Not just a question of youth
Peter Taylor's team in for criticism
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Monday, 02, Oct 2006 02:48
Call it unpatriotic, but there is a growing consensus that England's under-U21 team is becoming little more than a waste of time and money.
Instead of being a 'grooming university' that gives young players the skills and experience to flourish in international football, there has arguably been a glut of players in recent years who have either taken several gap years or spent too long in the equivalent of the student bar by not living up to their label as a 'next big thing'.
You only have to look at the under-21's recent record to realise the system is not working effectively. In 2000 and 2002, the team crashed out of the group stages of the European championships. In 2004 and 2006 they went one-worse by failing to qualify and this Friday they will be looking to avoid what would be a humiliating hat-trick.
So is it simply that the players are not good enough? Well, the evidence would suggest so, with a string of players failing to make the grade over the past few years. For example, the most capped players at under-21 level include Gareth Barry (27), David Prutton (25), Jermaine Pennant (24), and David Dunn (20) who have achieved nine England caps between them - the majority of them substitute appearances. The only player to have successfully graduated into an established player is Frank Lampard, who has only become a regular since 2003 and the retirement of Paul Scholes. It is a similar story with the top goalscorers that feature several 'nearly men' - Carl Cort, Shola Ameobi and Francis Jeffers, the latter of whom boasts a better strike rate for England than Bobby Charlton and Michael Owen - one cap, one goal and he hasn't been seen since. Rightly so too.
Cast your mind back to 2002 when the Cheeky Girls topped the charts, Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham were best pals, and Emile Heskey was an England international. The under-21 team that beat Slovakia was: Matt Murray, Jay-Lloyd Samuel, Paul Konchesky, Michael Carrick, Bramble (yes, Titus has worn an England shirt), Gareth Barry, David Prutton, Jermaine Jenas, Francis Jeffers, Shola Ameobi, Joe Cole. How many have gone onto play for England, how many are in the current squad and how many are established? The paltry figures speak for themselves.
The current crop of players coming through the youth ranks does not offer much optimism for the future. Anton Ferdinand and Scott Carson will probably make a few squads but Peter Taylor's side has become a dumping ground for players who have been demoted to the under-21s, instead of the reverse process of churning out talent with recent squads featuring Theo Walcott, England's most expensive tourist at the World Cup, Darren Bent, and Glen Johnson. Although Aaron Lennon and Stuart Downing have graduated from youth level, the adage surely applies that 'if you're good enough, you're old enough'.
Finally, the Football Association is not exactly bursting with money. Rather than having one or two reliable feeder teams, they have an extended family covering every birthday: there is an U19s, U18s, U17s, and U16s side. Considering they are still paying Sven a whopping £85,000 a week until January 2007, one solution would be to have less feeder teams, bring back the B side which includes players regardless of their birthday and would surely close the gulf with the senior team, and send the under-21s concept into football's 'Room 101' along with diving, card-wavers, and Garth Crookes.
Nadeem Badshah.