England’s so-called ‘Golden Generation’ featured a wealth of talent, but are Gareth Southate’s Three Lions better? Kyle Walker says yes.
The Manchester City defender said that he believes that there is more talent in the squad selected to represent England at the Qatar 2022 World Cup than the ‘Golden Generation’, when the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, and Michael Owen to name just a few were in the squad.
Between 2002 and 2006, England were blessed with world-class talent across the board, though they were never able to bring football home, as the famous anthem goes. Unquestionably, that team underperformed in an England shirt and, since, various members of those squads have admitted that players struggled to set club rivalries aside.
Walker, though, insists that while those players may have been superstars, they dis not have “as much talent” as today’s crop of England internationals.
“You see the likes of Phil Foden, Mason Mount, Jack Grealish, Declan Rice,” Walker is quoted as saying. “These players are not as what we’ve seen growing up from the England team, where it’s all about ‘you wear your heart on your sleeve and you go out and your hard work gets you through’.
“That’s no disrespect to any of the players – Wayne Rooney, Joe Cole, David Beckham – these players had an array of talent but probably not as much talent as these have got.
“It’s a joy that the English game is actually developing in that way.”
Togetherness
While it may be up for debate as to which set of players are more talented, it cannot be argued against that this England squad boast a sense of togetherness that was lacking under the likes of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. Under Southgate, players appear to be comfortable in one another’s company.
Southgate’s England has also outperformed the ‘Golden Generation’, reaching two semi-finals (if you include the Nations League) and a final under the former Middlesbrough manager. That in itself far exceeds the accomplishments of the bygone era, with quarter-final exits the furthest those squads managed.
England’s men have never been closer to winning trophies since 1966 and while the most recent Nations League campaign was incredibly disappointing (verging on embarrassing), the Three Lions remain among the favourites to win the World Cup. At the time of writing, they have started strong with a 6-2 win over Iran in their opening game of the tournament.
Can You Really Compare the Two?
Football has moved on a lot since the days of the ‘Golden Generation’, particularly with the style of play and responsibilities that full-backs now have. Now, full-backs are expected to get up and down the wide areas of the pitch, contributing in all phases of play whereas 15/20 years ago they mostly remained in the defensive line.
Therefore, it is difficult to compare Kyle Walker with Gary Neville as they are two completely different players. Similarly, wide midfielders now operate differently. In the modern game, wide midfielders play as out-and-out attackers (think Bukayo Saka) while Beckham, in his preferred right midfield position, would spray balls into the forward players more than dribble and take defenders on. Again, two completely different players.
In the modern game, the ‘Golden Generation’ would struggle because of the tactics and styles of play utilised in the present day. Similarly, the same could probably be said vice versa.
The two cannot be compared and can only be judged on the results they produced in their respective eras. On that alone, Southgate’s England has to be crowned the superior of the two.
