Following what can reasonably be termed a successful campaign and yet another major tournament qualification, we can suggest that recent times have been England’s most successful spell. At least as far as reaching major finals goes (Euro 96 hosts, France 98, Belgium and Holland 2000, Japan and Korea 2002, Portugal 2004, Germany 2006, Switzerland 2008-ahem!, South Africa 2010). What then can we glean from this last campaign that could point to a performance at Euro 2012?
After going unbeaten in winning the group on the way to South Africa 2010, national morale was high. England’s star striker had had an excellent campaign, netting nine goals, and the team were instilling in English fans the kind of confidence unseen in recent years. Capello’s continental nous appeared to be having a positive impact on the team.
Players were uncharacteristically composed in possession and lesser opponents were swatted away with the kind of panache and non edge-of-the-seat finishes to which England fans have long been unaccustomed. It all seemed to augur well for the big one, the world cup in South Africa.
Now, over a year on, what occurred there still hurts. Some kind of collective melt-down, breakdown, indifference or exhaustion, swept over the team of erstwhile world-beaters leaving fans dumb-founded with their complete lack of, well, anything. Or maybe, simply, they were just found wanting as a footballing side.
Anyway, with another qualification behind them, England’s place in next year’s championships is secured. Slightly less convincing than the irresistible march to South Africa, granted, but the team remained unbeaten throughout and even the potentially tricky trip to Montenegro, still in need of a point, was relatively free of stress (red card and surrendering of two goal lead notwithstanding).
The mood of the nation seems a touch cautious when contrasted with the ebullience carried into world cup 2010. The fact is that England should never have been in any real danger of failing to qualify out of a group in which the major and nearest rivals were a nation that was itself only established little over five years ago. However, optimism around the country seems to be fragile at best, but there are reasons to be hopeful this time around.
There is a good crop of youngsters, recently given their chance by Capello. This must breed confidence among younger English players in and around the squad. The message seems to be that anybody has a chance of selection provided they perform for their club sides. The last time an England manager had such a depth of genuinely good young players to choose from was Euro 96.
Sol Campbell, Gary Neville, Darren Anderton, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Steve MacManaman, Nick Barmby, Jamie Redknapp and Robbie Fowler were all relatively new to the England set-up. But they were holding down regular premier league places and they all got their chance at the tournament, cue England’s best ever performance at a European Championships (losing out to Germany on penalties at the semi-final stage).
Thirteen of that 22-man squad were 25 or under (average age; 25 and a half), compare that with the squad that went to South Africa with only 5 of the 23 in that same bracket (average age; 28 and a half) and the difference is clear.
The average age of Germany’s squad in South Africa was 25 exactly, they tonked England in the second round and were only edged out one-nil by Spain in the semis. As Germany’s coach Joachim Löw explained at a press conference at the announcement of their provisional squad for tournament, "We specifically picked younger players. They may be short on experience but they have a lot of qualities".
Obviously there’s more to it than simply selecting the youngest players available but provided the quality youngsters are there, which they just might be in this case, favouring youth in the squad selections could be England’s best chance next year.
The squad for England’s last two friendlies, being perhaps the best barometer for how the coach might currently be thinking, had an average age just under 26. Scott Parker’s performance against Spain and England’s centre back pairing over the two games certainly had an impact but, with two wins and some genuinely encouraging individual performances (Kyle Walker, Jack Rodwell, Danny Welbeck), it seems Capello could do a lot worse than pursue this new faith in youth. Don’t rule out the kids, just ask Alan Hansen.