Ukraine v England: one hundred club of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and …

As Hodgson’s men return to the scene of their penalty shoot-out defeat by
Italy at Euro 2012, Cole, Gerrard and Lampard must feel stuck in a road
movie of do-or-die trips to the east. Each has measured out his life in
qualifying campaigns.

The fan still clings to the belief that there could be no higher honour than
pulling on the three lions. Not every modern player sees it that way.
Qualifying, in remote locations, is the Inter-railing of modern football
with the Champions League as the Orient Express.

The South Africa World Cup of 2010, Euro 2012: each offered the three diehards
a reason to yield to evidence of the team’s inadequacy. After more than a
decade of imploding dreams, what possible justification could they have for
wanting to go to Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine, for a campaign that has
flirted with calamity?

How could any of them need more of that in their lives? Before anyone shouts
about patriotism and pride, there is a point at which a 35-year-old is
entitled to say: “I did my best. I have to think of my club career, in its
twilight, now.”

But he, Gerrard (33), and Cole (32), have kept coming back, despite the strain
these trips place on ageing limbs, the constant threat of public ridicule
and the improbability of them ever touching a trophy.

Hodgson said: “A year and a bit into the job, to have those type of people who
have terrific experience of playing for England and have experienced the
highs and the lows has been a godsend. They are such reliable, consistent
players. I am not saying they’ve never had a bad game. I’m sure they have.

“The fact is you know perfectly well what those players bring to the team and
most importantly it gives a lie to the idea that the England team doesn’t
matter to players and the Champions League has taken over once and for all.”

A cynic might say that staying in the England camp keeps a player’s commercial
profile extra high. Cole, though, hardly seems interested in image
management, and is no billboard regular. Gerrard and Lampard may have
boosted their incomes by association with the England ‘brand’ but not
sufficiently to compensate them for all the hassle.

Cole rarely opens his mouth around the media these days, so his thoughts are
unknown, but both Lampard and Gerrard have confessed to doubt after
tournament let-downs. This week Lampard spoke of the “odd rant” of
frustration to his dad, Frank senior.

Gerrard considered making Euro 2012 his valediction. In the event, he said,
“being the captain and the buzz I get playing for England outweighs the
thoughts of knocking it on the head”.

Inside the minds of all three must be a perverse relish for such trials in
hostile stadiums, with qualification in the balance. They are a far cry even
from glitzy European club games.

They are fraught, desperate switchback rides, with the eyes of a country
locked on every act. Lampard and Gerrard have played on through much
critical turbulence and Cole has been booed by his own fans at Wembley.
Nothing, seemingly, can drag them to the point where they are terminally
disheartened.

Gerrard made his England debut for Kevin Keegan, against Tuesday night’s
opponents, 13 years ago, and has played under Sven-Goran Eriksson, Steve
McClaren, Fabio Capello and now his former manager at Liverpool. Cole’s
first acquaintance with English frustration was finishing bottom of the
group with the England

Under-20s at the 1999 World Youth Championship. In 104 senior appearances
since 2001 he has had to fend off Wayne Bridge and Leighton Baines. Lampard
is holding the younger Michael Carrick at bay.

“You look at those three, they are three players who have done it at the very
top. They are all Champions League winners for a kick-off,” Hodgson said.
“As you rightly say they don’t need an extra England cap and yet I know
there will be no prouder, willing England players than those three.

“It’s a great example to the younger players. If I was a younger player coming
into the team and I saw those three, I think they would put me on the right
track if I was wavering in any way.”