Premier League Nonsense

I don't like Liverpool. Back in the late 70s when they were the best team in Europe by some distance they bored the socks off me. Every game at Highbury I seemed to recall ending in a yawn fest as both sides came out and battled for a point.

But I often think about them when I see some transfers go through and I wonder how if Liverpool could build the best team in Europe by shopping in the English lower divisions then, why can't it be done today.

Of course then there were no foreigners in the English game. No Fernando Torres. Butthen the mickey mouses haven't done badly in that department have they, finding players like Ian Rush, John Toshack and John Aldridge from smaller clubs.

But let's look at the Liverpool team that won the European Cup for the first time 32 years ago and more importantly where they come from.

Ray Clemence - famously a deck chair attendant as well as playing for Scunthorpe United

Phil Neal - famous for his daft bubble perm and playing for Northampton bloody Town before winning a few pots
Tommy Smith - old school. born and bred on the Mersey you can imagine him chewing pint glasses down the White Hart before running out in front of the Kop and twatting all n sundry
Emlyn Hughes - the only footballer ever named Emlyn? Before he became famous for wearing daft pullovers on TV Liverpool signed him from Blackpool. Never realised he died a few years back.
Joey Jones - signed from Wrexham who have always been shite. Joey Ate The Frogs Legs, Made The Swiss Roll, Now He's Munching Gladbach was seen on a banner at the final. Oh those witty scousers

Ian Callaghan - played for Liverpool for donkeys years. Appropriate 'cos he ran like one last time I saw him
Jimmy Case - probably nicknamed Head for obvious reasons.
Terry McDermott - famous for his bubble perm and tache making him the archtypal scouser. Signed from Newcastle
Ray Kennedy - a big money signing from Arsenal

Kevin Keegan - perhaps better known as saying I would love it frequently as well as quitting managerial jobs he too came from Scunthorpe
Steve Heighway - posh git who went to university, picked up playing for Skelmersdale.

What's happened to players like these? Are the lower divisions so bereft of talent premier league managers must keep signing Pascal Chimbonda, Teemu Tanio and Abdoulaye Dijeriferkin ad infinitum?

Do managers like Wenger and Ferguson attend lower division games themselves or is that seen as beneath them?

Just where have the English players gone?