England’s elimination from the European Under-21 Championship has sparked familiar debate as to the reasons why the country’s national teams consistently under-perform at tournaments.
Now, we don’t want to make excuses for them, but we’re going to anyway – it’s almost inbuilt. Here are five reasons for England’s shocking tournament record, minus the elephant in the room which is that our players just might not be good enough.
1. They can’t take the pressure
It seems that whenever England come to the crunch and need to deliver in the high-pressure tournament environment, they are found wanting. Players may have experience in one of the world’s most competitive domestic structures, but this regularly fails to transpose into international success.
England Under-21s were punished for defensive lapses by Italy on Wednesday, and it seems a familiar occurrence. This could be down to simple bad luck but some would suggest it happens too often to be a coincidence and there must be something underlying concerning game management.
2. They can’t take their chances
In the big games against the toughest opposition, chances come at a premium. It is hard to create openings and those opportunities that do arrive need to be seized upon to alleviate pressure. England too often fail to take their chances.
This could be down purely to finishing ability or, again, bad luck but the proven quality of a lot of the players involved prompts psychological questions over why they perform much better for clubs than country.
3. They’re tired (yawn)
It’s often said that England’s players arrive at major tournaments worn out after draining domestic seasons. The English season is indeed demanding and most clubs begin preparations for it in early July, and in many cases before that.
For players involved in tournaments this can mean a 12-month season and little break before the next one. As much as it’s said, even for well-paid, super-fit athletes that can be wearying.
4. They’re always injured
England Under-21s suffered a bad blow immediately prior to the tournament as key striker Saido Berahino was forced to withdraw through injury. The participation of highly rated defender John Stones was also limited.
It’s a familiar story, as seen on a grander scale in the past with the likes of Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. England’s players have access to superb medical facilities and there is no lack of finance or detail in this area. But injuries are a fact of sport and sometimes cannot be prevented. All teams are affected.
5. There’s conflict with their clubs
This issue regularly rears its head with clubs anxious for their players not to be over-exerted or injured on international duty during the regular season. A balance between player welfare and the interests of the national team has to be found, but come tournament time the effect of players’ previous club priorities can be evident.
In the case of the Under-21s, the club v country row can be even more pronounced as clubs openly express reluctance for players to participate. This summer saw the likes of Raheem Sterling, Jack Wilshere and Ross Barkley left at home, while Tom Ince chose not to be considered for selection in order to concentrate on club football.
Source: SNAPPA
