Lack of English players in the squad

[Term-X 7,891]

That 'moment of madness' may well have won us the league.

Rooney earns £300,000 pw at United, that was the deal that kept him there, so our offer would have been 'there or there abouts'. Possibly could have been a one-season-wonder, but he's on the decline, and we would have been stuck with him, whilst Costa scores for fun at Atletico.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Rooney earns £300,000 pw at United, that was the deal that kept him there, so our offer would have been 'there or there abouts'. Possibly could have been a one-season-wonder, but he's on the decline, and we would have been stuck with him, whilst Costa scores for fun at Atletico.

Our deal would've almost certainly have been less but there's also the added value he would've bought to the club as well as the possible increase in prize money.

It was by no means a 'moment of madness' but a sound financial gambit.

[Term-X 7,891]

Our deal would've almost certainly have been less but there's also the added value he would've bought to the club as well as the possible increase in prize money.

It was by no means a 'moment of madness' but a sound financial gambit.

It wasn't long term thinking, he's just another 'reputation' like Torres.. not tailor made for the side like Costa is. Rooney is a marketers wet dream, so the brand-conscious suits at the club will have pushed for it.. 'english rose'/poster boy etc. He would have been on bat shit crazy wages and given his evident decline, that would have put us in another Torres situation, Torres-Lite™ shall we say.

[The only place to be 11,313]

It wasn't long term thinking, he's just another 'reputation' like Torres.. not tailor made for the side like Costa is. Rooney is a marketers wet dream, so the brand-conscious suits at the club will have pushed for it.. 'english rose'/poster boy etc. He would have been on bat shit crazy wages and given his evident decline, that would have put us in another Torres situation, Torres-Lite™ shall we say.

Yet it was absolutely a Jose purchase and he was pushing for it from day one. The marketing benefits was absolutely a bonus but he was identified for footballing reasons.

[Term-X 7,891]

Yet it was absolutely a Jose purchase and he was pushing for it from day one. The marketing benefits was absolutely a bonus but he was identified for footballing reasons.

We don't know what goes on behind the scenes, so it's impossible to say whether there was influence within the club or not. Costa is tailor made for the club, Rooney wasn't even playing as a forward when he was being linked here. It's clear the move took off when it became apparent Rooney wanted to earn more, that's not long-term thinking, that's going on a whim based on current circumstances.

It's nightmare worthy to think we'd have THIS Rooney right now in the side on 250-300k pw and Costa at Atletico. Madness.

[Chelsea? 892]

Jose said he wants to have more English players, i think once we start winning things it'll be easier to integrate our youth players into the team.

city don't have much english players and the press leaves them alone. I don't really see where a current englishman will fit in our first 11. Maybe to replace JT but can't think of any promising CB right now

[Jase 43,479]

We still have Cahill who will probably be our next captain, after that who knows.

No offence mate but think you're being rather ignorant on the lack of English players issue in our squad. It's utterly depressing that we only have 2 English players in the squad right now and only 1 is an England international. We are an English club and we should be having more than that. It's what helps fans to associate the club and if we don't have that, we'll lose that bit of identity.

The situation is all the more depressing when you see Arsenal have 6 English players in their squad with all potential first choice in their starting XI. Their first XI was used to fill with foreigners while ours almost have a blend of the two but now, it's like we have switched places. Their squad now is more balanced while ours is top-heavy with foreigners.

[iseah100 5,612]

No offence mate but think you're being rather ignorant on the lack of English players issue in our squad. It's utterly depressing that we only have 2 English players in the squad right now and only 1 is an England international. We are an English club and we should be having more than that. It's what helps fans to associate the club and if we don't have that, we'll lose that bit of identity.

The situation is all the more depressing when you see Arsenal have 6 English players in their squad with all potential first choice in their starting XI. Their first XI was used to fill with foreigners while ours almost have a blend of the two but now, it's like we have switched places. Their squad now is more balanced while ours is top-heavy with foreigners.

I love the English guys/core we HAD, but I just want the club to win, be it with foreigners or the fucking English NT. I'm not English so I don't need an English core. If the club wins with a Belgian/Spanish core, I'm happy. Foreigners can love the club too, (Drogba, Cech, Mikel, Mourinho).

[Term-X 7,891]

I love the English guys/core we HAD, but I just want the club to win, be it with foreigners or the fucking English NT. I'm not English so I don't need an English core. If the club wins with a Belgian/Spanish core, I'm happy. Foreigners can love the club too, (Drogba, Cech, Mikel, Mourinho).

This is an English club, so it's important for the identity/the culture, football clubs the world over have their own distinct characters; you lose that when you lose domestic players. It becomes soulless, faceless and more of a corporation than a club when the fans don't have someone to identify with.

This is Chelsea not 'World XI'.

[iseah100 5,612]

This is an English club, so it's important for the identity/the culture, football clubs the world over have their own distinct characters; you lose that when you lose domestic players. It becomes soulless, faceless and more of a corporation than a club when the fans don't have someone to identify with.

This is Chelsea not 'World XI'.

I get that it's an English club, but I'M NOT, and most of the fans aren't. Only a small percentage of the Chelsea fan base is English. Can't Belgian Chelsea fans identify with Tibo and Hazard? And German fans with Schurrle? And Brazilian fans with Ramires, Oscar, Willian and Costa?

I get that you're English and want an English core, but the club will ALWAYS have an identity, with or without English starters. I would rather have a good foreign player than a mediocre English one. But that's just me.

That being said, I would LOVE for some of the young guys like Baker, RLC, etc to make it to our squad.

[Myself 793]

Hasn't Mourinho already said that in a few years time we'll be promoting Solanke, Baker, RLC and Chalobah (not sure on Chalobah)? we'll have a good english core in a few years

[Term-X 7,891]

The top clubs should be a showcase for the country they reside in, like Real & Barca for Spain and like we had with Cole, Terry and Lampard.

If you identify with the club, then you should be able to identify with the national mentality and adopt it.