Ince’s Inter Snub is Embarrassing For All Involved

Article by e-Sports Net's Brian McLaughlin

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TOM INCE has rejected a move to Inter Milan citing a determination to stay in the Premier League.

On the surface it is not entirely unexpected, and for supporters of the Nerazzurri it will serve as a welcome relief; the takeover of Inter by billionaire Erick Thohir has heralded a shift in fans' transfer expectations with potential signings having to meet a standard befitting of such a giant club.

Even despite the obvious connection which had driven any possible deal: Ince's father being a former player of the club in the 1990s, the feeling among the support was one of being incredibly underwhelmed.

But for Ince, who has played most of his games in the Championship to knock-back a club as illustrious as Inter Milan, even despite their sorry state, is incredible.

It is a decision that reinforces how parochial British players have become as a result of the financial development of the Premier League, and to a lesser extent the Championship.

The facts are that other than Gareth Bale, British players seem quite happy to stay on these shores and fester in an environment where they do not expose themselves to new ideas, new cultures or reshape their understanding of the game as a whole.

Our bloated wage bills have meant players can even drop down to the Championship and pick up a great salary. There are a myriad of clubs always willing to provide British players with chances to reinvigorate their careers and justifiably it is an option they choose to exercise: it's easier to adapt to the environment, the money is decent and a significant amount of the coaching in our game provides players with a comforting familiarity.

Nor is the financial incentive to play abroad as lucrative as in previous years, unless we are referring to the absolute elite clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona as the sheer size of these clubs transcend any economic hardship suffered by the league as a whole. But do you remember when the presence of British players plying their trade abroad was peppered across many of Europe’s leagues? In the past we’ve had the likes of Gascoigne, Souness, Keegan, Lineker, Lambert and Beckham all enjoying success abroad. It is a rewarding experience not only for the players but also for the Home Nations who would be selecting players that have a broader outlook on football which could serve a competitive edge compared to players who are all from the same leagues: usually the Premier League and Championship.

It seems that the MLS is a popular destination for British players, but again it is a comfortable environment: players are making decent wages, they are living in fantastic surroundings in big cities such as Los Angeles and New York and there's also the handiness of a common language and a heavily shared culture. In other words it is an easier experience than being thrown into the intense rivalries and huge weight of expectation you can find in the likes of Serie A and La Liga.

Yet now we have reached the stage where the likes of Ince will snub a club as glamorous as Inter Milan to continue at lower mid-table clubs in the Premier League. It is a shocking indictment of how parochial our nation’s footballers have become and as broadcasting revenue continues to soar it is a trend that will worsen.

It’s a blow for Inter I suppose, but their sceptical fanbase will treat Ince’s snub with sheer relief and a lingering hope that the club may actually be making signings of a higher calibre that is clearly necessary to return the Nerazzurri to the Champions League. Nevertheless, all signs emanating from Inter embarrass the club’s transfer strategy; Walter Mazzarri is fumbling about like a drunken Uncle at a wedding in how he targets transfer targets. The former Napoli coach has a penchant for experienced players which could suggest that any proposed deal for Ince was not of his desire, but this obsession with experience will not be sufficient for Inter to challenge.

The signing of Nemanja Vidic from Manchester United is a welcome addition, as the Serbian arguably still had a lot to offer before former Red Devils manager David Moyes decided his captain would be surplus to requirements. But Inter need younger reinforcements, and Mazzarri is the man who is halting this progress: at Napoli he was not fond of Lorenzo Insigne- the exciting attacker now attracting interest from Arsenal and he also passed up on the chance to sign Marco Verratti. Rumours are now circulating that he has turned his attention to Napoli’s Valon Behrami even offering the likes of the promising Croatian Mateo Kovacic to strike a deal, whereas a reported deal for Fernando Torres has deteriorated with the Spaniard determined to finally succeed at Stamford Bridge.

Any recovery for Serie A will be built in Milan- where two of Italy’s three biggest clubs are situated- the strong European record of these giants will stand to benefit the Italian co-efficient and hopefully mount a fightback against the Bundesliga’s hold upon that all important fourth Champions League position. But it is a fightback that must resume sooner rather than later as Inter will soon lose the points they accrued during José Mourinho’s tenure at the club and Milan too will see their performance plummet as their abject league campaign resulted in the Rossonerri missing out on European football altogether. A clear transfer strategy is needed at both clubs, not just for their sakes but for the whole of Serie A, yet their direction continues to puzzle the most ardent of Calcio lovers and endanger the league’s recovery further.

Therefore, the Ince saga throws up two conclusions: that British players are still blighted by a parochial mindset due to their reluctance to play abroad, and that even despite Erick Thohir’s promises of rejuvenating Inter Milan, the transfer strategy still remains distinctly amateurish.

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