An England team containing several players labelled as the ‘Golden generation’ failed miserably this week to qualify for Euro 2008 from a distinctly average group. Fans from the game’s formative nation will be forced to sit through meaningless internationals next summer. We will have to settle to be entertained by insipid sides such as Poland, Greece, Austria and Switzerland with England absent from international competition for the first time since 1994.
In the taught, era-defining few days before the culmination of England’s disastrous qualifying attempt, mumblings over the quality of the national side and the apparent limited pool of English talent have rumbled on. It seems everyone has an opinion on the issue, including former FA Technical Director Howard Wilkinson, UEFA President Michel Platini. The issue has even reignited the feud between Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson - although this doesn’t take much. The blame for the current dearth in English talent (which can also be attributed to a failure by national scouts and coaching staff to be brave enough to take gambles with new players) has been placed on the increasing number of foreign players earning their trade in the Premier League. Is this right though? Or are we just looking for new scapegoats?
Familiar Story
This debate is not a new area of contention and has been evident ever since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, when the substantial economical boost in English football made it an attractive option for overseas players. Not for the first time too, there have this week been renewed calls for installing a ‘cap’ on the number of foreign players within each club and starting eleven. Back in the early 90s, restrictions on non-English players within starting 11s severely weakened English clubs in Europe. Man Utd in particular were torn apart by teams like Barcelona because occasionally they had to sacrifice players like Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona to stay within quotas. This experience should provide for a better structured cap this time around but is a warning as to the negative effects that could accompany it.
The whole idea of a ‘cap’ is to protect the national game and provide young English talent the opportunity of regular first team football to assist their development. Last week, after naming his latest squad Steve McClaren complained about the lack of English players competing regularly in the Premier League when only 38 players were involved in the previous weekend’s action. There are either two ways of viewing the impact of a proposed foreign player cap.
The Two Views
First, there is the Alex Ferguson and Howard Wilkinson camp, who feel that Premier League club’s preference to sign players from abroad, both established and young talent alike, limits chances for home-grown talent to develop and damages youth academies. Ferguson believes an increase in home-based players at the top clubs in England would be ‘good for the game’. The national side would benefit from English players playing regularly at the highest standard. At present several members of the current England squad, such as Shawn Wright-Phillips, Wayne Bridge, Jermaine Defoe and Joe Cole are not guaranteed starting places with their club sides. From the top four, Liverpool and Arsenal in particular field very few English players in their first choice 11. Ferguson supports the idea but admits it would be difficult to pass legislation, ‘I totally agree but it would be a problem for a club like Arsenal. That’s why they’ll protest the loudest.’ Man Utd’s team’s best players are pre-dominantly foreign (Ronaldo, Tevez, Vidic, Van der Sar) and he has bought mostly overseas players of late (Nani, Anderson). Ferguson’s latest comments must be tempered then with the possibility that he may simply be providing the kindling to stoke the fires in his nemesis at Arsenal.
With increased financial value afforded in the Premier League’s current climate to every point won and lost, managers are also less willing to take gambles on youngsters and give them the playing time needed to progress at the top level. Wilkinson says, ‘Because of the massive money coming into the game clubs are able to recruit from all over the world…youth development is no longer seen as a priority and it will impact on the national team if we don’t have players coming through from the academies.’
In contrast, there is the Arsene Wenger camp, who believes the English game has benefited greatly from the introduction of foreign players because they educated and increased the quality at club level. Before the advent of overseas players, English defences, at club level and internationally, were often bamboozled and bewildered by pieces of trickery and skill, and failed to cope with continental formations. Youngsters at English clubs have undoubtedly benefited from world class players coming to England. Towards the late 90s, as the Premier League became rapidly lucrative, initially it became a retirement home for ageing foreign stars looking for their last big pay-day. The likes of Gianfranco Zola and Fabrizio Ravanelli may have enjoyed the financial package on offer, but they also acted as great mentors for young English players. As an example, John Terry at Chelsea was taken under the wing of Marcel Desailly to great effect, while Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal mentored David Bentley – both players are now England internationals, Terry the captain. Wenger says, ‘If you are in a better class you improve quicker and you shouldn’t put the criteria just down to producing local players.’ It seems that if you are good enough, the likes of John Terry and Steven Gerrard will come through regardless. What Wenger’s theory does not account for is players from the next tier of quality that, as a result from competition from abroad, will be pushed down to lower league clubs and not fulfil their potential.
Hierarchy Eroded
The media and FA are desperately searching for whom and what to blame after England’s poor showing in Euro 2008 qualifying. Ultimately it was the manager’s fault for not getting the best out of players with world-class reputations and also the players’ responsibility for taking the group for granted. Worldwide attention received by the Premier League has massaged the egos within the squad to the point where several personnel are considered by fans and also players themselves, as being better than they actually are. Quality of back-up players when England was hit with injuries to defenders Terry and Rio Ferdinand and strikers Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney was evidently poor. Coming, as they did, from supposedly the greatest league in the world, we are entitled to ask why?
The Premier League may have been improved by foreign skill, technique and movement but, when it reaches the level where there are more overseas players in the top flight than home-grown, the benefits no longer exist and the production line of English talent judders to a halt. It should come as no surprise when nations like Croatia beat England home and away. They have a squad who play football in the best leagues in Europe, several in England (Niko Kranjcar, Vedran Corluka, Eduardo) and because of this, in terms of quality they have caught up with traditionally dominant nations like England.
A Solution?
Much as it pains me, both as an Arsenal fan, and what may also be a knee-jerk reaction to England’s recent elimination, I would have to agree with the proposal of introducing the ‘cap’. The idea could be trialled in cup competition initially, perhaps the Carling or FA Cup, to see if it is workable. A stipulation of playing at least 4 English players in a starting 11 would be fair, and feasible to most clubs. From hear it could then be introduced into the Premier League and although it would provide a major shake up, with many foreign players having to leave the league as a result, the England side would be strengthened significantly. The pool of players involved in regular top flight competition would be much wider, academies would see a vast upturn in success, and we could go back to blaming the England manager when we screw up against the rest of the world.
Friday 23 November 2007
Tuesday 20 November 2007
It’s Do or Die time for McClaren
On Saturday evening a little-known Israeli called Omer Golan became the darling of England when he provided Steve McClaren with a potential reprieve from Euro 2008 elimination. Golan struck the decisive goal for Israel in the final minute against Russia to give his side a 2-1 win in Group E and keep England’s hopes alive. Israel’s result not only re-opened the door for England but may afford McClaren the luxury of remaining coach for the tournament proper. With many twists and turns already seen in the group, qualification is certainly not yet a full gone conclusion. England must get at least a point from their last game against leaders Croatia and are without several key players. The tension is palpable and Wednesday night cannot come soon enough.
Lacking Respect
England will need to respect their opponents on Wednesday night. Ex-Scotland manager Craig Brown believes the so-called ‘golden generation’ have on occasions showed a lack of respect to other nations borne from the differences of wealth, fame and praise received through the media by the players. Goalless draws with Israel and Macedonia may support his point. Croatia will be no formality and are in fact currently ranked above England in FIFA’s rankings. Indeed, before their defeat to Macedonia on Saturday (during which they became aware of their own qualification) the Croats had not lost in qualification, scoring 25 and conceding just 4 along the way. We saw at the weekend from Israel that nothing should be taken for granted simply because there is less at stake for the opposition. Playmaker Niko Kranjcar wants to use the occasion to prove a point, ‘This is our opportunity to take on a big nation like England at a great arena like Wembley and let the world see they can count on us to play well at the Euros. We want to send a message. We will get respect if we do that.’
Steve McClaren must face the most important game of his career so far without several key players. Captain John Terry and defensive partner Rio Ferdinand are unlikely to play through injury, while his first choice strike pairing of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are also crocked. As if losing these four did not make the task difficult enough, he has a big decision to make over who plays goal too. Reports came out of the England training camp this week that current number 1 Paul Robinson has been making a series of errors in practice. Robinson has performed erratically on both international and club scene over the past 12 months, causing a real problem for McClaren, who is without an established replacement. David James has shown improved consistency with Portsmouth over the last 2 seasons but has rarely got any playing time for England of late. The likely replacement for Robinson is Scott Carson, who kept goal in England’s 1-0 friendly defeat of Austria last Friday. The game was Carson’s first cap and although he has shown good form club-side Aston Villa, he was hardly tested by the Austrians. McClaren must decide which is the biggest gamble; play an inexperienced Scott Carson or the psychologist’s nightmare Paul Robinson. If either choice backfires McClaren will have to face the blame.
Tough at the Top
Many people say that to manage the England football team is the toughest job in Britain, not withstanding the post at Number 10, and it is hard not to feel some sympathy for the plight of Steve McClaren. His initial appointment was never received in full confidence by the fans and FA chief Brain Barwick’s extended stalking of ‘Big’ Phil Scolari did not reassure him of his support from upstairs. Fans and media called for his head even before the Russia defeat and some (including Inside Sport’s Steve Bunce) believe he should go regardless of whether England secures a passage to Euro 2008. Bunce’s view is that he was a bad appointment, a mistake and carried over un-wanted baggage from England’s disappointing World Cup into the Euro 2008 campaign. He should be given a longer chance to prove himself though, simply because he is a dull, uninspiring character is not reason enough to sack him. Fair enough, if England lost on Wednesday he should go, but to sack him regardless would be a major disruption to the squad. The implementation of a new manager’s regime takes times to bed in and Euro 2008 would probably be too soon. McClaren has been in the job only for a year, and his own regime is only now starting to be represented on the pitch. Before the Russia game England had 5 successive 3-0 wins. Provided with time to compete at Euro 2008 McClaren can still prove that the current crop of players and his tactics are good enough.
Fate of a Nation
Ultimately England must take the opportunity to qualify now that they have been given the rarest of lifelines. Defeat would be, as has been often said of late ‘unthinkable’. To quote Oscar Wilde ‘once may be considered misfortune, to do so twice is just carelessness’. Failure draws a bleak picture of the future, as Euro 2008 would be rendered a non-event in England and the UK, the end of yet another anguished era would be up, and the toughest job in Britain would be vacant once more...
Still, Beckham’s back, Crouch is scoring goals for fun, Lampard’s in form and McClaren will be backed by 80,000 England fans at Wembley willing the ball home come Wednesday night. We could be heroes!
Lacking Respect
England will need to respect their opponents on Wednesday night. Ex-Scotland manager Craig Brown believes the so-called ‘golden generation’ have on occasions showed a lack of respect to other nations borne from the differences of wealth, fame and praise received through the media by the players. Goalless draws with Israel and Macedonia may support his point. Croatia will be no formality and are in fact currently ranked above England in FIFA’s rankings. Indeed, before their defeat to Macedonia on Saturday (during which they became aware of their own qualification) the Croats had not lost in qualification, scoring 25 and conceding just 4 along the way. We saw at the weekend from Israel that nothing should be taken for granted simply because there is less at stake for the opposition. Playmaker Niko Kranjcar wants to use the occasion to prove a point, ‘This is our opportunity to take on a big nation like England at a great arena like Wembley and let the world see they can count on us to play well at the Euros. We want to send a message. We will get respect if we do that.’
Steve McClaren must face the most important game of his career so far without several key players. Captain John Terry and defensive partner Rio Ferdinand are unlikely to play through injury, while his first choice strike pairing of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are also crocked. As if losing these four did not make the task difficult enough, he has a big decision to make over who plays goal too. Reports came out of the England training camp this week that current number 1 Paul Robinson has been making a series of errors in practice. Robinson has performed erratically on both international and club scene over the past 12 months, causing a real problem for McClaren, who is without an established replacement. David James has shown improved consistency with Portsmouth over the last 2 seasons but has rarely got any playing time for England of late. The likely replacement for Robinson is Scott Carson, who kept goal in England’s 1-0 friendly defeat of Austria last Friday. The game was Carson’s first cap and although he has shown good form club-side Aston Villa, he was hardly tested by the Austrians. McClaren must decide which is the biggest gamble; play an inexperienced Scott Carson or the psychologist’s nightmare Paul Robinson. If either choice backfires McClaren will have to face the blame.
Tough at the Top
Many people say that to manage the England football team is the toughest job in Britain, not withstanding the post at Number 10, and it is hard not to feel some sympathy for the plight of Steve McClaren. His initial appointment was never received in full confidence by the fans and FA chief Brain Barwick’s extended stalking of ‘Big’ Phil Scolari did not reassure him of his support from upstairs. Fans and media called for his head even before the Russia defeat and some (including Inside Sport’s Steve Bunce) believe he should go regardless of whether England secures a passage to Euro 2008. Bunce’s view is that he was a bad appointment, a mistake and carried over un-wanted baggage from England’s disappointing World Cup into the Euro 2008 campaign. He should be given a longer chance to prove himself though, simply because he is a dull, uninspiring character is not reason enough to sack him. Fair enough, if England lost on Wednesday he should go, but to sack him regardless would be a major disruption to the squad. The implementation of a new manager’s regime takes times to bed in and Euro 2008 would probably be too soon. McClaren has been in the job only for a year, and his own regime is only now starting to be represented on the pitch. Before the Russia game England had 5 successive 3-0 wins. Provided with time to compete at Euro 2008 McClaren can still prove that the current crop of players and his tactics are good enough.
Fate of a Nation
Ultimately England must take the opportunity to qualify now that they have been given the rarest of lifelines. Defeat would be, as has been often said of late ‘unthinkable’. To quote Oscar Wilde ‘once may be considered misfortune, to do so twice is just carelessness’. Failure draws a bleak picture of the future, as Euro 2008 would be rendered a non-event in England and the UK, the end of yet another anguished era would be up, and the toughest job in Britain would be vacant once more...
Still, Beckham’s back, Crouch is scoring goals for fun, Lampard’s in form and McClaren will be backed by 80,000 England fans at Wembley willing the ball home come Wednesday night. We could be heroes!
Tuesday 13 November 2007
Ramos Regime Shows Early Promise
Spurs on the rise
Juande Ramos is already making a good impression at Tottenham after just a handful of games in charge of the North London side. A convincing 4-0 win over struggling Wigan Athletic on Saturday may yet provide the vital confidence boost that their season requires to turn things around. Off the pitch there is talk of an NBA star wanting to buy the club and pump in his Yankee dollar, and on the pitch Paul Robinson has kept 3 clean sheets in his last 4 games. Things are looking decidedly rosier these days at White Hart Lane and the supporters will be mightily relieved that the unexpected early season crisis is finally subsiding.
Only last week, faced with the task of dispatching a woeful Hapoel Tel Aviv side in the UEFA Cup, Spurs, despite leading for most of the game, had the look of a depressed and miserable team, with some players (namely Dimitar Berbatov) looking totally fed up. Such was the fragility of their confidence and the extent of damage done in and around the club in previous weeks they could not enjoy their football, despite dominating over weak opponents. At the weekend Tottenham’s confidence grew immeasurably as their game wore on against Wigan and ‘hallelujah’, Berbatov decided he wanted to play. When he is on his game there are few better at link-up play and close control. His performance was reminiscent of the kind that made him fans favourite last season, and which had brought him 23 goals in a season.
Consistency has been a problem for Spurs, with the exception of the excellent Robbie Keane. Jermaine Jenas turned a performance of the highest quality against Wigan, the like of which unfortunately he produces once in a blue moon. On the day there was no answer to his powerful, direct running and ability to take passes into his path at speed. If he could replicate this form more regularly, Tottenham and indeed England’s fortunes could be improved.
Faith Healer
New boss Ramos has steadied the ship well and the acquisition of Gus Poyet from Leeds Utd was a clever move. Poyet was a popular figure during his Spurs days and will still know many of the staff at the club. Allegedly he is also translating for Ramos, while the Spaniard improves his English. It will be interesting to see who Ramos brings in during the January transfer window, if he does spend then others may be forced out. Spurs accumulated a large squad under Martin Jol. At this stage Ramos is getting to know his players and has first concentrated on restoring battered confidence. After the Wigan victory he praised Robinson as ‘irreplaceable’, ‘I think he’s one of the best keepers in the Premier League and he’s the No1 in England. I have no doubt that if he carries on the way he has recently he’s irreplaceable for us. I count on him 100%.’ This was heartfelt praise for Robinson who will have appreciated the manager’s public backing. A nice bonus too for Ramos was the scoring return of Darren Bent. Bent’s form so far has been woeful and it has affected his confidence badly - his goal proved not only to Ramos but to himself that he is good enough.
While Martin Jol has not been forgotten by the White Hart Lane faithful, the club are now moving into a new era. Leaving behind the stigma attached to the tail-end of Jol’s reign has proved a difficult transition. Chairman Daniel Levy admitted making mistakes in his courtship of Ramos but asked fans to support the manager, ‘We have made the changes, popular or unpopular, as we felt they were necessary or right. Please lend us your support as we move forward together.’ Realistically, Spurs fans should now be delighted with the appointment and looking forward to developments under the Spaniard, who had a great record in Spain and is regarded as one of the most sought after managers in Europe. He will be provided with funds to build the squad further and his reputation is of a standing which will attract players of high quality. Current rumours surrounding the return of Freddi Kanoute however, seem unlikely and are more likely excitable tabloid-talk.
3 Point Specialist on Horizon
Finally, a brief glimpse into the future for Spurs offers further optimism. NBA star Steve Nash, a lifelong fan, revealed recently that he would like to buy the club when he finishes his playing career, ‘I’d like to be an owner, Its something I could do for the rest of my life after my little window of popularity dies.’ Nash’s appointment would be a great PR move and inevitably generate interest from the US. Last year he was named in Time magazine as one of the most influential people in the world and Nash has also twice been awarded the prestigious NBA Most Valuable Player prize. However, any approach from Nash would be in the form of a consortium, as he says he cannot finance it alone, ‘Of course I would like to own Spurs, but I haven’t got a spare £300million.’ He is far from hard up though, while the media and commercial attention he receives would provide the main benefits of any association. Nash is reported to have earned over £50 million in his career and the NBA icon made friends with several in the football community on the way, including Damien Comolli, Alessandro Del Piero and Thierry Henry.
Juande Ramos is already making a good impression at Tottenham after just a handful of games in charge of the North London side. A convincing 4-0 win over struggling Wigan Athletic on Saturday may yet provide the vital confidence boost that their season requires to turn things around. Off the pitch there is talk of an NBA star wanting to buy the club and pump in his Yankee dollar, and on the pitch Paul Robinson has kept 3 clean sheets in his last 4 games. Things are looking decidedly rosier these days at White Hart Lane and the supporters will be mightily relieved that the unexpected early season crisis is finally subsiding.
Only last week, faced with the task of dispatching a woeful Hapoel Tel Aviv side in the UEFA Cup, Spurs, despite leading for most of the game, had the look of a depressed and miserable team, with some players (namely Dimitar Berbatov) looking totally fed up. Such was the fragility of their confidence and the extent of damage done in and around the club in previous weeks they could not enjoy their football, despite dominating over weak opponents. At the weekend Tottenham’s confidence grew immeasurably as their game wore on against Wigan and ‘hallelujah’, Berbatov decided he wanted to play. When he is on his game there are few better at link-up play and close control. His performance was reminiscent of the kind that made him fans favourite last season, and which had brought him 23 goals in a season.
Consistency has been a problem for Spurs, with the exception of the excellent Robbie Keane. Jermaine Jenas turned a performance of the highest quality against Wigan, the like of which unfortunately he produces once in a blue moon. On the day there was no answer to his powerful, direct running and ability to take passes into his path at speed. If he could replicate this form more regularly, Tottenham and indeed England’s fortunes could be improved.
Faith Healer
New boss Ramos has steadied the ship well and the acquisition of Gus Poyet from Leeds Utd was a clever move. Poyet was a popular figure during his Spurs days and will still know many of the staff at the club. Allegedly he is also translating for Ramos, while the Spaniard improves his English. It will be interesting to see who Ramos brings in during the January transfer window, if he does spend then others may be forced out. Spurs accumulated a large squad under Martin Jol. At this stage Ramos is getting to know his players and has first concentrated on restoring battered confidence. After the Wigan victory he praised Robinson as ‘irreplaceable’, ‘I think he’s one of the best keepers in the Premier League and he’s the No1 in England. I have no doubt that if he carries on the way he has recently he’s irreplaceable for us. I count on him 100%.’ This was heartfelt praise for Robinson who will have appreciated the manager’s public backing. A nice bonus too for Ramos was the scoring return of Darren Bent. Bent’s form so far has been woeful and it has affected his confidence badly - his goal proved not only to Ramos but to himself that he is good enough.
While Martin Jol has not been forgotten by the White Hart Lane faithful, the club are now moving into a new era. Leaving behind the stigma attached to the tail-end of Jol’s reign has proved a difficult transition. Chairman Daniel Levy admitted making mistakes in his courtship of Ramos but asked fans to support the manager, ‘We have made the changes, popular or unpopular, as we felt they were necessary or right. Please lend us your support as we move forward together.’ Realistically, Spurs fans should now be delighted with the appointment and looking forward to developments under the Spaniard, who had a great record in Spain and is regarded as one of the most sought after managers in Europe. He will be provided with funds to build the squad further and his reputation is of a standing which will attract players of high quality. Current rumours surrounding the return of Freddi Kanoute however, seem unlikely and are more likely excitable tabloid-talk.
3 Point Specialist on Horizon
Finally, a brief glimpse into the future for Spurs offers further optimism. NBA star Steve Nash, a lifelong fan, revealed recently that he would like to buy the club when he finishes his playing career, ‘I’d like to be an owner, Its something I could do for the rest of my life after my little window of popularity dies.’ Nash’s appointment would be a great PR move and inevitably generate interest from the US. Last year he was named in Time magazine as one of the most influential people in the world and Nash has also twice been awarded the prestigious NBA Most Valuable Player prize. However, any approach from Nash would be in the form of a consortium, as he says he cannot finance it alone, ‘Of course I would like to own Spurs, but I haven’t got a spare £300million.’ He is far from hard up though, while the media and commercial attention he receives would provide the main benefits of any association. Nash is reported to have earned over £50 million in his career and the NBA icon made friends with several in the football community on the way, including Damien Comolli, Alessandro Del Piero and Thierry Henry.
Monday 12 November 2007
The Kids Are Alright
England last week launched a bid to host the 2018 World Cup, which was backed by Gordon Brown’s government. With the current England team enduring difficult circumstances, a coach devoid of imagination and the possibility of an embarrassing omission form Euro 2008, what can we expect from our nation in 10 years time?
The current crop from a golden generation, including Frank Lampard, Steve Gerrard, Joe Cole and Michael Owen are in their prime right now but they have not won a trophy in their England careers to date. By the time 2018 comes around they will all be nearing 40 and, with the probable exception of the un-droppable Sir David Beckham (250 caps), will be considered too old to keep the home fires burning. There may be light breaking onto the horizon though, in the shape of several effervescent young footballers who are lighting up the faces of academy bosses and senior managers up and down the country.
Here then is a possible England line-up for World Cup 2018, charged with the task of finally recapturing a trophy which, by then, could be 52 years in the waiting.
GK: Alex Smithies (Huddersfield Town) d.o.b. 5/3/90
Narrowly edges fellow contender Jason Steele for the number 1 spot largely due to his performances during the U17 World Cup, which included a penalty save against Brazil. At club level Smithies opportunities have so far been limited by the simultaneous rise of another decent goalkeeping prospect at Huddersfield, Simon Eastwood - the Terriers suddenly emerging at the ‘go-to’ club for young keepers. Smithies main strengths are shot-stopping and commanding of his area, but like most keepers, attributes such as dealing with crosses, positional sense and anticipation will improve with age. In this department though, we can’t do much worse than the current calamity.
DEF: Krystian Pearce (Birmingham City) 5/1/90
A powerful centre-half in the Micah Richards mould, Pearce has been impressive for England U17s and has now made the step up to U19 level. The gentle giant nicknamed by his team mates ‘Chief’ is strong in the air, but like many modern footballers he is a good ball player too. Many critics considered him England’s best player at the U17 World Cup in Korea, where he also scored, selling the keeper a dummy before slotting home. He is yet to break into the Birmingham side but has recently joined Notts County on a short-term loan. He is still only 17 but we might start hearing a lot more about Pearce in the next year or two.
DEF: Joe Mattock (Leicester City) 15/5/90
Seventeen year old Mattock is a left back who has shown potential for several years, recognised by England through regular selections at U15, U16 and U17 level. This season he has forced himself to the fringes of the first team and has already played 8 times so far. Mattock likes to get forward and can also play left midfield. He is still error prone though and some supporters have got on his back during games. The fact City have had the confidence to blood him at such a young age can only be a good thing for young Joe’s career and he is predicted to have a bright future.
DEF: Jordan Spence (West Ham Utd) 24/5/90
Captained England in the U17s World Cup in Korea, and scored against Brazil along the way in an impressive campaign. He has already proved himself a great leader who inspires others. The Hammers have a great youth setup and a terrific recent record of producing talent at Upton Park, with the likes of Michael Carrick, Jermaine Defoe, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand all coming through the ranks to become England regulars over the past few years. Spence is considered to be the best of the bunch from the club’s latest batch of promising youngsters. He will most likely soon gain experience of senior football with a loan move, with no shortage of lower league admirers looking to take him on.
DEF: Sam Hutchinson (Chelsea) 3/8/89
Eighteen year old right back Sam has impressed many of the coaching staff at Chelsea and captains the reserve side. While Jose Mourinho was at the club he spoke of Hutchinson as being a future member of the first team. He was handed his debut in the last game of last season against Everton and is currently a regular with England U19s. Plymouth Argyle attempted to loan him at the start of the season but were denied as Chelsea wanted the player to benefit from being around the first team squad. Now, with new management at Stamford Bridge, Hutchinson may be allowed to seek experience of senior football elsewhere and develop into the player Mourinho spotted last year.
MID: John Bostock (Crystal Palace) 15/1/92
A future England captain in the making, Bostock has made great strides in a very short spell of time. Despite being just 15 years old, he broke into the Crystal Palace first team last month and immediately looked comfortable at Championship level, ‘He didn’t look out of place did he’ beamed Neil Warnock. It is reported that Barcelona and Man Utd are keen to sign him but his development will be quicker at Palace for now, with vital match experience on offer. Bostock is a highly technical player, quick and is a good passer. He also likes to shoot from distance which speaks volumes for his confidence. He has already shown glimmers of his creativity when, in his first appearance as a substitute, he executed the famed Ronaldinho trick of looking one way and playing the ball the other.
MID: Henri Lansbury (Arsenal) 12/10/90
Arsene Wenger is apparently very excited about right winger Lansbury, who has been at the Gunners since he was 9 years old. This means Lansbury has known nothing but the Wenger way ever since and should be moulded into the Frenchman’s ideal type of player. Looks-wise there are shades of Rosicki or Hleb to Lansbury and his play is also similar - all one-touch pass and movement, accompanied by great ball control and vision. He made his debut in the Carling Cup last month for the last few minutes against Sheffield Utd after impressing in a key role for England U17s in Korea. He looked a little lightweight and wanted too much time on the ball in the Carling Cup, but Wenger is not one often known to get carried away, which means this boy must have something.
MID: Danny Welbeck (Man Utd) 26/11/90
Alex Ferguson has likened the tricky England U17 winger/forward Welbeck to Nwankwo Kanu for his ‘smooth and languid style’. But he is also strong, quick and hard working which is often disguised by his appearance. Welbeck possesses a box of tricks to accompany his technique and it will do him no harm to be training everyday alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Ryan Giggs. There is rumoured to be a new crop of talented youngsters about to emerge all at once, as seems to be the trend at Old Trafford. First it was Giggs, Scholes, Beckham and the Nevilles. Now Welbeck leads the new generation, from Lee Martin, Frazer Richardson and Febian Brandy. Welbeck is destined for the top.
MID: David Amoo (Liverpool) 23/4/91
Amoo has been lighting up LiverpoolTV with his forceful performances for the academy sides, scoring some spectacular long range goals and running opposition defences ragged. A first year scholar signed from Millwall, Amoo is powerfully built for his age and has the ability to run at pace with the ball. Academy director John Owens describes him, ‘David is a tall, fast striker who’s always looking to use his pace to get behind defenders. He’s always willing to have a crack at goal.’ Amoo can play on the wing or upfront and at 16 years of age, there is plenty of time for him to improve on his raw ability. From what I personally have seen of him, he should turn into a seriously good player.
STR: Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 16/3/89
By 2018 Theo will be 29, which is a strange thought. To make it as world class much will depend on how he develops the physical side to his game, that aside he has all the attributes required to step into role model Thierry Henry’s shoes; blistering pace, good touch and a calm finish (which he showed twice against Slavia Prague recently).Theo is the boy Arsenal fans so desperately want to succeed, he hints in fits and bursts at his immense ability and potential and they are desperate for Arsene Wenger’s expensive outlay to be proved another example of excellent talent spotting. He should become the natural replacement for the similarly-styled Michael Owen in the England team.
STR: James Vaughan (Everton) 14/7/88
Vaughan will hope his ‘fox-in-the-box’ tag will lead to a distinctly better career than fate had in stall for former Toffees striker Francis Jeffers. And the early indications are good. A natural predator, with sudden acceleration and great awareness of his position from goal, he is the type of player Everton fans have been waiting to see since the days of Gary Linekar. Injury has restricted him this season in a campaign where, if he is to progress, he will hope to play more regularly. He regained fitness of late, making a scoring return to the first team against Birmingham at the start of November (his 6th in 20 games for the club). Vaughan became the clubs youngest ever goal scorer in April 2005 at 16 and 271 days and he has not looked back since. However he is far from the finished article at present, his passing and protection of possession could be better. With Yakubu around he has the chance to learn from real quality and develop to a higher level.
Subs:
Jason Steele (Middlesbrough)
Scott Sinclair (Chelsea)
Victor Moses (Crystal Palace)
Marc Randall (Arsenal)
Daniel Gosling (Plymouth Argyle)
- A player caught your eye who you think could be a future England star? Not in this selection? Maybe you disagree with the line-up? Leave a comment, & your views
The current crop from a golden generation, including Frank Lampard, Steve Gerrard, Joe Cole and Michael Owen are in their prime right now but they have not won a trophy in their England careers to date. By the time 2018 comes around they will all be nearing 40 and, with the probable exception of the un-droppable Sir David Beckham (250 caps), will be considered too old to keep the home fires burning. There may be light breaking onto the horizon though, in the shape of several effervescent young footballers who are lighting up the faces of academy bosses and senior managers up and down the country.
Here then is a possible England line-up for World Cup 2018, charged with the task of finally recapturing a trophy which, by then, could be 52 years in the waiting.
GK: Alex Smithies (Huddersfield Town) d.o.b. 5/3/90
Narrowly edges fellow contender Jason Steele for the number 1 spot largely due to his performances during the U17 World Cup, which included a penalty save against Brazil. At club level Smithies opportunities have so far been limited by the simultaneous rise of another decent goalkeeping prospect at Huddersfield, Simon Eastwood - the Terriers suddenly emerging at the ‘go-to’ club for young keepers. Smithies main strengths are shot-stopping and commanding of his area, but like most keepers, attributes such as dealing with crosses, positional sense and anticipation will improve with age. In this department though, we can’t do much worse than the current calamity.
DEF: Krystian Pearce (Birmingham City) 5/1/90
A powerful centre-half in the Micah Richards mould, Pearce has been impressive for England U17s and has now made the step up to U19 level. The gentle giant nicknamed by his team mates ‘Chief’ is strong in the air, but like many modern footballers he is a good ball player too. Many critics considered him England’s best player at the U17 World Cup in Korea, where he also scored, selling the keeper a dummy before slotting home. He is yet to break into the Birmingham side but has recently joined Notts County on a short-term loan. He is still only 17 but we might start hearing a lot more about Pearce in the next year or two.
DEF: Joe Mattock (Leicester City) 15/5/90
Seventeen year old Mattock is a left back who has shown potential for several years, recognised by England through regular selections at U15, U16 and U17 level. This season he has forced himself to the fringes of the first team and has already played 8 times so far. Mattock likes to get forward and can also play left midfield. He is still error prone though and some supporters have got on his back during games. The fact City have had the confidence to blood him at such a young age can only be a good thing for young Joe’s career and he is predicted to have a bright future.
DEF: Jordan Spence (West Ham Utd) 24/5/90
Captained England in the U17s World Cup in Korea, and scored against Brazil along the way in an impressive campaign. He has already proved himself a great leader who inspires others. The Hammers have a great youth setup and a terrific recent record of producing talent at Upton Park, with the likes of Michael Carrick, Jermaine Defoe, Joe Cole and Rio Ferdinand all coming through the ranks to become England regulars over the past few years. Spence is considered to be the best of the bunch from the club’s latest batch of promising youngsters. He will most likely soon gain experience of senior football with a loan move, with no shortage of lower league admirers looking to take him on.
DEF: Sam Hutchinson (Chelsea) 3/8/89
Eighteen year old right back Sam has impressed many of the coaching staff at Chelsea and captains the reserve side. While Jose Mourinho was at the club he spoke of Hutchinson as being a future member of the first team. He was handed his debut in the last game of last season against Everton and is currently a regular with England U19s. Plymouth Argyle attempted to loan him at the start of the season but were denied as Chelsea wanted the player to benefit from being around the first team squad. Now, with new management at Stamford Bridge, Hutchinson may be allowed to seek experience of senior football elsewhere and develop into the player Mourinho spotted last year.
MID: John Bostock (Crystal Palace) 15/1/92
A future England captain in the making, Bostock has made great strides in a very short spell of time. Despite being just 15 years old, he broke into the Crystal Palace first team last month and immediately looked comfortable at Championship level, ‘He didn’t look out of place did he’ beamed Neil Warnock. It is reported that Barcelona and Man Utd are keen to sign him but his development will be quicker at Palace for now, with vital match experience on offer. Bostock is a highly technical player, quick and is a good passer. He also likes to shoot from distance which speaks volumes for his confidence. He has already shown glimmers of his creativity when, in his first appearance as a substitute, he executed the famed Ronaldinho trick of looking one way and playing the ball the other.
MID: Henri Lansbury (Arsenal) 12/10/90
Arsene Wenger is apparently very excited about right winger Lansbury, who has been at the Gunners since he was 9 years old. This means Lansbury has known nothing but the Wenger way ever since and should be moulded into the Frenchman’s ideal type of player. Looks-wise there are shades of Rosicki or Hleb to Lansbury and his play is also similar - all one-touch pass and movement, accompanied by great ball control and vision. He made his debut in the Carling Cup last month for the last few minutes against Sheffield Utd after impressing in a key role for England U17s in Korea. He looked a little lightweight and wanted too much time on the ball in the Carling Cup, but Wenger is not one often known to get carried away, which means this boy must have something.
MID: Danny Welbeck (Man Utd) 26/11/90
Alex Ferguson has likened the tricky England U17 winger/forward Welbeck to Nwankwo Kanu for his ‘smooth and languid style’. But he is also strong, quick and hard working which is often disguised by his appearance. Welbeck possesses a box of tricks to accompany his technique and it will do him no harm to be training everyday alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Ryan Giggs. There is rumoured to be a new crop of talented youngsters about to emerge all at once, as seems to be the trend at Old Trafford. First it was Giggs, Scholes, Beckham and the Nevilles. Now Welbeck leads the new generation, from Lee Martin, Frazer Richardson and Febian Brandy. Welbeck is destined for the top.
MID: David Amoo (Liverpool) 23/4/91
Amoo has been lighting up LiverpoolTV with his forceful performances for the academy sides, scoring some spectacular long range goals and running opposition defences ragged. A first year scholar signed from Millwall, Amoo is powerfully built for his age and has the ability to run at pace with the ball. Academy director John Owens describes him, ‘David is a tall, fast striker who’s always looking to use his pace to get behind defenders. He’s always willing to have a crack at goal.’ Amoo can play on the wing or upfront and at 16 years of age, there is plenty of time for him to improve on his raw ability. From what I personally have seen of him, he should turn into a seriously good player.
STR: Theo Walcott (Arsenal) 16/3/89
By 2018 Theo will be 29, which is a strange thought. To make it as world class much will depend on how he develops the physical side to his game, that aside he has all the attributes required to step into role model Thierry Henry’s shoes; blistering pace, good touch and a calm finish (which he showed twice against Slavia Prague recently).Theo is the boy Arsenal fans so desperately want to succeed, he hints in fits and bursts at his immense ability and potential and they are desperate for Arsene Wenger’s expensive outlay to be proved another example of excellent talent spotting. He should become the natural replacement for the similarly-styled Michael Owen in the England team.
STR: James Vaughan (Everton) 14/7/88
Vaughan will hope his ‘fox-in-the-box’ tag will lead to a distinctly better career than fate had in stall for former Toffees striker Francis Jeffers. And the early indications are good. A natural predator, with sudden acceleration and great awareness of his position from goal, he is the type of player Everton fans have been waiting to see since the days of Gary Linekar. Injury has restricted him this season in a campaign where, if he is to progress, he will hope to play more regularly. He regained fitness of late, making a scoring return to the first team against Birmingham at the start of November (his 6th in 20 games for the club). Vaughan became the clubs youngest ever goal scorer in April 2005 at 16 and 271 days and he has not looked back since. However he is far from the finished article at present, his passing and protection of possession could be better. With Yakubu around he has the chance to learn from real quality and develop to a higher level.
Subs:
Jason Steele (Middlesbrough)
Scott Sinclair (Chelsea)
Victor Moses (Crystal Palace)
Marc Randall (Arsenal)
Daniel Gosling (Plymouth Argyle)
- A player caught your eye who you think could be a future England star? Not in this selection? Maybe you disagree with the line-up? Leave a comment, & your views
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