Peter Crouch is a columnist for Sportsmail
Revisiting the 2010 World Cup is not something I usually like to do, but Callum Hudson-Odoi made me go there this week.
My abiding memory of that tournament is the aftermath of England being smashed 4-1 by Germany in the last 16.
We couldn't believe the quality of relatively unknown young players such as Mesut Ozil, Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller and it was obvious their generation was going to be a force.
I remember the FA saying that it was their aim to have a similar generation in the future.
The work started immediately after we got back from South Africa but, if I'm honest, I was sceptical that we would ever be in a position where Germans were looking enviously at our players.
Here we are nine years on and I'm delighted to see my gut feeling was wrong. I'm even more delighted that we have our own special generation emerging and the story of Chelsea's Hudson-Odoi and Bayern Munich is a case in point.
Some people have been critical that Chelsea seem prepared to sell another young player without giving him a chance, but can't we look at it another way and appreciate what a fantastic opportunity this could be for Hudson-Odoi?
Chelsea's 18-year-old winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is wanted by German giants Bayern Munich
Jadon Sancho (left) improved endlessly by joining Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City
A move of this nature would have been unheard of when I was a similar age. Top European clubs such as Bayern wouldn't have considered looking below our first teams for talent, but I think it is fantastic that the picture has changed so much.
It's not just Hudson-Odoi. We all know what Jadon Sancho has done at Borussia Dortmund since he left Manchester City — he is arguably the most exciting young player in Europe right now — but there are plenty of others from the England teams that won the Under-20 and Under-17 World Cups.
Bournemouth have just paid £19million for Dominic Solanke. I've mentioned Morgan Gibbs-White a lot since Stoke played Wolves in a friendly last July but he impresses me every time I see him, while Phil Foden has scored in consecutive games for Manchester City this week.
I am also hearing a lot about a young winger at Arsenal called Bukayo Saka. Those who have watched him frequently say he is very exciting. He is only 17 but if he progresses as is hoped, his name will be spoken about much more in the future.
But over at City, Phil Foden is emerging as an exceptional talent under Pep Guardiola
The one thing all these young lads have in common is composure. That night in Bloemfontein nine years ago, we were all struck by how calm Ozil was on the ball and the way nothing flustered the Germans. The English players who are emerging now have the same traits.
All being well, they will go on to have similar careers. It doesn't matter whether they choose to go to Germany or stay in England — the Premier League isn't the be all and end all — we must hope that they develop into stars.
Bayern's pursuit of Hudson-Odoi shows these young lads have the ability and it proves the FA's idea to invest in youth back in 2010 was smart. The clubs now have a duty not to fail them.
Bournemouth have just paid £19million to sign striker Dominic Solanke from Liverpool
The past year has been nothing like I have experienced before at Stoke. Nathan Jones has become our fourth manager in 12 months.
Our owners, the Coates family, want stability, and I hope Nathan can bring exciting times, starting on Saturday at Brentford. He is young and
