Quote Originally Posted by Peter View Post
And national ridicule and vilification follows if you don't, which is the reality for almost all international managers.

The one problem with football becoming more technical and better coached at club level is that it makes it even harder to replicate at international level. Klopp could not be Klopp in an international role- his approach relies on the physical conditioning of his players to be able to cope with a certain tempo and there is no way he can manage this with players he doesn't oversee.

The best international managers are those that can get across a simple tactical approach to players quickly. Arteta, for example, has many strengths as a coach but this doesn't currently appear to be one of them. Our new recruits tend to be slightly baffled on arrival by an overload of information.
That'll surely change though. The whole UEFA-badge malarkey will bring even more of the tactical and preparation hegemony that's been creeping in. The gap between club and country football must close and eventually disappear.

Even now, the England team under Southgate might challenge for Europe through the Premier League. They don't give much away, decent set-pieces and occasional moments of real attacking quality? Reminiscent of dear old George in the Cup Winners' Cup.