Saturday, May 05, 2007
Continental Long-Ball - another update
There was something deeply ironic about the SBS team’s systematic belittling of the Chelsea v. Liverpool Champions’ League semi-final. It was indeed a pretty dreary affair; especially so in the second leg, with Chelsea relying excessively on Didier Drogba, and Liverpool, bizarrely, lofting a great many balls in the direction of Peter Crouch, who, despite his height, has never been particularly effective in the air.
Craig Foster was at pains to stress that it had been a “very English” contest, and remarked during the Milan v. Manchester United game the next day that he had found the earlier tie completely bereft of memorable moments. I’m inclined to agree.
But wait…aren’t we missing something here?
Both the teams in question are under the stewardship of a manager from continental Europe…as was Gerard Houllier’s horribly dull Liverpool side of some six years ago. The football they are producing may be physical, direct and short of subtlety, but who are we to hold responsible for that?
Foster has commented in the past that importing a coach means importing a culture. I would suggest that for some managers in the Premiership, it has been more a case of determined assimilation rather than any injection of new ideas.
Yet there is no desperate need for a foreign coach to start adopting a route one strategy if he is to thrive in the Premiership. Arsène Wenger has proved that beyond any doubt (as has Martin Jol).
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United also play a “very English” brand of football. But it is based on speed of movement, especially off the ball, and significant use of the wide avenues – the sort of style I’ve referred to in the past as “good English” rather than “bad English” football.
Recently, those doing the most to reinforce the stereotype of “bad English” football have been coaches from outside the British Isles.
Craig Foster was at pains to stress that it had been a “very English” contest, and remarked during the Milan v. Manchester United game the next day that he had found the earlier tie completely bereft of memorable moments. I’m inclined to agree.
But wait…aren’t we missing something here?
Both the teams in question are under the stewardship of a manager from continental Europe…as was Gerard Houllier’s horribly dull Liverpool side of some six years ago. The football they are producing may be physical, direct and short of subtlety, but who are we to hold responsible for that?
Foster has commented in the past that importing a coach means importing a culture. I would suggest that for some managers in the Premiership, it has been more a case of determined assimilation rather than any injection of new ideas.
Yet there is no desperate need for a foreign coach to start adopting a route one strategy if he is to thrive in the Premiership. Arsène Wenger has proved that beyond any doubt (as has Martin Jol).
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United also play a “very English” brand of football. But it is based on speed of movement, especially off the ball, and significant use of the wide avenues – the sort of style I’ve referred to in the past as “good English” rather than “bad English” football.
Recently, those doing the most to reinforce the stereotype of “bad English” football have been coaches from outside the British Isles.
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Agree with your sentiments. It's also worth noting that more than half the players that took to the field for these two "Very English Teams" the other morning hailed from outside the British Isles but I guess the world’s greatest football analyst conveniently ignores this point as well.
Football wise they didn't get more English than Cloughie and as he stressed on the importance of passing the ball to the feet, "If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there."
Football wise they didn't get more English than Cloughie and as he stressed on the importance of passing the ball to the feet, "If God had wanted us to play football in the clouds, he'd have put grass up there."
There was an article I read recently (which I thought was yours but may not have been) about the conflicting legacies of Wenger and Houllier and the tactics they brought to the league. Well worth a read, if you didn't write it ;)
...There was an article I read recently (which I thought was yours but may not have been) about the conflicting legacies of Wenger and Houllier and the tactics they brought to the league. Well worth a read, if you didn't write it ;)...
Nah, wasn't mine. I'd be keen to read it...don't suppose you've got a link?
Nah, wasn't mine. I'd be keen to read it...don't suppose you've got a link?
Quell Horreur! It may not be an SBS conspiracy afterall, given Valdano's recent comments on the Liverpool v Chelsea game, likening the Champions League semi-final to "shit hanging from a stick".
What's the deal with your SBS fixation Mikey, SBS knock you back in a job interview?......
Der Ball ist Rund
What's the deal with your SBS fixation Mikey, SBS knock you back in a job interview?......
Der Ball ist Rund
# posted by 
: May 9, 2007 at 11:20 AM
: May 9, 2007 at 11:20 AM
...Quell Horreur! It may not be an SBS conspiracy afterall, given Valdano's recent comments on the Liverpool v Chelsea game, likening the Champions League semi-final to "shit hanging from a stick"....
And you may have noticed that Valdano went on to put the blame on Mourinho and Benitez, on the grounds that they had never made it as players and therefore didn't trust players of greater subtlety.
Carry on.
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And you may have noticed that Valdano went on to put the blame on Mourinho and Benitez, on the grounds that they had never made it as players and therefore didn't trust players of greater subtlety.
Carry on.
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