When the eight oโclock kick offs in the Champions League got underway last night, only two English players were starting for their respective teams. While two Premier League sides in Liverpool and Tottenham were in action, neither of these sides had an English player starting in their initial XI. Instead, the two Englishmen in action last night were over in Spain, playing for Belgian champions Union St Gilloise against Atletico Madrid.
Ross Sykes and Christian Burgess have certainly followed an unconventional path to the premier competition in European football. Neither played against the likes of Liverpool or Tottenham at the top level of English football, spending time with the likes of Portsmouth and Accrington Stanley. Both were beneficiaries of Union St Gilloiseโs excellent scouting department that saw the value in both, picked them up from the lower tiers of English football and turned them into Belgian cup and league champions. Sykes grabbed his first ever Champions League goal last night in Madrid as well, a moment he will likely never forget, even if it came in a defeat.
Both get to experience Champions League football, something that not many players from similar situations could ever dream about. What does that fact that Union St Gilloise had more English players than both Liverpool and Tottenham in their starting XI combined tell us? Firstly, it is a reflection on the globalisation of the Premier League, which has its pros and cons. Secondly, that the path to reaching this level can involve leaving England and finding a club outside of the top five leagues.
To the first point, and one that has been debated countless times. As someone who grew up in England and supported a team outside of the Premier League, it was always seen as the pinnacle for me. To see my team, Reading, feature on Match of the Day was always a dream. Seeing them face the likes of Liverpool for two seasons in a row felt like a dream come true. Like many, as years went on, I became disillusioned with English football. As the money increased the connection seemed to go as the teams at the top level seemed to get further and further away from the reality. In a cost of living crisis, the monopoly money being spent at the top level of the sport was , and while I still remain attached to Reading, my interest in watching Premier League football at the weekends has completely declined. In many ways, Leicesterโs fairy tale title win was the peak, as I recognised that the likelihood of a team like the Foxes winning another Premier League title was practically none.
Yet when I now look at starting XIโs in the Premier League, it is really noticeable how much has changed. Teams seem to change yearly and there are often games where English teams donโt play any players from England. For me, this removes some connection between the club and its location. Having local players play builds a connection between the fans and those on the pitch. But, on the other hand, it has helped improve the quality of the English players that do make it into teams like Liverpool. The competition for places at the elite level of English football is high, and despite Brexit, teams have the financial capacity to bring in top talent from abroad. That the likes of Bournemouth are able to bring in star players from Porto shows how much the game has changed.
Even the academies at the top level are multi-national now, meaning that this competition begins at an earlier age. It cannot be a coincidence that as more and more players from abroad have entered the Premier League and English football system, the England national team has finally started to realise its potential and make major tournament finals and semi-finals.
Yet, the globalisation of the Premier League also means there are now less opportunities for English players to reach the top flight. It does mean the cream rises to the top, but it can also mean players may not get the chance to realise their potential. If two of Englandโs most historic clubs in Liverpool and Tottenham can field a team bereft of any English players, then it is clear that the opportunities are limited. The Premier League can attract top talent from abroad, and even mid table Premier League sides have access to top talents in the other top European leagues. Given the success of the England team in recent years, and the amount of money involve in the Premier League, the chances of a quota system being introduced into English football is slim. Countries such as Belgium have this to encourage greater development of Belgian talent, but there are still opportunities for foreign players to enter the Pro League.
Here is where the experiences of both Burgess and Sykes at Union St Gilloise could act as a blue print. In recent years, more and more English players have finally accepted that moving abroad to play football is a viable option. While most may go to the top five leagues, Belgium clearly offers another avenue. The physicality of the Pro League suits most players who are used to playing in the Football League, and the level is high enough that it can help improve players. The fan culture is strong and the atmosphere at matches is usually great. Even the โsmallerโ teams have fan groups that bring passion to the terraces.
This is not to say that every English player that has crossed over to Belgium has been a success. Some have struggled, even at Union St Gilloise, to breakthrough. Yet Belgium isnโt the only option. With the expansion of European continental competitions through the Conference League, more and more teams are able to experience cross continental competition, increasing their revenues and talent levels. English players could also consider countries like Poland, Austria and most of the Scandinavian countries as options to leave England and get the chance to play European football.
Given the direction of travel, it is likely that Union St Gilloise will field more English players than Liverpool and Tottenham again in the Champions League this season. Hopefully this will signal to other players below the Premier League that Belgium, and other European leagues, are a viable option and, if their get lucky, they could be featuring in the Champions League or other European competitions. Rather than having to face the Liverpool U21 side in the EFL Trophy, they could be facing Atletico Madrid or Newcastleโs first team in the Champions League.
GBeNeFNย |ย Ben Jackson
