Gianluigi Buffon thinks the Premier League needs to cut down on foreign players if the England team is to be successful at major tournaments. The Italy goalkeeper thinks that the top English clubs' constant desire to have the best players in the game is stunting the progress of the country's youngsters, meaning they're not playing enough top level football. And whilst Buffon believes that England have the best league in the world in terms of quality and entertainment, he thinks sacrifices may have to be made. The 34-year-old said: "The league in England is no longer very faithful to what the national side needs. "The money that's in the game means they can go and buy anyone from all over Europe or the world. Globalisation "With this footballing globalisation, it's very difficult. You struggle to have players from your own country playing in the top league." But despite the problems, Buffon saw some encouraging signs from Roy Hodgson's side, as Italy ended their tournament on penalties in the quarter-finals. "The England national side has its own strengths and they're a lot more physical than other sides," he continued. "But England aren't very lucky. They've lost on penalties in the last five or six times. "So the margins between winning and losing are very thin indeed."
I think young Englishmen shouldn't be scared of the idea of going to different countries as kids and developing there. Young Englishman all seem to have their hearts on playing in the premier league, and don't seem to want to move. But foreign players have to leave their countries, families and traditions aside all the time to make it. English players are no different. Vuckic and Krul came over to England as 16-17 year olds, just after their schooling to try and make it. Young Englishmen shouldn't be scared of the idea of moving to different countries at a young age to develop themselves as footballers. So I say, he's talking out his arse. Young Englishmen can go out to different countries, develop and still get picked for England. Foreigners that play in our league from young ages still get to play for their country. Krul traveled to England, waited years, and worked his way up and now he's knocking on the door of the Dutch no 1 spot in goal.
Hoddle has tried it with his Accademy side in Spain/Home for footballings waifs and strays released by English clubs. It would be great to see more English players playing abroad to secure a move back, they could only improve as footballers as well as human beings by doing so!
Yes he is right. However, part of the problem is that clubs can buy fantastic players for less abroad, I.e cisse, compared to standard or average English players being massively over priced(or silly money being paid for them I.e Henderson) if prices were equal then I believe there would be a change
But if English players were given longer periods of game time and coaching maybe their development will come good. Hard game time is irreplaceable.
Excellent point from Tash. Also Frasier Campbell played in Belgium IIRC. Racists always go on about there being too many foreigners in English/British football rather than remembering that a door opens both ways, and our players can also play anywhere in the EU. So how about the young players trying in the Dutch or German leagues? Buffon is talking bollocks, after Italy were **** in the 2010 World Cup the local media was on about "too many foreigners" in Italian football, and hey presto, now it's all been forgotten about!
And BTW, I also remember mass moaning not long back about the Spanish league having "too many foreigners". The Spanish team doesn't seem to have done too badly in recent international competitions mind you. It's just a convenient excuse to dole out when the national team does ****, and forgotten about the rest of the time. The Spanish, Italian and English leagues all have loads of foreigners, but only one is useless at international level.
There should be 23 non premier league players, playing about 30 matches a season in different countries, weathers etc, and sticking with a formation from the start and keeping the same team, and using the under 21 tornaments, then starting a under 25 tournament for world and european football.
