With the new appointment of Fabio Capello and a time for a new look squad there are many names being touted around for the England squad. With the aim now being assembling a squad ready to challenge for the World Cup 2010 in South Africa there is a certain view that youth should be brought in and be blooded ready for the next tournament. This certainly can be said with the change of the old guard, people like Sol Campbell who can arguably been seen as England’s most consistent performer of the past decade, looked decidedly out of sorts in the massive crunch game against Croatia which saw us eliminated for the European Championships. Other names can also be added to the list that are likely to be too old for 2010, Gary and Phil Neville, David James and David Beckham. Capello also has to contend with the injuries our better players keep having you have to look no further than Michael Owen to see that.
You don’t have to look very far to see the young English talent that is being produced at this very moment in the Premiership. The current top young form players in the English game are Gabriel Agbonlahor of Aston Villa and David Bentley of Blackburn respectively. Agbonlahor is only in his second full season with Aston Villa and has certainly found his feet with 7 goals this season, with his explosive speed he is a handful for any top defender, added with the work ethic and decent touch he could be seen as Capello’s choice for this new look squad. But it has been a baptism of fire for Bentley in his young career, after his much spoken about and controversial decision not to go to the under-21 European Championship due to worries about burn out, Bentley has had a fantastic season so far with 7 goals and 5 Assists to date. His career has taken a certain step forward since his transfer to Mark Hughes’s Blackburn from Arsenal, he has been playing regularly for the past three seasons and is showing his potential. He had a loan spell previously with Norwich in the Premiership which caught the eye of Hughes, in his debut season for Blackburn he scored a hat-trick against Man Utd. He has been branded the ‘new David Beckham’ due to his crossing ability but he has much more than that. Technically he is the best in country in his age range, he can play on either wing, off the front man and in the centre of midfield. With a great shot and two good feet Bentley is the perfect new face the England midfield will need if they are to be a challenge in 2010.
The much publicised lack of English talent coming through the clubs at the moment can be deemed a little over the top. This season and last season has seen the emergence and development of many young English players for big team, you have to look no further than Manchester City, with Micah Richards the most exciting young defender since Rio Ferdinand and other young talent like their goalkeeper Joe Hart and defender Nedum Onuoha the club have a very exciting future. But not to mention other young players like Theo Walcott of Arsenal, Aaron Lennon of Tottenham and Ashley Young of Aston Villa there is some young attacking potential there too. It seems like the youth academies are actually producing young talent and Mr Capello does have a bright future for the nations football team after all.
