I'm not sure if this thread currently exists, but if not, I'm keen to know of the Englishmen representing at clubs globally. And in your honest opinion, who has been the best English player to play abroad? (some would say Lineaker,Keegan, Gazza, maybe Beckham or Platt?)
Didn't Waddle do rather well in France? I think it's fair to say Keegan has been the most impressive Englishman abroad.
What are reasons why there aren't that many English Abroad? IMHO, the Premier League is in top form with its quality, and Englishmen could give this quality to the world for various club sides. Is there some form of aprehension from clubs aborad? Are the English aprehensive about leaving home?
True, true. Maybe I'm just being naive, but it would be nice to see something different/fresh in other leagues i.e. an English GK shutting em down in Spain or the States , a solid English bruiser playing in Germany or Russia, a spirited English midfielder making moves in Italy or Portugal, or an English striker pimping the goals in France or Holland.
Some other Englishmen to have had some sort of champions league success abroad: Steve McManaman, Owen Hargreaves, and Mark Hateley @ Glasgow Rangers. The latter I believe would've played in the 93 final had it not been for Marseille bribing their way instead.
More money in the Premiership, even for the smaller teams. Owen gets more money playing for Newcastle than he did Real Madrid.
Few Englishmen play abroad purely because their domestic league is already one of the strongest in the world. Until recent seasons very few Spaniards or Italians played abroad for the same reason (and even with greater movement in recent times most still remain at home). For those that do move, if there are any problems settling in or playing at their new club the natural place to return is back to England (eg Michael Owen, or Robbie Keane - for the purposes of this discussion English/Irish/Scots/Welsh players can be included as "domestic"). Anyway, Michael Ball's at PSV and he seems to have disappeared off everyone's radar entirely.
John Barnes never played for Inter. Luther Blissett at Milan, on the other hand...hugely successful. Hugely.
Hargreaves is doing well at Bayern, Beckham at Real, thats probably the only ones in good leagues. English players actually do rather abroad. Hoddle at Marseille, Ince at Inter, Gazza at Lazio (to some extent) and many more etc.
I did wonder - I didn't see why he'd substitute Inter in though, and figured he'd confused the story. Mea culpa.
agreed it's no suprise that in his 13 games this season Real kept 10 clean sheets with him at the back.
If you consider the Irish to be domestic, Ronnie O'Brien, former Juventus midfielder, plays at FC Dallas in the MLS
I agree too Colm that he is one of the best defenders if not the best when he is fit, my apologies, I did not know that we were talking about just the top English defenders abroad.... It's a no-brainer that Woodgate fits that description....
