Gareth Barry and Manchester City are Have a Hopeful Future

It's been quite a while since Manchester City was proudly represented in the England shirt. Today's current crop of football great from City, including Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joleon Lescot and Gareth Barry are reminiscent of the 1970 World Cup when Francis Lee and Colin Bell fought their way onto a squad full of 1966 heroes. With spirit at an all-time high, City has high hopes for their boys, a feeling they haven't felt since the late 1960s.

Colin Bell, widely recognised as Manchester City's greatest player, never received enough credit for his accomplishments - winning the league and three cups with City. Bell was never subjected to ProZone analysis but if they had had such a thing in the 1970s his figures would quite probably have been off the scale. Back then of course, they built their legend on more romantic foundations and few stood as spectacularly as the midfield engine from the north east. They called Bell 'Nijinsky' after the racehorse so renowned for its stamina.

Where Bell found legends Alan Ball, Martin Peters and Bobby Charlton standing in his way on his way to 48 caps, City's current midfield general Gareth Barry initially found Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard blocking his route to the national side earlier this decade. Yet under Fabio Capello he has established himself as a key member of the squad - moving to 36 caps by winning ball, making the right passes and delivering much valued reliability.

Optimism is ringing high at the club - as fans insist that that the medals that decorated Bell's career at club level will almost certainly be added to Barry's trophy cabinet over the course of the next few years. He is, after all, still at his peak at 29. Manchester City and England fans will be hoping Gareth Barry can take care of Colin Bell's unfinished World Cup business and help the national team into the deep end of the biggest tournament of all.