The real power of the Premier League will be tested in Kyiv on Sunday night when England face Italy in the last quarterfinals of EURO 2012 at the Olympic Stadium. The elite of England pitched against the might of Serie A and a team that supposedly would be distracted by the recent match fixing allegations. Or so England would have hoped at this stage.
The advantage though is more likely to be with England boss Roy Hodgson who spent two invaluable years in the cauldron of the San Siro with Internazionale Milan. At a time when the Moratti family were as desperate as ever to win trophies. Also a time when the team was in a rebuilding phase allowing the Croydon born Englishman test his views in Serie A - with mixed results.
But to his credit Hodgson got his team to the final of the UEFA Cup in his last season and learned how to get the best out of stars like Javier Zanetti, Youri Djorkaeff and Roberto Carlos. All at a cost of blood, sweat and tears. This experience makes Hodgkin one of the few English managers at the helm of England's football dreams ,who has earned his keep on the continent . In the way parallels the achievements of the late Sir Bobby Robson and Terry Venables. Both of whom got England beyond the quarter-finals of a major tournament
In the endless PR battle from Sky Sports that the Premier League is the best in the world, the case for England's national team does not prove all beneficial - given that 65% of the players are imported n grounds around the country every weekend. A natural problem for the nurturing of talent for the domestic game and confusing when the domestic clubs keep making inroads in the Champions League year on year.
But at the Allianz Arena last month a goal from Chelsea’s Ivorian striker settled the Champions League in favour of the Londoners, leaving the favourites Bayern Munich to host a runners up party in their rather silent home stadium. After climbing the numerous steps to received the trophy, John Terry, lifted the trophy from the hands of UEFA President, Michel Platini and passed it on to his team-mates. Only two others of which were also English gibe that Chelsea is a true mix of nationalities.
In contrast in the Bayern Munich starting eleven only three were imported players, Arjen Robben from Holland, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk from Ukraine and French man, Franck Ribery. When Chelsea lost the final in Moscow to Manchester United there were four English players on the team sheet - John Terry, Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Joe Cole. On that day the winners had six players in their team a statistic that had changed little when Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams went out of the tournament in Basel last December.
Little will change it seems after United's latest purchase of Japanese striker Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund this week.
However on Sunday night it is an England’s day and the lack of Frank Lampard and Gareth Barry has now been well compensated by the solid performances of Scott Parker, James Milner, Steve Gerrard and Ashley Cole. In their last match against Ukraine England were functional rather than sublime, perfunctory rather than stylish and rewarded rightly in the end - rather than feeling any sense of footballing injustice.
With a calmness in the squad that seems a long distance from the tetchiness brought on by the isolated seclusion that so typified the regime of previous manager, Fabio Capello, in South Africa two years ago. More importantly, on the pitch the players are perfuming better and the bitter memories of that loss to Germany in Rustenburg, nearly erased. Or will be if thus team progress against Italy. Against whom you have to be confident given the availability of their talisman Wayne Rooney.
Undoubtedly the Manchester United striker gives the team something more in the attach and his energy will cause Italy fear. Or Chiellini may find costly given his eagerness to get overly physical.
With Italy destined to try and control things in the middle, and hold the high line to play England attackers offside, it will fall to Gerrard and other runners to penetrate from deep. The willingness of the Italians to be niggly in the tackle will demand patience also, which Hodgson's men have gained this summer. The need also to control Cassano and De Natale will be vital for Scott Parker. Should Italian manager, Cesare Prandelli opt to play Balotelli, he will give England an advantage from the get go.
The threat of Andréa Pirlo from the set piece remains the Italians best weapon in a tight game as the England back four - Johnson, Cole, Terry and Lescott - solid so far. However they will have so stay on their feet to deal with the onslaught and energy of the Italian forward to avoid conceding penalties. The experience of all the defenders at Champions League should ensure that happens.
But it will be the freedom that Hodgson gives them, and his lack of fear of the Italian way, that should give the three lions the advantage for most of the game. However the frustration that Italy can cause has got the better of the world's bets footballers. None more so than Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 World Cup final.
This probably won't be any prettier than the previous quarterfinals this week and Italy could squeeze it on the night the longer the game goes on.
But as Hodgson knows, fear of failure might be the one thing that halts the Italians. That fear of not meeting the expectations of the nation.
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