Is Full-Back the most promising area of English football?

After many years of having barely any top level English full backs to choose from, England should be set for a huge selection of really good full backs for the next ten years. In fact, full back is probably the position England are strongest in now.

In the past ten years, left back and right back have been Ashley Cole and Gary Neville, there has been very little depth and in recent times England managers have had to use Danny Mills as first choice right back at a World Cup, or give caps to the likes of Nickey Shorey. Now though there is plenty of depth and this is surely a good thing for England.

Ashley Cole is still a world class left back, he was my stand-out performer for Chelsea in their Champions League run and another good tournament with England last summer. Glen Johnson has improved massively over the past 2 years and developed into (in my opinion) the Premier League's best right back, and he's pretty decent on the left as well. Then in cover of those two you have Leighton Baines, arguably even better than Cole, creating lots of chances in the Premier League without sacrificing his defensive duties. Kyle Walker hasn't been as good as some expected, but he's still putting in some good performances for Tottenham. Not forgetting Micah Richards, who seems to have been stunted by injuries and being in a strong Manchester City side but still has time to forge an England career.

Then there are lots of good full backs just waiting for their chance to burst into the England side, Martin Kelly, Andre Wisdom, Danny Rose, Luke Shaw, Jack Robinson, Kieran Gibbs, Nathaniel Clyne. There are probably others that I have missed as well. It's crazy to think that England went so long with barely any good full backs and now there could be far too many to choose from, if even half these youngsters fulfil their potential than future England managers are going to have to make some tough decisions and we'll be having to say "in any other era" a lot more often.

What do you guys think?

Like you say, superb area for England with an insane amount of depth. It's certainly one thing less to worry about for 2014 - I reckon we'll have Baines and Walker starting at the World Cup.

Unless Johnson has a dramatic turn in form next season there is no way Walker should be selected ahead of him. I think the two best right backs this year have been Zabalata and Johnson, Walker is so raw and reminds me of a younger Johnson.

People need to start looking past reputations and pay attention.

I still think Cole's got one more major tournament in him as first choice left back.

Like you say Crimey, there's plenty of depth in these positions, but I think Kyle Naughton might come into contention as well, due to Walker's patchy form for Spurs this season.

Left back is very very strong nowadays. By the time Cole goes we can have Baines. When Baines goes I reckon Gibbs will have nailed the role, and then hes gonna have pressure from Luke Shaw.

The right side? Johnson for me is still not good enough defensively. I do like him, but he has the brain of Theo Walcott sometimes when he defends. Same can be said of Walker for me, hes got a lot of time to improve thankfully.

Both Jones and Smalling are better defensive prospects on that side for me. I would love an England side that paid attention to the opposition. Glen Johnson should be used in games where we are the better side.

Jenkinson has a lot of the attributes to become a lot better too.

I will be frustrated for a long time that Micah Richards has been stuck at Man City. A better manager and a more patient side would make a very good defender out of him. And hes been stuck behind the Premier League's best right back. He should move on, personally I'd love him at West Ham as I think Allardyce would teach him the basics he lacks and make him the defender he could be.

Kyle Naughton will be a top FB as well

Very good bunch coming through, this Shaw at Southampton looks really good