annihilated. Obviously the current Barcelona side is blessed with some of the best players in the world, but the victory was just as much one for Barca’s meticulous, patient, “continental” ethos over the “English” style of United, which looked outdated and obvious. It seems telling that Arsenal, consistently derided by certain portions of the English media for being lightweight and trying to “walk the ball into the back of the net”, gave Barcelona a far greater challenge in their last 16 clash.

Mark Bright’s comments on Chelsea reminded me vividly of another radio five live match commentary, that of England’s recent friendly victory over Spain. Throughout the match, despite the partisan fervour of most of the commentary team, Danny Mills urged caution, arguing how the scrappy Lampard winner had been against the run of play, and how Spain had been far the better side. Predictably, during the post match phone in, Mills was lambasted by callers for his lack of patriotism. But he was right. England had won fair and square, but they had scraped through, their victory based on good old fashioned commitment , and a fair amount of luck against a side that probably wasn’t taking the game entirely seriously, and who even in defeat had looked tactically and technically the far more accomplished team.

Mills, throughout his career a shaven headed, archetypically old-school thug of a fullback, has emerged since his retirement as an unlikely but outspoken critic of the “English” school of football and an advocate for change. He has drawn attention to the difference between youth football in England, which is focussed far more heavily on results, and on the continent, where the focus is on technical development. Focussing on results immediately puts the onus on physicality, favouring physically gifted young players who are able to dominate at youth level, at the expense of more technically gifted contemporaries. Such a system makes it far more likely for a player like Andy Carroll or Phil Jones to flourish than the next Xavi or Andrés Iniesta. Indeed, apart from Jack Wilshere at Arsenal, it is difficult to name a single truly technically gifted English footballer to emerge within the past five years.

Yet Barcelona and Spain show that it is technical ability and tactical awareness that ultimately bring success. 2012 is not looking promising for English football. The top two Premiership teams have both been knocked out of the Champions League, and Wayne Rooney’s ban ensures that England will be missing their key creative force for much of Euro 2012. Perhaps a season of disappointment will give English football the wake up call it requires to warm to “continental” ideas, and once more be competitive on the European and international stage.

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