Why do England always struggle to produce dribblers?

[Billy Dean]

None of those players are elite, are they? At United, Martial is seen more of a dribbler than Rashford and Sane is seen more of a dribbler than Sterling, but the question is, why isn't it the opposite way round?

I think it will be different in 5 years' time. Like Parker said we're developing dribblers now. Our team will be full of them soon

 

[Dharma]

PASS IT !

 

[Pabbers]

Acads and grass roots coaches don’t encourage it at all.

Its all pass pass pass.

 

[Pabbers]

Youth level football is shocking while in Spain for example, there is a big focus on technical skills. I think they play a lot of indoor football with a heavier ball too coach it but I'm not sure.

Futsal, its a pro sport all over Europe and South America.

Its getting bigger in UK now, but many traditional acadamies and grass roots managers dont like it at all, so lots of debate.

 

[anton66]

I think it's equally having natural talent coached out of them, there doesn't seem to be any flying wingers nowadays such as Dave Thomas or Ronnie Goodlass who could skip down the wing and ping in pin point crosses.

A master class in wing play from Dave here.

Sadly you'll never get that atmosphere back.

 

[Steve0]

It's Friday. I have every intention of finishing the day dribbling, like hundreds of thousands of other dribblers.

And Giggs was English. He elected Wales to piddle off his estranged da.

He was born in Cardiff and his dad is Welsh.

 

[Eggs]

...Sterling has outstanding technique allied with pace, strength and a low Centre of gravity.

 

[marekb]

Was at an U9's game this weekend, one of the parents suggested that a player 'Get rid of it' (didn't shout or anything, nobody could hear it apart from dads). I had to explain the ethos to him that we don't get rid, we encourage the boys to be creative to get out of difficulty. In fact we sooner these problems occur more often as to broaden their experience and give them opportunity to showcase their skills. If it goes all wrong - so be it. That's my fault, I take the blame not the player. Believe it or not the boys have improved massively when given the freedom to express themselves.

Is it easier to a) teach a dribbling player to pass, or b) a passing player to dribble? I think it would be (a) but that's just my opinion, not backed up in any way

I think the next 10 years or so we'll see a big change in the type of player that will be coming through the youth ranks.

 

[chrismpw]

Was at an U9's game this weekend, one of the parents suggested that a player 'Get rid of it' (didn't shout or anything, nobody could hear it apart from dads). I had to explain the ethos to him that we don't get rid, we encourage the boys to be creative to get out of difficulty. In fact we sooner these problems occur more often as to broaden their experience and give them opportunity to showcase their skills. If it goes all wrong - so be it. That's my fault, I take the blame not the player. Believe it or not the boys have improved massively when given the freedom to express themselves.

Is it easier to a) teach a dribbling player to pass, or b) a passing player to dribble? I think it would be (a) but that's just my opinion, not backed up in any way

I think the next 10 years or so we'll see a big change in the type of player that will be coming through the youth ranks.

In every single team i played in, through my entire career through different teams, the best dribblers were incapable of passing to a team mate. Time after time i saw strikers free in space yelling for a simple pass, but the dribbler was enjoying themselves too much. Utterly selfish footballers with eyes only for their own feet.

They were nearly always rs fans too as it happens.

 

[Zatara]

What about Yannick lol

 

[Nymzee]

Kids don’t grow up playing outside with their mates as much these days. All these French wonderkids you see all seen to come from rough areas where all they did was play on tight concrete pitches. It’s what Sancho says made him a good dribbler. Improvements in grassroots football ironically hampers that raw ability in kids.

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

It's coached out of players as soon as they near professional set up, British football is known as coaching the percentage, anything that's seen as flair carries the risk of losing possession.

 

[JobForTheMoyes]

We have Ross Barkley - he’s great at dribbling on the bench!

 

[Yank]

I don't recall Gascoigne for that skill particularly. I can remember very few over the years. Cue outcry but I do not think it is a key skill in a good passing team. An advantage yes but you can do without.

Can completely go with out. My country has produced one and he is borderline good, however, both sides of my family are German so I always keep a close eye on that hot mess now.

Who is known for great dribbles? Argentina has won anything in my lifetime. I'm almost 30. Brazil has won one world cup. I don't think I'd consider Italy, Spain, Germany, even France as producing dribblers even though mbappe is great. His passing and awareness is great too.

It's entertaining to watch but it doesn't equal success.

Muller has been a great winger, but that guy isn't creating crap off the dribble.

 

[Yank]

Was he really? But don't we own Wales anyway?

By that logic why isn't messi wearing a shirt with that dumb lion, unicorn or whatever it is on it?