At the very latest, that was the day before or even 48 hours before kick-off. I wanted them to have worked on patterns of play, set-pieces, and their shape as a unit.
As a player, my preference was to know as early as possible, to prepare myself. I certainly wanted to go to bed the night before the game knowing I was playing.
Yet there is a counter-argument from some managers that they like to leave it until the day of the game — or in Fabio Capello’s case, two hours before the game – to keep the squad on their toes.
I’m not joining the long queue criticising Capello. For me, it is much ado about nothing, because at least seven or eight of the England team know they are in the starting XI. England have far more pressing problems to deal with.
But to deal with the Capello situation, criticism of managers is a part of World Cup finals. Always has been. Yet the only thing that counts when you are a manager is the set of results. How you do it really doesn’t matter.
And there are myriad ways to achieve your goals.
Managers have already been under pressure from their critics at this World Cup. England didn’t look very good, nor did France or Italy. Zinedine Zidane has found fault with France coach Raymond Domenech. They have said Marcello Lippi’s Italy are too old. I see Italy as a very strong group of players.
For me, sudden death games are when the real World Cup starts.
It doesn’t surprise me at all that Capello is under pressure from the English media. England needs changes, positional realignment, and they need to win the next game.
Capello has questions to answer. Choosing the goalkeeper from David James, Joe Hart and Rob Green was always going to be an issue; we knew that before the World Cup. There is nothing between them.
For me the most important issue Capello has to deal with though, is how Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard play together; who occupies left midfield, and who plays up front with Wayne Rooney. A formation aligned correctly could transform them as a team.
England have the personnel to play in a much more continental style. They need a slower pace, more time on the ball, and to let Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, and Aaron Lennon play.
At the moment, everything is so quick, at 100mph. That frenetic pace played into the hands of USA. It was like watching a Champions League team agreeing to a physical battle with a lower league team. Pointless — and dangerous.
England are certainties to reach the knockout stages. But unless they change, the Lampard-Gerrard situation will be their undoing when it comes to sudden death.
I feel watching all the games in the World Cup, the task is creatively unlocking, and then destroying, the opposition. Everyone is very well organised at this World Cup.
Gerrard and Lampard in a holding position don’t work. They don’t look right in defensive roles, and their talent for creative openings is wasted.
Perhaps Capello should go for 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. Michael Carrick is the natural holding role player, and I would get Gareth Barry in immediately on the left midfield, with Lampard and Gerrard pushing forward on the right, and left midfield channels, pushing up to work and hunt with Rooney. Almost 4-3-3. Lennon would be on my right midfield.
Capello could even push Gerrard right up front with Rooney with a 4-4-2, but I favour the first option.
If England relax and pass the ball, they would be a different side. Argentina, Holland and Germany have looked the best sides in the tournament so far. Why? They keep the ball for long periods, and play at their tempo and pace, and in doing so, find the space and creativity to find the goal.
Can England do it? We will have to wait and see because the real World Cup starts in 10 days’ time.
As a player, my preference was to know as early as possible, to prepare myself. I certainly wanted to go to bed the night before the game knowing I was playing.
Yet there is a counter-argument from some managers that they like to leave it until the day of the game — or in Fabio Capello’s case, two hours before the game – to keep the squad on their toes.
I’m not joining the long queue criticising Capello. For me, it is much ado about nothing, because at least seven or eight of the England team know they are in the starting XI. England have far more pressing problems to deal with.
But to deal with the Capello situation, criticism of managers is a part of World Cup finals. Always has been. Yet the only thing that counts when you are a manager is the set of results. How you do it really doesn’t matter.
And there are myriad ways to achieve your goals.
Managers have already been under pressure from their critics at this World Cup. England didn’t look very good, nor did France or Italy. Zinedine Zidane has found fault with France coach Raymond Domenech. They have said Marcello Lippi’s Italy are too old. I see Italy as a very strong group of players.
For me, sudden death games are when the real World Cup starts.
It doesn’t surprise me at all that Capello is under pressure from the English media. England needs changes, positional realignment, and they need to win the next game.
Capello has questions to answer. Choosing the goalkeeper from David James, Joe Hart and Rob Green was always going to be an issue; we knew that before the World Cup. There is nothing between them.
For me the most important issue Capello has to deal with though, is how Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard play together; who occupies left midfield, and who plays up front with Wayne Rooney. A formation aligned correctly could transform them as a team.
England have the personnel to play in a much more continental style. They need a slower pace, more time on the ball, and to let Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, and Aaron Lennon play.
At the moment, everything is so quick, at 100mph. That frenetic pace played into the hands of USA. It was like watching a Champions League team agreeing to a physical battle with a lower league team. Pointless — and dangerous.
England are certainties to reach the knockout stages. But unless they change, the Lampard-Gerrard situation will be their undoing when it comes to sudden death.
I feel watching all the games in the World Cup, the task is creatively unlocking, and then destroying, the opposition. Everyone is very well organised at this World Cup.
Gerrard and Lampard in a holding position don’t work. They don’t look right in defensive roles, and their talent for creative openings is wasted.
Perhaps Capello should go for 4-5-1 or 4-4-2. Michael Carrick is the natural holding role player, and I would get Gareth Barry in immediately on the left midfield, with Lampard and Gerrard pushing forward on the right, and left midfield channels, pushing up to work and hunt with Rooney. Almost 4-3-3. Lennon would be on my right midfield.
Capello could even push Gerrard right up front with Rooney with a 4-4-2, but I favour the first option.
If England relax and pass the ball, they would be a different side. Argentina, Holland and Germany have looked the best sides in the tournament so far. Why? They keep the ball for long periods, and play at their tempo and pace, and in doing so, find the space and creativity to find the goal.
Can England do it? We will have to wait and see because the real World Cup starts in 10 days’ time.
