First, I would like to hear others' opinions on how the recent transfer market can be viewed from a YA perspective. I am familiar with larger-profile YA moves, but I would like to see someone put them all into context. ---------- Then there's this ... http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=557129 English soccer is being hurt by over-priced, scarce local talent and a flood of cheaper foreigners, according to Blackburn chairman John Williams. On the first weekend of the English Premier League season, only 37% of players that started matches were English. That was 81 players, a drop from 184 15 years ago, and Williams sees that as bad for the English game. .... Meanwhile, Williams predicts that wages will soar this year to reflect the record spending on transfers. Sports consultants Deloitte believe there will not be such a dramatic rise in players’ salaries compared to transfer fees, but Williams disagrees. Deloitte’s report shows transfer spending by English clubs this summer has exceeded £500-million, smashing the previous summer’s £300-million. Williams said: “I have read the predictions that wages will not rise dramatically but my feeling is that wages will grow very considerably this year. “The market is buoyant because of the TV money, there is an ability to pay and a willingness to invest.” ********** I couldn't find the old BS YA thread, but the difference of opinion above - wages will or will not rise in response to a big increase in (TV) revenue - was hotly debated.
Williams is an idiot. There's money in the English game and that attracts athletes from around the world. When Italy paid the best, the world's best (and this was before Bosman) congregated there. Once Russia gets to the level of the Prem, more players will flow to the likes of CSKA and Zenit. What will Williams complain about then? Too many bald Yank GK's?
For players who might become elite, not much difference, IMO. But from a broader YA perspective, this means a lot of opportunity. As Prem teams buy up pretty much all the top talent on earth, the teams they leave will be looking for cheap replacements. while the UK is a limited outlet, other leagues will become more of an option for Yanks, as it's a cheap, new, improving soccer market. Beyond that, the top of the prem is spending so much to improve incrementally that europe's other top clubs are having to spend to keep up, so the talent being sucked out of all but the top clubs (and a lot of prem clubs, who all have a lot of money) is creating a vacuum, even in the top leagues in the mid to lower table region. Every time a a player in europe shows great promise, he's been signed (even when there is little chance he'll actually play) for some outrageous fee. That means a lot of lower clubs have both openings and more cash. Opportunities will expand in germany, holland, portugal, spain, etc. For US players with euro passports, I would think the 2nd, 1st and CCC in England would be a great market, right now, as English players are at a premium in the higher reaches, and people are looking to create the best teams they can for the least money.
Brooking said it too in England. Rudi Völler said it in Germany. Marcello Lippi has said it in Italy. They think that having a home squad helps the national team. Oddly, since 81 Englishmen started in Week One, this would make enough for 7 full National team rosters (+ 4 subs). Of course, having a greater competition helps everyone raise the level of his game. This is true for MLS players (both in terms of an improved MLS play and the export of talent) and it's true for every country. It also makes the leagues more exciting to watch/follow. Bundesliga, Bayern'07 aside, is already crazily unpredictable. The Premiership will get there within a year. La Liga had its richest teams losing points left and right. Only Serie A with its non-EU player limits is super top heavy. It's a euphemism ... prevents one from repeating the same word all over again.
Or could it be that the 101 fewer English players starting in the Prem this year reflect the fact that the standard has risen and these players are just not good enough anymore?
That can't be. I hear the prem is nothing but the kick the ball a long ways, run yourself dead, and try to steal a header or three along the way. Must be a conspiracy.
And that they would rather take the £££'s rather than €€€'s in Italy, Germany or Spain. It's an open EU labor market for the English players. If they feel their international chances are being scuppered by sitting on the bench at Chelsea, they can go to other squads like Robben, Parker, Jarosik, Smertin, Robben, Johnson, Duff, Huth, Gudjohnsen, Gallas, Crespo, et al. have done over the last 2-3 years.
The best thing for the English national team is for the last 81 to go play somewhere else. Playing in England hasn't worked out so well for the last 41 years. As far as Yanks and larger context - the inevitable will continue to happen. Barring serious expansion or serious investment in/revamping of the reserve team system, MLS is pretty much full. There are going to be more and more good American players looking at MLS and seeing that they can sign for peanuts and no longer even gaurenteed a starting spot, or even a good shot a playing. Then they will see they can make 4x or more in a Scandi league or B2 or CC and they will give it a shot. Some will stick. Some will sink and return to the MLS to fight it out. Meanwhile, the more Yanks in Europe the better chance one or two will hit and make some club look like Kreskin for buying cheap and selling rich and then Yank values will inch upward. It will be a long process, but America is going to continue producing very serviceable soccer players at a good rate and they will be good value for Euro teams for a while, even just on the exchange!
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=460913&cc=5901 What dearth of English talent? England arguably had more talent than Italy at the last World Cup. This is just another cry of "When I was young, it was more important Pain more painful Laughter much louder Yeah, when I was young When I was young"