May 01
The British Element
This post could create a lot of controversy, so I want to make it clear that I don’t have anything against foreign players per se. Many of the United greats have been from beyond these shores, and I revere them as much as anyone else.
That said, I have always been proud that United has had a core of players from the British Isles (note that’s worded carefully enough to include the Republic of Ireland). United are an English team, who have always placed high value on local talent and team spirit. I need scarcely draw the comparisons with the other big sides:
- Arsenal – are and have been for many years (since the likes of Adams, Dixon, Keown etc began retiring) made up almost exclusively of foreigners.
- Chelsea – bought in a load of players, some English and some not, with a trend towards foreigners (particularly Portuguese, like Carvalho, Ferreira and flops such as Tiago) under Mourinho.
- Liverpool – still value their “local lads” like Carragher and $tevie Mbe, but Benitez has brought in a load of Spanish and Spanish-speaking players (Torres, Alonso, Mascherano, a few random Brazilians, Luis Garcia and others who have now left).
An all-British Isles team
To illustrate, let’s look at the best all-British Isles teams that each of the top 4 can put out. In fact, let’s not bother with Arsenal, because it’s not realistic. And actually, scrap Liverpool too because the only players there are Carragher, Finnan, Gerrard, Pennant and Crouch.
United
Foster; G Neville-Brown-Ferdinand-O’Shea; Fletcher-Carrick-Hargreaves-Giggs; Scholes; Rooney; subs: Simpson, Eagles, Cathcart, Welbeck, Heaton
Now that’s a pretty strong side, and we can even find some subs to put on the bench. I’m actively proud that we can put that team out.
Chelsea
[no keeper]; Bridge-Terry-[no CB]-A Cole; J Cole-Lampard-Sidwell-Wright-Phillips
[none]-Sinclair
Not much cop – even ignoring the gaps, where are the goals coming from?
So, on the one hand, the core of our team is still British Isles-based at present (Neville, Rio, Scholes, Carrick, Rooney). On the other hand, the majority of our recent signings have been Portuguese / Portuguese-speaking, which is Queiroz’s influence. I’m talking here about Nani, Anderson, the twin full backs and Manucho, together with all the links to any decent Porto or Sporting Lisbon player.
I would really like to to carry on trying to buy the best of British where possible alongside the top class foreigners (think Rooney, Rio, Carrick, Foster and Hargreaves), whilst at the same time bringing through our youth players (current alumni Scholes, O’Shea, Brown, Fletcher, Giggs and Neville). Bring in top drawer foreign players, but don’t look overseas for the sake of it, or just because Queiroz finds it easier to coach those who identify with him.
Apart from the “British players for a British league” point, on a practical note we’re likely to get better value in the long run for British Isles players. Players like Ronaldo and Tevez are going to want to go and play in the continent and in their homeland eventually, whereas Rooney and Rio will commit their entire remaining career to United. Think about Keane, Giggs, Scholes, Neville and others who played either all or the vast majority of their careers for us. To anyone who wants to accuse me of being prejudiced against foreigners, bear this in mind. Do you think we’d have been so good for so long without this unbelievable loyalty from our core squad?
The other impact of this view is that I firmly believe that our next manager should be from the British Isles – one who is going to view United as the pinnacle of their managerial career and (if all goes well) be with us for 25 years, not someone who might, for example, be tempted away by the Portugal national side in three years time. United are the top team in the top league in the British Isles, and I think we should always act like it.
End uncharacteristic rant. Try not to flame me too hard.
Related items from Red Rants:
- The Wayne Rooney Debate
- FA shafts Ferguson
- Preview/Match Thread: Valencia vs. Manchester United
- Man Utd 4-0 Aston Villa: Just Six Games to Glory?
- Liga de Quito v Manchester United, Club World Cup Final Match Thread
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Opti (542)
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Jose Bosingwa
The Sun Article claims that united bid for ANOTHER Portugal international. CQ is still doing his homework?
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To respond, as best I can, to the biggest points raised in the comments (I tried to keep up at the start, but you lot carry on all round the clock!):
1. No offence intended over the use of British Isles to include Ireland. It was simply as concise a way as I could find of including the Republic in my opinion. Maybe I should have used UK ROI or something, but it was purely nomenclature.
2. Re Abu’s allegation of nationalism / racism – I expected at least a few responses like that, but it misses the point. I’m not arguing for an all British (sorry, UK ROI) team, just for balance. Blend homegrown players with United imprinted on their soul with the best talent from overseas. Sign Ronaldo, Cantona, Schmeichel, Anderson, Vidic etc – definitely. But reports of signing squad players like Bosingwa or Veloso are the ones which irritate me. Buy Hutton (£8m to Spurs) or Barry (Liverpool have just bid £10m) if you want good back-up players. Or, as someone suggested further up, Ashton – a good, solid player who can do damage in the Premier League, will be happy as a reserve and can be bought for seven figures. At least then you know you’re buying someone who can do the job and don’t have a 50-50 chance of getting homesick in the rainy season.
3. Grognard – point taken about Hargreaves, but I think a lot of the same points apply to him as to someone like Carrick.
4. My interest in United’s squad having a UK ROI core has nothing to do with wanting the national team to be better.
5. Thanks to craig mc (no 22), RR (@ no 33) and Park no. 1 fan (no 47) for expanding on some of my points, probably more eloquently than I managed.
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I for one am happy that Bayern are out of the Uefa cup,they(sinister bastards) were planning to stiff ronaldo again this year with whom you may ask Luka toni who apparently has scored some 31 odd goals for bayern and also because the fact he is Italian(the think Italian’s have a divine right to win the Euro’s).apparently that’s the excuse they were going to use despite the fact that Ronaldo has had an absolute blinder of a season as a winger(Not many wingers can claim to have scored more than 15 goals in a season let alone 38!!! and counting).Last season he allegedly lost because he didn’t win the champions league.Well he has done more than Messi and Kaka have managed for there teams this season.
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Oh on the British element in the side does it really matter anymore considering the we continue to live in what apparently is a Global village.Where you mates 30 or 40 odd years ago you mates would share the same nationality with you.Now it is even harder not to have friends from across the Ocean with Social Networking,Gaming,Blogging and all this new fangled modern technologies that are making distantance irrelevant to having or nuturing your relationships or friendships.So does it really matter as long as the values of the club are intact isn’t that what was atmost important rather not the players who play for you after all they do come and Go.But the values if they are preserved they last forever.I think RR that you might want the British element or the English element in the team so that you can have national pride.Not club pride which I thought was paramount if we all do prescribe to the notion that United >Englang.It is important to have those british roots for sentimental reasons\nationalistic self preservation but I ask you what is the greater good.Having Good national team or a great team.We are all on here almost everyday because of our greater love for Manchester United,Not England,Scotland,Ireland,Wales or the channel islands.so should our love continue to prevail above any nationalistic needs or wants.I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one.
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It’s all fair and dandy to sign English players where possible, but as of the moment I’d imagine most folks agree we’re short of a striker and a right-back, and I don’t see any English players available (who don’t play for Citeh) who’re anywhere near good enough to get into our side anyway.
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