The Premiership's Composition (and English players abroad)

I've been trying to approach new games with national squad themes in mind lately and I came to the realisation (while trying to build an Italian focused squad in the Premiership) that Italians are presently very rare in our top division.

It makes me wonder how this has come to be the case. The top clubs in the Premiership have a considerable amount of foreign european talent in their sides, yet none of the top four possess an Italian in their First Squad. The only Italian of note in the entire Premiership as things stand is West Ham's loan-in David Di Michele.

I have considered that a fair few of the top Italian sides favour signing domestic quality and this dominance could be the reason for the lack of Italians over here. However, this trend appears across Europe - Spanish sides focusing on top Spanish players, the same in France, Holland, Germany, Portugal - and yet top players from these countries pepper the squads of the top flight.

As for domestic players heading in the other direction - try and name a quality English player who's not currently playing in the Premiership. Even a mid-table ability player. There was Hargreaves but Fergie dragged him home, I've not even heard rumours of an English player set for departure to Europe for some time now.

So what's brought this about? Why are Italians banished from the top flight and why can't the Brits escape it?

Technique, money, change of language etc....

While you do raise an interesting point about the general lack of Italians in the Premiership I have to point that Andrea "Disaster" Dossena is indeed Italian and playing for Liverpool.

Having had the misfortune to watch him first hand a few times this season I have to say it may be that Italian players are not suited the style or pace of the permiership.

As for English Players oveseas again good point except for Beckham.

If theres more for either than I stand corrected

I'd put it down to difference in playing styles of the 2 countries, I can't think of many that have made the switch easily from being in Italy and coming to England, or the other way round, unless they were still quite young, except maybe Viera.

the reason why english players very rarely play abroad is the same reason why so many swedes and frenchies play over here.

The cost of english players i prohibitively high when compared to scandinavians or central europeans.

This is because all english clubs wand a core of english players, and thus with so many english clubs comming in for so few (comparatively) english players - their price goes up.

As for clubs abroad - well they wont pay the price for inflated cost english players, when a player from france or their own country would do just as well.

This is also the reason why so many italians play in italy and so many spanish play in spain

I've not even heard rumours of an English player set for departure to Europe for some time now.

Adam Johnson, Jermaine Pennant, Ronaldo to Madrid???????

Kind of sets the scene for English football.

The Italian national side have been more successful both recently and over time - you'll find Italians in the top European sides in each country except England.

The English national side seems to be on some kind of slippery slope and has been for some time - no top English players in any top European side outside of England.

So here we are, stubbornly denying the example of success whilst stubbornly developing domestic players in such a way that nobody outside these shores wants them or will ever come to fear them in an international competition.

Adam Johnson, Jermaine Pennant, Ronaldo to Madrid???????

Ronaldo's portugese and I personally wouldn't consider the other two top or mid-table quality, nor had I heard of interest for either from a foreign side

Ronaldo's portugese and I personally wouldn't consider the other two top or mid-table quality, nor had I heard of interest for either from a foreign side

Fair play at Ronaldo and true they are mid-table quality.

Adam Johnson, Jermaine Pennant, Ronaldo to Madrid???????

You can hardly class C.Ronaldo as an english player. But yeah Pennant to Real is a clasic example of Loony Manager Syndrome. He has failed at 3 English clubs including 2 of the top 4 and now suddenly Real Madrid want him!!

I say good ridenance and hope liverpool hold out for every penny they can get:)

English players aren't really that good anyway, except Gerrard and Scholes a few years ago, players like Terry, Lampard, Rooney are all overated because they benefit from foreign team mates in the Premiership which is also overated , thats why its never a suprise to me when England 'underperform'

Im English btw

I'd put it down to difference in playing styles of the 2 countries, I can't think of many that have made the switch easily from being in Italy and coming to England, or the other way round, unless they were still quite young, except maybe Viera.

Henry and Di Canio, Vialli, Zola, Di Matteo....

Real Madrid are interested in Walcott (if they cannot get Ronaldo). Walcott got injured so they made an offer for Pennant instead. They'll probably be interested in Aaron Lennon too. Reckon they want a speedy wide right player who won't take too much part in the build play, but will give them width and pose a threat because of their pace.

Several top clubs want Steven Gerrard if he ever decided to leave Liverpool.

If you believe Real Madrid are after Pennant, Adam Johnson then you really need your head examined!

Several top clubs want Steven Gerrard if he ever decided to leave Liverpool.

Yes - but thats the point i made above - its a matter of cost - english players are too expensive for what you get back.

Henry and Di Canio, Vialli, Zola, Di Matteo....

I wouldnt say was many over a span of what 10 years?

Kind of sets the scene for English football.

The Italian national side have been more successful both recently and over time - you'll find Italians in the top European sides in each country except England.

That in itself is a very recent development. It wasn't that long ago that you would find few Italians playing abroad, especially those of national team quality, because there was a predilection to ignore anyone who wasn't playing in Italy when selecting the national squad. So to ensure they would have a chance of selection, they wouldn't move outside of Italy. Additionally Italy was the place where they could get the bigger wages and play for highly prestigious clubs, so there was no need to move. Now that the wages are larger elsewhere, the decline of the Italian league, and the change of selection habits, Italian players are more inclined to move.

So for English players it could be said to be down to complacency.

The English league is very prestigious so domestic players have little reason to want to play elsewhere. Consequently they develop in a manner that makes them unsuitable for the rest of Europe. A lack of adaptability perhaps.

Without that broadening of style English players are stunted in terms of quality and will continue to fail to match the ability of top class players and their national sides elsewhere in the world.

Would this be fair and/or accurate?

So for English players it could be said to be down to complacency.

The English league is very prestigious so domestic players have little reason to want to play elsewhere. Consequently they develop in a manner that makes them unsuitable for the rest of Europe. A lack of adaptability perhaps.

Without that broadening of style English players are stunted in terms of quality and will continue to fail to match the ability of top class players and their national sides elsewhere in the world.

Would this be fair and/or accurate?

Not at all - its down to the value of the players.

English players are not 'stunted' in quality as recent performances have shown.

Also look at the players in europe - english players have been piviotal in english teams doing so well in the champions league.

Its just that for value for money, english players are not as good as players from 'lesser' leagues (Eg - scandiavia, france, holland) - they arent WORSE, they just cost more to get the same quaility of player.

Ronaldo's portugese and I personally wouldn't consider the other two top or mid-table quality, nor had I heard of interest for either from a foreign side

Real Madrid are sniffing around Johnson and Pennant.

Real Madrid are interested in Walcott (if they cannot get Ronaldo). Walcott got injured so they made an offer for Pennant instead. They'll probably be interested in Aaron Lennon too.

Not Lennon - Ramos is manager now, he doesn't rate Lennon.

For English players (not) moving overseas I imagine a lot of it is about the money.

A mid table premier league side would be able to pay more wages than a mid table Serie A or La Liga side. Obviously this doesn't count for the big clubs across Spain, England or Italy - your Milans, Real Madrids, etc. Also English players tend to have inflated transfer fees and crucially English agents (which tend to limit overseas contacts).

It's nothing to do with quality - Ferdinand, Rooney, Lampard and Gerrard (and possibly a few others) would walk into any top team in Europe, but at the moment they are being successful with EPL teams, so why move on?

This may change if the credit crunch hits UK football hard, which it may do. As money stops flowing around the English game overseas contracts will look more attractive.

As to why there aren't more Italian players in the EPL, it's a complete mystery - possibly the lack of Italian managers? Wenger and Benitez have recruited heavily from their own home countries, but there hasn't really been an Italian equivalent. Of course they may be less suited to the fast paced English game having been coached more technically for a slower game and could perhaps be put off for this reason too.