By Neil Ravenscroft
February 13 2003

Neil Ravenscroft takes a sideways look at the reasons for the England performance against Australia and why it is a sign that the game must change in this country. It was a strange performance from England last night, with the established players not performing and the total change in approach in the second half, when the kids were given a run out. It has to be said that the team did not perform at anything like its full potential and that must be the fault of the motivation and selection of the team. So we ought to lay the blame fairly and squarely where it ought to lie, where the motivation and team selection comes from - Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.

It always used to be said that the England Manager job was impossible, as he did not pick the team, the Press did. A certain amount of that is still true, as witnessed by the fact that Russell Hoult never stood a chance of being picked, due to the fact the media do not seem to realise that Albion are in the Premiership (witness the pathetic coverage of their games by ITV). Their influence is waning, however, as the power of the top clubs in the Premier becomes greater. The Manchester United and Arsenal players last night would only have been thinking about the Cup Tie at the weekend and the restart of the Champions League next week, and, probably, quite rightly too, as it is their clubs who pay their wages and playing in the Champions League against the best in the World is of more use to Ericson than turning out in a friendly against Australia.

Of course, Sven had the option of leaving them out completely and starting with the fringe players and the kids, but we all know what the Press would have made of that, if it failed. They have clamoured in the past for youth to be given its head, irrespective of results while we build, but you only have to see what they have done to Berti Vogts in his attempts to do exactly that.

So why is this of interest to Walsall fans?

It goes back to the discussions earlier this week about football finances. The game in this country desperately needs to be restructured. The difference between the problems Ipswich have to Derby and Leicester, are that they did not get into trouble by trying to establish themselves in the Premier League, they did it chasing the dream of trying to match the big boys. That is, without a doubt, futile. Only Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool (plus, possibly, Newcastle United and Chelsea) have the marketing power to assemble the resources to win the damn thing. Even Leeds have shown what will happen if clubs take too big a risk and fail.

What football needs to do is to face up to the reality of the situation and recognise that these clubs cannot be matched and, if necessary, let them go. The European League will eventually become a reality and that will be the opportunity to reorganise the game in this country on a proper footing with a far more equitable distribution of the more limited resources that will be available (as you can bet Sky will follow the big boys). It is no good saying that the average footie fan does not want to see his or her team playing European competition every week, but would rather see the traditional game, but the average football fan no longer pays through the turnstile, they watch it on TV and support one of the top teams in the Premiership. These people do not understand the traditions of the game and have little in common with those of us who turn up at grounds every week.

I may be painting a bleak picture of what lies ahead of us, but I do believe that it will happen eventually. The power that Rupert Murdoch has in the game and his desire for international domination of the satellite TV industry means that Sky will want it and that, as we all know, is the main factor in the administration of the game in this country and in Europe, otherwise we would still be playing all games on a Saturday.
He who pays the piper calls the tune, whether we like it or not.