where did all this "golden generation" nonsense come from?

[dreamz]

why are they being labelled as the "golden generation"??

wtf have they done to credit themselves as golden???

they've not previously won an u-21 title - as u often get with a squad labelled the golden generation

they've won fk all.

[Pesty]

media hype thats all it is.

[Gun]

I'd never heard them described as that until today, golden generation my arse.

[Mojooo]

as with most things the media made it up and overhyped them

[deevlash]

I first heard it in relation the England at the start of the world cup. Frankly, I have no idea why, its pretty much the same team theyve had since Euro 2008 where they were st and we didnt hear the term being bandied about then.

[MiniMan64]

It refers to the ridiculous amounts of money they get paid, NOT how good they are.

Clearly.

[ClintonB]

As said, a combination of media hype, luck & assuming that remuneration is always equal to talent.

Not just an English phenomenon though. Portugal (for one) have also had at least one golden generation who've won precisely bugger all.

[deevlash]

ClintonB said:

Portugal (for one) have also had at least one golden generation who've won precisely bugger all.

They won the under 21 european champs didnt they?

[ClintonB]

deevlash said:

ClintonB said:

Portugal (for one) have also had at least one golden generation who've won precisely bugger all.

They won the under 21 european champs didnt they?

Possibly (I'll happily bow to greater knowledge) but it isn't quite the real thing. However, if you can't win the real thing with Figo et al, you ain't a golden generation.

On the other hand, the interesting thing at the moment is that none of the current top of the tree players seem able to drag a less than wonderful team to greater things, as happened in the past. The truly special players seemed to manage it but at the moment, the best players seem to only be able to do it at club level.