English players abroad still an ageing minority

Since the inaugural Premier League season, 1,397 foreign players have graced the pitches of Premier League grounds up and down the country. This season 60% of players registered in the Premier League are from overseas. So in modern English football, we are certainly no strangers to playing the game ‘spot the English player’ in many of our Premier League sides. However, despite the influx of foreign players coming to ply their trade in England’s top division, it is extremely rare that you see English or even players from the British Isles playing in other European or world leagues.  During the late 80’s and early 90’s there were a number of top British talent that played abroad such as Gary Lineker at Barcelona, Mark Hughes at Bayern Munich and Paul Gascoigne at Lazio. However in the last 10 years, you could near enough count the number of Englishmen playing overseas on your hands.  Of those players that go abroad, the majority of them are either arguably past their peak and are going because of a chunky pay packet or they have fallen under the radar in England due to personal reasons or long term injuries.

Here are a few players who are currently or have had a spell overseas in the last few seasons.

Lee Hendrie – Bandung, Indonesia. 2011.

Once a player who had it all and aged 21 was picked instead of Frank Lampard to win his first England, Lee Hendrie’s footballing career plummeted into darkness a few years ago after a number of serious injuries and personal problems. In 2011 he signed for Bandung FC of the Indonesian Premier League on a lucrative contract. Hendrie mustered up 15 appearances for Bandung before being released. Following this Hendrie has had a rough few years after being declared bankrupt in January 2012 and has even trying to take his own life. However, after a string of appearances for a handful of non league sides (Even a spell at my beloved Redditch United) he is now playing in the Conference Premier, Hendrie seems a changed man and thankfully seems be getting back on his feet.

Emile Heskey – Newcastle Jets, Austrailia. 2012- Present.

Heskey was released at the end of last season by Aston Villa and spent all summer without a club until Newcastle Jets came in for him. A signing to counter Jets’ arch rivals Sydney FC’s signing of Alessandro Del Piero. Emile was the butt of most football jokes in English football but since going down under he has proved a massive hit. Jets fans immediately went Heskey mad bought so many of his replica shirts that 5,000 more have been ordered to keep up with demand. He had a debut to remember volleying in his first goal for the Jets and outshining Del Piero, as Jets beat Sydney 3-2.

Robbie Fowler - North Queensland Fury, Perth Glory and Muangthong United. 2010-12.

Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler spent the last three seasons of his career playing on the other side of the world. Fowler joined North Queensland Fury and became their first marquee signing. However, he only lasted a season there after having a serious fall out with the club and signed for Perth Glory for the following season. After a successful year at Perth where he was their top scorer, Fowler accepted an obscure offer to play for Muangthong United in Thailand where he was even made manager half way through the season.

Nicky Butt – South China, Hong Kong. 2010-11.

One of the members of United’s class of 92 that won the F.A Youth Cup final, Nicky Butt went on to have great success in 12 seasons at Old Trafford before a move to Newcastle where he made 134 league appearances. However, Butt ended his career far from the glitz and glamour of Old Trafford and St James Park with a move to Hong Kong club, South China where ex Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman was also part of the squad. Butt scored a free kick on his debut and made 3 appearances for South China before hanging up his boots and returning to England.

Darius Vassell – Ankaragucu 2009-10.

Ex Aston Villa and England striker Darius Vassell signed for Turkish club Ankaragucu after being released by Manchester City.  Upon Vassell’s arrival in Ankara, he was greeted with one of the most bizarre fan reactions ever with around 3000 fans turning up to the airport; you do wonder whether the Ankaragucu fans had been told they had signed Lionel Messi  rather than Vassell. In the end, Vassell only spent one season in Turkey due to broken promises over his salary and unpaid wages and returned home.

These are just a few of the Englishmen who decided to leave the comfort of the British isles for an alien football experience, however what is evident from this batch is all of them moved abroad in the twilight of their careers, none in their prime. In the past ten years, you could say only McManaman, Beckham, Owen and Woodgate’s moves to Read Madrid are the only players who moved when at the peak of their careers. It just does not seem that many of our players are interested in moving across Europe or even the world unless the likes of Real or Barca come a calling or there is a tasty pay packet involved. Therefore, if the number of English players abroad does increase, expect it to be 30+ year old's moving to obscure corners of the globe for one last lucrative season in the sunshine before retirement.

Come back next week for part 2 where I will seek out further English players who have decided to join retirement leagues abroad.