The technical Englishman

Paul Scholes

Though Ferdinand came under fire for the above statements, especially from current England skipper Steven Gerrard, a closer look at his words show us that there is definite truth there: What is England’s style? How are England defined by their playing methods?

One of the biggest mysteries, for want of better term, of English football is the emergence of a “technically gifted” Englishman every once in a while. A player much different from the rest; one who relies on movement and footwork, fancy flicks and deft touches instead of the usual hard work and perseverance that define the typical English footballer. These “aberrations”, as one can probably call them, are usually few and far between; appearing about once or so in every new generation of English football. There were Sir Bobby Charlton, Glenn Hoddle, John Barnes, Paul Gascoigne, Matt Le Tissier, Paul Scholes to name the more famous ones of yesteryears and Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and Michael Carrick of the current established side. Each of them were characterised by their very un-English way of playing; more to do with style and panache rather than the crunching tackles or lung-bursting runs.

But there is one common thread that joins most of these players: a lack of recognition from most of the English footballing fraternity. Apart from Charlton, Gascoigne, Rooney and Gerrard none of the others were ever afforded the respect that was due to them; Charlton for the momentous talent that he possessed, and the other three because they mixed their technical proficiencies with more mundane, English characteristics of tackling and stamina-infused play.

It was famously said of Glenn Hoddle by French legend and current head of UEFA, Michel Platini, that, “If you’d been born French, you would have won 150 caps.” And how many caps did Hoddle amass for England? Hoddle amassed 53 caps.

Among the multitude of praise that has been showered down upon Paul Scholes, this statement by Spanish midfield maestro Xavi stands out as the most poignant:

“In the last 15 to 20 years the best central midfielder that I have seen—the most complete—is Scholes. I have spoken with Xabi Alonso about this many times. Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything.

He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away. If he had been Spanish then maybe he would have been valued more.”

Maybe even Xavi doesn’t realize how right he is. A point to highlight it are the recent comments by Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher and Manchester United legend Bryan Robson. When quizzed as to who is, as per them, better among Scholes, Gerrard and Frank Lampard, they unanimously picked Gerrard ahead of Scholes. Even for the national team, Scholes has a paltry 66 caps- a gross injustice, by any order of measurement. Even when he was played, sometimes Scholes was played out of position, often on the left wing.

But now, things look like they might change. There is a sudden influx of young, talented, technically-gifted players in England. Apart from Rooney and Gerrard, you now have Jack Wilshere, Danny Welbeck, Daniel Sturridge, Tom Cleverley, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend, with more coming through. The likes of Ross Barkley, Nick Powell, Josh McEachran, James Ward-Prowse and Will Hughes, are the latest in the list of up-and-coming technically proficient English players.

So, is this the dawn of a new England, or just another passing aberration with respect to the wider picture? Your guess is as good as mine.