My England world beaters

Are the so-called golden generation going to wipe away campaigns of under-achievement by lifting the foot-high green and gold bauble?

Is the hurt of 44 years – and counting – finally going to end?

Can the pantheon of 1966 be matched by the pretenders of 2010?

Will television commentators continue to slip into cliché-dom of volatile Argentineans, methodic Germans, unpredictable African nations or the ultra-cautious Italians?

Well, as part of the build-up to South Africa, this column will now declare it’s best England XI – I’ve watched the national team since 1963 – in 4-3-1-2 formation.

Goalkeeper: So many contenders for number one. England once boasted not one, but two world-class practitioners of the gloved arts in Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence, while at the same time there was the likes of Phil Parkes at QPR.

But there is only one genuine candidate for England’s best – the last man standing in 1966, Gordon Banks. Not only a World Cup winner, but the man whose 1970 stop of Pele’s downward header ranks as one of the best ever saves.

Right-back: The number two shirt wearer of ’66 was George Cohen, who has gone on record as saying he will never see a World Cup repeat for England as long as he lives. One of our finest right-back exponents, he was matched more recently by Gary Neville and Gary Stevens, the latter of Everton and not the Tottenham man of the same name. But for me the best right-back I have seen is Rob Jones. His hold on the shirt barely spanned eight caps as injury cut his career short.

Left-back: Arsenal’s Kenny Sansom has his admirers in a similar way to the hold on the number three berth presently enjoyed by Ashley Cole. Further back, Leeds’ Terry Cooper was the epitome of left-flank raiding, while 1966 hero Ray Wilson was another Yorkshireman of skill and guile. However, the nod goes to the combative, combustive, passionately patriotic Stuart Pearce. One of the finest and fiercest tacklers ever.

Centre-backs: England watchers would say the current era has never been more blessed. Besides skipper Rio Ferdinand, there’s a rejuvenated Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Jamie Carragher and Michael Dawson. Former sentinels Des Walker, Jack Charlton, Norman Hunter, Terry Butcher and Mark Wright have their champions. None of those make my top two, who are the legendary Bobby Moore and the equally cultivated and commanding central defender, Roy McFarland. Together they formed a genuinely footballing and flinty axis, but it was only brief as Moore was in his autumn days and McFarland succumbed to a snapped Achilles tendon.

Midfield: The cast list for the midfield trio is considerable. Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, Martin Peters, Tony Currie, Trevor Brooking, Gerry Francis, Trevor Steven, Peter Reid, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Gareth Barry, as well as widemen like John Barnes, Chris Waddle, David Beckham, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Ian Callaghan, Terry Paine. It goes on. But my triumvirate, who all boast dynamism, energy, stamina and flair, comprises Manchester City’s Colin Bell, the late Alan Ball and former Stoke City and Chelsea schemer Alan Hudson.

Much has been made of the “in the hole” position – Peter Beardsley, the aforementioned Gazza, David Platt, Teddy Sheringham – all have excelled there. But before that phrase even came into being the maestro of such a position was Bobby Charlton. Now a knight of the realm, while scoring a still record 49 goals for England, he always reigned supreme.

Strikers: The men with the hardest job – putting the ball in the onion bag. The three lions have had some belters. Jimmy Greaves, Geoff Hurst, Roger Hunt, Allan Clarke, Mick Channon, Franny Lee, Kevin Keegan, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler. My ideal pairing though would be Michael Owen, whose greyhound pace and predator’s stealth so brilliantly lit up France 1998, and his current Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney. A true genius, a fit, feisty and free-scoring Roo-master is the sole reason why England have any chance of South Africa success.

If you can come up with a better line-up, email your selection to sport@thepress.co.uk just fill in the form below!