Fussball » subbing for the injured Joey Votto at first base. An e

Much of the talk on these shores following the 2014 World Cup focused on what England could learn from their German counterparts. In the dumps following a campaign to forget, England were once again looking in the mirror for self-assessment, while Germany were dancing in front of the Brandenburg Gate in front of half-a-million fans.But 20 months on, and with England preparing to face Germany in a friendly in Berlin on Saturday, have they learned anything from Joachim Lows success? Which issues remain unsolved? And did they need to take all the leaves out of Germanys book in the first place? Germany won the World Cup in 2014, beating Argentina in the final in Brazil Increase the youth poolIn the aftermath of Germanys extra-time win over Argentina in the Maracana, Sky Sports pundit Phil Thompson urged Premier League clubs to take better care of their young players.Germany went back to basics, with better coaching, took care of the kids and made sure a lot more German kids were coming through the system to play in the Bundesliga. That was good preparation.Roy Hodgson was praised for bringing Luke Shaw (18), Raheem Sterling (19) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (20) to Brazil, but two weeks later, it was all forgotten.Have Premier League clubs helped increase the youth pool since? This season, whether through a forced hand or gamble, the likes of Reece Oxford (16 at the time), Joe Gomez (18), Marcus Rashford (18), Jordan Rossiter (18), Sheyi Ojo (18), Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (18) and Dele Alli (19) were handed their Premier League debuts.Alli in particular has been a breath of fresh air since his debut in October, and the latest England squad has an average age of 25.6, nearly a year younger than the 2014 World Cup squad. But could the Premier League be doing more? Several young English players have been given their debuts this season Homegrown development is a buzzword heard more in England since 2014, but the Premier League still has some way to go to match Bundesligas alignment with the German national team.The Bundesliga has a big part in this with its training centres, Low said in 2014. The clubs also have their share in this because they got younger and younger players into the first teams. They are doing great work and I have to thank them for that.Put faith in the regularsPremier League form is hard to ignore, but in his four-year tenure as England manager, Hodgson has largely picked players who fit his system.Hodgson has kept faith in the likes of Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Phil Jagielka Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge, despite indifferent form or, in some cases, lengthy injury and lack of playing time.He appears acutely aware that a national side needs time to gel as a team before a major tournament, ignoring the temptation and pressure to bring in too many players on fleeting form for their clubs. Roy Hodgson has kept faith in many of his regular players Granted, the balance between old and new is there. Leicesters Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater have been introduced to provide some competition for the regulars, but Englands starting XI, injury-permitting, is tried, tested and relatively predictable.Low did the same before the 2014 World Cup, selecting veteran Miroslav Klose, despite scoring just seven league goals for Lazio the season previous, and Lukas Podolski, who was in and out of Arsenals side.Our biggest strength is that we improved throughout the years even if we missed taking that last step at tournaments, said Low after the win in Rio. England have, by and large, resisted the temptation to tear up and start again after Brazil, and that team cohesion could be telling.All for one, and one for allGermany had no shortage of individual stars since rising from their lowest ebb in 2000, when their group-stage exit from the Euros in Netherlands and Belgium prompted a change in thinking between the German FA and German Football League.But their current crop, and the infamous 2014 side, have never solely relied on just one or two to pull them through. Wayne Rooneys role for England has changed in recent years Whether heaping praise on one, or crucifying another, Englands obsession with the individual has been the hallmark of recent tournaments.One man at the centre has been Wayne Rooney; his injury at Portugal in 2004, question marks over his recovery in time for Germany in 2006, a similar tale for South Africa in 2010, and his two-game suspension for Euro 2012.But Rooneys role has changed. Yes, he is still arguably Englands most important players, but not as the all-singing, all-dancing, pillar of the side. The pressure on his shoulders has spread around the team, and that can only be a good thing for Hodgson approaching what could be his final major tournament in charge.Dont just replicate. Innovate.There is no textbook for international success, and while youth development, squad cohesion and the spread of responsibility seem like givens, England cannot, and have not, attempted to replicate Germanys triumph like-for-like. People who write England should follow the German route are either oblivious to the obstacle or believe in magic wands, said Gary Neville after Brazil. England were 100 per cent in qualification for Euro 2016 We are going to have to find our way of doing it because the system we have doesnt allow us to adopt the German route in its entirety.The Premier Leagues power, attraction and wealth means patient club youth development often comes secondary to short-term success, but Hodgson has regularly pointed to England doing things his own way on the pitch.Of late, Hodgson seems to have rejected the temptation to shoehorn players into positions. He isnt slotting David Beckham in the quarterback role, Neville at right wing-back, or any pick of Paul Scholes, Frank Lampard, Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney on the left wing, all failings of previous managers. This is a huge step in the right direction for Hodgson, but injuries could change things come Russia in Marseille on June 11. Also See: Whos on international duty? Key dates for England PL transfer targets on duty International news Air Max 98 Clearance . Head coach Corey Chamblin announced on Monday that Avon Cobourne had been hired as the defending Grey Cup champions new running backs coach. Cheap Air Max 98 . Canada will host Japan in a World Group first-round match in 2015. It will be a rematch of their first-round clash last year when Japan defeated Canada 4-1 to reach the World Group quarter-finals for the first time in its history. http://www.wholesaleairmax98.com/ . The defending champions’ roller coaster season included trading offensive star Percy Harvin in the midst of the team’s 3-3 start. That move that reportedly irked several Seahawk players, but one management saw necessary to save the team’s chemistry. Air Max 98 Buy Online . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers. Air Max 98 Outlet . Neither side would publicly confirm or deny any discussions were taking place, until the near unexpected happened. On Saturday night sources confirmed to TSN, the league and players agreed to terms on a new, tentative CBA, pending ratification by the unions players. A league source confirmed the CFLs board of governors must also ratify any potential agreement. MILWAUKEE -- Jean Segura smiled in his first game at Miller Park since returning to the Milwaukee Brewers following the death of his 9-month-old son. The shortstop still grieves, but it will be nights like the one Segura had in a 5-2 victory Monday over the Cincinnati Reds that will provide some distraction. Segura went 2 for 3 with a triple and scored two runs, and Milwaukee took advantage of two misjudged balls in the outfield by Chris Heisey to hand Cincinnati its fourth straight loss. "It was a tough week for me, and for my family, too," Segura said. "I (came) here, worked, trying to do the best I can to help the team." The 24-year-old Segura took bereavement leave after learning of son Janniels death following a 7-6 loss on July 11 to the St. Louis Cardinals. He went home to the Dominican Republic before returning to the club after the All-Star break for the weekend series in Washington. Segura said he wasnt nervous coming back to play before his hometown fans. Manager Ron Roenicke said he thought Segura was back mentally into the game. "Hes still going to have those times when he thinks about it, but I liked when he first came back," Roenicke said. "I thought it was really important for him to know that the team was behind him." Wily Peralta (11-6) allowed three hits, including Billy Hamiltons solo homer, in seven innings. Francisco Rodriguez threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 29th save. Cincinnatis Mat Latos (2-2) gave up four earned runs and eight hits in seven innings. It could have been a much closer game had Heisey made those two plays in left. The lights were on at Miller Park for an evening game that started under overcast skies, though Heisey seemed to be most bothered by the conditions. "Tonight was just one of those nights where I didnt have a very good day," Heisey said. Three runs scored on the two plays. In the third, Ryan Braun hit a two-run double that Heisey took a couple of steps in on before retreating as the high liner went over his head.dddddddddddd The four-year veteran with 134 career starts in left field lost Carlos Gomezs high fly ball to the warning track in the fourth inning that turned into an RBI ground-rule double that made it 4-0. Arms turned upward near his waist, Heisey looked lost as the ball bounced a couple of feet away. Heisey tried to reach for the ball as it caromed over the wall, and Segura scored from second on a play that could have gotten Latos out of the inning. "I ended up running to a perfect spot, just couldnt pick the ball back up when I turned my head," Heisey said. "It just disappeared into the bluish-white sky. I couldnt find the ball." Gomez then scored on an error by Donald Lutz, subbing for the injured Joey Votto at first base. An errant relay throw by second baseman Ramon Santiago in the third inning allowed Segura, who had tripled, to score. Segura, who has been struggling all season at the plate, has his average back up to .236. He has been driving the ball more of late. "Ive been working at it all year long. Its going to come," he said. The Reds lost again after resuming the season with a three-game sweep by the New York Yankees. Manager Bryan Price was ejected Monday in the sixth inning by home plate umpire David Rackley after Devin Mesoraco got into a heated argument over a called third strike on a checked swing. NOTES: Reds OF Jay Bruce, in an 0-for-15 slump, got the night off. ... The last four homers hit by Hamilton have come against the Brewers. ... A kitchen fire at a Miller Park restaurant early Monday morning left the restaurant, escalators, elevators and a few other areas in left field unusable because of water damage. ... Cincinnatis Homer Bailey (8-5) opposes Milwaukees Jimmy Nelson (1-1) on Tuesday night. ' ' '