English regions as international teams by Rory F Smith.
The research for this took me 20 hours.
How about comparing which English region would produce the best international side?
I will set out an imaginary tournament between the 9 regions of England, in this article.
It is a matter of curiosity abroad that we have four nations representing the UK at international football, rather than one. As a half Scottish, half Welshman, I am passionate we should have our four national sides. It is often the only way of expressing our national identities to other parts of the world. But imagine if the English regions decided to have their own international sides too.
The Spanish example
In Spain the regions of Catalonia and the Basques are seen as nations, with identities as strong as Scotland.
The Basques and Catalonia often play selects of players qualified to play for them against genuine FIFA international sides.
By the Basques and Catalonia playing their own national sides against international teams. Many more players get the chance of international football, and gain experience. If the English did this with their regions it would be a great way of evaluating which English region is the best at producing players. Showing which regions should be copied.
I would define the regions of England, as defined by Eurostat. The regions are North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, East England (mostly East Anglia), South West, London, and South East. I would like Cornwall to have their own national side, but for the purpose of this article I will count Cornwall within the South West region.
I recognise many English people would not define their identity by Eurostat definitions. But regional identity in England, is complicated, and this is the closest I could find to a concise modern definition, of regions large enough to be compared fairly.
Team selections
I have used the traditional 4 - 4 - 2 formation, with the rule, a player can only play for the region they were born in.
I have listed in brackets, after each player, first who the player currently plays for, and secondly where they were born.
I have listed the clubs, by who the player played for at the end of the the final 2017 transfer window.
If the player has been loaned out, I still count their parent club as the club they play for.
Before each name, I have listed the first initial of the position they play for in terms of goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or forward.
North West; G Tom Heaton (Burnley - Chester)), D Phil Jones (Manchester United - Preston), D Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur - Bury), D Michael Keane (Everton - Stockport), D Leighton Baines (Everton - Kirkby), M Ross Barkley (Everton - Liverpool), M Danny Drinkwater (Chelsea - Manchester), M Ben Pearson (Preston NE - Oldham), M Marc Pugh (Bournemouth - Bacup), F Wayne Rooney (Everton - Liverpool), F Marcus Rashford (Manchester United - Manchester).
North East; G Fraser Forster (Southampton - Hexham), D Andrew Taylor (Bolton Wanderers - Hartlepool), D Shaun Hutchinson (Millwall - Newcastle), D Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic - Blyth), D Paul Dummett (Newcaslte United - Newcastle), M Jordan Henderson (Liverpool - Sunderland) M Christie Elliot (Partick Thistle - South Shields), M Michael Carrick (Manchester United - Wallsend), M Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough - Chester Le Street), F Andy Carroll (West Ham United - Gateshead), F Gary Madine (Bolton Wanderers - Gateshead).
Yorkshire and the Humber; G David Stockdale (Birmingham City - Leeds), D John Stones (Manchester City - Barnsley), D Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur - Doncaster), D Kyle Walker (Manchester City - Sheffield), D Michael Dawson (Hull City - Northalleton), M Josh Windass (Glasgow Rangers - Hull), M Aaron Lennon (Everton - Leeds), M Fabian Delph (Manchester City - Bradford), M James Milner (Liverpool - Leeds), F Jamie Vardy (Leicester City - Sheffield), F Dominic Calvert - Lewin (Everton - Sheffield).
West Midlands; G Joe Hart (West Ham United - Shrewsbury), D Billy Jones (Sunderland - Shrewsbury), D Jamie Hanson (Derby County - Burton), D Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday - Birmingham), D Micah Richards (Aston Villa - Birmingham), M James Maddison (Norwich City - Coventry), M Jack Grealish (Aston Villa - Solihull), M Demarai Gray (Leicester City - Birmingham), M Kernar Roofe (Leeds United - Walsall), F Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool - Birmingham), F Troy Deeney (Watford - Birmingham).
East Midlands; G Jordan Smith (Nottingham Forest - South Normanton), D Matthew Lowton (Burnley - Chesterfield), D Max Lowe (Derby County - South Normanton), D Kieron Freeman (Sheffield United - Arnold), D Gary Cahill (Chelsea - Dronfield), M James Vincent (Dundee - Glossop), M Sam Clucas (Swansea City - Lincoln), M Tom Huddlestone (Derby County - Nottingham), Matt Palmer (Burton Albion - Derby), F Tyler Walker (Nottingham Forest - Nottingham), F Callum Robinson (Preston NE - Northampton)
South West; G Jack Butland (Stoke City - Bristol), D Jack Stephens (Southampton - Torpoint), D Martin Cranie (Huddersfield Town - Yeovil), D George Friend (Middlesbrough - Barnstaple), D Sean Morrison (Cardiff City - Plymouth), M Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur - Cheltenham), M Dan Gosling (Bournemouth - Brixham), M Scott Sinclair (Glasgow Celtic - Bath), M Bobby Reid (Bristol City - Bristol), F Sam Gallagher (Southampton - Crediton), F Ryan Seager (Southapton - Yeovil).
London; G Mark Howard (Bolton - Southwark), D James Tomkins (Crystal Palace - Basildon), D Ryan Bertrand (Southampton - Southwark), D Glen Johnson (Stoke City - Greenwich), D John Terry (Aston Villa - Barking), M Mark Noble (West Ham United - Canning Town), M Andros Towsend (Crystal Palace - Leytonstone), M Wayne Routledge (Swansea City - Sidcup), M Ruben Loftus - Cheek (Chelsea - Lewisham), F Jermain Defoe (Bournemouth - Basildon), F Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur - Walthamstow).
South East; G Robert Green (Huddersfield Town - Chertsey), D Calum Chambers (Arsenal - Petersfield), D Steve Cook (Bournemouth - Hastings), Matt Targett (Southampton - Eastleigh), D Joel Ward (Crystal Palace - Emsworth), M Gareth Barry (West Brom - Hastings), M Delle Alli (Tottenham Hotspur - Milton Keynes), M Adam Lallana (Liverpool - St Albans), M Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (Liverpool - Portsmouth), F Danny Ings (Liverpool - Winchester), F Charlie Austin (Southampton - Hungerford).
East of England; G Angus Gunn (Manchester City - Norwich), D Ryan Bennett (Wolverhampton Wanderers - Grays), D Michael Morrison (Birmingham City - Bury St Edmunds), D Harry Toffolo (Norwich City - Welwyn Garden City), D Jason Shackell (Derby County - Stevenage), M Korey Smith (Bristol City - Hatfield), M Teddy Bishop (Ipswich Town - Cambridge), M Jack Wilshere (Arsenal - Stevenage), M Ashley Young (Manchester United - Stevenage), F Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday - Harlow), F Cody McDonald (AFC Wilmbledon, Witham)
The English Regions Cup.
Preliminary Round;
East Midlands 3 East of England 2.
Quarter Final;
East Midlands 0 West Midlands 1.
London 2 South East 2; London win on penalties.
South West 1 Yorkshire and the Humber 3.
North West 3 North East 2.
Semi Final;
North West 2 London 1.
Yorkshire and the Humber 2 West Midlands 0.
Final;
North West 2 Yorkshire and the Humber 2; North West win on penalties.
The best two regions at producing players are North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. In my view they would have the capability to be dark horses for the European Championship, and maybe the semi finals of the World Cup, like classic Sweden, or Czech Republic sides.
Bonus prizes go to Shrewsbury for producing two players in my West Midlands select, and Hastings for producing two players in my South East select. Plus for Sheffield and Leeds in producing 3 players each for the very strong Yorkshire and the Humber side.
Birmingham has produced 5 players for my West Midlands select, but it does dominate the West Midlands in population, so that is not surprising.
The depth of English football regions, is good, with every team gaining most of their players from the English top two divisions. Talent is quite evenly distributed around England. There does not seem to be a region, or city that stands out well beyond the pack in producing the best players.
Perhaps English club football lacks a Alex Ferguson style coach developing a great generation of young players from one club?
Comparing England to previous generations.
The golden generation tended to be dominated by core North West and London players.
While the English 1966 World Cup winning eleven had, 4 North West England born players, 2 from London, 2 from the North East, and one each from Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, and the East of England.
The research for this took me 20 hours.
How about comparing which English region would produce the best international side?
I will set out an imaginary tournament between the 9 regions of England, in this article.
It is a matter of curiosity abroad that we have four nations representing the UK at international football, rather than one. As a half Scottish, half Welshman, I am passionate we should have our four national sides. It is often the only way of expressing our national identities to other parts of the world. But imagine if the English regions decided to have their own international sides too.
The Spanish example
In Spain the regions of Catalonia and the Basques are seen as nations, with identities as strong as Scotland.
The Basques and Catalonia often play selects of players qualified to play for them against genuine FIFA international sides.
By the Basques and Catalonia playing their own national sides against international teams. Many more players get the chance of international football, and gain experience. If the English did this with their regions it would be a great way of evaluating which English region is the best at producing players. Showing which regions should be copied.
I would define the regions of England, as defined by Eurostat. The regions are North West England, North East England, Yorkshire and the Humber, West Midlands, East Midlands, East England (mostly East Anglia), South West, London, and South East. I would like Cornwall to have their own national side, but for the purpose of this article I will count Cornwall within the South West region.
I recognise many English people would not define their identity by Eurostat definitions. But regional identity in England, is complicated, and this is the closest I could find to a concise modern definition, of regions large enough to be compared fairly.
Team selections
I have used the traditional 4 - 4 - 2 formation, with the rule, a player can only play for the region they were born in.
I have listed in brackets, after each player, first who the player currently plays for, and secondly where they were born.
I have listed the clubs, by who the player played for at the end of the the final 2017 transfer window.
If the player has been loaned out, I still count their parent club as the club they play for.
Before each name, I have listed the first initial of the position they play for in terms of goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, or forward.
North West; G Tom Heaton (Burnley - Chester)), D Phil Jones (Manchester United - Preston), D Kieran Trippier (Tottenham Hotspur - Bury), D Michael Keane (Everton - Stockport), D Leighton Baines (Everton - Kirkby), M Ross Barkley (Everton - Liverpool), M Danny Drinkwater (Chelsea - Manchester), M Ben Pearson (Preston NE - Oldham), M Marc Pugh (Bournemouth - Bacup), F Wayne Rooney (Everton - Liverpool), F Marcus Rashford (Manchester United - Manchester).
North East; G Fraser Forster (Southampton - Hexham), D Andrew Taylor (Bolton Wanderers - Hartlepool), D Shaun Hutchinson (Millwall - Newcastle), D Dan Burn (Wigan Athletic - Blyth), D Paul Dummett (Newcaslte United - Newcastle), M Jordan Henderson (Liverpool - Sunderland) M Christie Elliot (Partick Thistle - South Shields), M Michael Carrick (Manchester United - Wallsend), M Grant Leadbitter (Middlesbrough - Chester Le Street), F Andy Carroll (West Ham United - Gateshead), F Gary Madine (Bolton Wanderers - Gateshead).
Yorkshire and the Humber; G David Stockdale (Birmingham City - Leeds), D John Stones (Manchester City - Barnsley), D Danny Rose (Tottenham Hotspur - Doncaster), D Kyle Walker (Manchester City - Sheffield), D Michael Dawson (Hull City - Northalleton), M Josh Windass (Glasgow Rangers - Hull), M Aaron Lennon (Everton - Leeds), M Fabian Delph (Manchester City - Bradford), M James Milner (Liverpool - Leeds), F Jamie Vardy (Leicester City - Sheffield), F Dominic Calvert - Lewin (Everton - Sheffield).
West Midlands; G Joe Hart (West Ham United - Shrewsbury), D Billy Jones (Sunderland - Shrewsbury), D Jamie Hanson (Derby County - Burton), D Tom Lees (Sheffield Wednesday - Birmingham), D Micah Richards (Aston Villa - Birmingham), M James Maddison (Norwich City - Coventry), M Jack Grealish (Aston Villa - Solihull), M Demarai Gray (Leicester City - Birmingham), M Kernar Roofe (Leeds United - Walsall), F Daniel Sturridge (Liverpool - Birmingham), F Troy Deeney (Watford - Birmingham).
East Midlands; G Jordan Smith (Nottingham Forest - South Normanton), D Matthew Lowton (Burnley - Chesterfield), D Max Lowe (Derby County - South Normanton), D Kieron Freeman (Sheffield United - Arnold), D Gary Cahill (Chelsea - Dronfield), M James Vincent (Dundee - Glossop), M Sam Clucas (Swansea City - Lincoln), M Tom Huddlestone (Derby County - Nottingham), Matt Palmer (Burton Albion - Derby), F Tyler Walker (Nottingham Forest - Nottingham), F Callum Robinson (Preston NE - Northampton)
South West; G Jack Butland (Stoke City - Bristol), D Jack Stephens (Southampton - Torpoint), D Martin Cranie (Huddersfield Town - Yeovil), D George Friend (Middlesbrough - Barnstaple), D Sean Morrison (Cardiff City - Plymouth), M Eric Dier (Tottenham Hotspur - Cheltenham), M Dan Gosling (Bournemouth - Brixham), M Scott Sinclair (Glasgow Celtic - Bath), M Bobby Reid (Bristol City - Bristol), F Sam Gallagher (Southampton - Crediton), F Ryan Seager (Southapton - Yeovil).
London; G Mark Howard (Bolton - Southwark), D James Tomkins (Crystal Palace - Basildon), D Ryan Bertrand (Southampton - Southwark), D Glen Johnson (Stoke City - Greenwich), D John Terry (Aston Villa - Barking), M Mark Noble (West Ham United - Canning Town), M Andros Towsend (Crystal Palace - Leytonstone), M Wayne Routledge (Swansea City - Sidcup), M Ruben Loftus - Cheek (Chelsea - Lewisham), F Jermain Defoe (Bournemouth - Basildon), F Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur - Walthamstow).
South East; G Robert Green (Huddersfield Town - Chertsey), D Calum Chambers (Arsenal - Petersfield), D Steve Cook (Bournemouth - Hastings), Matt Targett (Southampton - Eastleigh), D Joel Ward (Crystal Palace - Emsworth), M Gareth Barry (West Brom - Hastings), M Delle Alli (Tottenham Hotspur - Milton Keynes), M Adam Lallana (Liverpool - St Albans), M Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (Liverpool - Portsmouth), F Danny Ings (Liverpool - Winchester), F Charlie Austin (Southampton - Hungerford).
East of England; G Angus Gunn (Manchester City - Norwich), D Ryan Bennett (Wolverhampton Wanderers - Grays), D Michael Morrison (Birmingham City - Bury St Edmunds), D Harry Toffolo (Norwich City - Welwyn Garden City), D Jason Shackell (Derby County - Stevenage), M Korey Smith (Bristol City - Hatfield), M Teddy Bishop (Ipswich Town - Cambridge), M Jack Wilshere (Arsenal - Stevenage), M Ashley Young (Manchester United - Stevenage), F Gary Hooper (Sheffield Wednesday - Harlow), F Cody McDonald (AFC Wilmbledon, Witham)
The English Regions Cup.
Preliminary Round;
East Midlands 3 East of England 2.
Quarter Final;
East Midlands 0 West Midlands 1.
London 2 South East 2; London win on penalties.
South West 1 Yorkshire and the Humber 3.
North West 3 North East 2.
Semi Final;
North West 2 London 1.
Yorkshire and the Humber 2 West Midlands 0.
Final;
North West 2 Yorkshire and the Humber 2; North West win on penalties.
The best two regions at producing players are North West England and Yorkshire and the Humber. In my view they would have the capability to be dark horses for the European Championship, and maybe the semi finals of the World Cup, like classic Sweden, or Czech Republic sides.
Bonus prizes go to Shrewsbury for producing two players in my West Midlands select, and Hastings for producing two players in my South East select. Plus for Sheffield and Leeds in producing 3 players each for the very strong Yorkshire and the Humber side.
Birmingham has produced 5 players for my West Midlands select, but it does dominate the West Midlands in population, so that is not surprising.
The depth of English football regions, is good, with every team gaining most of their players from the English top two divisions. Talent is quite evenly distributed around England. There does not seem to be a region, or city that stands out well beyond the pack in producing the best players.
Perhaps English club football lacks a Alex Ferguson style coach developing a great generation of young players from one club?
Comparing England to previous generations.
The golden generation tended to be dominated by core North West and London players.
While the English 1966 World Cup winning eleven had, 4 North West England born players, 2 from London, 2 from the North East, and one each from Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands, and the East of England.
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