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Burgess: Foreign stars helped make me the player I am
7:00am Thursday 20th November 2008
Bulls star Sam Burgess has hit back at Ricky Stuart after the Australia coach blamed England’s World Cup failure on too many overseas players in Super League.
The Bradford ace, currently rated the best young player in the game, believes his career has benefited hugely from the influence of foreign talent at Grattan Stadium.
To be honest, I don’t know why he’s come out with all that and I feel really strongly on this matter. When they come over here they help our players develop and I know that first hand
Sam Burgess
And Burgess believes drastically cutting the number of imports – the only way England will eventually challenge the world champions, according to Stuart – would make things worse.
“I completely disagree with what he’s saying,” said the top prop, who missed out on the disastrous trip Down Under due to injury.
“To be honest, I don’t know why he’s come out with all that and I feel really strongly on this matter.
“I know overseas players do make a positive difference to both Super League itself and in turn English players.
“Taking them out would only dilute our competition, and the number of overseas players is not going to affect our international chances at all.”
Burgess, 19, continued: “When they come over here they help our players develop and I know that first hand.
“I’m not saying it’s just the overseas lads, as Andy Lynch has been a great role model for me at Bradford, but people like Joe Vagana and Glenn Morrison have also helped a lot.
“Also, though, I think young kids like to watch overseas players in action too. I know I did. It attracts them to the game.
“Personally, I know I enjoy training alongside them and not just for footballing reasons; it’s good to learn about their different cultures, experiences and techniques.”
Stuart watched his Kangaroos outfit dish out a 52-4 hammering to England in the World Cup group stages and feels the gap between the two nations is growing larger.
Following England’s semi-final exit against New Zealand, he spoke out and insisted Super League clubs must take their share of the blame, saying the national team had gone “backwards” since the last World Cup in 2000.
“The days of Great Britain producing classy, seasoned footballers seem so long ago,” wrote Stuart.
“Until a limit is placed on imports in the English league, or a shift away from raiding Australia and New Zealand, I just can’t see the international game going forward in the UK.
“They have to search for players in their own backyard first.”
But Burgess believes there is plenty of young, home talent available and it is just the way it is nurtured which he thinks needs improving, admitting the Aussies are the ones to follow in that respect.
“Here, there’s a big step up from reserve grade to first team, certainly a lot bigger than the one in Australia” Burgess said.
“Not all players are ready to make that jump from Under-21s to Super League. Many haven’t played against men before and it comes as a massive shock.
“In Australia though all the NRL sides have feeder clubs who help progress the youngsters when they get to that age.
“They go out to these teams, play against blokes at a high standard and return blooded.
“We could do the same with National League One clubs.
“Craig Kopczak played a few games on loan at Halifax in National League One and really benefited from that experience.
“He played against men in that division and the jump up wasn’t as big when he came back.
“It’s done all the time Down Under and that’s how their youngsters progress quicker. I think that’s the main difference.”
England bombed out of the World Cup after losing three straight games in embarrassing style and a lot has been spoken and written about the root of their demise.
Burgess said: “I’m disappointed for the boys and know they are hurting but I wasn’t there so can’t really comment.
“I’m sure it’s not because of the standard of Super League or the way we play the game over here; players who starred in Super League have gone over there and it’s just not happened.
“They all went wanting to be successful but the circumstances have meant it didn’t happen for whatever reason.”
Your Say YourBradford
Adey, Bradford says...
9:27am Thu 20 Nov 08
shaun from richmond wrote:Word of advice shaun, when you become a SL player you can comment!
Quality of overseas players, not quantity!! Word of advice, Sam....keep your gob shut, and get on with playing and training!!
Burgess is right, there isn't a shortage of talent just a shortage of bottle from the International Coach to leave the dross at home and give a young lad a shot! From a fan perspective I enjoy seeing the overseas players in SL. Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, Glenn Morrison, Danny Gartner, Brad Mackay, Shontayne Hape, Lesley Vainikolo, Tevita Vaikona, Danny Peacock, Graham Bradley, Mick Withers, Henry Paul. We've had some great talent from overseas and it's helped increase the pace and skill level of Super League...it's just a shame that we don't learn from our mistakes
spanglishbull.uk, Roldan Murcia Spain says...
9:47am Thu 20 Nov 08
Hear Hear Adey,If you cannot learn anything from class players you may as well pack the game in. Burgess is correct,all reducing the overseas players will only dilute the game. Agree not players looking for holiday money but genuine players like the ones you mentioned who gave great service to Bradford. Anybody who thinks Steve Menzies will not benefit Bulls is a clown.
Gumshoe, Queensbury says...
10:13am Thu 20 Nov 08
Adey wrote:Totally with you here Adey. How many of our young players other than our own have gleaned so much from these overseas players, Saints, Leeds and Wigan plus every other team in SL and NL.
shaun from richmond wrote: Quality of overseas players, not quantity!! Word of advice, Sam....keep your gob shut, and get on with playing and training!!Word of advice shaun, when you become a SL player you can comment! Burgess is right, there isn't a shortage of talent just a shortage of bottle from the International Coach to leave the dross at home and give a young lad a shot! From a fan perspective I enjoy seeing the overseas players in SL. Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, Glenn Morrison, Danny Gartner, Brad Mackay, Shontayne Hape, Lesley Vainikolo, Tevita Vaikona, Danny Peacock, Graham Bradley, Mick Withers, Henry Paul. We've had some great talent from overseas and it's helped increase the pace and skill level of Super League...it's just a shame that we don't learn from our mistakes
Bang on about the international coach picking players on rep and not form and potential. He only managed to give them one warm up game v Wales which was something like 2 weeks before start of WC, rubbish. He would have been better to have taken all the young kids, Myler etc and give them the experience as he must have known we had no chance of winning with the crew he took over.
With you spanglishbull re Menzies!
micksey, Wibsey says...
10:25am Thu 20 Nov 08
happygoluckygirl, Liversedge says...
11:19am Thu 20 Nov 08
Gumshoe, Queensbury says...
12:38pm Thu 20 Nov 08
happygoluckygirl wrote:Welcome happygoluckygirl and good for you with that comment!!
How dare you disrespect Sam, Shaun. Why don't you listen and learn from people who do know what they are talking about you numpty!
the-insider, Odsal says...
12:57pm Thu 20 Nov 08
haitch, Lincolnshire says...
1:17pm Thu 20 Nov 08
theviking52, shaw says...
1:49pm Thu 20 Nov 08
as for shaun and the others, they are more to be pitied than scorned. also the approppriate authorities informed as to there whereabouts, i,m all for letting them back onto the streets but at what cost to our sanity, eh haitch, et al.
shaun, by the way how where you welcomed back to the city site, not with open arms i expect. what,s it like being one of the great unwanted. mind you, mickster and you could run red hall cos they know bugger all as well.
theviking52, shaw says...
1:55pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Gumshoe, Queensbury says...
2:42pm Thu 20 Nov 08
theviking52 wrote:Read it Viking, shows us lads know what we are talking about (well most of us mentioning no names)!!
lads read, daniel anderson on bbc, sports web site re too many matches, jason robinson on fitness, and foreigners in game. only saying what we 've said on here.
theviking52, shaw says...
3:32pm Thu 20 Nov 08
confidence in smith, lol.
tall-than, tales spring to mind
shaun from richmond, richmond says...
4:51pm Thu 20 Nov 08
micksey wrote:Micksey, you do spout some garbage!!
My feeling is we have to put the emphasis on young home grown players and make sure that they get the ebst coaching and development and get into SL when they are ready. But that doesn't mean getting rid of all the overseas players, as people above have said ( apart from Shaun who talks rubbish ) overseas players have contributed massively to our game and raised the bar immensely. lwet's not kid ourselves, this World cup catastrophe was in large part down to a badly picked squad, ebing poorly prepared mentally and physiocally for the challenge that faced them, seeming to lack hunger and motivation, and a series of strange team selections when out there. To throw the baby out with the bath water now and blame it all on too many foreign players in SL would be harmful to our game and I would like to see Tony Smith stand up and shoulder the blame. His philosophy and tactical approach was utterly inadequate. h ebelieved we could beat the Aussies and Kiwis by playing a supposedly open, expansive game that didn't rely on the forwards and was all about skill and pace. What happened is we didn't set any forwards platform in the games, got no momentum or domination, and got mashed and made to look 3rd rate. He should resign.
Badly picked squad??? Who else would you have gone for??
Harmfull to our game?? How bad do you need it to get??? Forward platform.. our forwards couldnt couldnt make a hole in a tescos bag (Peacock apart). Sure sack Smith but what about the plank sat next to him...A bloke you refuse to blame for the Bulls downward spiral!!
theviking52, shaw says...
5:14pm Thu 20 Nov 08
micksey, Wibsey says...
7:30pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Wasn't that difficult was it???????
Adey, Bradford says...
7:37pm Thu 20 Nov 08
shaun from richmond wrote:Oh another pop at Macca? seriously, the guy is assistant coach...not only to Smith but also under your beloved Noble.
micksey wrote: My feeling is we have to put the emphasis on young home grown players and make sure that they get the ebst coaching and development and get into SL when they are ready. But that doesn't mean getting rid of all the overseas players, as people above have said ( apart from Shaun who talks rubbish ) overseas players have contributed massively to our game and raised the bar immensely. lwet's not kid ourselves, this World cup catastrophe was in large part down to a badly picked squad, ebing poorly prepared mentally and physiocally for the challenge that faced them, seeming to lack hunger and motivation, and a series of strange team selections when out there. To throw the baby out with the bath water now and blame it all on too many foreign players in SL would be harmful to our game and I would like to see Tony Smith stand up and shoulder the blame. His philosophy and tactical approach was utterly inadequate. h ebelieved we could beat the Aussies and Kiwis by playing a supposedly open, expansive game that didn't rely on the forwards and was all about skill and pace. What happened is we didn't set any forwards platform in the games, got no momentum or domination, and got mashed and made to look 3rd rate. He should resign.Micksey, you do spout some garbage!! Badly picked squad??? Who else would you have gone for?? Harmfull to our game?? How bad do you need it to get??? Forward platform.. our forwards couldnt couldnt make a hole in a tescos bag (Peacock apart). Sure sack Smith but what about the plank sat next to him...A bloke you refuse to blame for the Bulls downward spiral!!
It was a poorly picked squad. Wellens shouldn't have played after the Aussie game, the props were at least 2 members light, Wilkin, Langley and JJB might as well have stayed home for all the game time they got. He persisted with Sinfield who is lightweight and not international standard and the threequarters were a joke. What happened to McCarthy-Scarsbrook or Gareth Carvell, Luke Burgess or dare I say Stuart Fielden on the plane? A couple of extra props to really take the ball up and push the opposition back. We can't win jack all without a platform to playoff and our pack was simple outmuscles and outplayed.
morrisminer, Barkisland says...
7:51pm Thu 20 Nov 08
obviously smarter than he looks!!
ava4, Bradford says...
8:12pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Not the first time they've used him either.
Mickster, Bradford says...
8:17pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Adey's list is impressive, but I could name 5 times amount that he has who are absoulte garbage, who's large salaries demand that they are played at the expense of a cheaper, younger, local option who would benefit from playing alongside stars like Adey has named.
Reading Bullette, Reading says...
8:19pm Thu 20 Nov 08
ava4 wrote:Half Wit
I feel sorry for Sam, blatantly being played by the club to get a message they want out there. Not the first time they've used him either.
Mickster, Bradford says...
8:43pm Thu 20 Nov 08
ava4 wrote:Like the time when Stuart Duffy wrote that letter that was sent around to season ticket holders with Burgess sig attached to the bottom?
I feel sorry for Sam, blatantly being played by the club to get a message they want out there. Not the first time they've used him either.
ava4, Bradford says...
9:56pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Mickster wrote:Indeed, he was also wheeled out with a statement about how great McNamara was when the fans started getting restless earlier this year.
ava4 wrote:Like the time when Stuart Duffy wrote that letter that was sent around to season ticket holders with Burgess sig attached to the bottom?
I feel sorry for Sam, blatantly being played by the club to get a message they want out there. Not the first time they've used him either.
ava4, Bradford says...
9:58pm Thu 20 Nov 08
Reading Bullette wrote:The only halfwit here is someone who doesn't acknowledge that clubs do this thing.
ava4 wrote:Half Wit
I feel sorry for Sam, blatantly being played by the club to get a message they want out there. Not the first time they've used him either.
Reading Bullette eh? Let me guess, you support the Bulls because you like the colours, or think some of the players are "fit"?
Reading Bullette, Reading says...
8:38am Fri 21 Nov 08
ava4 wrote:Yes i did like the green shirt. It must be my IRA sympathies coming out
Reading Bullette wrote:The only halfwit here is someone who doesn't acknowledge that clubs do this thing. Reading Bullette eh? Let me guess, you support the Bulls because you like the colours, or think some of the players are "fit"?ava4 wrote: I feel sorry for Sam, blatantly being played by the club to get a message they want out there. Not the first time they've used him either.Half Wit
shaun from richmond, richmond says...
9:30am Fri 21 Nov 08
micksey wrote:SCARY!!
Shaun do you actually watch rugby league??!!!??? Seriously????? He took 4 front row forwards, one of whom got injured and is Fa'asavalu when all's said and done. So that left him with 3 front rows and a bevy of so so 2nd rows, meanwhile Carvell & Fielden were watching at home. By the way are you still following this Shaun??? Do any of these names mean anything to you??? Hence I say we got no forward platform in the centre of the field and were unable to send the opposition backwards and get our creative players going forwards. Hence I say ( are you still with me??? ) he picked the wrong squad. Wasn't that difficult was it???????
So Carvell and Fielden would have turned England into a World Cup winning team!!???!! Go back to sleep Micksey.....You know nowt!!
cj, ey says...
11:41am Fri 21 Nov 08
i had a laugh to myself when james graham was named as one of the top playeres, did he break the line at any time? i don't remember seeing it, he didn't do anything wrong but he was far from outstanding. i think a lot of our younger players need to take a look at the dedication and passion that a lot of the south sea islanders show, they impressed me the most, part timers putting in 100% for the full 80 mins.
Gumshoe, Queensbury says...
1:53pm Fri 21 Nov 08
Mickster wrote:Go on then Mickster me old love, name em!
There's nothing wrong with top overseas players coming over in the prime of their careers, its the money grabbers with minimal amounts of career left and absolute third rate dross that come over and weaken the English game. Adey's list is impressive, but I could name 5 times amount that he has who are absoulte garbage, who's large salaries demand that they are played at the expense of a cheaper, younger, local option who would benefit from playing alongside stars like Adey has named.
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Sam Burgess, pictured, says Glenn Morrison and Joe Vagana have had major influences on the careers of young Bulls players
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shaun from richmond, richmond says...
8:31am Thu 20 Nov 08
Word of advice, Sam....keep your gob shut, and get on with playing and training!!