English Core ?

[SnipersBreath]

What do you guys think about this term "English Core" that Chelsea seems to always throw around. It seems like they use it to get people in England to maybe like'em.....probably just for Kudo's....

[Teso Dos Bichos]

It is always best to have a set of core English players in the team. It helps in a variety of different ways. They know the country, culture, usually the club traditions and obviously the language. Local fans tend to identify with them more than the foreign players. They are also key in helping these foreign players to settle. Obviously they aren't the most important thing in the world, but then do help. An argument could also be made that it is another indication that you haven't went down the buying foreigners route to success and also points to your quality of youth development. Although Chelsea are the exception to that rule (and almost every other rule as well).

Man Utd had a big core of English players when we were successful and Chelsea currently have Terry and Lampard, arguably their two most influential players with some others in different positions.

[The Potter]

They really need Campbell in the team but not because he is English. So many of Arsenal's foriegners have been in England so long that I don't think it matters.

[rgrayson]

In my opinion the only reason Arsenal 'need' english players is to fulfill the new UEFA rule...

[jegerpenge]

I don't know if having a core of players from your nationality speaks too much about your youth system at this level. I mean, yes, it has something to do with it, but look at Cesc or Lupoli. Yes, we got them from another team's youth system, but they are still coming up through ours. I do think that your other points are valid, and that new UEFA rule still pisses me off.

[DBecks]

Signing Jenas would help that "core". . .

I think it's a good move, although I'm partial to the Limeys. Since the good English strikers aren't really realistic, I'd like to get at least one promising Englishman in the midfield (since no more Pennant).

[Gunner Phan]

I think we need MT to address this question. MT ne1?

[mad theory]

I think we need MT to address this question. MT ne1?

i was gonna rip into rgraysons crap post about only needing english players for the uefa ruling but i really don't want to start another arguement.

[ports485]

In my opinion the only reason Arsenal 'need' english players is to fulfill the new UEFA rule...

Under the new rules, Lupoli, Fabregas, Quincy, Djourou, and Senderos, none of them even British, could still qualify as "home grown" players.

The importance of Chelsea's "English core" is slightly overstated. Terry and Lampard are their only two absolutely integral English players. Cole, Bridge, and Johnson are simply in the mix. Cech, Makelele, and Robben are all part of the "core" of Chelsea's team and they aren't English.

One thing I'd love to see, though not at Arsenal, is a club going with a British-only player policy. A few years ago Newcastle and Leeds were very close to being completely British and were still successful in both EPL and CL, I believe it can be done. Plus it'd be a lot easier for a British-only club to attract top British youngsters who know they won't be crowded out by foreigners in the academy or reserves.

[jegerpenge]

Under the new rules, Lupoli, Fabregas, Quincy, Djourou, and Senderos, none of them even British, could still qualify as "home grown" players.

The importance of Chelsea's "English core" is slightly overstated. Terry and Lampard are their only two absolutely integral English players. Cole, Bridge, and Johnson are simply in the mix. Cech, Makelele, and Robben are all part of the "core" of Chelsea's team and they aren't English.

One thing I'd love to see, though not at Arsenal, is a club going with a British-only player policy. A few years ago Newcastle and Leeds were very close to being completely British and were still successful in both EPL and CL, I believe it can be done. Plus it'd be a lot easier for a British-only club to attract top British youngsters who know they won't be crowded out by foreigners in the academy or reserves.

But to have a club with a policy like that, you would need seed money on par with Abramovich's in order to get your starting XI all British. They are so expensive that at least for a few years, unless you had the best youngsters in the country, you would need to rely on money to buy new breakthrough Brits. I do think it would be entertaining to watch, although, as you said, not at Arsenal.

[mad theory]

But to have a club with a policy like that, you would need seed money on par with Abramovich's in order to get your starting XI all British. They are so expensive that at least for a few years, unless you had the best youngsters in the country, you would need to rely on money to buy new breakthrough Brits. I do think it would be entertaining to watch, although, as you said, not at Arsenal.

not if these players come through our ranks.

and i wouldn't care if it happens at arsenal, and nor should you.

[jegerpenge]

not if these players come through our ranks.

and i wouldn't care if it happens at arsenal, and nor should you.

That's what I'm saying, but it's rare that you have a starting XI come through the ranks at the same time. The odds are against a kid becoming world class no matter where he comes through. It's not just the academy, but also the kid himself, devotion to training, staying out of trouble. Pennant is a prime example of this. In order to buy the good young British players coming through at other teams, you would need to have the money to afford them.

No, I want Arsenal to win. It's not that I would care if the team were all English. I just want them to win, and I wouldn't want to run an experiment such as this on the team if it decreases our chances of winning. Nothing biased in this, but I don't know an English striker as good as Henry, and I don't think that you do either.

[ports485]

The one thing (the ONLY thing) I can respect about Spurs is that they've been buying lots of English youngsters without having to spend a ton of money. Dawson, Davenport, Huddlestone, Lennon, Davis, Routledge, Carrick. I wouldn't have minded having some of them at Highbury in stead.

A mid-table club who already has a mostly British squad, like Charlton, could probably go 100% British (I consider British-born and raised foreign internationals like Euell, Izzet, Hislop, etc. to still be British) and still have about the same quality.

[rgrayson]

i was gonna rip into rgraysons crap post about only needing english players for the uefa ruling but i really don't want to start another arguement.

There would be no argument from my end. Having two conflicting opinions does not necessarily need to turn into an argument. I'm actually interested on why you disagree with my post though.

[jwaldman11]

Mourinho's English core claim is, to use an English phrase, total bollocks. SWP is the only English player on the current squad that he's bought. Everyone else was either there when he got there or is from outside England. He's probably sold just as many English players as he's bought since he got there. It's Mourinho's self-denial of the fact that they're playing by a different set of rules. Anything that he or any other club official says about this is completely hypocritical.

As for needing an English core, we could have a core of Martians for all I care, as long as we win with them. Football today is much more of a world game than ever, and these claims that you NEED English players to win in the EPL are not true, in my opinion. I think they help, but, if you have a core group of other players that have been with the club for awhile and have been through the adjustment period, then I think you're still in good shape. And just going with English players, as someone else said, would mean paying more for quality that might not be as good.

[CT_Gunner]

I think it's good to have a few players on your team that are from england so that the locals have players they can relate to as "their guy", but I don't think it's needed or really a good precedent to set. if you're going to push english players on english teams, it can't be at the expense of foreign players. I don't think that a player from another country should be forced out by a local. Basically, a good core of english players is a bonus more than a neccessity.

[jegerpenge]

Hmm, it's kind of like affirmative action, except in reverse.

[jwaldman11]

Hmm, it's kind of like affirmative action, except in reverse.
Wouldn't that make it negative action?

[jegerpenge]

Touché

[schafer]

But to have a club with a policy like that, you would need seed money on par with Abramovich's in order to get your starting XI all British. They are so expensive that at least for a few years, unless you had the best youngsters in the country, you would need to rely on money to buy new breakthrough Brits. I do think it would be entertaining to watch, although, as you said, not at Arsenal.


There's a club in one of the FA feeder divisions, Garforth Town, that is going to be using all youth players in several years, but their academy is using futbol de salao, which is what Ronaldo/Zico/Pele played as children.