Colossal Squid
Returning video tapes
A lot has been made of the current England team being the oldest team in the World Cup and sadly their collective experience doesn't seem to have counted for ANYTHING as yet.
However I am interested to know where we go AFTER this tournament is over (which for England looks like being next week) because obviously quite a lot of the current team aren't going to be playing, at least at the required standard, by the time of the next World Cup and I'm not entirely confident we have lots of exciting youth coming through the ranks.
The current squad:
David James (39) - Will be 43 by the time of the next World Cup. Clearly too old. GONE
Robert Green (30) - Could easily manage another World Cup, if he ever recovers from his CALAMITOUS mistake against USA. POSSIBLE
Joe Hart (23) - A ray of light. Young enough to have at least THREE more World Cups in him and I hope he takes over as England's number one in the not too distant future for many years to come. YES
Glen Johnson (25) - When he's good he's good. Young enough to be back next time, potentially at his peak. YES
Ashley Cole (29) - At the age of 33 he's not going to be as quick as he is now, and that's an important part of his game. I'd be worried if we were relying heavily on someone of his age at left back at the next World Cup. POSSIBLE
John Terry (29) - I'd like to think we'd have some fresh young challengers by 2014 but they're certainly not making themselves obvious now. Nothing to suggest JT doesn't have another World Cup in him although I shudder to think just how much slower the advancing years will make him. POSSIBLE
Michael Dawson (26) - We'll probably see him again. YES
Stephen Warnock (28) - He has ONE cap at the age of 28. He'd need to really pick up his game to expect to be involved at the age of 32 (preferably with a lot more caps under his belt). NO
Matthew Upson (31) - Not good enough to be playing internationally at the age of 35. NO
Jamie Carragher (32) - Shouldn't even be at this World Cup. f*** right off if you think he's going to have any role to play when he's 36. NO
Ledley King (29) - I very much doubt he's going to hold together much longer. NO
Steven Gerrard (30) - Will probably only be a peripheral character if he is involved at another World Cup, rather like Beckham would have been this time round if he weren't injured. POSSIBLE
Aaron Lennon (23) - Has enough about him to hopefully get better. YES
Frank Lampard (31) - Sorry mate, I think this is your last World Cup. NO
Joe Cole (28) - I'm a big fan and sad to see him not involved so far in South Africa. Would like to think he'll be back next time round. YES
Gareth Barry (29) - Potentially good enough to fulfil his duties again in four years time. Claude Makalele was 33 when he helped France get to the World Cup Final in Germany and whilst Barry isn't as good as Makalele, I can't see who else we've got. YES
James Milner (24) - Gotta hope he keeps improving but I see no reason to suggest he won't be back for more. YES
Shaun Wright-Phillips (28) - I don't really rate him to be honest. And he's another player who'd be far less effective without his pace. At the age of 32 he's not likely to have so much of that pace. NO
Michael Carrick (28) - I don't think he does enough now, let alone when he's pushing 33. NO
Wayne Rooney (24) - OBVIOUSLY has another World Cup in him, possibly two. YES
Peter Crouch (29) - Might be involved again. Might not. Hard to judge. POSSIBLE
Jermain Defoe (27) - I'd sooner we had younger players as back up next time out but he won't be too old. POSSIBLE
Emile Heskey (32) - NO WAY is he getting another chance at a World Cup. NO
SO that makes a total of EIGHT players currently in the England Squad I'd expect to see still in the team in four years time. That means we are looking at quite a lot of fresh faces. Now Walcott could obviously be back in contention to fill one of the slots for 2014 BUT I don't see too many other promising youngsters knocking on the door. Johnson from Man City might get a look in and that shit hot young Chelsea hot shot may yet live up to the hype but otherwise I'm a little concerned as to where the future stars of England are currently hiding.
Of course four years is a long time in football BUT four years ago, with the exception of Joe Hart, everyone in the current England squad was well known across the land. Right now I couldn't name a 23 man squad for World Cup 2014 however.
Who have we got to look forward to?
However I am interested to know where we go AFTER this tournament is over (which for England looks like being next week) because obviously quite a lot of the current team aren't going to be playing, at least at the required standard, by the time of the next World Cup and I'm not entirely confident we have lots of exciting youth coming through the ranks.
The current squad:
David James (39) - Will be 43 by the time of the next World Cup. Clearly too old. GONE
Robert Green (30) - Could easily manage another World Cup, if he ever recovers from his CALAMITOUS mistake against USA. POSSIBLE
Joe Hart (23) - A ray of light. Young enough to have at least THREE more World Cups in him and I hope he takes over as England's number one in the not too distant future for many years to come. YES
Glen Johnson (25) - When he's good he's good. Young enough to be back next time, potentially at his peak. YES
Ashley Cole (29) - At the age of 33 he's not going to be as quick as he is now, and that's an important part of his game. I'd be worried if we were relying heavily on someone of his age at left back at the next World Cup. POSSIBLE
John Terry (29) - I'd like to think we'd have some fresh young challengers by 2014 but they're certainly not making themselves obvious now. Nothing to suggest JT doesn't have another World Cup in him although I shudder to think just how much slower the advancing years will make him. POSSIBLE
Michael Dawson (26) - We'll probably see him again. YES
Stephen Warnock (28) - He has ONE cap at the age of 28. He'd need to really pick up his game to expect to be involved at the age of 32 (preferably with a lot more caps under his belt). NO
Matthew Upson (31) - Not good enough to be playing internationally at the age of 35. NO
Jamie Carragher (32) - Shouldn't even be at this World Cup. f*** right off if you think he's going to have any role to play when he's 36. NO
Ledley King (29) - I very much doubt he's going to hold together much longer. NO
Steven Gerrard (30) - Will probably only be a peripheral character if he is involved at another World Cup, rather like Beckham would have been this time round if he weren't injured. POSSIBLE
Aaron Lennon (23) - Has enough about him to hopefully get better. YES
Frank Lampard (31) - Sorry mate, I think this is your last World Cup. NO
Joe Cole (28) - I'm a big fan and sad to see him not involved so far in South Africa. Would like to think he'll be back next time round. YES
Gareth Barry (29) - Potentially good enough to fulfil his duties again in four years time. Claude Makalele was 33 when he helped France get to the World Cup Final in Germany and whilst Barry isn't as good as Makalele, I can't see who else we've got. YES
James Milner (24) - Gotta hope he keeps improving but I see no reason to suggest he won't be back for more. YES
Shaun Wright-Phillips (28) - I don't really rate him to be honest. And he's another player who'd be far less effective without his pace. At the age of 32 he's not likely to have so much of that pace. NO
Michael Carrick (28) - I don't think he does enough now, let alone when he's pushing 33. NO
Wayne Rooney (24) - OBVIOUSLY has another World Cup in him, possibly two. YES
Peter Crouch (29) - Might be involved again. Might not. Hard to judge. POSSIBLE
Jermain Defoe (27) - I'd sooner we had younger players as back up next time out but he won't be too old. POSSIBLE
Emile Heskey (32) - NO WAY is he getting another chance at a World Cup. NO
SO that makes a total of EIGHT players currently in the England Squad I'd expect to see still in the team in four years time. That means we are looking at quite a lot of fresh faces. Now Walcott could obviously be back in contention to fill one of the slots for 2014 BUT I don't see too many other promising youngsters knocking on the door. Johnson from Man City might get a look in and that shit hot young Chelsea hot shot may yet live up to the hype but otherwise I'm a little concerned as to where the future stars of England are currently hiding.
Of course four years is a long time in football BUT four years ago, with the exception of Joe Hart, everyone in the current England squad was well known across the land. Right now I couldn't name a 23 man squad for World Cup 2014 however.
Who have we got to look forward to?
Fact.
