Wish farewell to 'The Golden Generation'. They should never return as, yet again, they deflate the nation

As I, as well as half the nation, enter into the early stages of depression, the jolly tunes of ‘World In Motion’ are drowned out by Oasis’ apt, ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’. England are defeated. Defeated and disgraced. The golden generation are over and there are so many unanswered questions rapidly meeting our ears as we sit and dwell on what could’ve been.

Sepp Blatter says “fans love to talk about wrong decisions”. This is his reasoning for not employing the much called for goal-line technology. Mr. Blatter is clearly not your average football fan. As he is pampered in his luxurious world of being the FIFA chief executive, he has clearly lost touch with reality. Fans hate these scandalous decisions. They hate the fact that, if the destroying decision to call Frank Lampard’s spectacular ’goal’ was rightfully given as a goal rather than the outrageous call of a “no goal”, we could be having yet another England barbecue in a few days time. They hate the fact that the media will talk about it until the premiership begins and something new, scandalous becomes the major talking point. They hate the fact it will be used as an excuse to paper over the cracks of a disgusting performance which insults them all. They hate the fact they’ll never know what might have been.

Because it was a terrible performance. As I look back, it’s rather difficult to understand why we invested so much optimism in this game. We always invest our belief in them, they beg for our support in their darkest hour, and they always let us down. Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry. Names we will probably never see in an England world cup squad again. It was their last chance and they could barely pass the ball. Fabio Capello; tactical genius? No. Mr. Capello has let us down, “the best manager we’ve ever had” we bellowed proudly at foreign rivals. He stubbornly dismissed the option of playing Gerrard behind Wayne Rooney, he pushed Joe Cole on the pitch in the dieing minutes of our campaign to cover his own back and he didn’t even organise a decent defence. In fact; the defence was truly woeful as they constantly strayed out of position and desperately clambered to strengthen their laughably stretched back line.

Wayne Rooney. Admittedly he’s carried the hopes of our nation on his shoulders for some time now, but if he does want to fulfil his potential as the superstar he could become then he must take responsibility and produce the displays expected of him.

Numerous times I watched Manchester United last season, on so many occasions a shiver has rocketed down my spine as Rooney is clattered to the floor and I pray in hope that he gets up and is ok for the world cup. What a waste of time. Rooney’s performances have been nothing short of pathetic for England and I must say, I feel personally disillusioned with him. Every time he lethargically admired the ball as it bounced in front of him, “throw yourself at it” the nation would roar, frustration built as the goalkeeper gratefully cleared up with pleasure.

When the final whistle went of this Germany game, it’s likely the frustration thermometer inside the hearts of England fans finally reached boiling point as they internally exploded and their hopes and dreams for England spontaneously combusted.

All the goals were pathetically conceded with simple counter attacks employed by the Germans. To concede four in a game of such magnitude is simply a disparaging humiliation. When Matthew Upson scored that header and that regretful moment of Lampard’s ‘goal’ erupted onto our screens it genuinely looked like one of them landmark moments. That game you tell your grandchildren about. The time the British spirit was at it’s very best as the underdog battled their way into the lead and progressed into a latter round. It was never to be.

With England, it’s questionable as to whether it ever will be. In my life-time? Debatable. And I’m 16 years-old. That group of players were something special, for their clubs at least, and as you expected them to build international experience and adjust to each other’s playing style in time for a romantic tournament victory, they’ve simply deflated and succumbed to England’s worst world cup defeat of all time. The new generation; Jack Rodwell, Adam Johnson, Joe Hart. Good players, but they’re not Lampards, Gerrards or Beckham. But we must wish goodbye to these talismanic figures who’ve continually abandoned us and left us in a state of unbearable disenchantment.

I sincerely hope these men never play for England again. Yes; Ashley Cole, Glen Johnson and Wayne Rooney will. But we must look to the future. Perhaps be sensible and build a team who will play together and will forge a push for the championship we've longingly wished for, but admittedly, never deserved.