Football commentator and Kingstonian first team coach MARTIN TYLER examines the failure of England Under 21s at the European Championships and says more needs to be done to support the national side. He also explains why people should not moan about too many games in Non-League.
I’VE just returned from Israel where I have been covering the European Under-21 Finals for Sky Sports and been able to see from the inside the difficulties in the upper echelons of English football.
The disappointing showing of England’s young hopefuls has been well documented but it is a failure of the system as much of the individuals involved.
With foreign owners, managers, coaches, agents and players, the status of the national team is under threat.
The influx has helped create a marve lous Premier League but it should be pointed out to the clubs that the whole football industry in this country is boos ted when England do well.
Not all of you will have experienced the feel-good factor for football after the World Cup in 1966 but trust me, the game received a terrific boost. Imagine the euphoria in our society now if that success could be repeated.
The benefits would certainly reach the Non-League level which we all cherish. I have worked for the incoming FA Chairman Greg Dyke, below, and he is an achiever. His period of tenure is a great chance to make sure England has its proper place in the scheme of things and that, when it is needed, the country can call on the best young talent.
The talent can be spotted too. I recall with a mixture of pride and horror that in a Primary School match I once asked one of the boys I coached to man mark an impressive opponent. You would think twice about doing that in a full international!
But the ten-year-old who was giving Royal Kent School Oxshott a lot of trouble that day is now a Premier League left back, Luke Shaw of Southampton. Luke should have been out in Israel but withdrew from the Under 21 squad through injury.
He missed a fantastic experience, perversely the more so because of the difficulties faced by the squad. You learn much more from adversity than success.
Christian Jolley would agree with that. When he walked into the Kingstonian training ground in July 2009 I was the first to meet him and I have followed his career very closely. At that first session it was clear he could run like the wind. At Wembley in May in the colours of Newport County no Wrexham player could catch him and his goal put the South Wales team back in the Football League.
In those four years he has worked every day as hard as possible to make the most of the late chance in the game that at so because of the difficulties faced by the squad. You learn much more from adversity than success.
Christian Jolley would agree with that. When he walked into the Kingstonian training ground in July 2009 I was the first to meet him and I have followed his career very closely. At that first session it was clear he could run like the wind. At Wembley in May in the colours of Newport County no Wrexham player could catch him and his goal put the South Wales team back in the Football League.
In those four years he has worked every day as hard as possible to make the most of the late chance in the game that at Kingstonian we were able to give him. After one season we sold him to AFC Wimbledon and of course they have played their part in his development as well.
Difficulties
So like every other Non-League club in the country we are looking out for ‘the next Jolley.’ Talent and a capacity to make the most of it is the key. It is hard work but the rewards are there. Ask Chris Smalling. Ask Jermaine Beckford.
At Ks we finished last season with eight matches in 18 days because of the number of postponements. With more rain forecast through the summer and presumably worse to come when we start again, surely the authorities should look at emergency ways of extending a season, or telling referees to be stronger about playing when the conditions are difficult but not dangerous. The earlier start only covers the fact that the Ryman League now has 24 clubs.
In my job I often hear the cry that we play too much football. As I head back home from Israel to pre-season and the frustration of no longer being able to do myself justice when I have to make up the numbers in a training game, my answer is always the same – play as often and as long as you can!
