Baines / Rodwell

[TyphooToffee]

Baines would have been better than Young on the left wing.

True but then again my mum would've been better than Young!

 

[kenada_blue]

Even if you look at our teams in those competitions though, few graduate to the senior lineup. If you look at the squad that reached the final of the 2009 under 21 Euros only three are now regular squad members

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_UEFA_European_Under-21_Football_Championship_squads#.C2.A0England

Sure the likes of Gibbs, Richards and Rodwell may well become regulars, but even then the graduation rate is 25%. Hardly great for a team that got to the final.

The Germans by contrast have graduated guys like Neuer, Khedira, Ozil and Boateng to lynchpins of their national team already.

Germans have implemented a system over 8 years where every Germany club has to play a select amount of Germany players.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2010/8789682.stm

They needed a rebuild in 04 and adopted this approach. It was a massive gamble but it's paid off.

Don't forget, Klinsmann was sacked as the national team head coach because of results. They were poor as they brought these players like ozil etc but kept at it until it clicked.

Bottom line is that players need to play. The higher the competition the more mistakes they'll make at a younger age... The quicker they learn as they mature.

As for the national squad, I think Hodgson is on the right track. He's build and team, and a unit, now just needs to add to it. You need to fail to improve so the quicker we get the young kids through and just let them play, the better imo