The Golden Generation can hear the clock ticking against them as tournament after tournament goes by, World Cup after European Championship, yet still they don’t fulfil their once glittering promise. And Steven Gerrard admits even he has got one eye on Old Father Time now.
Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, plus more than a few others in Fabio Capello’s squad, are well aware that South Africa 2010 might well be their last chance of a shot at the ultimate prize.
By the time Brazil 2014 comes around, there will undoubtedly be a new generation, the Gabby Agbonlahors, the Joleon Lescotts.
Old Father can be slowed, of course – David Beckham is still a key part of England plans as they go into the double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra at the ripe old age of 34.
But Gerrard reckons Goldenballs is a one-off.
By the time Brazil comes around Gerrard will be 34, and he is not at all sure that he will be in the same kind of shape or form.
So there is no danger that Gerrard, and a significant number of this current squad, will be taking lightly what on paper are games that a multi-million-pound squad should win with ease, leaving them with a foot in the finals.
Euro 2004 slipped away from Gerrard and his team-mates; the 2006 World Cup was a massive disappointment, missing Euro 2008 an intense frustration.
Gerrard knows the opportunities for glory are running out. “This is probably the last chance for the players of my generation,” he said.
“Hopefully we will reach this World Cup. I will be 30 when it comes round, and for me it will be the last opportunity of doing well at a World Cup.
“And that is my motivation.
“I will certainly try for 2014, but you never look that far ahead as a player. For me, I am hoping to go into the next World Cup at 30 years of age, in my prime and very strong.
“I’m not sure I will be in that shape come 34. I won’t be taking any risks. I’ll be trying to get to one more World Cup.”
As for Beckham, who is in much better shape now after his stint at AC Milan, Gerrard said: “Of course he has managed to do it – but he’s Beckham, isn’t he!
“David is in fantastic condition. He’s certainly a role model for me and if I could be in his shape at his age I would love nothing better than to give the World Cup another go. You never know.
“You look at players such as Beckham, or Paolo Maldini at 40, and you think, ‘I would love to go on to that age’. I would love to play as long as I can for Liverpool and England. But I don’t look that far ahead. I’m concentrating on Kazakhstan.”
Gerrard said recently there could be no mistakes in these next two games, no slip-ups like the defeat in Northern Ireland under Sven-Goran Eriksson in the last World Cup qualifiers, the Euro 2008 qualifying defeats in Russia and Croatia under Steve McClaren, or the dismal draws in Israel and Macedonia.
There is more steel, a greater professionalism about England, Gerrard believes, which makes such catastrophes less likely.
“I am going on how we have performed of late since Fabio came in,” he said. “We are progressing well, getting stronger and becoming more of a team. We have been guilty of playing like individuals in the past but the manager is focusing a lot on the team. We’ve got the right mentality and we need to keep winning – that breeds confidence.
“The boss said he expected two goals from me in these games, so he added a little bit more pressure.
“It will be good to start them and if I can get a couple of goals and a couple of wins I’ll enjoy the three or four weeks off afterwards.”
According to Gerrard, the effect of Capello, the stern taskmaster with an unswerving vision of what he wants, is the key to 2010 success.
“Capello can make the difference. He could be the key to the side having a successful World Cup,” Gerrard said. “He is one of those managers in the handful that are the best. Managers who are that good can make the difference. They are focused, winners. And that has transferred itself already.
“But we don’t want to be carried away. There’s still a long way to go and a lot of improvement for this team to make. But I am confident we can do better than before.
“It’s difficult to say how far off we are, but its clear Spain are the benchmark. They have to be massive favourites for South Africa given how well they have been playing of late, and how well they played against us.
“It was good that we played them in that friendly [England lost 2-0 in Seville in February], to get an idea of how good they are and what we need to improve.
“We need to improve on everything. We need to be more difficult to beat, more ruthless in the final third. You can never stop improving and that goes for individuals and the team.
“We’ve got 12 months to become a force in the World Cup. That’s the challenge.”
And for Gerrard, it might well be the final one. ‘I feel strongly that this will be my last chance to do well at a World Cup’‘Capello is one of the best, and managers like that make the difference’’
Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, plus more than a few others in Fabio Capello’s squad, are well aware that South Africa 2010 might well be their last chance of a shot at the ultimate prize.
By the time Brazil 2014 comes around, there will undoubtedly be a new generation, the Gabby Agbonlahors, the Joleon Lescotts.
Old Father can be slowed, of course – David Beckham is still a key part of England plans as they go into the double-header against Kazakhstan and Andorra at the ripe old age of 34.
But Gerrard reckons Goldenballs is a one-off.
By the time Brazil comes around Gerrard will be 34, and he is not at all sure that he will be in the same kind of shape or form.
So there is no danger that Gerrard, and a significant number of this current squad, will be taking lightly what on paper are games that a multi-million-pound squad should win with ease, leaving them with a foot in the finals.
Euro 2004 slipped away from Gerrard and his team-mates; the 2006 World Cup was a massive disappointment, missing Euro 2008 an intense frustration.
Gerrard knows the opportunities for glory are running out. “This is probably the last chance for the players of my generation,” he said.
“Hopefully we will reach this World Cup. I will be 30 when it comes round, and for me it will be the last opportunity of doing well at a World Cup.
“And that is my motivation.
“I will certainly try for 2014, but you never look that far ahead as a player. For me, I am hoping to go into the next World Cup at 30 years of age, in my prime and very strong.
“I’m not sure I will be in that shape come 34. I won’t be taking any risks. I’ll be trying to get to one more World Cup.”
As for Beckham, who is in much better shape now after his stint at AC Milan, Gerrard said: “Of course he has managed to do it – but he’s Beckham, isn’t he!
“David is in fantastic condition. He’s certainly a role model for me and if I could be in his shape at his age I would love nothing better than to give the World Cup another go. You never know.
“You look at players such as Beckham, or Paolo Maldini at 40, and you think, ‘I would love to go on to that age’. I would love to play as long as I can for Liverpool and England. But I don’t look that far ahead. I’m concentrating on Kazakhstan.”
Gerrard said recently there could be no mistakes in these next two games, no slip-ups like the defeat in Northern Ireland under Sven-Goran Eriksson in the last World Cup qualifiers, the Euro 2008 qualifying defeats in Russia and Croatia under Steve McClaren, or the dismal draws in Israel and Macedonia.
There is more steel, a greater professionalism about England, Gerrard believes, which makes such catastrophes less likely.
“I am going on how we have performed of late since Fabio came in,” he said. “We are progressing well, getting stronger and becoming more of a team. We have been guilty of playing like individuals in the past but the manager is focusing a lot on the team. We’ve got the right mentality and we need to keep winning – that breeds confidence.
“The boss said he expected two goals from me in these games, so he added a little bit more pressure.
“It will be good to start them and if I can get a couple of goals and a couple of wins I’ll enjoy the three or four weeks off afterwards.”
According to Gerrard, the effect of Capello, the stern taskmaster with an unswerving vision of what he wants, is the key to 2010 success.
“Capello can make the difference. He could be the key to the side having a successful World Cup,” Gerrard said. “He is one of those managers in the handful that are the best. Managers who are that good can make the difference. They are focused, winners. And that has transferred itself already.
“But we don’t want to be carried away. There’s still a long way to go and a lot of improvement for this team to make. But I am confident we can do better than before.
“It’s difficult to say how far off we are, but its clear Spain are the benchmark. They have to be massive favourites for South Africa given how well they have been playing of late, and how well they played against us.
“It was good that we played them in that friendly [England lost 2-0 in Seville in February], to get an idea of how good they are and what we need to improve.
“We need to improve on everything. We need to be more difficult to beat, more ruthless in the final third. You can never stop improving and that goes for individuals and the team.
“We’ve got 12 months to become a force in the World Cup. That’s the challenge.”
And for Gerrard, it might well be the final one. ‘I feel strongly that this will be my last chance to do well at a World Cup’‘Capello is one of the best, and managers like that make the difference’’
No comments:
Post a Comment