Class Structure In England's Football

[My Boy Harry]

I'm not sure how far I'll put this point across correctly but I sense that the English game is moving or has moved from a working class sport to a middle class sport.

From my vantage point that seems to have spread into the stadiums, the boardrooms but hasnt yet spread to the footballers themselves, who still mainly seem to be from working class backgrounds.

That of course isnt the issue other than the English working class lads who appear to play football nowdays cant understand simple tactical formations and cant think on their feet.

Not only that but the footbalers have so little going for them educationally that football clubs are now acting as an educational provider for them, which in effect tells you about the footballer's educational abilities.

could there be a link between a footballer's educational ability and his inability to understand simple tactical formations and be flexible on the pitch?

should football clubs be providing an education to lads who should already have qualifications?

[Flavonoids]

Educational (certificated) achievement and by extension academic ability has no bearing on football or sports intelligence. Historically or currently.

Of course it's another string to the bow of rolling news channels etc. - oh look, David James is so clever, he paints (like a child) and everything.

[norfolk mackem]

i have wondered if maybe we should have a minimum IQ level to qualify for playing for england.

i think maybe 3 of our starting 11 would pass.

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by Flavonoids

Educational (certificated) achievement and by extension academic ability has no bearing on football or sports intelligence. Historically or currently.

Of course it's another string to the bow of rolling news channels etc. - oh look, David James is so clever, he paints (like a child) and everything.

If you had two lads with similar abilities- one was thick as shit and the other was a bright spark who didn't need telling 50 times what to do and still not manage it - which would you choose?

My old team used to regularly beat better teams (sorry, teams with more gifted players) than us simply because we understood how to play football, hold positions, finish the game with more than 10 men on a weekly basis etc

It was amazing how easy it was to wind up a thick lad till he got himself sent off

[Stevie Freestein II]

Brazil
Argentina
Africa

Enough said.

[Flavonoids]

Originally Posted by SteveB

If you had two lads with similar abilities- one was thick as shit and the other was a bright spark who didn't need telling 50 times what to do and still not manage it - which would you choose?

My old team used to regularly beat better teams (sorry, teams with more gifted players) than us simply because we understood how to play football, hold positions, finish the game with more than 10 men on a weekly basis etc

It was amazing how easy it was to wind up a thick lad till he got himself sent off

Two lads with 'similar' abilities? I'm not sure what you mean, that's just a wholly invented and specious situation. There are better players and poorer players, some are thick some aren't, some can follow instruction, some can't, some are instinctive and others a regimented.

I'd choose the best players that best suited the game I wanted to play - regardless of their social or educational background.

[Stevie Freestein II]

This is like the morning after a failed relationship.

We're trying to find reasons why the love of our life has absconded with our best friend, brother or sister.

But sometimes you can think and analyse too much, and it's best to have a few beers and pull the local slapper to take your mind off your problem. There may be a myriad of reasons why your fit nubile wife left you, including impotency, a small penis, lack of a sense of humour, etc. but sometimes it's best not to know what went wrong.

Football, like love, is an easy game. You've got to get a freaking football into the opposition's goal more than they get it into yours. 5 year olds can understand it. It's not difficult. Teams with better players usually win more games than others, unless they are organised better and can manipulate the 1-4-2-3-1 system with overlapping fullbacks in a Christmas tree formation, but you get my drift.

[Il Postino Pat]

Originally Posted by SteveB

If you had two lads with similar abilities- one was thick as shit and the other was a bright spark who didn't need telling 50 times what to do and still not manage it - which would you choose?

My old team used to regularly beat better teams (sorry, teams with more gifted players) than us simply because we understood how to play football, hold positions, finish the game with more than 10 men on a weekly basis etc

It was amazing how easy it was to wind up a thick lad till he got himself sent off

How many legitimately 'clever' people do you know of that have risen to world class level? It's not their understanding of how the game is played that is a problem, it's naive to suggest that we sitting in our armchairs know how the game works better than those that are making a very decent living playing it. General intelligence is an extra in football not a must, football intelligence is a completely different attribute.

[SteveB]

Originally Posted by Il Postino Pat

How many legitimately 'clever' people do you know of that have risen to world class level? It's not their understanding of how the game is played that is a problem, it's naive to suggest that we sitting in our armchairs know how the game works better than those that are making a very decent living playing it. General intelligence is an extra in football not a must, football intelligence is a completely different attribute.

When the level of 'general intelligence' reaches an all time low it surely must affect someones ability to do a job on a football field though

[Il Postino Pat]

Originally Posted by SteveB

When the level of 'general intelligence' reaches an all time low it surely must affect someones ability to do a job on a football field though

An all time low compared to what? Surely that is a national problem and not down to those in charge of football. The youth system is the best it ever has been and I'm forever reading articles on SAFC.com highlighting the academical achievements of those in the academy. Was someone like Gazza intelligent?