10 ways to save English football
Henry Winter’s 10-point plan to save the face of English football following shame in South Africa.
1. Build Burton. For the £50 million-plus that the Football Association has spent on England managers in compensation, wages and pay-offs since 2000, the National Football Centre could have been up and running and nurturing home-grown managers, ensuring the FA did not automatically have to look overseas. This university of football should finally be open by 2012, allowing England to adopt a more intelligent approach to developing players and coaches, and focusing on conditioning, preventing injuries and sports science. It will be the home of all the national age-group teams, fostering more of a Team England philosophy and continuity between sides.
2. Invest in more youth-team coaches to work with five to 11-year-olds. Dennis Bergkamp, an Ajax product, always says "eight to 12 are the golden years of learning'' but arguably it is now earlier, provided the teaching comes in a relaxed setting. Kids must enjoy football. Burton will begin making better coaches and they must be unleashed on missionary work into schools and grass-roots clubs. Even a single two-hour, FA-funded visit from a qualified, enthusiastic youth coach could inspire a club or school, giving parents some knowledge and possibly a taste to take badges themselves. Spain and Germany do it brilliantly. Manchester United Academy's commitment to small-sided games, 4 v 4, is the way ahead as nobody can hide, everybody must develop technique under pressure. Young players must also be encouraged to think more, making them better at decision-making and responsibility-taking.
3. Introduce a winter break. Fabio Capello, Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsène Wenger and Wayne Rooney can't all be wrong. Players must be allowed to recharge batteries in January. Permit clubs to disappear for a fortnight's warm-weather training but forbid any matches. Cup replays may have to go but which is more important? Occasional Cup thrillers or England players being fresher at the World Cup or Euros? Uefa research shows that Premier League players are four times more vulnerable to stress fractures in March than those in countries with a winter break.
4. Trust in flair. Encourage creative players. Take risks. Germany promoted Mesut Ozil, an emerging star at the European Under-21s last summer and now a real star of the 2010 World Cup. Ozil's skilful spin and acceleration away from Gareth Barry summed up the contrast between German vibrancy and English yeomanry. England have always been suspicious of Joe Cole. Give him a chance. And invite former internationals such as Chris Waddle to work with Theo Walcott and Aaron Lennon, teaching them the craft of wing-play.
5. Appoint more football people to the Football Association. Shortly after Fernando Hierro retired as a player in 2005 he was made technical director of the Spanish FA, effectively in charge of hiring and firing the national coach, and nurturing the next generations of Xavi, Iniesta, David Villa. The FA needs more leaders like Sir Trevor Brooking and fewer like Sir Dave Richards. Brooking actually understands the game.
6. Cash on delivery. If Sir Dave Richards is really concerned about England, he will encourage his Premier League clubs to bring in performance-related pay.
Superficially a club issue, it would help recalibrate players' sights. Most England internationals are hungry (despite the safety net of millions in the bank) but increasing numbers of the modern generation have become soft, not making the most of their talent. The huge salary comes in every month whether they play or not. One very average England international dropped his wages slip on the training ground and even his team-mates were shocked by how much he earned. It needs club chairmen to agree a voluntary wages ceiling with huge incentives for goals, assists, clean sheets, points, position in table, trophies and gates. An incentive culture would focus minds.
7. Government must invest more in PE at school. The motor skills are not there in many youngsters when joining professional clubs at eight. Ask Arsène Wenger. The Arsenal manager increasingly looks at youngsters with African backgrounds because of their athleticism (and desire). Obesity levels are a national disgrace and football is paying the price for damaging state policies. Government must also finance the construction of more vandal-proof football-pitch cages and fund schemes like the excellent police-run Kickz project.
8. Six plus five adds up. Fifa needs to stay strong over this encouraging of home-grown players as it will help England eventually (even if Cesc Fabregas counts as home-grown in the Premier League). Fabio Capello is right: too many foreign players in the Premier League reduces the playing time of English youngsters and diminishes the player pool available for the England manager. The Premier League loves to present itself as the world's league but it must acknowledge its roots and duty to England.
9. Sell Wembley to a concert organiser. The FA should make the best of a bad building lot and find a new owner. They should then hire the stadium for England internationals and also take team around the country. The national team belongs to the children of Birkenhead as well as those of Brent. As it currently stands, Wembley is a financial drain on the FA, restricting investment on vital grass-roots initiatives. Sell the white elephant before it kills the Three Lions.
10. Get in touch with the real world. Don't isolate England players at tournaments. Allow them to experience the country they are in. We know they are valuable employees of hypersensitive clubs but they are also human beings, capable of going stir crazy. Fabio Capello was warned his players would get bored and only belatedly did he loosen the shackles. And remember: England's most famous win of the past decade came against Germany, 5-1, when they stayed in Munich city centre next to a busy bierkeller. So chill out or get stressed out.
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