Five other young uncapped players that catch the eye as the first signs of Hoddle's post-World Cup intentions are: Norwich winger Darren Eadie, Ipswich duo Richard Wright and Kieron Dyer, Newcastle signing Carl Serrant and Sheffield United's Wayne Quinn.

BBC: News | Football | Gazza snubbed again

Our crop of five, six, seven young players have the potential to have long careers at Glamorgan and a few of them are in a position to actually put in some strong performances on the field.

BBC: Glamorgan ready to hit potential

The town tries to stitch together summer games, coached by Mr. Heilig, recruiting players as young as five years old and people well into their 60s.

WSJ: Mail Them Some Peanuts and Crackerjack

In addition, clubs are permitted to train their young players for a maximum of five hours a week nowhere near the 10, 000 hours which sports scientists calculate it takes to train a world-class athlete, from the time they start playing.

WSJ: Scoring Skills are Heading South

Five Ulster players are named in that tour party, with Henry, Young and O'Connor in both squads.

BBC: Wallace ruled out of Ireland tour

Most importantly, for young players like Thompson, Tseng (still only 23 despite her five major titles) and Jessica Korda, the 19-year-old American who won the Australian event at Royal Melbourne, the future seems secure, if not yet brimming with dollars and network-television exposure.

WSJ: The Comeback of the LPGA and Women's Golf | Golf Journal by John Paul Newport