England / Premier League supporters

The scene of bald grown men with streaky St. George’s crosses down their faces and surrounded by dozens of empty pint pots was replicated from bars in Bolton to the hostelry around the corner of the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

They simultaneously scratched where they once had follicles. Any attempts to sympathise and explain that the boys in red just weren’t good enough wouldn’t have ended too well. So many simply left them to it.

Firstly, blame was aimed at a variety of places including the manager, before the players took the stick. Then when everyone had just about sobered up, the pundits on their high horses added a certain degree of rationale to the whole situation of capitulating 4-1 to our biggest rivals in the last 16 of a tournament we once won (apparently).

Indeed many cottoned on to the idea that it was in fact the structuring of the game and the grassroots levels that were to blame.

One thing struck though. It initially smacked of hypocrisy. People with season tickets at the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and Anfield were screaming at their TVs “where’s the English talent? Why aren’t they being brought through?” The simple answer was the club they watch week in; week out hinders the development of ‘said’ talent by importing cheaper players off the continent.

Cardiff City striker Jay Bothroyd is a prime example. Having spent his youth at Arsenal, he had a brief spell with Coventry City before going to Perugia, Italy in an attempt to breakthrough. It never happened though and nor did spells at Blackburn, Charlton, Wolves or Stoke. He still hasn’t been a permanent fixture in the Premier League, though it looks a possibility with the Bluebirds.

Andy Carroll’s transfer to Liverpool from Newcastle in January for £35M demonstrated just how inflated prices for English talent are. By stark contrast Juanfran, a 26 year old Spanish winger who represented Spain from under 17 to under 21 level whilst at Real Madrid, moved from Osasuna – where he made 148 La Liga appearances (almost double Carroll’s entire Premier League career) - to Atletico Madrid for the knockdown price of £4M.

However, let’s not get bogged down by current transfer market economies across Europe. Why shouldn’t your average Manchester United or Chelsea season ticket holder be able to cheer on their club and want the national side to do well?

At the end of the day, neither the Stretford nor Shed ‘enders’ has a say on their clubs respective transfer policies.

It seems a case of conflicted interests. On one hand people back their ‘local’ team, with which they have an affinity, by investing in a season ticket. However this organisation will charge potential suitors to any of their English players an extortionate fee due to them being home grown. Thus resulting in an arguably weaker England side.

From ardent fan to Arsene Wenger, it’s argued that the knowledge gained by young England players such as Jack Wilshere, who will come up against Cesc Fabregas regularly in training, is invaluable. As is the match situation experienced by the likes of Gary Cahill who has to track (for example) Fernando Torres’ every move.

However, the England squad suffered from a distinct lack of strength in depth recently and had to pick 28 year old Bothroyd because there was no one else. Right back Kyle Walker who has spent the majority of the season at QPR but is now at Aston Villa on loan also got a call from Mr Capello.

When England played France in November at Wembley, the home side were shown up. One of the Premier Leagues most improved players, Arsenal’s Samir Nasri, teamed up with a revamped and extremely young team that, under the stewardship of Laurent Blanc, delivered a master class.

All that chasing by Kieran Gibbs on the training pitch counted for nothing as his club mate ghosted past him countless times.

What of the Champions League though? In the games between Arsenal and Barcelona and AC Milan and Spurs last month, only five out of the two English sides starting were English: Wilshere, Walcott, Dawson, Lennon and Crouch. That simply isn’t enough. Nine Spaniards made the Emirates pitch alone.

If we look at history, England actually performed relatively better when it’s clubs were banned from European competition from 1985-1990, which incidentally saw a quarter final appearance in Mexico ’86 and Sir Bobby Robson also lead the three lions to the semis at Italy ’90.

Had Peter Shilton been a few inches taller and our left flank able to take spot kicks, staying out of Europe may have been a blessing in disguise.