Former Spurs star Ardiles says 'very poor' England will not win a trophy for 30 years
By ANDREW MAGEE
PUBLISHED: 09:18 EST, 27 June 2013 | UPDATED: 10:04 EST, 27 June 2013
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Ossie Ardiles thinks England will not win a trophy in the next 30 years unless they do something revolutionary and drastically change the national football set up.
The former Tottenham and Argentina midfielder, who won the World Cup with his country in 1978, thinks a combination of too many foreign players playing in the Premier League and the wrong approach to coaching means England’s 47 years of hurt could be extended for a long while yet.
‘England is in a very, very bad state,’ said the 60-year-old. ‘The national team is very, very poor. It’s not going to win the World Cup next year and it’s not going to win the World Cup in the next 20 or 30 years.
Desperate affairs: Ossie Ardiles says England will not win another trophy for 30 years with the current set-up
Earned their Spurs: Ardiles was with fellow Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle at the Fans All Star launch
Success: Ardiles knows about winning internationally after triumphing at the World Cup in 1978
‘You look at the Under 21s and how they performed recently at the European Championships and they were poor too.
‘England has the best league in the world because it has some of the best players in the world playing in it. But why doesn’t England produce more of them?’
The Argentine praised other countries across Europe who had made radical changes to their national set-ups after long periods without international success. But he saw no such attitude in the English game.
‘Countries like France and Spain were in a similar position and changed things to become champions. France won the World Cup and the Euro 2000.
‘Spain used to be just like England. They had not won a trophy but they had a football revolution and all of a sudden Spain is the team to beat right now.’
Shambles: Ardiles says England are poor despite having players like Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard (below)
Turnaround: Spain - in 1998 - were as disappointing as England before a reversal in thinking culminated in them winning the World Cup in 2010 (below)
Ardiles was also critical of the FA’s much-trumpeted training complex at St George’s Park, saying it was a wonderful facility for playing football but would do little to help England produce players for the national side.
‘St George’s Park is a beautiful place. It’s an unbelievable place to play football. But in terms of quality and the players the place it will produce, maybe it will be one or two.
‘If England change, in the future they could be the team to beat. But right now they are not doing anything to revolutionise the way the play. Off the pitch it is not happening.’
All for show: Ardiles praised St George's Park but does not believe it will change England's hopes
Ardiles was speaking at the launch of the Fans All Star 2013 global vote, which gives fans worldwide the opportunity to pick their all-star European and Rest of the World XIs. For more information, go to www.fansallstar.com
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PUBLISHED: 09:18 EST, 27 June 2013 | UPDATED: 10:04 EST, 27 June 2013
16 shares
68
View
comments
Ossie Ardiles thinks England will not win a trophy in the next 30 years unless they do something revolutionary and drastically change the national football set up.
The former Tottenham and Argentina midfielder, who won the World Cup with his country in 1978, thinks a combination of too many foreign players playing in the Premier League and the wrong approach to coaching means England’s 47 years of hurt could be extended for a long while yet.
‘England is in a very, very bad state,’ said the 60-year-old. ‘The national team is very, very poor. It’s not going to win the World Cup next year and it’s not going to win the World Cup in the next 20 or 30 years.
Desperate affairs: Ossie Ardiles says England will not win another trophy for 30 years with the current set-up
Earned their Spurs: Ardiles was with fellow Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle at the Fans All Star launch
Success: Ardiles knows about winning internationally after triumphing at the World Cup in 1978
‘You look at the Under 21s and how they performed recently at the European Championships and they were poor too.
‘England has the best league in the world because it has some of the best players in the world playing in it. But why doesn’t England produce more of them?’
The Argentine praised other countries across Europe who had made radical changes to their national set-ups after long periods without international success. But he saw no such attitude in the English game.
‘Countries like France and Spain were in a similar position and changed things to become champions. France won the World Cup and the Euro 2000.
‘Spain used to be just like England. They had not won a trophy but they had a football revolution and all of a sudden Spain is the team to beat right now.’
Shambles: Ardiles says England are poor despite having players like Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard (below)
Turnaround: Spain - in 1998 - were as disappointing as England before a reversal in thinking culminated in them winning the World Cup in 2010 (below)
Ardiles was also critical of the FA’s much-trumpeted training complex at St George’s Park, saying it was a wonderful facility for playing football but would do little to help England produce players for the national side.
‘St George’s Park is a beautiful place. It’s an unbelievable place to play football. But in terms of quality and the players the place it will produce, maybe it will be one or two.
‘If England change, in the future they could be the team to beat. But right now they are not doing anything to revolutionise the way the play. Off the pitch it is not happening.’
All for show: Ardiles praised St George's Park but does not believe it will change England's hopes
Ardiles was speaking at the launch of the Fans All Star 2013 global vote, which gives fans worldwide the opportunity to pick their all-star European and Rest of the World XIs. For more information, go to www.fansallstar.com
More...
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz2XT1T6ID8
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
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