What now for football within the United Kingdom?

Keely Leeds

A couple of months ago it looked as though three of the four home nations (England, Scotland and Northern Ireland) would all be qualifying for the 2008 European Championships but the end result is that non of the home nations will be represented there. What are your opinions on this?

Firstly, well done to the Scots and Northern Irish, perhaps I am being patronising but both countrys have done excellently in my opinion and can keep their heads held high. No one would have expected them to have performed as they have done. However you look at it though, England should have qualified and McLaren must go.

Looking forward though what can we do to move football within the United Kingdom forward? Well let's look at England first. This could turn out to be one of the best things that has happened to English football. It is going to make everyone sit up and look at themselves. This is a national embarrassment. English football needs a big overhaul.

A lot of people say that the problem is the amount of foreign players coming into the Premiership. I think that is just an excuse. If the British talent was there then I am sure that managers would use it. I think the main problem is that English footballers think too much of themselves and too many are motivated solely by money. Young players are being wrapped in cotton wool and are detached from the real world at too younger age.

The answer? I think we have to look at how wetrain and look after our young players. Ronaldinho didn't go to an academy when he was 8 and be pampered, did he? No. He played out on the streets and learned his trade that way. Learned how to control the ball. I think we should just let the kids play. Point them in the right direction but not be so regimented with their training until they get into their teens. Plus we have to be realistic about how much they are worth both in terms of transfer fees and wages. Foreigners in many cases are cheaper then youngsters. It's that simple.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are different altogether. They are small nations so it will always be hard for them to produce enough talent but they used to qualify for many of the tournaments, particularily Scotland. I think that one way forward for Wales and Northern Ireland might be each Premiership club having a feeder team in one of those countrys and the Premiership clubs helps them develop and in return they get firwt dibs on their youngsters. It works in different sports in different countries.

Why don't we bring back home nation internationals? I think that would be more beneficial then some of the pointless friendlys we play. The English national team is too geared towards making money then making good footballers in my humble opinion. This sumer could be the perfect time to have England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and we could even throw the Republic of Ireland in their, playing each other. I am sure that the fans would get behind it and it would be a great festival of football within the United Kingdom.

What do you think?
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Bronte