InigoPatinkin

You definitely get way more of the poaching of established/high potential players in cricket than anywhere else though, not to get off topic but it's definitely not just castoffs. Basically any player who plays for one of the star players for the lower ranked test nations (Ballance, Morgan, Hick, Joyce, Rankin) is liable to be picked up with any excuse and even talented players from the likes of NZ and SA end up playing for England either for money or through some dispute (Kieswetter, Pietersen, Caddick, Lamb and a whole host of other SA/Zimbabwean/NZ/AUS dual nationals who hadn't spent a day in England until they moved here as adults to play cricket).

I have no idea about Rugby as I don't follow it at all but it seems to be played by all the old commonwealth countries so I can imagine it's the same as cricket, which seems to get away with stuff like this because it's run mostly by the MCC and the old commonwealth countries are used to our plundering ways.

I don't doubt that's the case for developing nations who are nowhere near their peak yet, but I think there's undoubtedly a smothering effect of major nations on smaller ones which limits the potential size to which the can grow. That's less noticeable when you start small and expand more quickly than you would otherwise, but Scottish football especially was really well established decades ago and while I'm sure there's other reasons for it's decline, it's been left behind financially by English football to it's detriment. It wasn't even that long ago where in the right circumstances Scottish clubs could hold onto their better players even when the big English teams came sniffing which is long gone now. I'm also not convinced on the idea that just because you inadvertently speed up the growth of another country you should be able to go in and lift their better players/manager, especially when it comes to international football. Cricket is a good example, Bazball is great fun is what England did with Eoin Morgan which was the catalyst for it all does feel a bit dirty in hindsight. England itself have some pretty dodgy history with this given our three best coaches in the last 30 years have been two Zimbabweans and what appears to be a Kiwi (not to mention our habit of acquiring some of our players). Cricket probably gets away with it because basically it's Britain's way of getting over the fact that we don't have an empire anyone, so we can enjoy a bit of imperial plunder. All the other test nations keep beating us regardless so they're okay with it.

Yeah I think it would, it's extremely debatable that anyone other than the Premier League has benefitted from the Premier League in the last 20 years, and that's not just other home nations but the rest of the footballing pyramid too. I'm sure some Scotland based posters will correct me one way or another but is Scottish football better off now because of living next to the Premier League? Trickle down economics seems about as legitimate in football as it does in anywhere else. "None of your clubs can afford to keep your top talent so they all end their development at English clubs, you're welcome, so we should be able to take your best managers" seems... I dunno... a bit grim?

Just Otto Rehhagel for Greece right? I'm a lot more sympathetic to countries with fewer resources doing it tbf, but for a country the size of England with as much football infrastructure as we do there's little reason.

On a purely selfish note, there's never been a foreign manager of a world cup winner so it's probably not even a great idea if you have to resort to it, you seemingly have bigger issues. Ernst Happel (Netherlands) and George Raynor (Sweden) are the only managers ever to get to the final managing a foreign team, by the looks of it. For international football having good vibes, a reasonably secure defensive structure and relying on your attacking players to do their thing seems to win most tournaments anyway. The number of teams which play "good" football usually get knocked out. Even Spain, who had half their team come from peak Barcelona basically turned into a really negative team who recycled the ball relentlessly and taking minimal risks. I'm not sure you're actually supposed to enjoy international football come to think of it... it's supposed to make you suffer with the occasional moment of happiness at the end.

I'm not sure you'd convince the Scottish of that

Manager should be the nationality of the team really when you're the size of England, it's not cheating or anything but it kind of misses the point of international football if you're not doing it. We have club football which is the melting pot of cultures to share ideas etc. and international football should be a different experience. It would feel really unfair on Wales/Scotland if they produced a generational talent as manager and we just yoinked him for the English national team and robbed them of the opportunity for instance.

Not sure Harry "I'll risk breaking an opponents neck so I don't have to try and compete for a header" Kane lacks a nasty side.

Counterpoint:

Twice, in fact.

Ben Stokes would have scored both penalties btw.

Well on a selfish level I'm glad the first English tournament win of my lifetime isn't this one. Must say, you guys have been an excellent substitute for watching it.

Pretty sure Gallagher bought his London house with the money he got from Stop Crying Your Heart Out after the 2002 World Cup.

Hahaha did he actually say that? That's an incredible line

Kane is going to have to score 3 penalties in this match isn't he?

From your comments this is how I'm stuck visualising England's formation, cheers.

It's weird how different the standards are between trolling club football and international football, the trolling in here is so mild and yet quite a few people have really taken umbridge to it.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-domestic-season-1810-538322/england-vs-the-bs-538342/full-scorecard 6 all out! In a first class match and everything.

No idea about the chance you're talking about, but the rule isn't where he goes down, it's about where the foul ends. If the foul is outside the box and the guy stumbles into the box then it's given outside, if the foul happens outside the box and continues into the box then it's a penalty. The classical example is shirt pulling, if it starts outside the box but continues into it then it's a penalty.

Nope, not how the rules work.

Yeah, if it's outside the box then it won't be given even if it was a foul.

Poor AWB, went from pocketing Mbappe at PSG's ground to wiffing air shots in a friendly vs Real Betis.

Well that's a shame, was hoping Martinez would get a bit of a rest

Famous source of this extremely inappropriately dubbed gif