Steve McManaman has been speaking to Spanish newspaper Marca ahead of Tottenham’s match against Real Madrid, with the former footballer having connections to both countries… he ended up on Marca’s lengthy interview list for the match.
After a whole lot of questions with answers which pretty much write themselves, McManaman, probably best known for his Liverpool period, was asked why the England team has failed in recent years.
The 45 year old came up with an answer which will please his former fans at Anfield: “Young players don’t have minutes in the first team. The squads have 24 players and hardly give them opportunities. Now the U20 won the World Cup, the U17 also. English youngsters don’t play as much as Spaniards. Look at Isco or Asensio. We have to organise it better, because they are good. Pochettino has been giving many opportunities to kids. Klopp in Liverpool too, but then we don’t see that at Chelsea, City or Manchester United.”
Marco Asensio is 21 years of age, and over the past year hasn’t managed to match the minutes Marcus Rashford, who turned 20 on Wednesday, has picked up. Jose Mourinho and Manchester United fans would also point to 24 year old Jesse Lingard, brought through gradually, and older English players such as Phil Jones and Chris Smalling as important members of the squad.
Scott McTominay, 20 years of age, made his full Champions League debut on Wednesday night, and whilst Mourinho overplays his own record of giving chances to youngsters, for Macca to pick out Manchester United seems a little odd.
At Manchester City, Pep Guardiola is advancing players like Raheem Sterling and John Stones to the benefit of the national side, and whilst there’s no younger English players getting regular chances, the club have the chance to change that with Phil Foden, although it must be remembered he’s only 17 years of age.
Chelsea are lacking on the English youngster front, and the best argument they could put forward is their loan army.
Over at Anfield, where McManaman thinks Klopp is getting it right with English youngsters, 20 year old Joe Gomez has 8 Premier League appearances this season, whilst 20 year old Dominic Solanke has minutes comparable to McTominay, for example.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is certainly one coming through at Liverpool with the 19 year fighting to be as regular as possible.
Of course, Mauricio Pochettino has had a hand in bringing through more than his fair share of English youngsters, at both Southampton and Tottenham, but Liverpool aren’t really doing so much more for the national team that they can be held aloft on a similar level, especially when it’s in favourable comparison to what’s happening up the East Lancs at Old Trafford.
Maybe Macca could get his hands dirty and do some coaching himself, wonder Marca, but he’s not up for that: “I you lose four consecutive games you’re out and I don’t think it’s a good job. I prefer to be a commentator and have time for my family. I can take my children to school. I don’t need to be a coach.”
