Sunday 30 December 2007

During Fabio Capello's first press conference after being announced as the next England manager he was asked - the Premier League is a fast paced league in which strength and workrate and are most important, how does he aim to convert the way the English approach to football into the more savy International style?

Capello answered this question by saying - good question, i don't know. My question is, does he need to change the pace England play?

Although it pains me to say it- the Premiership is the best league in the world, at the moment. Many top international players currently ply their trade in England and the Premiership was the most represented league at the 2006 World Cup. I suggest the English hustle and bustle approach to football may have seeped into these imports alot quicker than any previous attempts to tame Wayne Rooney.

I argue ENgland should play to there strengths and not worry about what pace they play at and Capello should worry more about having a variation on there 4-4-2 tactic such as a 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 rather than worrying about how he could slow down players who clearly operate best at a high tempo. Russia's manager, Guus Hiddink, said it best after the draw of the 2008 qualifying groups "we fear Macedonia more than England because we don't know how they play".

I draw my arguement to a close by pointing out Greece and Italy as two examples of teams who have won recent international competitions without any Premier League players. Except the majestic Nikos Dabizas. Perhaps there lack of English footballing experience meant there players had not been put through the great leveller that is the Premiership.

Just a thought.

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