Football: The future is bright for the Three Lions

“66 was a great year for English football”, we United fans jokingly say, “Because, Eric was born.” Well, ’66 was indeed a great year for English football, not because the great rebel who went on to become a king was born in the caves of Marseille, which he of course did. And as much joy as he gave to us United fans, he did cause a considerable amount of despair to opposing teams. But the fact is that this was the year in which the English could finally claim the right to call themselves ‘Champions of the World’ in a game that they invented.

Like football, cricket was also invented in England and holds a special place in English hearts as well. But cricket was always the game of the Lords and serfs. Football, on the other hand, belonged to the working class, the common man of England, and like Jimmy Murphy once said to Bobby Charlton, “Old Trafford”. This pitch sits in the middle of the largest industrial estate in the country. Over there, that’s where the cotton boys stand. There’s the joiners, the dockers, the millers. Nothing in common until they’re here. We are their pride. At the end of the week, we set the world to right for them.” And that is what football means to them, it’s their biggest love and in some cases, perhaps their only love. After working their hearts out for a week, on the Saturday afternoon they spend their hard earned money and come to stadiums to watch and support their beloved club. Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton may just be cities for the rest of the world, but for the common man of England, these are the places which house their eternal love.

I have been a supporter of the ‘Three Lions’ all along, and it always hurts me to see them perform dismally in the major tournaments. Since that great year of ’66, England haven’t won a major championship. Their European championship records are as dismal as their World Cup showing, if not worse. Every time the WCs or Euros are at the door, the English media creates a lot of hoopla, generates a lot of enthusiasm and hope, just to see them come crushing down as soon as the tournament begins. At times, we blame the players, and sometimes the coaches. But if you were to ask me, I would say the English FA is a failure, and the way they deal with players, coaches and clubs is disappointing to say the least. Why hasn’t the world’s best league been able to produce a World cup winning side or even a European Championship winning side? Why have the richest and highest-profit-earning clubs in the world not been able to produce 11 players who can compete with the likes of Germany, Spain and Netherlands? Are the players to blame, or have the managers been too stubborn in their approach? Is the FA to be blamed for this whole fiasco? Is the ‘Under-21’ league, instead of the ‘Reserve League’, going to be the panacea of English football? There are a lot of questions, and some pretty pertinent ones, surrounding English football, especially after their not so impressive performances (to put it mildly) in the last few World Cups and in the Euros. And these questions need to be addressed as soon as possible. But the future actually doesn’t look all that dark and bleak.

It was October last year that England took on San Marino and then Poland in the World Cup 2014 qualifiers. And it was against San Marino that England started a particularly young side. Many would dismiss this by saying that it was just San Marino, but to be honest, I saw some encouraging signs. Over the years, England have always had talented players, but what they have lacked is cohesion in the team. The English team, unlike Spain, is composed of players from more than just a couple of clubs, and each of them are accustomed to different kinds of playing styles, and hence, bringing in that unity and cohesion has always been difficult. But if this young crop of English players are groomed and moulded properly, I have no doubt that they can pose serious challenge to the likes of Germany and Spain.

Here’s a look at five of English footballs best upcoming talents:

Phil Jones

This 20-year old defender has been tipped by many as the future England and Manchester United captain. Jones not just brings in a strong character, but he also brings in versatility on the park as he has shown at Old Trafford. He is equally comfortable as a right back, a centre-half and as a defensive midfielder. Gary Cahill, for me, should be an automatic choice for the centre-back position, and Jones along with him, can actually form a very formidable partnership at the back for the three-lions. But for that to happen, Jones needs to be fit, and sadly, for such a young man, he has suffered far too many injuries. As an England fan, I hope he remains fit in future because he surely looks like a world-beater.

Jack Wilshere

Wilshere has been a former recipient of the ‘PFA Young Player of the Year’. And when he plays, it’s difficult at times to believe that he is just a 21-year old kid, because that’s how talented he is. Wilshere, when in full flow, is highly influential in the middle of the park, as he has shown this season for the Gunners. And he possesses the capacity to run a game, a fact which he clearly exhibited in Arsenal’s Champions League tie against Barcelona a couple of years ago. He was just 19 then. But like Jones, he too is injury prone, but if he remains fully fit, not many can deny him a place in the starting XI.

Tom Cleverley

At 23, Tom Cleverley is perhaps the most sought-after English youngster. He has made a handful of appearances for the senior team, but whenever he has put on the English shirt, his performances have been highly appreciated. Cleverley performed exceptionally well on his two loan spells at Watford and Wigan, and started last season at United with a strong performance in the Community Shield. But a series of injuries later in the season did hamper his progress to an extent. He has again started this season on a high, and if he can stay fit, he is going to be one of the most important cogs in the wheel of United and England, whichever shirt he pulls on. A player full of energy and enthusiasm, Cleverley, like Wilshere, has the ability to control the midfield and distributes the ball better than most. He does like to take occasional shots from outside the box as well and has scored some outrageous goals, none better than the one against Newcastle earlier this season.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Early last year, Oxlade-Chamberlain became the second youngest player ever to represent England in the European Championships. A product of the Southampton academy, Alex now plies his trade at Arsenal under Arsene Wenger. “The OX” is slowly becoming fans’ favourite, both at ‘The Emirates’ and when he dons the English shirt as well. He is strong, fast-paced, and has an eye for goal, and under Wenger, one can be assured of his all-round development. The performances he put on for Arsenal last season were more than what one could have asked from an 18-year old kid, and the English fans would hope that he keeps growing and utilizes his full potential.

Raheem Sterling

The best phrase I can find for Sterling is ‘prodigious talent’. Last year, even before Sterling had made his senior team debut, there was an article on him where he was compared to the legendary Liverpool winger John Barnes. Well, that was quiet a lofty praise for a young teenager who was yet to play at the highest level. But watching Sterling play this season, it certainly looks like he is doing full justice to the comparison. He maybe just 18, but has already played an important role in Liverpool’s season thus far, and has become one of the first names that Brendan Rodgers jots down when he picks up the starting XI. Theo Walcott and Ashley Young are certainly ahead of him when it comes to the English set-up, but if Sterling continues to progress at this rate, the day isn’t far when he will be a serious contender for a place in the starting XI.

These are just five youngsters that I have listed but the reality is, England has got lots of good young talent who are waiting on the wings just to get that elusive opportunity. Some of the players about whom I have not spoken in detail are Wilfried Zaha, Kyle Walker, Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling, Jonjo Shelvey and Scott Sinclair, who are as talented as the guys I have already mentioned. The fact is, there is no dearth of young talent in England, and the clubs have been throwing young talent by dozens. But what is required is to keep track of their development, because a lot of the times, some good young talent, especially in big clubs, get lost in the shadows of their more illustrious team-mates. If Roy Hodgson and the English FA want to see England do well in major tournaments, then they have to blood some of the youngsters into the team now, while there is still time.

The team that I would like to see go to Brazil next year is-

Starting XI:

Squad Members: John Ruddy, Jack Butland, Joleon Lescott, Chris Smalling, Phil Jagielka, Glen Johnson, Tom Cleverley, Michael Carrick, Scott Parker, Raheem Sterling, Jermaine Defoe, Danny Welbeck.

The English team had, has, and will always have a lot of good players, players who know how to win games. And therefore, at times, it baffles us fans to see how little success they have achieved since ’66. The future seems bright, but then it has seemed even brighter many times in the last 46 years. And for some reasons which I can’t fathom, we have hardly been successful. It again seems like a new dawn, so let’s just hope our day isn’t marred by a cover of black cloud.