This Saturday England sit their International Spanish exam. In what should be a very one sided affair, my advise to England would be to park the team bus in front of the goal and lock the doors. Never before have a Spanish team been so united, they truly are the best team in the world at the moment. Apart from the accolade of best team on the International stage, they also possess the best club team in the world in Barcelona. Both Barcelona and Real Madrid make up the maority of the squad with 11 players in total, but ironically enough Spains most in form player David Silva is plying his trade with English Premiership leaders Man City.
So realistically what are Englands chances ? In my opinion most of Englands problems seem to be off the pitch at the moment. The dressing room must feel like a war room to both players and management ! In one corner there is John Terry, fresh from his "race war" showdown with Anton Ferdinand, whose brother Rio will be sitting in another corner. How can the two sit in the same room never mind play together after last weeks events. Then there is the manager situation; Capello has never really had any type of relationship with the players and it cant have helped recently that most seem to be looking forward to playing for Harry Redknapp than the current manager.
Sitting down writing this I was trying to come up with who could make the current Spain team, and apart from Rooney (on a good day) I couldnt really come up with anybody. In fact England could well indeed struggle against a second string Spain side ! Think about it, could England beat a team made up of the likes of Reina, Enrique, Arteta, Monreal, Mata, Navas, Llorente. So there in lies in the problem, for the past few years England have indeed had the strength and depth but never used the potential they had in any major competition, and alas time had now run out on the current crop. Evidence is all around us, Scott Parker is now the main man in midfield in his 30's, Ferdinand and Terry would struggle to keep up with my parents in a sprint never mind David Villa, they are a 1 keeper away from having a Championship netminder, and Rooney will still go to the Euro's despite a three match a ban because Capello continues to overlook the likes of Bent, Defoe, and Crouch.
I hope the English fans go to Wembley on Saturday because if nothing else, great football will be played on the great stage.
So all hands to the pumps them for the so called "Golden Generation" who's time is well and truly up !
