So England suck at Footie, but how would a UK team have fared?

I disagree that England "suck" at footie, although the recent showing - 2 losses and a goalless draw - was just about as dismal as it gets.

Their overall performance makes them one of the best national teams in the world.

Of the 80-odd teams England have played, they have a positive goal difference against all but 3 of them (Brazil, Chile, Uruguay); they've won 57% of their encounters and lost just over 19% (less than 1 in 5); finished twice in the top 4 in the World Cup, winning one of those (only 7 other teams have ever won it).

There are over 200 national teams; how well do the majority of those compare?

Obviously there's room for improvement.

our coaching of kids and youth players is positively antiquated and expectations and pressure from the media are way overboard.

^^
This.

a reply to: skalla

Lets forget about players for a moment and look at the manager.

The legend that was Brian Clough would have got a team of complete mediocre players out performing themselves.
Look what he did at Forest & Derby .

There can never be a U.K. football team. If there were we would loose three seats on F.I.F.A.

Also the home countries have 4 of the 8 votes on the International Football Association Board. This is the body that makes the rules and any rule changes for the game. If we became a U.K. team we would only have 1 vote.

en.wikipedia.org...

Just to join in the fun of past players for a U.K. team i would suggest

Denis Law

Ian Rush

Billy Bremner

Norman Whiteside

Howard kendall

originally posted by: alldaylong
a reply to: skalla

Also the home countries have 4 of the 8 votes on the International Football Association Board. This is the body that makes the rules and any rule changes for the game. If we became a U.K. team we would only have 1 vote.

en.wikipedia.org...

I did a whole thread on the corruption that exists in FIFA . The problem is when you talk to people about it everyone agrees but says "What can you do though?"

Similarly. although the UK joins a permanent Vice-Presidency with a balance of power on the IFAB we are reluctant to take any action for reforms for fear of losing those very privileges. Dark forces exist in the background dying to wipe out our four national associations.

However since WWII what rule changes have the IFAB seen over?

* The offside law was tweaked to say if you are in line you are onside and passive players in a phase of play would not be deemed offside.

* Denying a clear goal scoring opportunity or a fierce tackle from behind is now a sending off offence.

* The back-pass law as it is known was introduced but goalkeepers are allowed to take as many steps as they like within their penalty box whilst holding the ball.

Other laws that seemed to vanish without trace

* The goalkeeper should release the ball within 6 seconds - totally ignored.

* If a defensive player refuses to retreat at a free kick to the required distance then the free kick is moved 10 metres further forward - This happened about 5 times and as referees seemed so reluctant to enforce it was quietly dropped Instead they were given a can of shaving foam. I hope it was the best a man can get.

There have been a few changes to how those rules are observed but other than the back pass rule very little has changed in 70 years. So what really is the point of hanging on to our precious seats on the board unless you are interested in riding the FIFA gravy train?

I used to be against it but now I think maybe it's time we had a proper UK Premier League and structure below that going to regional leagues lower down. It will never happen though because of vested interests.

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But anyway back to fun stuff rather than the boring stuff.

I met Denis Law once whilst he was still playing, got his autograph too when I was about 4 . Really nice bloke talked to my dad for ages about the game and definitely one who'd have made a UK team back in the day. Danny McGrain is another steely Scotsman I remember from later in that era along with Martin Buchan. I would have to add Strachan in there as well and Archie Gemmill just for a magic moment in Argentina.

Terry Yorath would have probably made that team as well (another of the dirty Leeds team of the 70s!) Leighton James and John Toshack are other Welshmen who spring to mind.

As for Norn Iron that 1982 World Cup squad with the likes of Hamilton, Armstrong, Mcreery, Nicholl, McIlroy and Nelson were one plucky side. O'Neill and Jennings were there too in perhaps Ulster's finest hour when they beat Spain.

I'll leave the English lads alone as I fear I've gone on far too long.

originally posted by: ABNARTY
skalla and mirageman

I had no idea so few in the PL were from England. I wonder how tiny Costa Rica generates the talent pool then?

In the end the PL and FIFA for that matter are businesses. They generate revenue. The US team and MLS are no different. Some of the players don't even speak English. Nothing against a hard working kid with talent to go where they pay him the best.

There are a few fair ex-Premier League players playing in the MLS these days. Past their prime in the main but I guess they are a box office draw. This is how the Premier League started with a few high profile foreign stars gracing our teams. The current US coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, was one of them.

Then slowly but surely, partly due to the increased cash and partly due to the laws of freedom to move within the EU, clubs began to buy more and more ready made players rather than gamble on developing our own youth. In fact clubs even hoover up foreign kids now for their youth teams. Very few of them make it but it's worth it anyway as they have a decent sell on value. It's sadly all about money now. Fans may like to tell you how they support their local club. But all we support now is a brand name that happens to be located in your area. We have hardly any English managers and more foreigners than natives on the playing staff. No one says a thing about it.

It's all rather ironic when so many people are complaining that immigrants are taking all our of our jobs these days. But that's football for you.

I'd like to suggest David Marshall from Cardiff City in goal. He had a very good season ( considering Cardiff got relegated) and is the best British goalie at the moment IMO.

a reply to: Knobby

Good call although a few Englishmen are probably ahead of him at the moment.

That also reminds me that last season only 90% of the teams in the Premier League were English. We also had a team (Swansea) that wasn't English representing England in Europe.