The Golden Generation's Last Stand

This was supposed to be it. The tournament that the generation of England players, daubed the 'Golden Generation', was finally going to earn the international respect that it has so flattered to deserve over the past decade. The nucleus of the current England squad, those players in their late 20's to early 30's; Lampard, Ferdinand, Terry, Gerrard, both Cole's etc (with the notable exception of Wayne Rooney). They had first come together in Euro 2004, were expected to reach their full potential in the following two tournaments, and had seemed to realise that in all probability this would be their last shot at making a substantial impact on a tournament.

The loss of Ferdinand from their ranks was undoubtedly a blow, but concerns were quickly allayed with the championing of Gerrard to inspire the team onwards with personal conviction and hunger. The ease of the qualification campaign, and the favourable draw, coupled with a group England would have expected to breeze through, led some to postulate a semi-final place and a shot at the final were not an unrealistic outcome.

However, this hasn't happened. A below par draw with the United States offered some concern as to the lack of invention and the sluggish pace of the team. This result was quickly put in perspective by the travails of many of the leading nations in the first games of the group stages, and the performance began to be seen as a creditable (though uninspired) tie with the perceived "greatest threat within the group".

The following game was generally advocated to be where this core group would start to assert their authority upon this World Cup. A truly turgid display followed against Algeria, for my money the poorest display I've seen by an England team in fifteen years of following them.

With the supporters' derisive jeers echoing in the stands, and in the dressing room, the group find themselves at a critical moment. That is, will they bow out with the most humiliatingly ineffective World Cup campaign in English football history, or can they find the resolve to reach the heights they are so often accorded.

Time is running out for the Golden Generation. If they don't stand up and be counted now, in their most desperate hour, they never will.

Fullerov