On current evidence England are certainly unlikely to match FA Chairman Greg Dyke's ambition of winning the 2022 tournament, much less the next one. From a personal perspective, supporting and watching England with various levels of passion since the 1996 European Championship - the 2014 exit, didn't give a similar gut-wrenching feeling as South Africa 2010 or failing to qualify for EUR0 2008. It was probably the most dour tournament departure of the last 18 years and it takes England a step closer to the embarrassing mark of 50 years, since the lone 1966 international triumph. However, before the tournament disappointments, fact is during the 2013/14 domestic season many young English players performed for their clubs & in the early weeks of the 2014/15 season. Roy Hodgson failing to get them to replicate such form in Brazil doesn't render their talents invalid. Steven Gerrards recent international retirement, in which he unfortunately never was his Liverpool self enough for the national team, highlights that England players not fully reproducing their club form in the three lions shirt, is one of great historical quandaries for the national team. So as we watch in admiration and mild resentment at our great German rivals celebrating World Cup glory, most England fans will blank out the national team sorrow by supporting their clubs in premier league dubbed the Greatest Show on earth in the country that is ranked 20th in world, according to the latest FIFA rankings. Otherwise looking ahead, sorry peeking ahead at Russia 2018, except for Ross Barkley here is a list young players who were not in Brazil or on the stand-by list, that are likely to be important team members.
Football fanatic & frustrated England national team supporter.
I tend to watch all international football tournaments and qualifiers that is humanly possibly. Also, as much premier league, serie a, bundesliga, la liga, ligue 1, champions league and MLS every season.
