Inferiors revolt in order that they may be equal and equals that they may be superior. Such is the state of mind which creates revolutions. These were the words of Aristotle, and on a day when England have so obviously been proved inferior, a revolution of football must begin.

Steve McClaren has been sacked, the players should and will be criticised and the opposition should and hopefully will be praised. That, however, must not be the end of the inquest. As history shows us, appointing a new coach or reshuffling the names on the team sheet will simply bring false hope and further disappointment. England have employed a multitude of managers in the last 40 years without success. One thing has been constant from the animated touchline ranting of Kevin Keegan to the serene sophistication of Sven-Goran Eriksson: failure.

Oh, it’s the foreign players I hear you cry. If there were more English players in the Premier League we would be winning tournaments left, right and centre. In 1992, when the Premier League was formed, there were 11 players from outside the UK playing. In fact, things were very similar to the circumstance we are now in following the foreign influx. We failed to qualify from the group stages of Euro '92 then failed to reach USA '94. So with or without foreign players, English football has failed to produce talented teams who can win at the highest level.

'English football requires radical changes in structure, coaching techniques and mentality'


What we need is a change in sporting culture. This must be led by the FA, embraced by the players and supported by the fans. It will require radical changes in structure, coaching techniques, mentality and above all it will require little Englanders to admit that they don’t always know best; therefore allowing us to embrace new concepts from wherever they come.

There is no doubting the success of the Premier League, both financially but also on the pitch. English clubs are playing some of the best football in Europe and the standard of players in the Premiership is higher than we have ever seen in England. It is clear, however, that there is a failure in producing a high standard and large quantity of English players. We need to change but the problem is that when someone proposes change they are shot down and nothing is done.

When the Liverpool manager, Rafa Benitez, expressed his view that the reserve teams of Premier League clubs should be allowed to play in the Football League, mirroring structures in other countries, the response was immediate and unanimous. Managers, pundits and fans spoke out against any such plans.

Speaking about the prospect, Benitez said: “It will bridge the gap between the youngsters and the first team. If you do not give young players the chance to play competitive football and to learn things, things become impossible. I have been here three years and have talked to many people about this, and what I see is players who are 17 years old and cannot progress.

Benitez knows from his experience in Spain how successful his idea can be. “I was the manager of Castille, Real Madrid's reserve side, and I had players who were 18 or 19 playing in the Spanish second division championship. They were playing against men. They were winning and we finished sixth and fourth.

The one thing that every World Cup winning squad from the last 20 years has in common is a diverse group of players, from all walks of life, who have played in numerous football environments. The most successful nation, Brazil, build their squads from players who have played in Spain, Italy, England, Germany, Holland, France and, of course, Brazil. They travel the football globe, absorbing the various tactics, training methods and techniques. Playing in various competitions, and under numerous managers, they value new ideas and synthesis them into their own game making them more complete players.

This is something that the FA and the ‘expert’ pundits never discuss. If we want our young players to improve, we should be encouraging them to move abroad to Spain rather than on loan to Stockport. In recent years not a single young English prospect has taken the decision to play abroad in the way Cesc Fabregas, to name one of many young European players, has. Maybe they are paid too much too soon and they don’t want to take the risk. Or perhaps the lure of the Premiership and of home comforts is too great an attraction for them. Whatever the reason, the FA needs to change this attitude and begin a trend of young English players learning new techniques in a number of countries.

These are just a few of the many changes we need to see in English football and now is the time, when defeat is freshest it our minds, that they must be made. Viva la revolution!