Pirate Galaxy » reak halted with Tuesday

What is it like to be an English coach overseas as the national team struggles? Englishman Stephen Constantine is the coach of India and faces the stigma that comes with his home country’s dwindling international reputation. He has strong views on the FA’s failings… For all the popularity of the Premier League across the globe, there is a sense that English football itself is outdated, old-fashioned, unsophisticated. The Premier League appeals because it is international, not because it is English. The homeland is no longer seen as a source of knowledge; the fountain head, it is felt has dried up.And yet a handful remain, heirs to a tradition that dates back a century or more, pioneers and mavericks and adventurers who have left home far behind to continue the spirit that first drove Fred Pentland and William Garbutt to set sail. Their work is in more exotic locations … Their impact is harder to measure. Their life, too, is harder. - Rory Smith, Mister Stephen Constantine is frustrated. England have suffered another embarrassing elimination from a major tournament and he knows what happens next. For those within the cosy confines of St Georges Park, its to be a period of introspection. For those abroad, at footballs coal face, the reputational consequences will be altogether more real. England launch three-point plan The Football Association has launched a three-point plan in a bid to find the next England manager. They find us extremely arrogant, Constantine tells Sky Sports. After spending the best part of 25 years abroad, he understands better than most what the perception is of the English coach. Not that hes expecting anyone at the FA to ask him. Our FA doesnt do anything to help coaches abroad, he adds. We dont even exist to them.Its not just a line. Constantine has experienced it first-hand. Hes in his second spell in charge of India and has also coached the national teams of Malawi, Sudan and Rwanda. But when he applied for the vacant England Under-21 managers position in 2013, he received short shrift from his home FA. I put my name forward and 36 hours later I got a reply saying they wouldnt be taking it any further, he explains. One of the criteria they had for the job was to have had international experience as a manager. Then they appointed Gareth Southgate who has had zero experience as an international manager. Gareth Southgate was named as Englands Under-21 manager in 2013 The feeling is that youre either in the loop or youre out. Its a recurring theme of Rory Smiths brilliant new book Mister, the tale of the men who taught the world how to beat the English at their own game. That compulsion to spread footballs gospel has always been oddly juxtaposed with the inward-looking approach of Englands administrators.Its not just the lament of a coach seeking greater recognition in his homeland. Its a practical problem for the country. When youre closed off to new ideas, they pass you by. English coaches are simply no longer part of the conversation. It seems footballs own version of Brexit happened long ago.When you go abroad, the good jobs are taken by the Dutch, the Germans, the French and the Spanish, says Constantine. Why? Because their FAs promote them. Ill give you an example. In Azerbaijan, youve got 10 league clubs and eight of the clubs technical directors are Germans. Its something that the German FA have helped institute. Paul Ince questions whether Englands footballers have their right attitude The English FA dont really put the resources into it. They dont try to get English coaches jobs abroad. Why would you do that? Well, because one day you might need something. Maybe some information or knowledge. When that day comes, the Spanish have someone there, the Italians and Germans have someone. We dont.There are so many things wrong with how we approach things. I really dont think we understand what they really think of us abroad. We generally seem to feel that whatever we are doing is the way its supposed to be and whatever everyone else is doing outside is not. I think thats held against us.Constantine is doing his bit. The 53-year-old has helped to establish the British Coaches Abroad Association to share ideas, information and opportunities. The reason I started that is because I know how hard it is to get a job outside and then to stay outside with the issues and problems you face, he explains. So I thought why not set something up. Constantine alongside Brazilian legend and then Japan coach Zico in 2004 Now, if somebody wants a job in India, people can say, Stephen Constantines there, what do you need? I had a call last week and somebody wanted to go to China. I know a couple of guys there so I arranged for him to see a couple of training sessions while hes there. It doesnt mean hell get a job but it alerts other Brits to the network thats out there.His own work in India is going well. The national team recently won their first World Cup qualifying games since 2004 and tasted victory in the South Asian Championship in January. Constantine has blooded 28 new players in 18 months and succeeded in bringing the average of the squad down from 32 to 24.Even so, the challenges are vast. There are states in India that are bigger than the UK and they just dont have the infrastructure, he admits. Im taking 12 to 14 flights a month around the country looking at players. I cant just confine myself to the first division and the Indian Super League. Celebrations for India during a World Cup qualifier against Guam Hes found national team players in under-19 sides and even in the army. Next month hell take them on a tour of the United States in the hope of placing players in professional clubs there. My job is supposed to be just as coach of the national team but its about building foundations, he says. Id say my job is that of a builder. Its what I do. I build teams.The trips back home are rare. This month hes been visiting his daughter in Brighton and we speak as he travels up to London to take in a show, the Phantom of the Opera at Her Majestys Theatre. So is he actively seeking the opportunity to return to the country where he last worked as Millwalls reserve-team coach a decade ago? Its a complex question.If theres nothing available for you in England, you kind of have to go outside, he admits. But if you were to ask these people, a lot of them would like to come back to England given the opportunity. The problem is that Constantine is acutely aware that he is likely to get only one crack at coaching in England. Henry on Wengers England link Thierry Henry believes Arsene Wenger is unlikely to want the England job. With that in mind, he recently turned down a League One job. The assistant had already been appointed, he wasnt allowed to bring in his own staff and there were only seven players. I felt Id be doing it with one hand tied behind my back, he says. To be honest, I think Im only going to get one opportunity in England. So if I take a job it has to be right.He adds: Its a huge issue if you havent played for an elite club in England. I realised that quite early on. My names not Ray Wilkins or whoever. I cant go into one job and it not work out then find myself in another job six months later. If I fail in England itll be, Right, you tried England and you werent up to it. See you later. Thats how I feel.Its a practical attitude, but it shouldnt be confused with that of someone expecting to fail. On the contrary, the more Constantine speaks, the more it becomes clear that his experiences have left him uniquely placed to succeed. Football holds few surprises when youve seen it from his perspective.Given the way that football is at the moment with the amount of different nationalities you have to deal with I feel far better equipped than the coaches whove never coached abroad, he says. I know what it takes to make foreign players feel comfortable. I had 13 nationalities in my squad in Cyprus.How do you deal with that Rwandan striker who cant necessarily speak English and isnt happy? How do you get into his head and get him to produce results? Look, if I can get people who dont speak English to work for me, imagine what I could do with English players. Perhaps thats the sort of imagination that the Football Association continue to lack.Stephen Constantine features in Mister: The Men Who Taught The World How To Beat England At Their Own Game, by Rory Smith Also See: Henry on Wengers England link England launch three-point plan Tennessee Titans Jerseys .Y. - Phil Varone was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Rochester Americans edged the Toronto Marlies 3-2 on Sunday in American Hockey League action. Will Compton Jersey .Y. - Major League Soccer is prepared to start its season this weekend even if there isnt a labour deal with its referees and other on-field officials. http://www.titansauthenticofficialonline...customized.html. Bouchard went down to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Svitolina in her opening match at the Sony Open on Friday. Bouchard got the rivalry going two years ago when she won the junior Wimbledon title over Svitolina. Luke Stocker Jersey . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley. Rashaan Evans Jersey . 2015 Oscar nomination pending. Here is an open letter from Steven Stamkos to his fans: When I shot this final Moment Zero film last August, it was a fun few days on set with Coke Zero and Jordan Eberle in my hometown of Markham.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will have to wait until after the Olympic break to get star centerman Steven Stamkos back, but the club hopes to avoid a fourth loss in five games when it hosts the Toronto Maple Leafs without him on Thursday night. Stamkoss teammate, Lightning captain Martin St. Louis, was named as his replacement for Sochi earlier on Thursday. You can listen to all of the action live on TSN Radio 1050 at 7:30pm. There was talk earlier this week that Stamkos would return for Saturdays home game against Detroit, the Lightnings final tilt before the NHL goes on hiatus for the Winter Olympics in Sochi, but on Wednesday it was announced that the sniper has not been cleared for game action by Dr. Ira Gutentag. The decision not only postpones Stamkos return to the Lightning, but also will prevent him from representing Team Canada at the Winter Games. The 23-year-old suffered a fractured tibia in a game against Boston on Nov. 11 and has missed the last 39 games while recovering. Stamkos was tied for the NHL lead in goals (14) and points (23) before the setback. "After reviewing the CT scan this afternoon, Dr. Gutentag made it clear to me and to Steven that the tibia is not completely healed and therefore he should not be participating in game action at any time in the near future," said Steve Yzerman, who is the general manager of the Lightning and the executive director of Team Canada. "Although the doctor was very pleased to this point with the healing process, he explained that the callus surrounding the fracture site is not 100 percent consolidated, and Steven will not be cleared to play in a game until that happens. It was a pretty clear cut decision, no gray areas at all." Stamkos will continue to rehabilitate and is expected to be re-evaluated in 2- to-3 weeks. The Lightning will resume play after the Olympic break on Feb. 27 at Nashville. "Today is obviously very disappointing for me," Stamkos said. "I honestly believe that we did everything possible in order to have my injured leg ready in time for the Olympics, but I realize you cant force healing." St. Louis will be participating at his second Olympics and first since the 2006 Turin Games. The 38-year-old winger has 25 goals and 54 points to lead Tampa this seasson.dddddddddddd The Lightning have performed extremely well without Stamkos in the lineup over the last few months and they enter Thursday in second place in the Atlantic Division. However, Tampas 1-3-0 record over a recent four-game road trip has helped the Leafs and Montreal Canadiens move within three points of the Lightning for the divisions second spot. The top-three teams in each division receive automatic bids to the playoffs. The Lightning downed the Canadiens 2-1 in overtime Saturday in Montreal before losing in regulation Tuesday night at Minnesota. Darcy Kuemper stopped 34 Tampa Bay shots in the Wilds close victory in St. Paul. Valtteri Filppula scored in the loss and Ben Bishop made 24 saves for the Lightning. "We worked harder (than the last game) we just didnt work smarter," Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said. "That was a big problem." The Lightning fell to 16-13-2 as the guest after its recent trip, but will play their final two games before the break at Tampa Bay Times Forum, where they are 16-6-3 this season. The Maple Leafs will try to rebound on Thursday after having a three-game winning streak halted with Tuesdays 4-1 loss at Florida. David Clarkson provided the lone goal for Toronto, while Jonathan Bernier allowed three goals on 47 shots in the setback. "The word to describe it is, we didnt have anything going except one person in the lineup is outstanding for our hockey club and that was our goaltender," Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. "We didnt seem to have any jump or passion to play the game, and its kind of mind-boggling right now." After completing its two-game tour of the Sunshine State tonight, the Leafs will complete their pre-Olympic schedule on home ice when they host Vancouver on Saturday. Toronto is 20-10-1 as the home team this season compared to a sub-par 10-12-5 mark as the guest. The Leafs recorded a 3-2 regulation win over the visiting Lightning on Jan. 28, as Bernier stopped 40-of-42 shots and Nazem Kadri provided two goals for Toronto. It was the first of four scheduled meetings between the clubs this season and it was Torontos sixth win in the last eight meetings against the Bolts. The Lightning have won two straight and five of the last seven meetings in Central Florida. Wholesale Orioles Jerseys Red Sox Jerseys China Cheap Stitched Yankees Jerseys Cheap Stitched Rays Jerseys Wholesale Blue Jays Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Wholesale Tigers Jerseys Royals Jerseys China Cheap Stitched Twins Jerseys Cheap Stitched Astros Jerseys Wholesale Angels Jerseys Athletics Jerseys China Wholesale Mariners Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Rangers Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Braves Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys Wholesale Mets Jerseys Cheap Stitched Phillies Jerseys Wholesale Nationals Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Online Wholesale Reds Jerseys Cheap Brewers Jerseys Online Cheap Pirates Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Authentic Cheap Rockies Jerseys Authentic Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Authentic Cheap Padres Jerseys Online Wholesale Giants Jerseys ' ' '