Soccer Portal

Not knowing who your country's manager will be in an upcoming major European tournament is a typically English situation to be in - one of absolute absurdity. When the Football Association came to an agreement to let Fabio Capello leave his contract some seven months early, they threw England's plans for Poland and Ukraine into disarray at a surprisingly early stage. Usually it's after the first group game that things fall apart for the Three Lions.

Nevertheless, with a friendly against Holland coming up on February 29th, a game that coincides with the release of yet another new England shirt, whoever is the next man to step into the hot seat(assuming the media haven't already handed Harry Redknapp the job by the time you read this) has a fantastic opportunity to look towards the future, and mould a national team that has an actual chance of winning a trophy.

John Terry is no longer captain, and there are some making the case that he should no longer be a part of the squad altogether. Ditto the case with Rio Ferdinand and Frank Lampard - members of Capello's lions who were more 'golden shower' at times than golden generation. If the FA see sense and appoint an ambitious, young European manager who isn't Stuart Pearce, then the squad for Euro 2012 should have a much younger, more exciting feel.

The likes of Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Kyle Walker are already starting to make their presence known in the senior England set-up, but what if Soccer Portal got out its' crystal ball to peer further into the future? Here are some names, that you may or may not have heard of, that could be starring in Russia in 2018...

10. Mason Bennett - Derby County - Forward

A real long shot to start with - 15 year old Mason Bennett, who's caused quite a stir at Pride Park for a young man who should still be worrying about grades rather than goals. Despite his tender age he's already made seven appearances for the Rams' first team, becoming their youngest ever player in the process, made appearances for England's U17 team alongside teammate Will Hughes and had scouts from Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool tracking his progress.

Not bad at all, and working under a manager with the lineage of Nigel Clough will surely only accelerate this young man's footballing growth. Born on the same day England beat Scotland in Euro 96, Bennett could well be on his way to creating his own national team memory in the future.

9. Devante Cole - Manchester City - Forward

The surname should probably ring a few bells. Son of the Premier League's second highest goal scorer of all time Andrew 'Andy' Cole, Devante Cole is a bright prospect at a club that is more renowned for spending hundreds of millions of pounds than blooding youngsters.

That is where the challenge lies for the 17 year old striker, but with his imposing and athletic 6ft. 4inch stature, Cole can ensure he stands out in the coming years. Already scoring goals for England's under-17 side, and having represented them at under-16 level as well, the youngster looks to possess the hunger and desire to succeed that saw his dad put his name on the score sheet time and time again.

8. Nathaniel Chalobah - Chelsea - Defender

Born in Sierra Leone but spotted at an early age by coaches in the English international setup, Chalobah is almost a veteran in the Stamford Bridge youth setup despite still only being 18 years old. Tall but agile at the same time, Chalobah now captains the Chelsea Reserve side, having done the same for England's under-17's earlier in his career before moving on to take the England under-19 armband.

In fact, he made his debut for that national team age group at just 14 years old, causing some to wonder why with the Blues' current defensive crisis, Andre Villas Boas doesn't just throw the youngster in at the deep end. He's yet to make his first team debut for Chelsea, but has trained with the big boys in pre-seasons past. It's surely only a matter of time before Chalobah makes his senior bow for both club and country.

7. Harry Kane - Tottenham Hotspur - Forward

Another London lad getting his shine is Harry Kane, but unlike Nathaniel Chalobah, Kane is no stranger to making a move. In the 2009-10 season, the striker scored 18 goals in 22 appearances, prompting boss Harry Redknapp to give the youngster a place on Spurs first team bench on two occasions.

Those performances were good enough to earn him a spot in the England under-17 setup, where he's since graduated to playing for the under-19 team, scoring four goals in seven games at that level. Impressed, and wanting Kane to play regularly, Redknapp sent the promising forward on loan to Leyton Orient where he scored five goals in 18 appearances. If that wasn't enough to catch the eye, Kane netted eight times in as many pre-season friendlies for the Spurs' first team.

Currently on loan at Milwall, where he has yet to score, the slight frame of Harry Kane even has a Europa League goal to his name for Tottenham. With Harry Redknapp in the frame for the England job, could he stick around long enough to give one of his club side's most prized assets his senior international debut in the future?

6. Ravel Morrison - West Ham United - Midfielder/Forward

One to watch, perhaps for more than just what he does on the pitch, Ravel Morrison recently left Manchester United owing to the fact that his contract was up in the summer and the 19 year old could not agree terms with Sir Alex Ferguson. Though the Wythenshawe-born midfielder claimed this wasn't because he wanted too much money, anyone who dares to go toe-to-toe with Fergie may not be playing with a full deck, so to speak.

Now plying his trade at West Ham (though he has yet to debut) after Ferguson turned down a bid from Newcastle in the January transfer window, Morrison can call on several examples of League Cup experience for the Red Devils, as well as pointing to some key goals in the Manchester side's FA Youth Cup winning campaign of last season, as reasons why he can excel in the future.

Can young Ravel follow in the footsteps of the Neville brothers, Nicky Butt and David Beckham, among others, as successful graduates of the Old Trafford academy? He'll need to shy away from the kind of behaviour that has seen him handed a 12 month referral order due to witness intimidation and hauled in front of the FA for homophobic abuse on Twitter, and concentrate on the kind of form that has seen him make appearances for England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 level. A true rough diamond who could yet shine.

5. Ross Barkley - Everton - Midfielder

It's hard to begrudge success to any player who comes back from a career-threatening injury - let alone an 18 year old. Ross Barkley, who suffered a tripe leg fracture two years ago whilst on international duty, is such a player.

An imposing presence at 6ft. 2inches, Barkley has made five appearances in the Premier League so far this season for Everton alongside top stars like Marouane Fellaini and Royston Drenthe, earning the praise of manager David Moyes in the process. The Scot, who has overseen the development of Wayne Rooney during his many years at Goodison Park, probably knows a thing or two about special talents.

Barkley currently has four England U21 caps to his name despite being three years younger than that particular age bracket, and with the Toffees current squad also containing promising homegrown youngsters Jack Rodwell, Jose Baxter and James Wallace, only a fool would bet against a few more England caps making their way to Merseyside in the coming years.

4. Connor Wickham - Sunderland - Forward

Somewhat of an enigma, in that he's yet to really show the Premier League why Sunderland paid Ipswich £9million for him in the summer of 2011, Conor Wickham nevertheless makes it onto the list. Last, but not least, however - this is a player who still has a big future ahead of him.

Currently the youngest player to ever play for Ipswich, at 16 years an 11 days, Wickham was originally on the books at Reading before the Tractor Boys snapped him up. At Portman Road, the striker netted 13 goals in 65 games, which includes a strike against Scunthorpe before he had even turned 17.

Tottenham had been tracking the youngster before he signed for the Black Cats, and looking at Wickham's experience at England youth level, it's not hard to see why. Capped at under-16 and under-17 level, of which the record of 9 goals in 13 appearances saw him fast tracked to under-19 and then under-21 status, Wickham has yet to establish himself in Stuart Pearce's plans but at just 18, still has a lot of time to do so.

3. Jack Butland - Birmingham City - Goalkeeper

What would all these talented youngsters do without a promising shot stopper backing them up? Concede a lot of goals, obviously, so thank the lord for Birmingham's Jack Butland who continues to make waves as a potential future England number 1.

Yet to make a senior appearance under Chris Hughton, Butland has instead shone whilst enjoying a loan spell at Cheltenham Town, where teammates there have praised his commitment and attitude to improving his game despite his less than glamorous surroundings. In fact, he rejoined Town this month in order to further his development, although it shouldn't be too long before the 18 year old is starring at St. Andrews.

Having represented England at five different age levels, most recently in the under-21 bracket, the 6ft. 4inch 'keeper already has an international trophy to his name, that being the UEFA under-17 Championship. With Butland between the sticks in five or ten years time, England's senior side could well be breaking out the Brasso too.

2. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - Arsenal - Midfielder

Calling this young man the next Theo Walcott may be selling him somewhat short - if his early footballing years are anything to go by, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain could be on his way to creating an Arsenal legacy more akin to that of Thierry Henry.

The similarities with Walcott are there, obviously: both are graduates of the Southampton academy, both possess blistering pace and both operate on the wing. However, 18 year old Oxlade-Chamberlain appears to have the final ball and finishing ability that seem to elude Walcott on a regular basis.

Alex played 36 times for the Saints, making his first team debut at just 16 years and 199 days. Infuriatingly perhaps, he's the club's second youngest ever player behind Walcott, but for a man who commanded a £12million transfer fee last summer, there shouldn't be too many worries.

Oxlade-Chamberlain has represented England at under-18 and under-19 level, and has scored 3 goals in 7 under-21 appearances. Add Champions League appearances to that resume as well and you've got quite a CV for someone who would have only finished his A Levels six months ago had he been a student.

1. Josh McEachran - Chelsea - Midfielder

"The next Frank Lampard", "I see him as very much a part of the future of this club" and "that's Liam Brady" - just a few of the comments Chelsea staff past and present have made about Josh McEachran, who, at just, 18, is already being tipped to become a future star on the international stage.

Carlo Ancelotti, Andre Villas Boas and Ray Wilkins, who made the above comments, may not be too far wrong. Though not blessed with an imposing physique, McEachran possesses what Alan Hansen may call a 'football brain' - that is, the youngster has the ability to read the game fantastically despite his limited experience(which still includes a start in the Champions League, by the way).

An FA Youth Cup winner with Chelsea, a UEFA Under-17 Championship winner with England, the midfielder has already made 11 first team appearances at Stamford Bridge, although with the arrival of Juan Mata, a loan move to Swansea was seen as being the more beneficial next step to McEachran's development. There he's linked up with Brendan Rogers, who saw the Chelsea man come through the London side's academy.

McEachran has made appearances at four different age levels for England thus far, and his next target will undoubtedly be the senior side. Becoming a regular for his country should not be too difficult a task in the years to come with such ability.