It is the year 2014, the date is the 8 Jul and the English FA have shocked the footballing world by employing Opta Stats on a £4.1m per annum deal to manage the player selections for their senior International team.
A statement from the FA advised that players playing the top divisions will be considered for squad selections and after listening to the fans, players will only be considered pick-able if they have played a minimum of half their clubs leagues games.
The first 'test' of this new style squad selection will come in the form of a home friendly international against Egypt on the 3rd of September, followed by a very important Euro Qualifying match away in Slovenia.
Cynics within the footballing world have voiced nothing but doom for this project, but with the amount of money the FA are paying, they expect nothing but success.
The feedback from the fan on the street has been nothing but positive, claiming it will raise the domestic level of football, and from a fan's point of view 'no more old boys club players' will be picked. It will all come down to stats and then it will be down to the coaching staff to keep moulding what is expected to be an ever changing squad selection.
A statement from the FA advised that players playing the top divisions will be considered for squad selections and after listening to the fans, players will only be considered pick-able if they have played a minimum of half their clubs leagues games.
The first 'test' of this new style squad selection will come in the form of a home friendly international against Egypt on the 3rd of September, followed by a very important Euro Qualifying match away in Slovenia.
Cynics within the footballing world have voiced nothing but doom for this project, but with the amount of money the FA are paying, they expect nothing but success.
The feedback from the fan on the street has been nothing but positive, claiming it will raise the domestic level of football, and from a fan's point of view 'no more old boys club players' will be picked. It will all come down to stats and then it will be down to the coaching staff to keep moulding what is expected to be an ever changing squad selection.