Captain Kinopio wrote:The 'Golden Generation' strawberry floated us.
It's probably no coincidence that the Golden Generation and a general decline in England's performances since the late 90s/early 200s (I would rank 2004 as the last tournament where I enjoyed watching England) is tied together with the explosion in wealth and exposure of the premier league.
The Golden Generation all started playing when the big money began floating about, when the top league became all powerful and when the FA and Football League's influence dwindled.
Obviously, the Euro 96 players played in the Premier League, but most will have been playing before its inception. The Golden Generation are arguably all defined by the Premier League era, and if they weren't playing in it, they'll have been watching it on TV.
So for that generation, the focus was always on the domestic game. Playing for your club took precedent due to the exposure, the recognition and the cash. The need to be at your best week in, week out in four club competitions was more important than the odd time playing for England, not to mention that the rigors of the season means you probably aren't at your best in June or July.
Likewise, if your club is paying you above £100,000 a week, you're probably going to have more of a focus on that, even if there's arguably a stronger chance at footballing immortality in this country if you did win something. I'm surprised that doesn't drive the players on more.