SIR Trevor Brooking believes the emergence of young stars like City's Shaun Wright-Phillips proves the future of English football is "in a very healthy situation".
Across England's six men's international sides sides, 31 of their overall 50 games were won, with only two competitive matches lost during the entire campaign.
The Under-19s and Under-17s both qualified for their respective European Championships, while the Under-21s look well placed to do the same.
Brooking, the Football Association's director of football development, believes the current talent at junior level can only mean a positive outlook for the future of the full national side.
"We are in a very healthy situation," said the former West Ham and England forward, 57.
"Our Under-17s and Under-19s are very highly ranked and both of those sides reached their respective European Championship finals this year.
"It has been a good year, not only for the results, but also for the identification of new players and through the system we can now see quite a few players who are going to come through in the next few years."
"Results are important, but the key for us is whether sufficient numbers are coming through the system to play for the senior team," Brooking added on The FA's official website, www.thefa.com.
"Then it is up to us to spot them early enough so they get the chance to move up the system, play above their age group if required and, hopefully, play for the seniors.
"Although there are players who do very well with England at youth level, but then don't even manage to make a living from the game, there are plenty of instances where players come right up through the system and play for the seniors.
"This season just past, Stewart Downing and Shaun Wright-Phillips are players came through to the seniors from youth level and that augurs well for the future."
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Don't vote in the poll about SWP's worth. You know the MEN, they'll turn it into a story: 'City fans went SWP sold'
Good point Tony, furthermore I observe the Closet RED (Paul Hince) has gone very quiet his article on City being tempted to cash in on SWP was quickly taken off the site as if the MUEN were protecting him. This man has a nerve calling himself a City fan,what do others think of him?
the england first xi with swp instead of beckham is indeed healthy but there are too many names put in the squad regardless of recent form and it is pretty bare at times. if only claude makelele and others were english!
swp isnt any good.hes not worth a penny so nobody would want to buy him ;-)
please mr hince look at what im saying and publish it in the MUEN
That was a good spot Ted!