As England's Senior XI disappeared down the Upton Park tunnel at half time some of them could be forgiven for, perhaps, looking over their shoulder in anticipation of what was to come when the youngsters took the field for the second half against Australia.
Not only because the more experienced eleven had left the second half England team a mountain, of Ayres Rock proportion, to climb with a 2-0 deficit but also because when opportunity comes knocking it is generally youth, with its disdain for fear, that drives on relentlessly.
And that's exactly what England's Under 25s did and they made a jolly good attempt at getting a result against 'The Socceroos', with several of them staking a good claim for inclusion in the forthcoming squads for the Euro 2004 qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Turkey.
Of course, all eyes were on Wayne Rooney as he became England's youngest ever international at 17 years and 111 days and his bright and mature 45 minute performance, not to mention his part in England's only goal, had me thinking what might he have achieved had he partnered Michael Owen, as James Beattie had done to decent effect in the first half.
Within moments of breaking Owen's record, as the previous youngest international, the Everton youngster brought hope and optimism to a packed Upton Park that couldn't grasp the interval scoreline of…England 0 Australia 2. We've only ever seen that after two Ashes tests or two Davis Cup rubbers.
With only his second touch Rooney controlled the ball and surged forward into the space he had spotted as he took the ball. Spotting the express train on the right known as Darius Vassell, Rooney found him with a super pass and the Villa man forced a save from Schwarzer at the near post.
Not long afterwards Rooney was involved again when he exchanged passes with Jermaine Jenas before trying his luck from all of 30 yards. Okay, so it wasn't in the same league as the wonder goal that ended Arsenal's record run in the Premiership but what it did do was signal the confidence the youngster has in even trying a shot.
At the other end Paul Robinson jumped several rungs up the pecking order for the keeper's jersey with a stunning save. Marco Bresciano hit a long-range free-kick which flew through a crowded box, untouched, before it bounced wickedly on the ground. When the ball shot up, destined for the roof of the net, the Leeds keeper produced a world class reflex save to keep the score at 2-0.
It is no coincidence that Rooney, Jenas, Vassell and Robinson were probably the pick of an excellent second half XI for England and should be named in the full squad for the forthcoming internationals. Francis Jeffers, of course, will come into consideration if only for the precise, confident and instinctive nature of the finish which enabled England to make a game of it last night.
What struck me about Rooney was the way he tried to use the ball, intelligently. He played deep and his decision-making was instantaneous, and that quickness of thought is what separates good players from very good players. He sprayed passes, short and long, in all directions. Okay so not all of them achieved the desired effect but the fact that he is capable of executing that skill adds to his potential importance, AND he scores goals as well.
Jenas was a revelation and the way he covered ground, and was effective in whichever area he found himself, augers well for his international future. And when you consider the goalscoring feature which he has added to his game, under Sir Bobby Robson, it suggests he too will be a big player in England's future. As may Jeffers who headed his first England goal, on his debut, from a Jenas cross as good as the main man Becks himself.
Vassell wasn't really the unknown international quantity that Rooney and Jenas were, but what he did at Upton Park reminded everyone, after his form and injury problems of the last year, that in terms of pace, skill and goal threat he is a must for future squads. It also probably added to the list of admiring clubs who are closely monitoring the striker's situation at Villa Park.
Robinson had little chance with Australia's third goal but the goalkeeper, making his international debut, added a great number of 'brownie points' to his already growing stock since he ousted Nigel Martyn from the Leeds goal. Not only has he got technical ability, in spades, to deal with the mundane aspects of goalkeeping, such as catching crosses etc but, as demonstrated in his save from Bresciano's free-kick, he has that added 'X' factor that separates the great keepers from the good, astonishing reflexes.
It would be very easy to go overboard with the way England's new boys played in the second half at Upton Park, and there will be plenty of divisive comparisons with what went on before the interval, but there is one major PLUS to consider.
If the senior internationals, who went off at half-time, are stimulated into responding with better performances, by the show the youngsters put on, then the youngsters will have to respond with even better. If not then the youngsters have already shown they are more than capable. Either way England are in a 'win, win' situation.
So you see, not all doom and gloom is it?
