When you look back at 2009 there are dozens of things you can highlight as being significant to English Football. Whether it be Englands qualification for the world cup next year, the sheer amount of goals that have been hammered into the nets so far this season, or even Jimmy Bullards emphatic return to the Premier League you can't deny how monumental this year has been for England, the players and its fans.
Throughout the two (almost 3)transfer markets that have been open in the past year the Premier League has seen a huge rise in foreign players being brought into the Premier League. This new surge has seen a vast amount of highly skilled proffessionals getting recognition in the best league there is when up until a few years ago, they never would have had the same chance. This is because a lot of managers now look abroad to finance their European dreams of cup glory in football these days, with Englands best players already contractually stuck to the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa. This has then lead other managers onto the same path and the same destinations. So in the past year we have seen a flux of new never-before-seen talent from abroad. The likes of Thomas Vermalean, Gael Kakuta and this guy...
As well more foreign players being brought in from overseas this year has also seen more youngsters rise through the ranks and begin first team action. The likes of Theo Walcott who epitomise this had already started to do so by 2007/08 but this year has seen England hopefulls Keiron Gibbs and Jack Wilshire break into the Arsenal side and become prodical figures. Furthermore, the north-easts very own Jordan Henderson has become an influential figure on Wearside after being recalled from loan duty and Newcastle's Andy Carroll has been a vitol figure in their championship campaign. This is great for the sport, and for England to see its future tearing defenders to shreads.
If one big standout moment of 2009 for English Football had to be called it would possibly have to be The England National side's qualification to the 2010 world cup in South Africa. After coming off the back of a depressing defeat away to Ukraine England wanted to finish the campaign on a high with a win against Belarus, despite injury concerns. Nevertheless, as expected the team triumphed and emerged group winners (they were going to anyway, but it felt proper this way). Parading around a packed out Wembley at the end of a long, tough campaign the team deserved their place at World Cup, and at the top of the group. Next for the England team was the World Cup draw and once again they were drawn in a favourable group.
On the subject of the World Cup, England will be looking at the exhibitionism of it all next year as well as the actual competition, and will imagine themselves being host nation in 2018. Englands bid has come a long way this year, from one of several candidates to the possible front-runner. I think that if we did get the right to host the World Cup, this country would owe a LOT to David Beckham because what that man has done is astonishing. As well as playing for his country, representing it across the world must be one grueling task. The FIFA board have now picked their band of Stadiums to host the games if we are to host the World Cup, although I believe this list will be wittled down to a smaller few. Almost every city with a stadium in it opted to host once they heard the news, even League Two clubs whose stadiums are only 20,000 max are throwing everything at the F.A.
So this year's been quite kind to England but next year is the biggy. Come'on England!
Cheers
Turner
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