FIFA World Cup: England's vibrancy is a cause for hope

There was a particular moment in England’s World Cup warm-up draw in Miami against Ecuador, amongst the other instances of vibrant attacking play, that served as evidence for the public imploring Roy Hodgson to instil faith into youth in Brazil.

Ross Barkley spun in-behind a resilient Ecuadorian defence , played a slick one-two with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before skipping beyond the half-hearted challenges of Reinaldo Ruelda’s side and catapulting his immensely powerful strike into the bowels of Miami’s SunLife Stadium. It was more the vibrancy, rather than the Everton midfielder’s eventually unfunctional effort, that served as evidence for the public’s imploring for Hodgson to instil faith into youth in Brazil.

Hodgson was sceptical post-match yet England’s vibrancy is cause for hope. Barkley and Chamberlain excelled, marvelling with their enthralling propensity to obliterate defences with sheer pace, shimmering with danger. Adam Lallana and Raheem Sterling exuded depth on the team-sheet in Miami, displaying the riches at Hodgson’s fortunate disposal.

It is a season of meteoric emergences which provides solace for England regardless of how they perform in Brazil, chartering a rapid progression from England’s miserable round of 16 exit to Germany in South Africa four years ago. As Fabio Capello’s men faltered inexorably in Bloemfontein, Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller shone, enticing envy from England supporters who campaigned for the instilling of faith in youth and to re-enact the incredibly successful youth systems adopted by Germany and Spain.

The recent success at U17 level accentuates the sense of progression and development, a myriad of potential future England stalwarts overcoming the Netherlands in the final of the European Championships. It provides a glimmer of hope for FA chairman Grey Dyke, primed to implement his hugely controversial League 3 plans, yet England's youth are a cause for hope and potential heirs to the likes of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard.

For Gerrard and Lampard, it will be their last major tournament, their swan-song before departing from the international scene. Wayne Rooney may not endure to 2016's European Championships in France yet their successors are promising, gaining experience in an enthralling nine weeks. John Stones and John Flanagan will not travel to Rio yet their voyages to Faro and to Miami, obtaining a sense for international football, will be of huge benefit in France in two years, Hodgson intelligent to give both defenders international game-time. Luke Shaw, Ashley Cole's ouster, will feature in Brazil and will most probably secure the first-choice left-back role by 2016.

Yet England have a history of mistrust in talent that must be forced to an abrupt halt. Matt Le Tisser and Tony Currie, arguably the most competent Englishmen to have ever graced a football pitch, have less international caps combined than James Milner, a skilled member of Hodgson's team in his own right. Sterling and Barkley deserve to feature prominently in Brazil – Hodgson must bring the national team’s propensity to limit talent’s potential to a sudden halt.

After years of turbulence and endless frustration which followed England's failures in major tournaments, England's new-found abundance of youth and vibrancy is a cause for hope, regardless of how Roy Hodgson's men perform in Brazil.