Days of the golden generation coming to an end?

Football in the PL seems to happen in stages. We have a sudden spurt of top players, a mixture of our 'golden generation' and foreign players too. They play for a while, eventually get 'old' and then retire around about the same age. This then forms the transitional period where a new spurt of youth players appear.

I think that stage has already started and will be continuing over the next couple of years. Some of the biggest names in PL football are getting to the end of their careers (or have done already) and will be moving forward. Here are a list of players I've found who are likely to be retiring within the next few years, or have done so already. Feel free to add a few more if I've missed anyone.

Paul Scholes
Ryan Giggs
Edwin Van Der Sar
Didier Drogba
Steven Gerrard
Frank Lampard
Rio Ferdinand
John Terry
Ashley Cole
Kevin Davies
Wes Brown
Brad Friedel
Bobby Zamora
Michael Owen
Wayne Bridge
Gareth Barry (probably - he looks too slow at age 30)
William Gallas
Carlo Cudicini
Ledley King
Dirk Kuyt
Jamie Carragher
Craig Bellamy
Tony Hibbert
Louis Saha
Tim Cahill
Sylvain Distin
Phil Neville
Mark Shwarzer
Damien Duff
Aaron Hughes
Steve Harper
Shola Ameobi
Richard Dunne
Emile Heskey
Robbie Keane
Danny Higgenbotham
Matthew Upson
Rory Delap
Peter Crouch
Jonathan Woodgate
Ryan Nelsen
Clint Hill
Shaun Derry
Kieron Dyer

Should be an interesting next few years.

 

How many of them would you call top players though? Not many.

 

Alot if the names you mention there are the epitome of mediocrity and hardly part of some golden generation

 

This.

 

How downhill did that list go?

 

Who gives a ****?

I said this:

Some of them are part of the 'golden generation' and some of them are not.

If people find anything to whinge about when someone makes a new article to try and create some discussion then this is why no one bothers making new threads in this place anymore.

 

Seconded

 

I think we've all missed the point then....

 

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There are a lot of old faces, for virtually every PL club, who will be moving on. Just because a player is 'mediocre' it doesn't mean that he wasn't important for his respective club for a number of years. Virtually every team has one of two of their 'elder statesmen' who are looking likely to call it a day in the coming seasons. Our two longest serving players for example, Ameobi and Harper, are coming towards the end.

Just a lot of recognisable characters who have been around for a while but will be moving on soon.

 

I like the second row, two in from the right. Fit a few bricks in that i reckon...

 

I see what you are saying Chappaz however there is a new breed of very exciting players coming through who could become mainstays in the PL. We have players like Bale, Wilshire, Cleverly, Krul, Ramsey, Lukaku, Sturridge, Suarez, Colo etc who can form a whole new golden generation. Remember before this current lot, we had Shearer, Bergkamp, Zola, Cantona, Ginola, Ferdinand etc. There is always a new "golden generation" to replace the old pre existing one .

Interesting article though mate, open for discussion (despite some of the replies )

 

Completely agree:

It's a transitional period where there are a lot of old faces heading out, but a lot of new faces heading in which are likely to be the most well known PL players for many years to come. I think we're in that period now, so it should make an interesting next few years. It's especially noticeable for England, where a large chunk of the most well-known players are heading towards the exit (Ferdinand, Terry, Lampard and Gerrard, with Scholes already gone).

 

But the short handle means you'd have to get close to your opponent, I'd personally go for the one on the far right on the 3rd row. Bigger handle and would only have a few bricks less.

Not sure Colo can be classed as the new golden generation, he's already 30. But the others definitely.

 

I can never ignore our permed assassin! I love him too much and is a hero in my eyes lol!

 

I like the one at bottom left, that would allow for a lot of swingage, but obviously I would have to sacrifice a few more bricks!

 

I don't get it. Some 30 somethings will retire, some 20 somethings will take their place. Welcome to competitive sport.

 

Well if you don't get that then answer the sub-thread instead...which bag would you use and why?

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Risky move, if you dont get a good enough swing, with so few brings it wouldn't be as deadly.

 

All of them, inside some kind of enormo-bag.