Is the premier league to blame?

[Sidney]

Whilst up doing the night feed over the weekend I started thinking, as you do.
None of the Premier league stars have shone in ths World cup, the obvious Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard aside, you can also chuck in Torres, Drogba, Evera, Malooda (or however you spell it) and countless others. It got me thinking is this just a coincidence
Germans - No premier league players
Uruaguay - No premier league players
Spain - The afore mentioned Torres, who's been poor and Fabregas who's barely played all season
Holland - Slight exception to the rule with Kuyt and Heitinger, but I wouldn't call them stars
I guess what I'm saying is.
Is the Premier league not as good as we think it is (like the National side)
Or is it the fact that it is the best league in the World and therefore more intense and draining on the players
Discuss

[whiskywalker]

Or......is it that the Premier League pays too much money and it no longer drives passion in the sport just play and run greed?

[Lord Zola]

Whilst up doing the night feed over the weekend I started thinking, as you do.
None of the Premier league stars have shone in ths World cup, the obvious Rooney, Gerrard and Lampard aside, you can also chuck in Torres, Drogba, Evera, Malooda (or however you spell it) and countless others. It got me thinking is this just a coincidence
Germans - No premier league players
Uruaguay - No premier league players
Spain - The afore mentioned Torres, who's been poor and Fabregas who's barely played all season
Holland - Slight exception to the rule with Kuyt and Heitinger, but I wouldn't call them stars
I guess what I'm saying is.
Is the Premier league not as good as we think it is (like the National side)
Or is it the fact that it is the best league in the World and therefore more intense and draining on the players
Discuss

The Champions League results over the last 4 to 5 years would show you that Premier League Clubs are among the best there is. There have been poor players from Seria A, The Bundersliga and La Liga as well as just the Premiership.

I think ones of the problems with England is that many of the players are more committed to their clubs than their country. For a Brazilian, German, Argentinian, Ghanian etc etc, the importance of playing for their country is greater than winning things for their clubs. I don't think this is the case with English players, and club rivallry upsets the team dynamic at international level.

Do you honestly think someone like Carlos Tevez would have played for City again this season after suffering the injury Rooney did for Man Utd against Munich?? With the World Cup coming up, he would have not played for City again this season, ensuring he was right for the World Cup. Rooney rushed himself back to early and as a result sustained other injuries and went into the World Cup not 100% fit. Not picking on Rooney, just that's what English players are like.

[Geoff]

I agree with Sid and LZ... there is definitely questions to be asked over the EPL season. For England alone they did look jaded, uninterested, tired... but I am sorry for 100K a week (average) they should be professionals. Us lot have to work all year, why shouldn't they? I get really annoyed when I hear the players are tired, really annoyed. It ain't about the badge on your shirt anymore but how much you can screw people out of, usually the working class that go support these hyped up nobodies.

The synopsis was very revealing Sid, thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[rossco]

Couldnt agree more geoff.They should try a days work then playing a match like a lot o lads in the county league,[ and still give a 100 per cent ]

[Sidney]

The Champions League results over the last 4 to 5 years would show you that Premier League Clubs are among the best there is. There have been poor players from Seria A, The Bundersliga and La Liga as well as just the Premiership.

I think ones of the problems with England is that many of the players are more committed to their clubs than their country. For a Brazilian, German, Argentinian, Ghanian etc etc, the importance of playing for their country is greater than winning things for their clubs. I don't think this is the case with English players, and club rivallry upsets the team dynamic at international level.

Do you honestly think someone like Carlos Tevez would have played for City again this season after suffering the injury Rooney did for Man Utd against Munich?? With the World Cup coming up, he would have not played for City again this season, ensuring he was right for the World Cup. Rooney rushed himself back to early and as a result sustained other injuries and went into the World Cup not 100% fit. Not picking on Rooney, just that's what English players are like.

I agree with what you're saying Zola, but although there has been Poor performances from the likes of Ronaldo and other stars, none of the stars of this world cup played last season in the Premier league. Players like Villa, Klose, Schweinsteiger, Oezil, Forlan. Sneijder, Lucio, Gyan and others all from other leagues.
What ever it is Money, fixture pile ups, lack of Patriotism we've got 4 years to sort it out

[Lord Zola]

It's a strange one no doubt. Look at Klose, awful all year at club level, scores 3 goals all season and then is excellent at the World Cup...........Rooney is just the opposite, some things cannot be explained.

Tiredness could be a factor, but not sure how a winter break would help, as we would still have to play 38 EPL games regardless. Maybe the answer is to make the Carling Cup an under 21 competiton, so the clubs only focus on 1 domestic cup, like in other leagues.

Not sure money is a factor, as it's not as though Villa, Klose, Schweinsteiger, Oezil, Forlan. Sneijder are not also well paid........

Like you say though, we have 4 years to sort it out.