Argentina have not had a non-Argentine manager in almost 100 years.I just think competitions based on nationalities should mean anyone involved with the team should be of that nation. It's also not a good thing that wealthier FAs can just buy better managers. In a world where football is won by those with the most money 99% of the time, international football could be a nice break from that. Obviously you could get into the fact wealthier countries can afford better infrastructure and opportunities for sport therefore are more likely to have better teams etc. etc. but that's getting into different territory.
If England wins the WC with a non-English manager after not winning one in decades, nobody will care about the nationality of the manager.
That's a potential scenario whether you hire a foreign coach or not. Again, this idea that you need an elite club coach to win something at international level is completely baseless. Southgate, a supposedly talentless buffoon got to two finals in four tournaments. The idea that Tuchel is the difference between glory and inevitable failure is barmy.[...]
The only potential new scenario, will be England potentially winning something.
Not a moot point at all is it. Yes some players change allegiances or decide because they’ve spent x years living and working in a country they are going to take on that nationality, but it’s based on what is allowed outside of football.This!
I am pretty sure Jenks will have totally forgotten about it and signing songs to Thomy if they win WC '26
Same for the many Englishmen who share similar views
Tradition is all nice and well, but it's a moot point nowadays when players that have nothing to do with a country get easily nationalized to play for the NT, or change NTs according to their chances of getting prominent role
Not a moot point at all is it. Yes some players change allegiances or decide because they’ve spent x years living and working in a country they are going to take on that nationality, but it’s based on what is allowed outside of football.
Countries can’t sign other players and players can only change what country they represent if they have a genuine link to that country.
While I agree with just about everything you say, a philosophical question could be posed: if nationality is more transient now, and the lines are less clearly demarcated, what is really the point of dividing countries into national teams in sport and playing for cultural or patriotic pride?No, it's expedited because it is football. Players become nationalized just for that reason and to play for a certain NT
I get the romanticism behind your concerns.
But it's really a moot point:
It's not only that there is no pure nationality nowadays.
It's also that there is no such thing as "national style of play," based on a certain football culture.
You don't have England playing 'English' football, Germany playing 'German' football, and Brazil 'Brazilian'
Yes, there was a time when all that obtained, and back then it was meaningful to say we want English football at the national team and an English manager (mind you, that part had more to do with transmitting the right ideas, the ideas of the national style of play, than being a national)
Since football has become globalized and football styles mixed up in all sorts of ways, it's ridiculous to pose these kind of concerns in 2024
While I agree with just about everything you say, a philosophical question could be posed: if nationality is more transient now, and the lines are less clearly demarcated, what is really the point of dividing countries into national teams in sport and playing for cultural or patriotic pride?
I am playing devil's advocate here, as this question above sounds very right-wing, which isn't me.
I am pretty sure people say it now in some spaces but I have been thinking for a number of years that the boundaries are less clear now.No, it's an actually good question...
I guess in some years there will be voices saying precisely that: "scrap NT competitions because there are no clear nationalities or even more there is no such thing as national style of football.
So, what's the point? Maintaining a relic of the past for nostalgic reasons?"
I am sure we will hear that very soon