By Dan Halton

After another poor display it’s not only Steve McClaren who is frustrated by England’s senior players and their failure to produce the goods.

England’s qualifying matches over the years have always been turgid affairs. Before the team would squeeze out a win and qualify with ease but now the goals have dried up, results are suffering and the knives are out for McClaren.

McClaren makes an easy scapegoat but there is evidence of his growing frustration with players who perform so well for their club but are unable or simply unwilling to do it for England. On the eve of this weekend’s goalless draw with Israel, captain John Terry told the press that it was time for the team to finally come of age and perform. The same player also admitted afterwards that the manager tore strips off them following the same old dismal showing from the team.

According to reports Wayne Rooney was singled out for criticism in the post-mortem discussions. For someone who has been in the international set-up for four years Rooney is one of England’s established players. But he has not scored a competitive goal or matched his early form for England since Euro 2004. Justified criticism but surely too little too late to confront members of the so-called golden generation used to the cotton wool of the Eriksson era.

McClaren began his brave new world as England boss by dropping David Beckham - thus signalling an era where performances would dictate. Unfortunately though he has fallen back into the lazy ways of his predecessor by selecting on reputation rather than form. How long has Frank Lampard been given to prove his worth on the international stage? Why is he still played in central midfield when the more dynamic Steven Gerrard gets placed on the right to accommodate him which then shifts the exciting Aaron Lennon over to his more unnatural left side? Even in his squad selection it took injuries to force the excellent Gareth Barry’s call-up even when two left-backs were already unavailable for selection. Some players’ names are not inked on the team-sheet they are set in stone and as long as that is the case the team will continue to live in complacent bliss.

But this points to why McClaren was appointed in the first place. He was the continuity choice - Sven’s number two – while better qualified candidates like Phil Scolari or even Sam Allardyce could have shaken up the squad and entire set-up. McClaren represented what the players wanted – more of the same please.

The “golden generation” are nothing of the sort. They are only golden in terms of their bank accounts. Hyped up by the media and public they freeze like rabbits caught in headlights on the big stage. Every tournament they qualify for is preceded by overblown claims that they can win it only to be followed by disappointment and departure. Euro 2004 was won by Greece - individually very average but as a team they were organised and well-drilled. England meanwhile continue to play as individuals more concerned with their club and contract rather than realising the dreams of their country.

The next game is an opportunity to give certain players a cold harsh reality check. Will McClaren face up to the slackers or will he give them another chance? I somehow fear the latter. Because one good performance by Lampard et al against the minnows of Andorra will not tell us anything new except that maybe we have Sven the Second on our hands.