Euro 2016: finally the new start for England?

WITH the World Cup just around the corner, UEFA have made the draw for Euro 2016, and realistically there is no reason on this earth why England shouldn't qualify for the tournament unless we suddenly decide to appoint Steve McLaren again (just kidding. Even he should qualify!).

In a group containing Switzerland, Estonia, San Marino (surprise surprise), Slovenia and Lithuania, and two automatic qualifying positions with a third play-off position, there really are no excuses for not qualifying against some of Europe's 'whipping' boys. 

It's probably fair to say Switzerland won't be an easy game, with the likes of Shaqiri, Derdiyok, Inler and Von Bergen among their ranks, but luckily Hodgson will know what to expect for the away leg having managed the Swiss. 

San Marino we know plenty about having faced them in the recent World Cup qualifiers and convincingly won both legs 5-0 at Wembley and 8-0 at the Stadio Olimpico di Seravalle. The U-21s even have it as a formality having won 9-0 in November 2013.

Slovenia were one of our group opponents during that summer of 2010, and we won 1-0 to qualify from the group, although the score line didn't reflect the dominance of the Three Lions, mainly thanks to Handanovic in the Slovenian net... With the squad we now have, they shouldn't make it so difficult for us.

Then Estonia and Lithuania? They aren't teams that I can think of any players off the top of my head, although it is always a cardinal sin in football to underestimate, and like with penalties, England sometimes make hard work of games against the unknowns..

All in all, it looks like we've got the 'easy' group when you consider who we could have got, and there are no nasty derbies with the other home nations.. 

Sir Alf Ramsey's 1966 World Cup
team remains the only major honour
England have won...

Maybe it's the sort of break England need to build up some confidence leading to a potentially successful tournament because these are the sort of games that haven't often required the outgoing heads of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Phil Jagielka and Ashley Cole: they are a chance for the new generation to make their statement and announce their arrival.

Personally, I can imagine a team along the lines of this: Hart; Walker, Jones, Cahill, Shaw; Henderson, Wilshere, Barkley; Walcott, Rooney, Sturridge. Added with players like Lallana, Rodriguez, Sterling, Bamford and Butland on the bench, the future may not be as doom and gloom as some fear...