Lack of English players in the squad

[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.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

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.

At the risk of being unpopular, while I see your point about 'this being an English club...' What I don't agree with is 1) paying ridiculously high transfer fees for 'English talent' 2) downgrading the quality of the squad in order to make our XI more England friendly 3) looking at the models laid out by Liverpool and now Arsenal as the blueprint for success.

We are in it to win it all, you can't have both since English talent is piss poor right now. While there is a need to stay true to the local supporters, football is a GLOBAL game now and though the games are played at SW6, its watched by millions of people all over the globe who have taken this club as their own. Chelsea FC is not limited to its English borders anymore, and to be the global entity we are and a top 5 team in the world the faces around the club can't be limited to English... Unless they are the best in their position. That to me is the only policy, if you're good enough you will play. If you're good enough and English preference will be given to you first, nothing more.

Luke Shaw was bought for £30M and likely won't even start at Utd... This is the price you guys expect Chelsea to pay in order to keep up with the EVER-CHANGING culture around Premier League clubs? Hell no. Sorry there is a limit to this madness and I for one am glad we aren't paying the English tax anymore.

The way to integrate British born home grown talent is to develop it, not buy it at ridiculous fees... We have a nice young core coming through now but they still have to work extremely hard to get into one of the top sides in the world, that's just football now.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

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.

Real and Barca or Spanish talent is still amongst the best in the World. You want Chelsea to by Jack Colback, Fabian Delph and Adam Lallana instead of Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Eden Hazard?

We need to develop the next english star, not buy him.

[Term-X 7,891]

Real and Barca or Spanish talent is still amongst the best in the World. You want Chelsea to by Jack Colback, Fabian Delph and Adam Lallana instead of Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic and Eden Hazard?

We need to develop the next english star, not buy him.

I wanted us to buy Shaw, who had 'proved' himself capable of playing for a top club.

And the reason it's worth paying the tax is because academy players like Loftus Cheek & Chalobah have foreign talent like Van Ginkel blocking the path, the latter cost money.. so it's more beneficial for ROI to water the flowers you've paid for.

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

I wanted us to buy Shaw, who had 'proved' himself capable of playing for a top club.

And the reason it's worth paying the tax is because academy players like Loftus Cheek & Chalobah have foreign talent like Van Ginkel blocking the path, the latter cost money so it's more beneficial for ROI to water the flowers you've paid for.

You clearly don't know Jose Mourinho, its about who is the best for the situation at hand. Positions aren't one based on transfer fees or place of birth(though I do think British talent would take precedence if all things are equal). If Loftus Cheek and Chalobah are good enough they will play ahead of Van Ginkel, its as simple as that.

As for buying Shaw at £30m your fucking head is GONE. In no way did he prove he was a £30m player, not even close. Right now he's just potential English talent that has yet to be realized.

[Fernando 6,585]

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.

Real exploded with the galáctico era in this modern world.

Nobody in the world really cared if they was Spanish or not. Just that it was a team assembled of top stars riping teams apart.

And those crying because lack of English, well you guys are ridiculous. There's not many good ones available at this moment.

Arsenal and Liverpool might have more English players but they are mediocre.

Save sterling who might be great if he continues the way he's going.

Other then that not much you can do because English players suck at the moment.

And a lot has to do with the pl giving large amount of money from TV revenue.

With the money that is being generated for even lower level teams does it benefits them to develop younger players or buy them to compete in the pl and stay in it?

So it has to fall on the big teams to develop them ala Barcelona. And that's what Mourinho has been talking about.

It won't happen this season, maybe next season but more then likely in 3 years we might see progress in this.

[Jase 43,479]

Real exploded with the galáctico era in this modern world.

Nobody in the world really cared if they was Spanish or not. Just that it was a team assembled of top stars riping teams apart.

And those crying because lack of English, well you guys are ridiculous. There's not many good ones available at this moment.

Arsenal and Liverpool might have more English players but they are mediocre.

Save sterling who might be great if he continues the way he's going.

Other then that not much you can do because English players suck at the moment.

And a lot has to do with the pl giving large amount of money from TV revenue.

With the money that is being generated for even lower level teams does it benefits them to develop younger players or buy them to compete in the pl and stay in it?

While I do agree there aren't many top quality English players out there right now, sometimes I do wonder if people's judgment of English talent has been clouded by the general mediocrity of the England NT and influenced by the media. More often than not, I see people are being so immediately dismissive of English players without seemingly have an objective judgment.