After watching the England – Wales game, where the sole goal coming from Ashley Young via a Stewart Downing cross, it made me think a few things.
Firstly, that Villa have acted as quite a supply line for the England team, not just in recent years, but over history. Surprising as it may be, Villa have provided more players to the England team than any other. So perhaps the reliance on Villa for English players came a long while before John Gregory or Martin O’Neill focused on it.
Secondly, and in light of all the recent player sales that Villa have made in recent years, it makes me wonder if we should, perhaps, be looking at a more diverse list on nationalities. Of course, I understand the preference for young English talent in terms of fitting in easily, but our outstanding performers have been plucked from us, and placed at clubs higher up the table.
On one hand, Villa are in the pack of clubs that are going to be prone to such purchases, whether that are English or not. On the other, it seems Villa specifically are seen as a club where English players are brought on. This is shown both by the fact that our best English players are bought from us, and also that Fabio Capello makes visits to Villa Park with regularity.
Is the future of Villa English?
What I wanted to question now is whether Villa’s “buy the best of English” is the best strategy going forwards. Given a combination of the need for financial austerity, coupled with the overpriced values placed on English players, it may well be wise to diversity a little. We may already be seeing this as of the recent deals made by our new manager, only Jenas is English, and he is a loan signing.
When it comes to replacements, everyone will have a differing opinion on if x is good enough to replace y. Take, for example, Charles N’Zogbia. I think he will prove to be a more than adequate replacement for Ashley Young but, judging by the shouts from fans around me when I am at home games, it isn’t a universal concept.
From their voices, they seem to think that N’Zogbia drifts in too much, that he doesn’t do as much as he is capable of, and that he gets things wrong. That might be a true indication of fans, or it could just be an indication of how disgruntled some of the fans who sit around me in the Doug Ellis stand are.
Either way, I am drifting from my original point which was that I personally think there are suitable replacements and additions to be made outside of the English nationality. That isn’t to say that I would forego all English influence, as many regulars of this site will know given my massive support for Watford’s young striker Marvin Sordell.
However, and especially in the current climate, I have to think that buying English is a luxury best saved for a few years from now, if at all. I know this kind of suggestion will draw criticism, but I have to wonder whether English players provide great value. If they were the best team in the world, I’d understand their price premium, but England are also-rans in reality.
Of course, it hurts me to say that about England given that I am predominately English, as well as Spanish & Irish, but it is the truth. The prices of English players are overinflated, and spending more than we have to is something we can’t afford now.
United Nations of Villa
As much as having Villa players as regulars in the England squad filled me with a sense of nationalistic pride, it wasn’t really something that benefited the long term of the club. Sure, we can say we profited from the sales of Barry, Milner, Young, and Downing, but those players are now elsewhere. Profit is one thing, but it hardly helps to have a load of cash in the bank, and gaping holes in the squad. Don’t believe me? Ask Arsene Wenger how much benefit selling Fabregas and Nasri when you’re (currently) 17th in the table. Their fans aren’t happy either.
So what is the plan? Do we go out and sign total unknowns? Do we invest in cheaper continental alternatives? Do we keep on with this pursuit of high priced English players? What is the answer?
The reality is I don’t have it. I have my opinion, and what I would like to do, but I’m not the manager of the club. I’d be happy to forego the sense of national pride if it meant building a cohesive team unit. I’d be happy to have a group of foreign players at Villa if it means success.
I’m not suggesting that we should be selling off the long term future of Villa as England’s supply line, but till our team is capable of developing to a point where it can retain the stars of England, I think a change of angle needs to be made.
The future may be bright, but it may not be English.
The Author
