The first time I heard the term “Golden Generation” was in the 1990s when key members of Portugal’s wonderful trophy-winning youth sides were making the step up to the senior team, and Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Nuno Gomes et al began putting on displays as charismatic as they were effective.
Perhaps the term was used before then. Indeed, many a great international team has been built on the back of a great youth system, but it was at that point that the term Golden Generation began to gather steam, or at least at that point I began to hear it, and use it. A lot. Too much, in fact.
The truly great international programs never have a Golden Generation; they just seemed to blend great youth into already established great sides.
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That is why I don’t consider the current German team as a Golden Generation. Despite a small blip in the late 1990s early 2000s that became the catalyst for this current juggernaut, German football has always been great. Same goes for Brazil.
Spain? There is an argument to be made there, I suppose. However, La Roja fielded very strong teams even before Xavi and Andres Iniesta began running the show—it’s just that they felt compelled to choke on the big stage.
England just loved to celebrate its Golden Generation. After all, how could a side that brought through such talents as Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Michael Owen and Ashley Cole fail over the course of time?
Just as Portugal’s Golden Generation failed to ever make that big breakthrough (still don’t know how… oh, yeah, Greece, that’s how) so too did England’s. In truth, Portugal’s Golden Generation enjoyed more success than England’s, usually by beating England.
So here we are, the countdown to Euro 2016 has begun with a slew of tantalising friendlies this weekend. Yet for England, I am hearing no mention of a Golden Generation.
Times change, the faithful have been beaten down, I guess. After all, the young talent set to make their mark for the Three Lions surely deserve the recognition and the opportunity to let down their fans just as their predecessors did?
Right?
Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley, Eric Dier, John Stones…
Oh dear. They excite me.
In the past this would be considered a Golden Generation, no?
Could it be the expectations are finally at a manageable level? It appears so.
Let’s keep it that way, at least until after England scrapes through to the knock-out round in France. Then we can begin to dream, to build our hope up to suitable heights, that when it all comes crashing down we will once again stagger from the rubble, brush ourselves off again and start looking forward to the next wave of talent.
These are the feelings of an England footy victim. Such negativity shields me from my reality. Deep down though, despite all the lessons, that hope does shine through, and the future does look a little bright, perhaps not golden, but bright.
Let’s keep that between us though.
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