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lost boys

Ross Barkley leads a wasted generation of England talent in worrying signs for the country

Playmaker snubbed talent factory Tottenham in favour of Chelsea, giving a clue as to the priorities of the player and his advisors

ROSS BARKLEY had a choice between Chelsea and Tottenham this month.

That he snubbed Spurs, who have been the making of so many young English players, and opted for Chelsea — where they are often paid handsomely to disappear, tells you about the priorities of the player and his advisors.

 Ross Barkley was supposed to be a shining light for England
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Ross Barkley was supposed to be a shining light for EnglandCredit: Getty Images - Getty

Before Barkley’s emergence, another physically impressive and technically gifted young Evertonian — Jack Rodwell — broke into the England team.

Sunderland are now trying to rip up Rodwell’s £3.5million-per-year contract because he cannot get into the worst team in the Championship.

When Rodwell left Everton at 21, he was regarded as a commanding England midfield anchor man of the future.

After joining Manchester City, he swiftly faded from view and was a former Three Lions player by his 23rd birthday.

 Arsenal trio Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have not fulfilled their potential
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Arsenal trio Jack Wilshere, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have not fulfilled their potentialCredit: Getty - Contributor
 Former Everton prodigy Jack Rodwell's career has nosedived
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Former Everton prodigy Jack Rodwell's career has nosedivedCredit: EMPICS Sport

Rodwell’s descent has been steeper than most but he is no rarity as a talented English player who made the wrong career choices and ended up as a wealthy bench-warmer.

In the aftermath of the last World Cup you might have looked forward optimistically, imagining this well-balanced front six —  at the peak of their careers age-wise — starting England’s first game in Russia: Rodwell (26), Jack Wilshere (26), Theo Walcott (28), Barkley (24), Oxlade-Chamberlain (24) and Daniel Sturridge (28).


WOUNDED PRIDE England boss Gareth Southgate admits some of his squad do not deserved to be picked


And yet Gareth Southgate doesn’t intend to select any of them in his squad.

All six were early examples of millionaire teenage players and all have gone backwards since 2014 in an environment more  competitive than ever.

They have had injury setbacks —  but can any one of them honestly say they have made the most of their potential?

Wilshere, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott  stayed too long in the Arsenal comfort zone,  where players no longer develop.

All three enjoyed stellar moments for England as kids — the Ox scoring a belter in the Maracana, Walcott’s  hat-trick   in Croatia and Wilshere as man of the match against Brazil at Wembley in 2013.

 Daniel Sturridge did not establish himself at Liverpool or Chelsea
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Daniel Sturridge did not establish himself at Liverpool or ChelseaCredit: AFP - Getty
Five reasons why Chelsea signed £15m Ross Barkley from Everton

Yet Southgate  doesn’t believe they have matured into players  worthy of a World Cup place  despite their abundant talent.

On Sunday, Wilshere and Oxlade-Chamberlain produced moments which might have jolted England’s manager.

The Ox darted at Manchester City’s defence and conjured a thumping finish which was the beginning of the end for Pep Guardiola’s unbeaten Premier League campaign.

He is still young enough to reinvent himself  as a central midfielder at Liverpool —  and live up to predictions from some at Arsenal that  the club will live to regret his £35m sale.


COSTA REEKS

SO England have arranged a  friendly with Costa Rica because they come from the same part of  the globe as World Cup group rivals Panama, so must therefore play like them.

Not to mention    agreeing to play Nigeria as they’re from the same continent as Tunisia. But when  you consider this age-old  practice . . .

A) Is geographical stereotyping still the done thing?

B) It’s not exactly giving the public what they want, is it?

C) It’s not really worked well in the past, has it?

 

Yet the day after his  move, Southgate stated bluntly that he doesn’t see Oxlade-Chamberlain as a central midfielder, with   a dreadful display against  Lithuania last year apparently a filthy mark against his name.

Southgate’s take on Wilshere is more surprising, especially to anyone who watched him  illuminate a dismal Arsenal performance at Bournemouth.

At one point, Wilshere —  surrounded by six opponents ­— produced a feint, swivel and pass to start an Arsenal attack.

You wondered how Southgate, a beggar when it comes to  central-midfield talent, can be choosy enough to ignore him?

 Ross Barkley was tipped for big things
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Ross Barkley was tipped for big thingsCredit: AFP or licensors
 Gareth Southgate needs to address the number of players falling short
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Gareth Southgate needs to address the number of players falling shortCredit: Reuters

Speaking for Roy Hodgson’s regime, Gary Neville said a fit  Wilshere is England’s ‘Best midfielder by a street’.

While Hodgson swore by  Wilshere and selected him for Euro 2016 when he was not fully fit, Southgate is sceptical about his mobility — even if  he proves his fitness. Perhaps when Wilshere’s contract expires this summer, he should follow  Walcott in  leaving Arsenal.

Walcott, the oldest of England’s lost boys, has left it late to escape to Everton  and his union with Sam Allardyce is  curious.

Allardyce generally knows his own mind.

Yet Walcott is 28 and nobody even knows what he is yet.

A REAL WORRY

IN case you missed it, Real Madrid really are very bad this season.

Historically bad. Almost Arsenal bad.

Saturday’s home defeat by Villarreal leaves them clinging on to fourth place in Spain’s supposed  two-horse race — with centre-forward Karim  Benzema being off-loaded after only two league goals this  season.

If your club have an outstanding young manager who speaks Spanish and a long-term enmity with Barcelona, then feel worried.

If your club has the hottest young centre- forward in the world, then also feel worried.

Yes, that’s you Tottenham. And you, Tottenham.

Taken to Germany as a 17-year-old  in 2006, Walcott now looks  destined never to play at a World Cup, unless this move — a gamble on both sides — works out.

Sturridge, reckoned by many  to be a more natural finisher than Harry Kane, is now  seeking a move from Anfield and Southgate will welcome his bid for regular football. Yet again, it all feels too late.

In fact, when you study the progress of English players over the past five years, they tend to fall into two categories — those who’ve played for Mauricio Pochettino have progressed, while those who haven’t have regressed.

As Barkley’s agent must have failed to mention.

Arsenal player Theo Walcott appears angry after being substituted by Arsene Wenger

EITHER Antonio Conte or  Marina Granovskaia — Roman Abramovich’s transfer fixer — thinks Andy Carroll would be a good Chelsea signing.

No wonder there’s so little chance of those two carrying on working together next season. One of them must think the other is stark-raving bonkers.

IT probably won’t be shortlisted for goal of the month, let alone the season, but my favourite goal of 2017-18 so far was Roberto Firmino’s for Liverpool in their win over Manchester City.

A muscular shoulder-to-shoulder challenge followed by an exquisitely delicate chipped finish. Why choose between finesse and power when you can have both?

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