What is wrong with the England National Team?

The good thing about being English is that as a nation we are always optimistic right? Now I am not naive enough to think that we put one of the best sides ever out against Chile last week, although I would start Jay Rodriguez every time & why hasn't Danny Ings got a call up yet to the senior squad? Also while I am on the subject, how can you leave somebody with the fire and passion that Joey Barton shows out of our national team? Most men would love Roy Hodgson's job as the England manager and we would all probably make lots of changes to the side that is starting tonight against what can just about be described as a German reserve side. The last time we played a full strength German side we lost 4-1 so maybe I am a little bit glad of that. 

I saw a stat before tonights game that showed 48% of German players play in the Bundesliga compared to 26% of English players playing in the Premier League. Now I know straight away people will say, "but the Premier League is the best league in the world". No, it is not. What the Premier league is, is everything that is wrong in this world. It is full of players who came to play in England for the highest bidder of their "talent". Once they are here, they either move around to the club who offers them the most money or pretend they want to move so their current club gives them more money. We only have to cast our minds back to this summer and the exploits of Rooney, Suarez and Tevez to name a few to see this is the case. For a start to stop this being the case, we need to introduce wage caps into the game across at least all the European teams. This needs to be put in place sooner rather than later. I totally think that quotas on the amount of foreign players in squads in the EPL should be put in place. This will force clubs to develop our own national talent at grassroots level. This used to be the case, before the Bosman ruling many leagues across Europe placed quotas on the amount of foreign players allowed in a team. In fact in the Champions league and UEFA cup, UEFA had a rule that prohibited teams from naming more than 3 foreign players in these competitions!. 

Until all this happens England have little chance within the next few decades of dominating world football. Who am I though to say what must and mustn't happen for the England national side to be successful. I am too young to remember Euro 96 in our own country. The first memories of me watching England are France 98 with the likes of Scholes, Beckham, Owen and Shearer playing. In the second round we came up against Argentina, Owen scored THAT goal, Beckham got sent off and we lost on penalties, I cried. Admittedly I was only 11, but still thats how much it meant for me to see the the national team do well. That is how much it will always mean to me. That is how much it should mean to each and every player, every coach, and every manager every time they go and and represent our country friendly or not. Everyone saw the heart and passion Greece played with in Euro 2004, maybe just maybe if England can recreate that, we might have a glimmer of hope next year in Brazil.   

      

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.

Are you a dictator or a leader?

What have Benito Mussolini, Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein all got in common? They are all famous dictators I hear you say. Well yes, but the point I want to make is that they all led by using fear. If you were different or spoke out against these people you were duly dealt with. Now unfortunately, there are some world leaders still in place across the world with these sort of ideals but I will save my opinion on them for a different day.

What I am struck by is how similar some peoples management style is in various companies to those leadership styles of Hitler, Mussolini and Hussein. I have friends, and work colleagues who have worked in a variety of jobs. the fact that this type of style still happens in workplaces is shocking. I know of one retail company where a manager would "take you outside" if you had a problem and fights were a regular occurrence. Many more where the words "sack that person or you lose your job" are used far too often. They lead by using fear to oppress their workforce into doing a good job but have no respect from their staff. It is still the case that in many organisations that these people in authority have been at a company for years. Their managers previously have been nasty, on a huge power trip and a little bit lazy so they chose to lead like that but are maybe a little nicer. Well that is where the system is flawed, if you want to get the best out of any staff under your control it is about respect and treating them as your equals. That way people will want to come to work every day and do their best for you and in turn your performance as a manager will also improve because you are getting the best out of staff.

In life I think the best managers I have worked for have been those who lead by example. But it seems in some circles this is frowned upon by other managers. Now, what would you prefer? A person who gets stuck in and helps you with your job etc and does their management stuff as well or somebody who just seems to be sat in an office or standing around telling you what to do, when half the time they could've done something themselves quicker. It is a respect thing too, If you see somebody in charge of you etc working their arse off to make a difference than you will respect them a lot more than if it is you and your colleagues running around while they shout out the orders.

I am inherently English and very proud to be so but the best portrayal of leadership I have seen was Mel Gibson playing William Wallace in Braveheart.

 "They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"