Despite a disappointing performance and result from a weakened England side against Brazil in Qatar, many would argue that come South Africa 2010 next summer England will have one of their strongest sides in recent decades; such claims have even gone as far as that England have a chance of finally winning the World Cup once again. Such optimism should really be in the shadows when it comes to England, after all, the ever famous 1966 World Cup victory is the only final of a major Championship England have ever reached and, in the 43 years since that fateful day, England have only come close to adding to their trophy cabinet twice, in Italia 90 and Euro 96, both times bowing out to the ever prominent Germans on penalties. Ever since 1966 so many times the squad flying out have been dubbed “The best for years”. Indeed the current “Golden Generation”, around since the painful 2002 World Cup, has yet to achieve anything of merit, most notably failing to even qualify for the European Championships last summer.
With six spots for South Africa 2010 still up for grabs, the qualifying action is far from over and who knows what shocks will be forth coming. Although England’s possible opponents may not have qualified yet, in just two weeks from now England, and 31 other countries, will learn their fate as the group stages are drawn and preparation goes into overdrive. Despite a record qualifying campaign from the Three Lions there are still many questions being asked over the squad that ever resilient manager Fabio Capello will take to the World Cup. Capello himself has expressed that not only does he already know his number one goalkeeper for the Championships next summer but that only SEVEN out of the 23 tickets on the plane to South Africa next summer are up for grabs. In fact I doubt even Mystic Meg would be confident at guessing the names on Capello’s list given the fact that a huge thirty players were put on backup status for the squad against Brazil in case of injury, each of them surely with a belief that they can force their way into the squad.
Whoever boards the plane next summer however will, in my eyes, deserve their spot. Capello has chosen well since being in charge and although we are yet to play well against an international powerhouse (bar Jermaine Defoe against the Dutch) his squad selection and stewardship of the national side has been successful and brought the stability England needed post McClaren.