Why are they referred to in this way? As far as I'm aware, they won **** all at U21 level for England.
Because, on paper, they should've been one of the best teams in the World. Of course, paper never won a football match. Bar Scholes, none of them became the World Class players they could've been.
It was just nicked by the English press, I'm sure it was the name given to the Portugese under 21's Rui Costa etc
It's a term used for various international and clubs sides throughout history. England in the 00s Portugal in the late 90s/early 00s France in the late 90s/early 00s Brazil of the 60s Germany currently Yugoslavia in the late 80s/early 90s Bulgaria in the mid 90s Italy in the early 00s Spain in the late 00s/early 10s Belgium currently
The Magnificent Magyars were a brilliant team before 1956, I consider them a "Golden Generation". In fact, they gave England a kick up the backside and encouraged them to adopt new tactics. England then went on to win a World Cup, albeit 13 years later. If only history would repeat itself...
That's another one. I just took a few random ones of the top of my head. The Dutch team of the mid 70s (and to a lesser extent, the Ajax side of 70s) is another. As is the West German side of that era.
Is it? I have always been under the impression it was coined by the Portugese media about them winning the World Youth Cup with Figo, Costa and half dozen others, in the hope they would stay together and win the WC, and our press nicked it from them.
I think that was the first time it came into mainstream media, but the term had been used before that.
Of course every club and nation has at least one golden generation, it's just a matter of the reputation of said club or nation as to whether these golden generations get called as such.
But this is my point, Macca; why were they regarded as being so good "on paper"? They didn't win anything at U21 level, so why so much huffing and puffing about how good they should've been? They won **** all with England at full international level, which was roughly in line with their achievements at U21!
I always assumed it was bitter sarcasm. Individually and at club level, not bad players at all. International level, they bottled it.
Because, at club level, most of the players were very good. When it came to international football, for some reason they didn't gel together.
Exactly. Gerrard was a good player at club level, but he was never world-class, not in a million years.
