ENGLAND’S record goalscorer Sir Bobby Charlton has written off the current national side’s chances of success at the 2014 World Cup.
England begin their qualifying campaign for the tournament in Brazil with a match in Moldova today.
But 1966 World Cup winner Charlton, 74, believes Roy Hodgson’s side are “a way off” competing for trophies again.
“They haven’t got a lot of top-quality players so you must feel it is going to be difficult to win things,” he said
“You cannot see it happening in Brazil at the next World Cup, for instance.
“Perhaps, if the right group of players come together and stay together for a while and gel into a team, with the right manager, then perhaps it might happen, but I have to be honest and say it’s a way off.
“Since the European Union and the influx of so many foreign players, there is a definite shortage of English players from which the England manager can select and it has become far more difficult.
“I feel sorry for the England manager, whoever he is, as he simply doesn’t have enough players to choose from.”
Charlton’s stance differs from his assertion ahead of England’s last-eight clash with Italy at Euro 2012, when he claimed Hodgson’s side could win the tournament. Italy ended up winning that game 4-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Kiev.
Many believe that England’s hopes of success lie with Wayne Rooney, who has struggled to shoulder such expectation since excelling in his first major international tournament – the 2004 European Championships in Portugal, in which they were knocked out by the hosts in the quarter-final. (BBC Sport)