come on lads....

[coach et 64]

let's start the debate.What you make of it?Disagree,agree,not sure,the reason lies elsewhere...What's your view on this important issue?Trash it out lads,get it out of your system.

 

 

Unless you change your whole approach to football, nothing will get better."

 

Carlos Alberto, a man who once scored a goal so exquisitely-crafted it could have been made in heaven, is not in the habit of mincing his words.

 

His finest moment - the sublime last goal in Brazil's 4-1 thumping of Italy in the 1970 World Cup final - means he knows how to succeed at the highest level and what it takes to get there.

 

The most important thing that can happen to English players is that they improve their technique

 

Brazilian Carlos Alberto

 

Such a damning verdict on the English game gives the World Cup-winning captain no pleasure at all, but he, like many others, fears that unless things change, England will get left further behind.

 

The shambolic, failed attempt to reach Euro 2008 that ended with the humiliation of a 3-2 defeat by Croatia at Wembley was followed by the oft-repeated criticisms directed at the English game - namely a lack of technique.

 

It comes as no surprise then, that it takes Carlos Alberto only 19 seconds into our interview to mention the word that seems to be casting a shadow over the English game once more.

 

"The most important thing that can happen to English players is that they improve their technique," the 63-year-old tells BBC Sport.

 

"Technical skills like dribbling, good movement, the ability to pick a pass are key to breaking teams down, but you just don't see it when England play, their style is always the same.

 

 

Carlos Alberto captained Brazil to World Cup glory in Mexico in 1970

 

"They never changed, they never improvised and they never improved. They put the high ball into the area and try to head it in, but they need to focus on more technical skills.

 

"I also have the feeling that the England players need to change their mentality, the spirit with which they play football.

 

"Sometimes they play as if they do not feel the game. I hope they understand these things and try to change because every other country changed a long time ago."

 

Fabio Capello has admitted that one of his biggest challenges as England coach will be to overcome the "up and at 'em" philosophy that is so prevalent in the Premiership.

 

At his first news conference as England manager, he was asked how he might change a style based primarily on pace and intensity.

 

"This is something he says he is going to have to work on," Capello's interpreter said.

 

 

606: DEBATE

Shouldn't learning come before winning for our young players?

Sir Trevor Brooking, the director of development at the Football Association, believes England lags behind because the players are not learning these technical skills early enough.

 

"We need to start earlier," Brooking told BBC Sport. "Anybody emerging from the 5-11 age group has to be comfortable on the ball.

 

"Can you get this ball under control? Can you kill it instantly? Have you got the know-how to make decisions? Do you know how to use it and select the right pass?

 

"Now if you can't do all that when you get to 11-a-side situations in the 11-16s, you're going to struggle desperately. You won't be able to cope if that basic stuff isn't there."

 

Why are we putting under-nines under the pressure of getting results?

 

Sir Trevor Brooking

 

What is becoming increasingly evident is that if the technique of English players is going to match that of the best countries in the world, the FA must get its coaching structure right.

 

Carlos Alberto, who also managed the Nigeria, Oman and Azerbaijan national sides, fears that by the time kids join academies, the skills they need later on in their careers have already been lost.

 

"It must start with the very young children and they must get the best coaches coaching these kids," he added.

 

"When the kids are so young, it is not time to think about winning, to think only about winning as you do.

 

"You have to develop them, teach them how to pass a ball, how to control a ball, how to control a game, how to cross, head and shoot.

 

"It is not important to tell the kids to win - you must instead teach them the skills that will help them to become winners.

 

"Most of the time when you are young, you should be playing with a football. Give a ball to each kid, tell them to go home and look after the ball and sleep with it even!"

 

 

David Beckham watches on as kids practice at his academy in London

 

Brooking says important changes are already underway at grassroots level to help improve the development of core technical skills.

 

"We want to take the intensity out of it, especially in the younger age groups," said Brooking. "So we do more individual ball work and concentrate on technique.

 

"With the younger groups the philosophy is about fun and just letting youngsters play, we have to take away the pressure of results.

 

"There are one or two pilot schemes where we've scrapped the leagues for under-nines - why are we putting them under the pressure of getting results?

 

"We're not allowing them to express themselves and it takes the fun out of it because of all the pressure from the sidelines.

 

"So the adults have to sign a code of conduct and are roped off in the corner. There is no hollering at their children, just someone in charge who supports them and makes a few little comments.

 

"We're trying to give them a lot of small-sided playing time, getting them playing so they get as much contact time as possible."

 

 

Brooking has identified an English shortage of attacking full-backs

 

Brooking argues that one of the major problems in England is a lack of defenders who can start attacks in the manner that right-back Carlos Alberto did so successfully in his 53 games for Brazil.

 

"I don't think we have enough defenders who are comfortable on the ball in attacking areas - creativity is a worry," continued Brooking.

 

"A lot of international sides see that now as a way of getting width and getting in behind defences but we don't have the depth, that is our challenge.

 

"Full-back is a clear problem - we have had one or two jumping three age groups in the development teams because of a lack of depth and that could be worrying in a few years' time."

 

Carlos Alberto also believes that England's big clubs must give more opportunity to homegrown players in order for the national team to benefit.

 

"They must change the rules of football in England to give chances to English players, not only bring foreigners into the Premier League," said the World Cup-winning skipper.

 

"The big teams like Arsenal and Chelsea must allow English kids to play so they can improve their skills at the highest level and concentrate on their improvisation.

 

"Unless all these changes are made, it is clear that the England national team will not improve."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[smallsy]

i thought this was going to be about something interesting. im so bored at work could do with some banter but im not reading all that zzzzzzzzzz

[coach et 64]

swallop your pride and do it.

[and1inthetree]

judging by the title, i thought this post was going to be a confessional about your ejaculatory habits...

 

far too long for me to digest, especially in your pidgin english coach. could you sum it up for me in about 3 or 4 soundbites please?

 

many thanks.

 

 

 

[smallsy]

swallop?

 

[Jenko]

English players are s**t cos they have no technique basically!

[coach et 64]

1)Carlos Alberto says: the most important thing that can happen to English players is that they improve their technique.

How they are gonna do that?facilities are not used properly,kids finish school at 3.30 in the afternoon leaving not enough daytime for midweek training.The most common phrases used around a mini-soccer pitch are:"GET RID OF IT"or "send a remainder".The FA has introduced mini-soccer 7-8 years ago with the emphasys on coaching skills.What we do?We create mini-soccer leagues with everybody shouting at them and six coaches running up and down the touchline,telling one kid..play left inside midfielder!Yes,that's what i have heard few years ago when the first ever mini-soccer Whitecaps team played their first ever friendly against the mighty Westering Tigers!The club officials decided to stick to the fa guidelines that were:to not play in a competitive league till the age of 10 and concentrate on training and playing friendlies once every 4-5 weeks to see how they were improving.We did and got a lot of stick from the newly pyrate Southend mini-soccer league.We lost that friendly 7-0 and we were basically telling players to attack when we had the ball and defend when we hadn't.To cut it short we entered that team in the u'10s mini-soccer league playing against "experienced" players that had 3 years of competitive football behind them..you know what happened?It took the boys 4-5 games to adapt to "competitiveness but then the skills factor prevailed and they won the league making fool of league officials theory.Scrap the league tables and the results in the mini-soccer and then you'll see how many genuine football lovers managers-coaches will hang around!

[coach et 64]

in the article it says:Capello biggest challenge is to change that "up and at em"mentality.Why should he change that?Every team that play England(especially at Wembley) fears that.

Brooking says:Why are we putting under nines under the pressure of getting results?Feck me,the FA has allowed that 8 years ago allowing mini-soccer pyrate leagues to prosper!

Brooking says:There are not enough good defenders at full-back or they don't have enough composure on the ball.Well,i would say encourage them to play from the back but show them how to defend properly as well!The England defence against Croatia looked like four sticks put together!

[Jenko]

Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness Coachie!

[coach et 64]

Look chaps,i know is hurtful but these guys are right.Basically the England team is [****!!****] at the moment and the players when they wear the white shirt can't string two passes together

[coach et 64]

Originally Posted By: smallsy

swallop?

yeah,it's a new word...swallow and wallop!

[Kaiser Jnr]

Capello will change our fortunes.

 

The bloke is a genius and he will make us winners again.

 

Gerrard and Hargreaves in midfield. Hopefully get Carragher back in defence.

[coach et 64]

Originally Posted By: Kaiser Jnr

Capello will change our fortunes.

The bloke is a genius and he will make us winners again.

Gerrard and Hargreaves in midfield. Hopefully get Carragher back in defence.

he can't even speak English,how is going to communicate to the players?Plus he's italian and he'll tell them to cheat,feint injuries,conning referees,all that stuff..how can he be good to ya?his staff won't be bother about living here or learning the lingo,Baldini is a crook and Sven n.2(means he'll shag every woman at the FA,including the cleaner ).And every year 5 milions pounds will move away from the FA coffins to a secure bank in Switzerland..

[Kaiser Jnr]

Doesnt matter about money. Its not my money so I dont care!

 

As long as he brings back the pride, passion and glory back to English football, then money doesnt matter.

 

The fact that he doesnt speak English doesnt matter at the moment.

He had said he will be able to communicate with his players in a month.

You have to believe the bloke. His track record speaks for itself.

[coach et 64]

Originally Posted By: Kaiser Jnr

Doesnt matter about money. Its not my money so I dont care!

As long as he brings back the pride, passion and glory back to English football, then money doesnt matter.

The fact that he doesnt speak English doesnt matter at the moment.
He had said he will be able to communicate with his players in a month.
You have to believe the bloke. His track record speaks for itself.

It's our money!Money that the grass roots are deprived of every year!they talk about changing facilities like in the third world,a football pitch every 1000 people,clubs that represent a community of 8000 people still haven't got an astroturf pitch and a stand! His track record is [****!!****]!I could have managed Milan with a chairman like Berlusconi,buying all the best players,the same at Juventus,bribing all those referees!Real Madrid the same,Roma is still recovering from all that money spent to buy Batistuta and co.Easy,now the real test...managing a [****!!****] team like England...

[Michael Hunt]

Boring post............let's talk about Xmas parties and what everyone got up to !!??

[MCP]

Originally Posted By: Kaiser Jnr

Capello will change our fortunes.

The bloke is a genius and he will make us winners again.

Gerrard and Hargreaves in midfield. Hopefully get Carragher back in defence.

Sadly Carra's said he ain't coming back

[Kaiser Jnr]

5:30 already!

 

I would love him to come back. He was class last night for Liverpool. Puts his body on the line every time.

[MCP]

one more day then i'm off for a week en half so cantos will have to time his dinner by someone else

 

Carra's quality and was unlucky with the first goal yesterday

 

Would love to see him back for england, much better option than lescot

[Natter]

The best footballers are born not made.

And there's not very much that can be done about that except for those kids who are allowed to practice and play for as long as they want to on open spaces close to their homes which are safe from perverts and hooligans.

What seems to be impossible in 2007 was the norm 60 years ago. What a bleeding shambles....