Madam, – I wish to express my appreciation for Tom Humphries’s article, “Fewer chances for younger talent in a culture of fear” (Sport, June 29th). Mr Humphries has captured the genesis of the problem within the English national team and illustrated in logical and factually-based terms the plethora of problems concerning the team. I was engrossed in his article and found myself nodding to each and every one of his points, his opinions mirrored my own personal ones. However, as an Englishman, expressing the points written by Mr Humphries in an arena of xenophobic “fans”, would have been met by derision and denial.
Mr Humphries has highlighted the very root, or should I say roots of this narcissistical team. If we as a national team are to progress, then we shouldn’t re-invent the wheel. We should look at the tactical and creative ability of the likes of Brazil, Argentina and the Spanish. Look at the grass roots set-up of the Germans. Look at the passion of the Irish. Our over-paid, over-priced footballers and the organisations behind them could do no better in taking a look at Mr Humphries’s article and digesting it. His send off line “The task is to change the cloth and not the tailor” couldn’t ring truer, and I for one like the cut of his jib.
Well done, a superb article. – Yours, etc,