England U-21s can show Capello the way forward

Given that it's hard these days to get worked up about the senior England football team, what hope is there that anyone will pay but a blind bit of different to the England Under-21 squad as they prepare to launch their European Championship campaign?

A general cloud of apathy has hung over the Three Lions since their shambolic performance in last year's World Cup when they failed to beat either the USA or Algeria, before surrendering meekly to the Germans in the last 16. Subsequent displays have been just as hopeless in their attempt to qualify for next year's Euro 2012, the most recent being Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Switzerland.

So what should the country expect from the Under-21s ahead of their opening match with Spain on Sunday? More of the same, in other words eleven individuals who are clearly killing time until the new domestic season kicks off? Or a squad of fired-up players who see these championships as a golden opportunity to stake a claim for inclusion in Fabio Capello's senior squad?

Hopefully the latter, though admittedly Capello is by nature conservative in his selection. But even he knows that the 'golden generation' has lost its lustre. The likes of Chelsea trio Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and John Terry are shadows of the players that they once were, as is Manchester United central defender Rio Ferdinand. Even Steven Gerrard, increasingly plagued by injury, is in the twilight of his England career. If Capello continues to believes this is the core of a team that will mount a credible challenge to next year's Euro 2012 he is more deluded than we thought.

So who are the alternatives who could form the next 'golden generation'? Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere and Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, 19 and 22 respectively, have already made their senior debut and will no doubt feature regularly in the coming seasons. Both will be missing from the Under-21 championships – as will another Gunner, Kieran Gibbs, and Manchester City's Micah Richards - but there is plenty more top class talent in Stuart Pearce's squad. Two of them – midfielder Jordan Henderson and defender Phil Jones – have been sold this week for a combined total of £36.5m with Henderson moving from Sunderland to Liverpool and Jones going to Manchester United from Blackburn.

Jones will link up at Old Trafford with three other England Under-21 players – defender Chris Smalling, midfielder Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck, a striker. Then there's Chelsea frontman Daniel Sturridge, of whom great things are forecast, and not forgetting Ipswich's teenage prodigy Conor Wickham, who's attracted interest from Arsenal in the past. With the highly rated Jack Rodwell of Everton and Arsenal's Henri Lansbury also in the squad, Pearce has plenty of talent at his disposal. "There's a real learning curve from a tournament like this," said Pearce on Thursday. "They're playing against the best that Europe has got to offer in a three, four, five-game scenario."

Spain will certainly provide a stiff test for England's up-and-coming seeing as they have  within their ranks Javi Martinez and Juan Mata, both of whom were involved in last year's World Cup triumph. But as the saying goes - 'If you want to be the best you have to beat the best'. A mindset this current crop of senior England internationals know nothing about. ·