Why is it that our English players come in for the most criticism?

[Timbo Tottenham]

I've noticed that certain players have been getting more criticism than others recently and that those players (Lennon and Dawson mostly) are English. Some of the criticism may be justified but is that the sole reaseon?

Do we expect more from the English players as we feel they have more of a connection to us and the club? Having lost Bale (British, but English speaking) do we need an English/British core to maintain that connection?

Or are they just rubbish and need replacing?

I've always been an advocate of the best person for the job no matter the nationality, but as many have pointed out this season, it seems that people are feeling less of a connection with the club than in previous seasons. Discuss.

 

[SargeantMeatCurtains]

I think the fact that they're all English is just a coincidence. Dawson, Naughton, Lennon (recently) & Townsend have been our worst performers this season.

But on the flip side, i'd say Kyle Walker has been our most consistent player this year.

 

[teok]

Having a connection to a player has nothing to do with what language they speak but what they do on the pitch. If they play well/show passion for the club that is all that matters.

The two players mentioned have come in for criticism because they often don't play very well. Non english speaking players get criticised when they don't play well also.

 

[TheGreenLily]

I think the fact that they're all English is just a coincidence. Dawson, Naughton, Lennon (recently) & Townsend have been our worst performers this season.

But on the flip side, i'd say Kyle Walker has been our most consistent player this year.

Pretty much it.

Think that is the problem for England too, just a bunch of over hyped, overpaid players that barely get the basics of football right.

 

[Mattspur]

I think if anything, as a whole, we expect less of our English players and we're inclined to forgive them their shortcomings for no other reason than they're English. The same can be said with our managers. Where as foreign players and managers are perceived as outsiders who don't get our game and are viewed with scepticism and suspicion.

 

[faymantaray]

Decent players but all as thick as the wall.

 

[Timbo Tottenham]

Having a connection to a player has nothing to do with what language they speak but what they do on the pitch. If they play well/show passion for the club that is all that matters.

The two players mentioned have come in for criticism because they often don't play very well. Non english speaking players get criticised when they don't play well also.

I agree with this, I certainly felt more of a connection with Ginola, but there were always other players like Teddy, Ledders etc. I don't think it matters to me whether they're English or not, but does it matter to the general fanbase?

 

[Spurs 1961]

I think we expect all our players to perform at their top potential for every minute of every game. We also expect them to be perfect in every way. The British players don't have the excuses of no understanding the English game, language, cultural, displacement problems so we maybe are less tolerant of imperfection. On top of that we mostly respond in an emotional frame of mind...though some great verbal gymnastics take place to make it look as though we are being perfectly rational.

The truth is that there are few great players in the game. The truth is that no one in any walk of life performs to their best all the time. The truth is that players have their strengths and limitations. The truth is that the game is a team game and the successful ones usually are those who manage to combine the talents available to produce something better than the component ingredients. The truth is that as fans we are not capable of being rational about the team we support and love

 

[alfie103]

I think if anything, as a whole, we expect less of our English players and we're inclined to forgive them their shortcomings for no other reason than they're English. The same can be said with our managers. Where as foreign players and managers are perceived as outsiders who don't get our game and are viewed with scepticism and suspicion.

Really? From my experience, the foreign managers are automatically assumed to have more knowledge/are better than the English managers.

 

[Mattspur]

Really? From my experience, the foreign managers are automatically assumed to have more knowledge/are better than the English managers.

That is true, and I can see why as there's a lot of evidence to support that view. But once they're appointed they instantly have an uphill battle. Just look at the fans booing AVB in his first Home game. The bitterness towards Ramos after replacing Jol.

Out of interest, who was the last English manager to win something? Was it Redknapp winning the F.A. Cup?

 

[Honest John]

I think the fact that they're all English is just a coincidence. Dawson, Naughton, Lennon (recently) & Townsend have been our worst performers this season.

But on the flip side, i'd say Kyle Walker has been our most consistent player this year.

Rose and Walker have had all sorts of abuse on here this year.

And there is a bloke in Block C that just goes on about Walker all game every game. Even if he isn't playing.

 

[eddiebailey]

Decent players but all as thick as the wall.

Whereas our foreign contingent read Plato and perform quadrilateral equations for fun?

 

[0-Tibsy-0]

Whereas our foreign contingent read Plato and perform quadrilateral equations for fun?

To be fair, the Belgians, Eriksen and Holtby speak better English than our English players!

 

[mpickard2087]

I don't think the foreign players escape criticism either... Most of the players in the squad have been critiqued at some point this season, even last years golden boys such as Vertonghen and Dembele aren't escaping scrutiny anymore.

 

[aliyid]

It works both ways but if anything I'd say that the English players are given an easier ride. Just compare comments about Lennon / Townsend to comments about Chadli. Each case appears to be different and it's far more complex than just looking at nationality as you can provide many examples of abuse at English players (Livermore, Huddlestone, Naughton, Walker, Dawson) as you can of abuse at overseas players (Lamela, Soldado, Chadli, Paulinho, Siggy, Dempsey).

Crowd/mob mentality is a strange thing, we've seen the way that fan critisism can crush a players confidence over the years (look at Robbos decline or last season the way the Walker couldn't do anything) yet we still think it's wise and helpfull to turn on our own and shout abuse reminding them that we think they're rubbish. People play better when they're confident and at this level confidence and mentality is the only thing that seperates the good from the great.

 

[Rout-Ledge]

To be fair, the Belgians, Eriksen and Holtby speak better English than our English players!

Depressingly accurate. They are certainly more articulate.

I do think it's true that our English players come in for more criticism than our foreign players though, certainly on here at least. Just one example I can think of is the stick Defoe got in comparison to, say, Pavlyuchenko. Did Pav contribute more than Defoe in terms of his overall contribution and goalscoring record? Not even close.

 

[faymantaray]

Whereas our foreign contingent read Plato and perform quadrilateral equations for fun?

I meant in a footballing sense. Our foreign players certainly use the ball more intelligently.

 

[talkshowhost86]

Depressingly accurate. They are certainly more articulate.

I do think it's true that our English players come in for more criticism than our foreign players though, certainly on here at least. Just one example I can think of is the stick Defoe got in comparison to, say, Pavlyuchenko. Did Pav contribute more than Defoe in terms of his overall contribution and goalscoring record? Not even close.

I can safely say that I gave Pav at least as much criticism.

The useless drunk.

 

[eddiebailey]

I meant in a footballing sense. Our foreign players certainly use the ball more intelligently.

Have you watched Dembele?

But yes if you are discussing intelligence it is important to define terms of reference; for some on here sounding a bit thick equates to a lack of football intelligence. Which isn’t the same thing, not at all.

 

[LexingtonSpurs]

Seems that the three players generating the most criticism lately have been Soldado (not scoring enough), Dawson (too slow), and Bentaleb (too much playing time).

So you get one English, one foreigner, and one who could go either way.