The Future of the England Squad

Well, the golden generation won sweet fa, so who is next to step up and be in the next generation of England players.

Walcott - definately has the potential to be great. This season hes having a blinder. Pace, goals, young, definately a good prospect.
Wiltshire - The next (but better Lampard). The rock of the midfield, picking out those all important passes.

And here come the maybes:

Rooney - A shadow of the player he was last season. Is he to big a player to be dropped?
Joe Hart - dodgy season at Man City, Englands number 1 he might be, but who else is there?
Carroll - Yes he might get the goals, but unproven on the big stage is he the next number 9?
Adam Johnson - Cant get a game at City, he needs the games to show his potential.
Milner - Should of stayed at Villa & obviously money talks, but hes taken a back seat at City and not come close to the player he was last season.
Glen Johnson - ok going forward, links in the wing play well, not so good at defending lol.
Bent - Scores for fun, but always seems to overlooked.

All in all, im not overly impressed by our future. The Euro's are next and how will we compare to the likes of Spain, Germany & Co?

when you put it like that, the welsh team has hope!

Ramsey
Bale
King
Morrison
Edwards
Church
Hennessey
Ledley

exactly, we just have no home grown tallent coming through the ranks, but other nations do.
Is this the fault of the FA?

(wishes to God that Bale was English, and due to some dodgy family tree senario he discovers his great granny was married to an Englishman and changes allegiance) :606laugh:

It doesnt help that we still have Capello as coach, cant believe they gave him a new contract just before the World Cup and then they didnt have a clue not just in the Germany match but all the group games too.

Maybe if he wasnt there Paul Robinson would come back to play, he's been playing some of the best football of his career up at Blackburn. :friend:

Cappello just doesnt have a clue.
He was interviewed last night on SSN about Wiltshire.

Cappello: "I rang Wenger to speak about Wiltshire, he told me his best position was centre midfield just ahead of the centre backs. So im going to play him there, as a defending midfielder"

Ahh come on, wtf did he have to ask Wenger for? Does he not have a brain of his own? Its not rocket science <slaps own head smiley>

Steven Caulker of Spurs, on loan at Bristol City atm, 19 years old pure class

Plenty of players out there;

Henderson
Onuoha
Kyle Walker
McCeachran(sp?)
Huddlestone
Oxlade Chamberlain
Rodwell
Albrighton

Other youngsters who are yet to break through into first team contention,got a few at Albion.George Thorne,James Hurst and Saido Berahino.

The future of the england lies in the 2 jacks - rodwell and wilshere.
Hart is a potential great, richards Smalling, glen johnson, kyle walker, Carrol, don't sleep on chris eagles and kieron gibbs

Ive been impressed by Smalling this season when hes been given the chance to play. Definately one for the future.

chuks aneke and benik afobe are the best 2 english players coming through at the arsenal academy along with frimpong ( provided doesn't decide to play for ghana)

also have lansbury , eastmond,bartley,tom cruise

so alot of english talent coming through at arsenal

I think you could make a list as long as your arm about talented young players for the future but that is not enough to create a team that will win a World Cup.
Y I Man asked the question Is this the fault of the FA?
Who else is there? If the organisation was in place England would consistently compete to win World Cups and Euros this has just not happened.
1966 was the last final England reached a final I think that says it all.
Being English I would love to see England win the World Cup but it may well be another 45 years before it happens again.

Here, the scotland team lads

Fraser Fyvie, Danny Wilson, John Fleck, David Templeton, Chris MacGuire if he stopps being an arrogant so & so, Jamie Ness, James Forrest. Enough said. Quality.

I bet you're all sittting there like WHO? :laugh1:

ive heard of all of them except fyvie. fleck if stops being a petulant idiot has the most talent along with forrest.

arent the f.a building some complex academy in burton to help the youth talent.

Nando, Fyvie is the best lad in that pick! Nah, just messing it is because I'm a Dons fan. Fyvie is only 17, already showed what he is capable of with some very good prformances against players 10 year plus his senior. He is out with ankle ligament damage at the moment. Got to agree with the Fleck too. He can be a little too big for his boots but still a quality player.

I think we've got a lot of players who could be brilliant, but they need to start playing regular football. Midfield looks to be our strongest area in four years time imo.

Wilshere, Rodwell, McEachran, Delph, Huddlestone and Henderson just as centre midfielders.
Walcott, Lennon, A.Johnson, Young, Chamberlain, Albrighton and Cleverley as wingers.

i dont think darren bent will have much of a international career, to be honest he dosent seem to take any of his chances when he gets a england game

McEachran, Betrand and Sturridge will all be great players IMO

Joe Hart
Kyle Walker, Chris Smalling, Micah Richards, Ryan Bertrand
Jack Wilshere, Jack Rodwell, Tom Huddlestone
Theo Walcott, Andy Carroll, Danie Sturridge

Not a bad XI I don't think.

I'd have McEachran over Huddlestone and possibly Phil Jones over Richards.

The future is looking bright, is this the golden generation lol

McEachran hasn't played much football at the top level and Thud can really pack some power behind a shot. Richards/Jones is slightly more even, but I think having someone with the pace of Richards would benefit the side.

mceahran will get into the world cup sqaud in 2014 i think he will be class by then

It would be nice to see him play more regularly next season, and with Essien out injured again I expect he'll have a few games towards the beginning of the season.

Having players like Jones, Onouha, McEachran, Delph and Johnson still having a lot of time to develop is promising as well.

Just realised I'd completely forgot about Rooney

think delph made the wrong move when he left leeds

If a Premier League club offered me a chance out of League 1, I think anyone would take it. Hopefully he's recovered perfectly from his injury and gets a few chances this season with Villa, or out on loan.

England could have the 11 best players in the world and they still wouldn't succeed.

They just don't seem to understand that football is a team game and that each player is a cog and not an individual, they are consistently outplayed by lesser players who know how to play as a cohesive and cooperative unit.

Then how do you teach that? I think it'd be impossible to teach in it the weeks of training before a major tournament, unless you kept the exact same squad the same for two years so they can get to know each others styles.

Unless someone tries to do what Barcelona have done and put together an ensemble of the countries top players.

That's the problem though Churchill. Countries like Sweden, Croatia, Greece and South Korea have managed to get to tournament stages well beyond where you would expect. Perhaps we should ask them.

It's the British mentality that needs changing, not something you can always teach, but something you can influence.

our players cant seem to gel together they are all quality but for some reason it dosent click, and no one can seem to find an answer :/

England won't win a world cup until they put in a proper youth system,their academy of excellence is a start but more needs to be done.

i agree, but also nothing will happen whilst, there are so many foreginers in the english premier league..

we like watching them, but they are keeping young british talent out of the teams

But you never know there may not be an England team in a few years if FIFA merge the home nations and form a British team...

By the way cricketfan - there weren't (hardly) any foreigners in the league in the 80's and England were well off the pace.

I think the bigger problem is that whenever an adequate British player comes along they instantly command the same transfer fee/wages as a very good, established foreigner. Which is probably one of the main reasons not many Spanish/Italian/German clubs buy British players as they are so over-priced, same reason why lots of clubs buy more foreigners - coz for the same money you can prob get 2 better foreign players than 1 British player

dosent matter i still think we need more homegrown players playing at the top leavel

Thought I'd give this topic a bump now that we're in to the season. With Capello naming an England squad tonight, it got me thinking about who will go to 2012. I know it's tricky to predict a players form until the tournament, but here's my provisional 23 man squad.

Goalkeepers:
Joe Hart
Frankie Fielding
David Stockdale

Defenders:
Ashley Cole
Leighton Baines
Chris Smalling
Micah Richards
John Terry
Phil Jagielka
Phil Jones
Michael Dawson

Midfielders:
Jack Wilshere
Scott Parker
Frank Lampard
Tom Cleverley
Ashley Young
Theo Walcott
Stuart Downing

Forwards:
Wayne Rooney
Daniel Sturridge
Danny Welbeck
Andy Carroll
Gabby Agbonlahor

I know some players might raise some eyebrows, and some players that I've left out as well. But I've went for the 7 midfielders and 5 strikers because most of the strikers wouldn't have a problem acting as winger for some games.

There is no chance Cappello will go to Euro 2012 without both Gerrard and Ferdinand unless they are both injured.

I can see Bent and Crouch going as well and maybe even Defoe if he has a good season. Bent is the most natural goalscorer England have and Crouch offers something different to the rest.

Completely forgot about Darren Bent, he'd replace Agbonlahor. I'm counting on Ferdinand being broken still so we get to see Jagielka and Jones a bit more. Despite Smalling getting the nod ahead of Richards so far, I'd like to see Richards start some friendlies because he's looked good.

Gerrard was a tough decision. I think Lampard is going to influence how well Chelsea play far more than Gerrard will for Liverpool. It also brings up the question of who you drop if you bring both Lampard and Gerrard, I wouldn't want to drop a young player like Cleerley if he's had a good, title-winning season at Man Utd. Possibly between Downing and Gerrard as to who would go?

I would play 3 in the middle and play both Gerrard and Lampard no England manager has ever really gave that a chance. You just need to play a holding midfielder behind them. I've never believed they couldn't play together Jose Mourinho thought they could he wanted to play them both for Chelsea with someone else holding.

I don't think you can play 4-4-2 in these tournaments most top sides play 3 in the middle and if you are out numbered in the middle against Spain, Holland or Germany you are in trouble.

If you play one off the striker then maybe. Lampard doesn't get around the pitch much,he stays in and aroun the opposing teams box and picks up good positions, won't exactly defend much. Gerrard is more rounded.

But the only holding players I can think of that Capello might go with would be Barry or Parker. Lampard (34), Gerrard (32), Barry (31) and Parker (30) doesn't exactly follow Capello's policy towards blooding in some youngsters. Mourinho wanted Gerrard and Lampard when they were 29 and 27, at the top of their game.

I'd play 3 in the middle, but Jack Wilshere must start if he comes back from injury well. Parker would be the holding midfielder of my choice, and for the tougher games I'd partner him with Lampard, who would sit deeper. A front 3 of Walcott, Rooney and Young would scare most defences at the tournament and if you have players passing well between them then it's hard to defend against. One problem that may come up with my squad is that if Parker gets injured then there isn't another holding midfielder, but Jones has played there many times before.

I don't understand why you wouldn't want to take Agbonlahor if he keeps up his recent form? His pace would terrify most defenders. Ok he hasn't been challenged at the the highest level but he has been red hot so far.

AberdeenSteve wrote:I don't understand why you wouldn't want to take Agbonlahor if he keeps up his recent form? His pace would terrify most defenders. Ok he hasn't been challenged at the the highest level but he has been red hot so far.

For me it depends on form this season. Bent has been scoring in the Premier League for 4 or 5 years and looks a natural finisher, whilst Abonlahor has a decent goal rate in the league, I think Bent would be the player I'd rather bring on if we needed a goal. For pace we have the likes of Walcott, Young, Sturridge and Welbeck who are all quick as well.

Taking everyone as fit and having had a decent season my squad would be:

Gk
Joe Hart
David Stockdale
Frankie Fielding

Def
Glen Johnson
Micah Richards
Ashley Cole
Leighton Baines
Rio Ferdinand
John Tery
Gary Cahill
Phil Jagielka

Mid
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Jack Wilshere
Scott Parker
Tom Cleverly
Stewart Downing
Ashley Young

Fw
Theo Wallcott
Wayne Rooney
Darren Bent
Peter Crouch
Daniel Sturridge or Danny Wellbeck depending on who has the better season

Like I said before I would be looking to play a 4-3-3.

Gabby Agbo has always had a strong game, suited against top defenders. He will still score plenty of goals if he's keep in the team along with D Bent.

I still can't work out why nobody is considering Martin Kelly, who last year pushed Glen Johnson out of his left back spot.

I forgot about Kelly. I like him it will all depend on if he can keep Johnson out of the Liverpool team. If he can then he should go.

Because in terms of leftbacks we already have A.Cole and Baines, as for RB Smalling has looked solid so far this season and I've always liked Richards.

Can't believe Carroll has managed to squirm in to the England squad. How Agbonlahor or Sturridge didn't get the nod ahead of him has really baffled me.

no idea why carroll is in there, and sturridge should defo be in there!

In all honesty, I can't see England becoming better in the near or distant future because they've shown themselves to be incompetent when it really matters and competent when it doesn't really matter.............so lets think about what that says about them??

Well firstly one element springs to mind = pressure. And yet our boys are total pro's!

Secondly, England aren't known for their technical skill = so therefore England are buggered when considering the continental/world skill!

Capello's game is very typically italian with no or very little experimentation and that's one of our weaknesses. I haven't seen English technical skill
so therefore England doesn't have it.....oh dear......our boys are in big trouble. We can't stick with our basic pass and play game because it's simply too obvious to all others not to mention way too easy to predict.

So what's the answer = develop an English version of the continental/world skill and make it different & difficult to comprehend.
Following such understandings shouldn't be hard at all! If anything it ought to be fun and treated like technology = varied when we need it to be.

Maybe the future can make such a thing happen but until they do I have no faith in my country boys only typical failing prediction.

GL lads.

if all players are fit, heres the 25 id be taking to the euros

Keepers
Hart
Carson
Stockdale

Full Backs
Cole
Johnson
Kelly
Baines

Centre Backs
Terry
Rio
Jones
Cahill

Centre Mids
Parker
Hargreaves
Gerrard
Wilshere
Lampard

Wide Men
Downing
Walcott
Young

Strikers
Rooney
Carroll
Bent
Sturridge

theres a couple of fitness concerns there, kelly despite his relatively short career in the liverpool first team, has had a good few hamstring problems, in the long term, he will be a centre back, but for now, he is excelling at right back

hargreaves, well, if he can get fit, then id have him over barry every day of the week, and if he can get games under his belt, i could see him ousting parker

without rooney, the lineup id be looking to play would be

--------------Hart
Kelly---Jones---Terry---Cole
-------Hargo----Wilshere
Walcott---Gerrard---Young
------------Carroll

the reason ive gone for carroll is because he and gerrard will hopefully play a bit of club football together, and with only a few weeks to work on the team in the euros, that may just edge it

Jones may be on the young side, but with rio more thanlikely going to call it a day for england after the euros, i think its time to blood in his replacement for club and country, but if cahill does get a move to chelsea or united and fetures regularly for them, id be putting him in ahead of jones

kelly really??

cricketfan90 wrote:kelly really??

Have you watched him at all cricketfan? From that comment I don't think so. For the past year or so Kelly has been a consistently high performer for Liverpool, his only negative being a couple of injuries. He's a lot more solid defensively than both Walker and Johnson, and unlike Jones looks comfortable at right back. He's also surprisingly good going forward and has a decent cross on him.

I think the only two people I would suggest are better or as good as all-round in his position are Smalling and Richards, but Capello doesn't like Richards and Smalling isn't a natural right back.