Ross Barkley, the next English Superstar?

England does not have the talent pool that the South American countries of Brazil and Argentina have. Neither does England have the academies of the Dutch. The English Premier league, probably the biggest league in the world in terms of money attracts the best players from all over.
Does home grown talent get sufficient chance to grow in these conditions? If you look at the England national team and the match winners they have produced over the last five years or so, you would probably say there is a dearth of quality talent coming through in England.
Let us examine the English midfield. Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard are the pillars in England’s midfield. Gerrard is 34 and Lampard is 36. Much water had flown under the London Bridge since England produced a midfielder of their quality.
In comes Ross Barkley, Age 20, and Midfielder who came through the Everton Youth academy and played in the England U21 team. He has started playing for Everton this season, he was at loan to Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United earlier.
This season he has produced 3 goals from 19 matches, does not sound too great, does it?
But what he has done is add a spark to the Everton midfield. This guy can take on defenders, play box to box, sneak in the long balls, win crucial tackles in midfield and take the long range shots. Reminds you of Steven Gerrard?
He does not have a single assist against his name at Everton. Statistics do lie this time though. Barkley oozes confidence when he is on the ball and is probably the only English midfielder as of now who can take on defenders. There is one more thing special about him – there is no Englishman who has played like Barkley since Gazza and Gerrard.
Material enough to label him the next big superstar? I believe not.
Barkley is having his first full season in the premier league. He is playing with Everton. He has not shone against the big five of the league. Everton do not go to the Champions league either. He has not had a chance to play against the defenses of Italy or the tactically superior German sides leave aside the Spanish armadas.
On an International level, he does not have a place in the side since Lampard and Gerrard are around. He has not led the English midfield in a major International tournament.
Still, you will see in the papers that Manchester United is ready to splurge 50 million on him. Critics suggest that England should build their national team around him. Early days I say for that sort of money or responsibility.
Let Barkley play a few tight premier league games, let him score a few critical goals, let him play for bigger clubs than Everton, go to Europe and play against the big European clubs and let him handle the pressures of leading the England midfield in International matches.
These will take probably a couple of years or more to happen. Enough time for the player to build his strength and skills but a long time to go before he becomes the next superstar.