Team of the Year outcome reveals a gulf in talent and a price tag to match.
Greg Dyke’s controversial England Commission report boiled down to one basic question.
“How do we get more Englishmen into the Premier League?”
The FA Chairman’s document was full of figures. But the one that stood out was 66 the number of Englishmen who play more than half their club’s matches.
That’s not a lot. Roy Hodgson knows, because he’s just had to pick 23 of them for his World Cup squad.
Much was made about him throwing caution to the wind by selecting so many young players, but they picked themselves. They weren’t so much Hodgson’s choice as Hobson’s Choice.
It’s obviously encouraging for the England boss that a highlight of an engrossing Premier League season was the emergence of players like Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Luke Shaw.
However, if you were to select a home-grown Team of the Year to face the best XI chosen from imports, it would almost literally be men against boys.
I’ve selected two teams, based on performances this season and nationality. If they ever faced each other, it would be quite a game but I can see only one winner.
For the home-based side, Joe Hart recovered well from his early problems and no British keeper can touch him.
Everton’s Republic of Ireland right-back Seamus Coleman has been more consistent than Glen Johnson, and while Leighton Baines will get the nod over Shaw in Brazil, the Southampton youngster edges out his senior colleague purely on form.
“Mr Chelsea”, John Terry, was marginalised by Rafa Benitez last season, but he has been back to his best.
Politics ensured he was never going to Brazil, but England have gained a radically-improved Gary Cahill because of Terry’s on-field guidance.
The other outstanding “oldie” is, of course, Steven Gerrard, my Player of the Year in his new role as midfield controller.
Alongside him would be team-mate Jordan Henderson, now worth far more than the over-inflated £18m Liverpool paid for him.
The other midfielder is Welshman Aaron Ramsey. Sometimes a player’s worth is only appreciated when he’s not there.
Sterling merits a place on the right of the attack, with Adam Lallana, who has the skill to grace any Spanish side, on the left.
Up front there’s no room for Wayne Rooney. Two reasons he has been affected by trying to carry Manchester United and a place has to be found for the electric Daniel Sturridge.
The World XI is harder to select. For example, 16 of the 20 Premier League clubs this season have had a foreign keeper.
The best was David De Gea. He was United’s Player of the Year you might argue that’s not saying much but the Spaniard has toughened up well.
The ultra-consistent Pablo Zabaleta is at right-back, with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta outstanding out of position all season on the left.
Vincent Kompany has had fitness issues but he’s simply the best central defender in the League. Alongside him would be the vastly-improved Per Mertesacker of Arsenal.
Yaya Toure is a shoo-in in the centre of midfield, with club-mate Fernandinho providing the defensive balance.
The two wide midfield positions would be filled by City’s David Silva and Chelsea’s Eden Hazard.
No prizes for guessing that Luis Suarez gets in, and it would be easy to pick Sergio Aguero as his partner. But because his goals got City over the line, I’m going with Edin Dzeko.
The Best of British £247
GK: Hart
DF: Coleman, Cahill, Terry, Shaw
MF: Henderson, Gerrard, Ramsey
FW: Sterling, Sturridge, Lallana
The Imports £414
GK: De Gea
DF: Azpilicueta, Mertesacker, Kompany, Zabaleta
MF: Silva, Toure, Fernandinho, Hazard
FW: Dzeko, Suarez
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