But.. I thought the Prem was meant to be the best league in the world, according to some bloke on Sky ?
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."
European leagues are an ever changing merry go round of international players. In theory, the better players will go to the richest clubs. Most of the top sides have fewer home grown players and managers. It’s a playing field that should tilt towards the PL and yet as we’ve seen this season, it doesn’t.
Fine margins and all that. Italy, perhaps showing the biggest drop off in the super club circle but isn’t it more, the ridiculous number of games and inadequate breaks that are the culprit ?
That Dubai break turned our season around. Can’t help thinking that quantity over quality plays a big part in why both clubs and country fall at the final hurdle.
Again, there is a difference between the league and its top clubs. The PL may have far more financial clout overall than Spain, Germany, Italy, France, but in reality only City and United can compete with the financial muscle of Bayern, Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG.
English teams won 2 of the 3 European trophies last season and 3 English sides have won the Champions League in the last 5 years, with two all English finals. It isn't as if we consistently fail.
Despite the leagues, the two legs and all the hoopla, these are still cup competitions that reward performance on the night. You shouldn't expect the best overall side to win each year.
And the fact that we play more games is probably a factor when it comes to the latter stages of these competitions.
In terms of international football, I think England have been performing pretty well for a few years now.
It is odd, because I don't pay much attention to England. They have performed pretty well in tournaments yet still Southgate is routinely derided as an idiot.
At the Euros they came as close to winning a tournament as you can. Pity the players bottled taking a penalty and left it to kids and subs.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."
He's never been a popular choice though as many, with some justification, believe him to be an out-of-his-depth yes-man who ought to have no business leading such a great crop of players. Not even sure if actually winning the Euros would've helped; people would simply have demanded the World Cup on top as a bare minimum. (The kids taking penalties-thing was actually smart; they had no baggage).
Similar situation to Jogi Löw with Germany; they hardly left the tournament podium in a decade but his critics still felt he was a failure, that he should actually have won them all.
"Plenty of strikers can score goals," he said, gesturing to the famous old stands casting shadows around us.
"But a lot have found it difficult wearing the number 9 shirt for The Arsenal."
I'm not sure what a good international manager looks like. It seems like a stupid and thankless job. You have no time with the players so you are really just picking a team and making a speech. Get stuck in, play for the badge, we can beat these etc
I think Venables was good at it because he had the ability to get simple ideas across to players quickly. But modern coaches, and their tactics, physical preparation etc.... it just isn't possible to recreate that.