Dyke's Dream

Mr Dyke's trusted assistant handed the task of saving the England team. He saved TV-AM but his next task might prove beyond even him !

I apologise now if a search engine has led you to this blog and you were expecting something altogether different. This about nothing more sordid than a piece about Greg Dyke and his vision for English football although that could be equally as fanciful !

FA chairman Greg Dyke laid it on the line today and set targets for the England team. GD believes that that national side should be aiming at the semis of the 2020 Euros and win the world cup in 2022.

Apparently " English football is a tanker that needs turning ". Dyke is after more consistent starts for English players. Apparently a commission is needed to discover why so few English registered players play in the Premier League. A quota system might be needed and a mid-season break might possibly help too !

Well, good luck with all that Greg ! He might just manage to pull off a mid season break but given the unpredictability of our weather he may end up with even more egg on his face. I've never felt our overpaid pampered footballers need a break in the season anyway but imagine how ludicrous it would seem if the leagues took January off only for it be lovely bright sunny weather to give way to a severe and bitter February ! You can put in undersoil heating at grounds but the not yet heat the surrounding roads and pavements eh ? That's to say nothing of our flaky public transport system which often fails to perform in the most innocuous conditions ! 

Aside from all that your average football fan wants unbroken football to keep us sane during those winter months to say nothing of what Sky might feel about interference with the ace in their television pack. I really can't see them being over keen on the situation. Lest we forget, he who pays the piper calls the tune eh ?

In addition, it's hard to envisage overseas owners such as those that now own the majority of Premier League clubs allowing interference in the players they buy and teams they put out. Whilst so much money remains in the top flight at least then nothing is going to change. Why should it ? They've little to no interest in the fortunes of the England side.  

Greg would be better of in investing some of the vast amounts of cash swishing around in football on developing and improving schools and grassroots football. The aim being in raising the standard and hopefully the knock on effect would be that those few English players that do turn out regularly in the Premier might be able to control and pass a ball in a half decent manner !

If that is achieved then the FA can turn their attentions to recapturing the public's affection and interest in the England side. They are currently flogging tickets for this Friday's game against Moldova from £25 and £60 for a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children. If interest in attending the game were anywhere near decent then it's safe to assume they'd be selling them for a much higher price. After all, they're not slow to grab an opportunity to fleece the public if they can.

Roland is the rat that's joining, rather than jumping off, a sinking ship !