A-Leauge players playing internationals

[typool]

i bet there will be alot of interest on tonights game from Asian teams

 

[David Votoupal]

Interestingly, up until the late 80s/early 90s the NSL supplied the majority of Socceroos, before the player drain. In fact, this gradual player drain along with poor management of the league is a major factor in its demise. Even though the same trend happened in most parts of the world- Eastern Europe, South America and Africa- but those leagues were strong enough to withstand any exodus.

Egypt won back-to-back Nations Cups with a predominantly home-based squad, Angola had half its players in the WC squad playing at home, Sudan went to the Nations Cup with a purely home-based squad. Gabon got results when two of their best home-based midfielders were put into the lineup.

Argentina has a rare luxury- it has all of its best players in Europe, yet the home-based players can be just as good and sometimes even better.

Northern Ireland went to the 1982 World Cup with 4 players from the part-time Irish League, when IL clubs could still hold their own in European competition.

It depends on the gap in technical quality, tactical awareness and consistency between domestic and foreign-based players- and with most countries it's not all that great, if at all. The technical ability of players like Pondeljak, for instance, can never be doubted. The same can be said for Caceres, who's been overlooked for such squads.