F.A.O Greg Dyke: England have always been Rubbish...

When new F.A Chairman Greg Dyke was presented to the media last week, he spent much of his first press conference bemoaning the falling number of Englishmen playing football in the Premier League.

"The real challenge for us looking forward is that we've gone from 70% English players in the Premier League to 30% and it's still falling. If that continues, we won't have a chance in hell in future tournaments. We have got to stop that decline and we've got to get more English players playing at the highest level."

Since his comments there has been a media frenzy, many football journalists have jumped at the chance to get behind this view and add their foreigner blaming opinions to the debate. The most prominent statistic used to highlight this lack of English talent, is the fact that when the PL was launched in 1992, 75 per cent of players were English and now it is down to just 32%.

Which explains England's glorious World Cup victory in 1994.

On the surface Greg Dyke’s comments might seem sensible, the sort of everyfan schtick you are likely to hear at the pub before a game. However if you think about it with any level of insight, the idea that the foreign talent in the Premier League is diminishing the quality of the England team is clearly and obviously not true.

If we look at the history of the England team, apart from a glorious aberration on home soil in 1966, they have actually always been pretty average. Even when the league was full of a near 100% Englishmen we were not in fact world beaters. There is an argument to say that since the influx of foreign born stars, the England team has actually got better. In the 70’s and 80’s England often didn't qualify for major tournaments, since the advent of the Premier League the England team have regularly qualified and been consistent in getting to the knock-out phases, before going out to the first good team they have come across.

The elephant in the room is that England does not produce enough players of the required quality to surpass their foreign colleagues, if they were good enough they would of course be first picks. The idea that limiting the foreign players in the league will increase the quality of English players is nonsense, if they cannot compete at club level against these players they are unlikely to be better at international level. Not forgetting that the knock on effect of such a move would not only reduce the quality of the League, but is also likely to reduce the interest from fans around the world.

So what is the problem?

The coaching and education of young players is the key to this problem, the standard of grass roots coaching in this country is simply appalling. England just doesn't compare to countries like Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Brazil and even smaller nations. Grass roots football still has too much emphasis on kick and rush tactics, long balls and rewarding strength over technique. We have less qualified and professional coaches than these countries by a significant margin and have only just stopped our young kids from running around huge 11-a-side pitches at the age of ten!!

So next time an England team is being outplayed and knocked out at the first hurdle. Please remember, it is not the fault of the Dennis Bergkamp's, Eric Cantona’s and Cristiano Ronaldo’s of this world. It is because we have only recently given up on our over reliance on prehistoric tactics and valuing strength over technique. England players also seem to show a genuine lack of composure, which manifests itself as our heroes being brave blood stained "warriors". Real composure and bravery is not a blood stained defeat, but risking a piece of skill or passing in a pressurised situation and not resorting to long ball tactics every time something goes wrong.

Quite simply, England need better players. Players with more quality and technique on the ball. Reducing the amount of good foreign players in the league will not improve this.

…And lets not get started on the fact that English players on the whole are scared to play abroad and generally seem to put a minimal amount of effort in to improve their game after they have “made it”.

“Not Good Enough” Dan Evans beats rival Tomic.

The British number three Dan Evans proved a particularly harsh critic wrong, by beating Benard Tomic yesterday at the US Open and the critic couldn’t have been closer to the Australian number one. Last year in Miami Tomic’s father John, told Evans that he was not even good enough to practice with the Australian.

The British number three won their second-round encounter by three sets to one and record the best win of his career, not only making Tomic’s father eat his words but highlighted the hard work and practice he has put into improving his game.

Post match, Evans recalled Tomic’s fathers comments when he was in Miami for qualifiers.

"I was there playing qualifiers," said Evans, 23. "His dad said I wasn't good enough to practise with him."

He added: "We went to practise, it was all booked, I got to the practice hut. His dad said: 'No, no, he's a qualifier, I'm not hitting with you'.

"So it was one of those. A bit embarrassing, but hey."

Tomic could do nothing to halt the rampant Evans after winning the first set, and the man from Birmingham agreed afterwards that it was the best win of his career:

"That's probably the best I've had to fight back," said the world number 179. "In the Davis Cup, I've always been pretty much up when I've won the matches."

Evans reward for reaching the third round of the Grand Slam for the first time,  is a guaranteed $60,000 and a draw against 19th seed, the Spaniard Tommy Rebredo.

Five-time US Open champion Rodger Federer could be next on the horizon if Evan’s manages to make it through to the fourth round. Federer himself was not ‘too good’ for Evan’s when he chose to practice with him before the match on Thursday

"It was amazing to hit with someone so good," said Evans. "I really enjoyed it, actually had a really good hit.

"It was a very good experience. He's a nice guy, was interested in what I did. It was good."

Tomic, ranked 52nd, said after the match "It shows you anybody can play in the top 250, a lot of guys can play. It's just a matter of consistency. The guys in the top 100 and top 50 are more consistent.

"He's playing well for the first time. This is his best result. He played very well against Kei. I knew if he beat Kei it was going to be difficult.

"I think I started well but just lost the concentration, lost my energy level. I couldn't execute my shots, go after my shots, and from then he took over."

Dan Evans magnificent rise in performance levels and subsequent victories, highlight the improvements that can be made with hard work and practice. Some may even argue Tomic’s fathers comments could have acted as the catalyst behind these improvement.

The Ashes 2013 England Make History....

The last time England won the Ashes by a margin of four test margin was down under in 1978-79, only losing once in Melbourne during an emphatic 5-1 series victory. If they win the final test at the Oval this weekend England will have completed their biggest ever Ashes victory on home turf and put down a definitive marker of superiority over the Australian side.

With the series already wrapped up, there could be a temptation for England to ease down and take a rest. However, England Captain Alastair Cook has fielded his best side and is determined to make history:

"I think it would be very special to win the Ashes 4-0," he said.

"That is what our motivation is as a side and we are hopefully going to pick the right side - the side that we think can win this Test match. Training has been good the last couple of days and we haven't done anything different, [treating the match] as if it were 1-1 in the series and that was our aim for this week.

"We don't need any more motivation - that is enough for us. To win a Test match for England is big enough motivation and we have a lot of record-breakers in this team. Every time you beat Australia it is a good feeling."

Uniquely this winter offers up the second of back-to-back Ashes series, so it is important that England remain dominant in this final test to strike a psychological blow.

"It will be one of those strange things," Cook added.

"When we get to Australia we will be saying 'what is gone is gone' and it won't make any difference during that first hour in Brisbane.

"But sitting here now, as a side, those little things can make a difference and if we can keep putting Australia under pressure in certain areas of their play then we know that will count well when we go down to Australia. If we can continue winning games of cricket then that is all we can do."

Not only can England create history competing at the Oval with the Ashes in the bag for the first time since the fabled summer of 1981, they also have the opportunity of moving above India to second place in the world test table.

Christine Ohuruogu continues to 2016 Olympics

After Christine Ohuruogu’s heroic gold medal exploits in Russia on Monday, it appears she is not content with just regaining her world title, revealing that she is now targeting the Rio Olympics in 2016. This will be particularly important to Ohuruogu after narrowly missing out on on Olympic gold at London 2012.

Ohuruogu, now stands alone as Britain’s most successful female athlete ever after winning her third global title, and joins the likes of Jonathon Edwards and Daley Thompson with three major championship gold medals. Mo Farah with four major titles, is the only Britain with more.

After her win on Monday, Ohuruogu revealed she was disappointed with her time, despite beating her personal best.

"The rounds were really easy for me – I ran 49.7 in the semi-finals without batting an eyelid so I know that there's more," said Ohuruogu. "I have 49.2 as a time I can run in my head so I was a bit disappointed that I ran 49.41."

It is unlikely that this World Championships will see another race as exciting or as closely contested. Ohuruogu dramatically dipped for the line after making up a huge gap on Amantle Montsho, who led her by 10 metres.

"How you see the race in your head is never how it replays on camera," she said. "I am just surprised at how I managed to stay so calm in what looks like a really bad place."

The fantastic news for Athletics fans, is that Ohuruogu is now planning to continue to the Rio Olympics in 2016 and try again for Gold. This means another 3 years of intense training, waking up early in the cold winter months and dedicating her life to the sport.

"It's another three winters of snow and cold but I've given someone my word I will be there in 2016," said Ohuruogu. "I'm going to be 30 next year but I think I can go faster. I'm happy to get the British record but it's not quite fast enough."

Ohuruogu's coach, Lloyd Cowan, confirmed that Ohuruogu is to end her career in Rio, adding: "That's where we will finish the story. She will be 32 and I think in her prime, but you can't keep pushing the body. We have to be smart. So that's where we will do the last chapter."

Cowan believes that her determination has hardened by the one-year suspension she served between 2006-07 for missing three drugs tests. "When you go through something like that it changes you," he said. "My conversation with her at that time was: 'If you go through something like this then nothing should ever faze you in your life because this is vicious, this is very, very vicious.'"

We’re glad that Christine will carry on to represent Britain in Rio and try to become the most decorated British athlete ever, she has put in some special performances and defied the odds on multiple occasions. Despite her achievement she has not always been shown the respect she deserves by the British media and by extension the public, because she is not pushed forward as a ‘star’.

Christine also teaches us an important lesson, it may be a cliche but never has ‘it’s not over until its over’ been so true, never giving in, dipping for the line and pushing right to the finish are qualities that we should always remember in life, in whatever we do!

Is Gareth Bale to become the most expensive footballer ever?

The start of the new Premier League season may still be a few weeks away, but the summer transfer window is in full swing. Rumours of transfers fill the back pages of every newspaper and there is none bigger than Gareth Bale’s proposed world record move from Tottenham to Real Madrid.

Gareth Bale ascent from being a potential flop at left back, to being one of the most coveted attacking footballer’s in the world marks a fairytale career turnaround. It was after all only four years ago that the then left back, had just played 24 games for Tottenham and been on the losing side every time, a Premier League record. There was even talk of him going on loan or being sold to relegation bound Birmingham City. After that dreadful run, It was during this period whilst out through injury, that Bale set about rebuilding himself to become the player he is today.

On his return to the team he appeared stronger than ever before and it seemed we were witnessing a transformation similar to that which Cristiano Ronaldo underwent at Manchester United. After spending his time out building his physique in the gym, he was now built like a boxer and the promising signs of talent now seemed to result in a spectacular end product. The epitome of the new Bale came when he announced himself to the world during a Champions League game versus Inter Milan in October 2010. Bale beasted Inter’s Brazilian right-back Maicon at the San Siro, at this time Maicon was considered the best defender in the world, and Bale ran past him as if he wasn't there to score a spectacular second half hat-trick.

Since that game Bale has not looked back, season on season and game after game he has improved. His stats show a meteoric rise in effectiveness, that has resulted in him being one of the most creative and threatening players in the Premier League. Last season he scored twenty-one goals and provided seven crucial assists in the Premier league alone, despite spending several periods out through injury.

The staggering sum of £100 million that Real Madrid are prepared to offer Tottenham for his services would shatter all previous transfer records. The current highest transfer record is Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2009, however the contrast between their stages of development when completing the move is quite marked. Ronaldo was transferred on the back of consistently incredible goal scoring feats, almost single handedly winning Manchester United titles and the Champions League. Madrid bought Ronaldo knowing they had the real deal, but with Bale there is still room for doubt. Only time will tell if this is one of the best or worst transfers in football history, if indeed it even happens at all!

The Top 5 Most Expensive Player Transfers Ever

No	Player	Fees	From	To
1	Cristiano Ronaldo	£80M	Manchester United	Real Madrid
2	Zlaten Ibrahimovic	£56M	Inter Milan	Barcelona
3	Kaka	£56M	AC Milan	Real Madrid
4	Radamel Falcao	£55M	Atletico Madrid	AS Monaco
5	Hulk	£52M	FC Porto	Zenit

David Beckham's Iconic Career in Pictures.

David Beckham announced his retirement from football in May. As the former England captain, he was one of the most iconic footballers and personalities of the noughties. During this long summer break from football before the new season starts,  we thought it was a good time to reflect on his career.

David Beckham's career at his first club Manchester United began when he signed a professional contract in 1994, after a short loan spell at Preston he began gaining regular first team football in 1995. However it was not until 1996 and scoring a spectacular goal against Wimbledon from the halfway line, that he really announced himself to the footballing world.

1) England vs Argentina, June 1998.

Whilst the Wimbledon goal announced him to the footballing world, this was the moment that penetrated the consciousness of the whole nation. England lost to Argentina on penalties after a 2-2 draw and Michael Owen wonder goal. Beckham’s famous sending off in this game made him a national villain for a period and pushed him onto the front and back pages of all the newspapers.

2) Made England Captain, November 2000.

After 1998 the rehabilitation of Beckham’s public image was now in full swing, with temporary England manager Peter Taylor making him the England captain, a position which he held for six years.

3) Last minute Free Kick vs Greece, October 2001.

This will probably remain Beckham’s most iconic moment in an England shirt. During the last World Cup qualifier of the campaign, England desperately needed at least a draw to go through to the finals. Beckham playing out of his skin dragged the team to the brink of qualification, with the 90th minute approaching Beckham stepped up to score a trademark free kick which sent England to the finals and sent the fans delirious.

4) Penalty vs Argentina, June 2002.

Beckhams redemption in the public mind was finally complete, scoring a penalty against old rivals Argentina which won the game and sent England through to the next round.

5) Beckham join Real Madrid, June 2003.

Beckham left his boyhood club Manchester United to join possibly the only bigger team in the world. The Spanish giants rewarded him with a huge contract and Beckham joined the cast of ‘Galacticos’ including Zidane and Figo.

6) Resigns as England Captain, July 2006.

After missing a penalty against Portugal in the World Cup, England crashed out of the tournament. Beckham felt it was time to step down as captain and allow new coach Steve McLaren the opportunity to appoint his own man.

7) Signs for LA Galaxy, January 2007.

At 31 Beckham made the move to America and received a bumper £128 million contract. Beckham was such a big name on the world stage by now, that he was brought to America for his ability to attract new American fans as much as his footballing prowess. Although he suffered several injuries early on at Galaxy, he later went on to win two Major League Cups. During his time at Galaxy he also spent time on loan at another iconic European club, AC Milan.

8) Breaks the record for England Caps, March 2009.

During a friendly with Slovakia, one of his last ever England games, Beckham became the most capped England outfield player ever. Receiving a standing ovation from the fans for his historic feet.

9) Beckham Retires,  May 2013.

At the age of 38 Beckham bowed out of football with his final club Paris Saint-Germain, by winning the league with PSG he had now won the league in four different countries. His emotional retirement was rounded off nicely by the news that he had donated his entire wages earned at PSG to charity.

Britain's Olympic Legacy - 1 Year On

This week marks the one year anniversary of London 2012 and Britain’s most successful Olympic games. As you will remember, Team GB rode high in the final medals table and a rather sceptical nation celebrated - as Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah, Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins and Co romped to their respective triumphs.

Despite London 2012 coming in three times over budget, recent government research has revealed that hosting the games could have boosted the UK economy by as a much as £9.9 billion. So we thought it would be interesting to see how the games are viewed a year on and take a look back at our top three highlights.

Following a year to reflect on the games, a new survey carried out for the BBC by ComRes shows that more than two-thirds of the country believe the games were worth the money and 74% would welcome the games back to Britain.

As for the much discussed ‘legacy’ aspect of the games, the survey reveals a mixed picture. Generally our feelings are very positive towards  London 2012, however, general participation in sport has had a temporary boost and dropped off into 2013. But Sports England points out, there are now 1.4 million more people playing sport than when we won the bid for the games in 2005. So by anyone's measure increased participation like this is a fantastic legacy of the games.

When you consider the positive public feeling, the British success, the volunteers, the economic benefits, the number of social firsts (in both the Olympics and Paralympics) and the overall increased sporting participation. London 2012 was a rip-roaring success, a once in a generation moment where the typically cynical British population celebrated achievement with gusto, whilst also enjoying showcasing our nation to the world.

Despite the Government cut-backs on the grass-roots of sport, including clubs and local facilities, participation in sport has not dropped off aggressively. The last year has shown, Britain has remained triumphant in many sports and the success kicked off by the Olympics see’s no sign of abating.

Our Top 3 Moments of 2012

There are too many glorious moments to mention from London 2012, every sport contributed amazingly, but for us the most iconic and defining images from the Olympics came from the Athletic events.

1) Mo Farah’s 5000m Gold -

Mighty Mo, the refugee who defied the odds, winning Gold in both the ten and five thousand metre events to become a hero. Plus his, ‘MoBot’ celebration was one of the most copied moments of the Olympics.

2) Jessica Ennis’s Heptathlon Gold -

Sheffield’s Jessica Ennis was the face of the games in the build up, despite the pressure, she performed fantastically to win gold and fulfil her promise. Her gold on what became known as ‘super-Saturday’, was one of the stand-out moments.  

3) Usain Bolt's 100m Victory -

Not a Brit, but Jamaica and the world’s fastest man won three golds overall and became one of the most successful athletes of all time. Another man with an iconic celebration, who will go down as a sporting great.