Originally Posted by
defuz
I've detected a lot of positive feelings about England's chances of late. Their stock is certainly rising. Not too sure about the Rooney v Beckham question. Rooney's the up & comer, but beckham enjoys tremendous hype. Owen is still a stud. I see England as a legitimate contender for the cup next year, as long as they are more willing to adapt to the international game.
Traditionally they have been very 'stiff' in their style of play, not ajusting well to South American teams or styles of play they're not used to. But, Sven is doing a much better job with them of late.
After a disastrous 1998 effort from the USA, we amazed everyone in '02 with a quarter final appearance. Brilliant. We are also enjoying a surge in talent of late which shows promise for the future. But I believe that our best shot will be in the 2010 cup when some of that talent has matured. I just hope we put in a good showing again, as we do have the players that can perform on the international stage.