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| England’s feelgood factor in stark contrast to the Fabio Capello years | England’s feelgood factor in stark contrast to the Fabio Capello years |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| At least this time there is a sense of clarity about the England team and nothing of the chaos that was lurking at the same stage four years ago. At this stage before the last World Cup, Fabio Capello had just thought it a terribly good idea to launch the now-infamous Capello Index. England’s manager did not know his first-choice goalkeeper or, by his own admission, who was running the Football Association. | At least this time there is a sense of clarity about the England team and nothing of the chaos that was lurking at the same stage four years ago. At this stage before the last World Cup, Fabio Capello had just thought it a terribly good idea to launch the now-infamous Capello Index. England’s manager did not know his first-choice goalkeeper or, by his own admission, who was running the Football Association. |
| Looking back, the events surrounding England’s warm-up games in 2010 feel utterly incongruous to the serene nature of what we have now. There was the sideshow of Capello trying to secure a new contract out of the FA, followed by a restructuring of the total organisation. Capello got his pay rise but that was just about the only thing that went for him that summer. Next Wednesday we have the anniversary of Emile Heskey going in for a tackle with Rio Ferdinand and putting him out of the entire tournament. What followed can usually be guaranteed to put a grimace on the face of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or any of the other England players who have stuck around since South Africa. | Looking back, the events surrounding England’s warm-up games in 2010 feel utterly incongruous to the serene nature of what we have now. There was the sideshow of Capello trying to secure a new contract out of the FA, followed by a restructuring of the total organisation. Capello got his pay rise but that was just about the only thing that went for him that summer. Next Wednesday we have the anniversary of Emile Heskey going in for a tackle with Rio Ferdinand and putting him out of the entire tournament. What followed can usually be guaranteed to put a grimace on the face of Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney or any of the other England players who have stuck around since South Africa. |
| This time, the mood is palpably different. On the one occasion when Roy Hodgson’s voice was laced with mild disappointment, it was to report that Luke Shaw was nursing a head cold and may not make the friendly against Peru. Every other player trained and – Hodgson really deserves the credit for this – the camp is about as upbeat and crisis-free as anyone could hope. “If I could bottle what I’m seeing and release it on 14 June against Italy I’d be a happy man,” Hodgson said. | This time, the mood is palpably different. On the one occasion when Roy Hodgson’s voice was laced with mild disappointment, it was to report that Luke Shaw was nursing a head cold and may not make the friendly against Peru. Every other player trained and – Hodgson really deserves the credit for this – the camp is about as upbeat and crisis-free as anyone could hope. “If I could bottle what I’m seeing and release it on 14 June against Italy I’d be a happy man,” Hodgson said. |
| With England, there is always that lingering feeling, of course, that everything can quickly unravel. The Peru game is the first of three warm-up matches and all of them carry a certain amount of risk. | With England, there is always that lingering feeling, of course, that everything can quickly unravel. The Peru game is the first of three warm-up matches and all of them carry a certain amount of risk. |
| Hodgson knows that from personal experience, bearing in mind Gary Cahill and Gareth Barry were both ruled out of Euro 2012 because of injuries in the rehearsal games against Belgium and Norway. | Hodgson knows that from personal experience, bearing in mind Gary Cahill and Gareth Barry were both ruled out of Euro 2012 because of injuries in the rehearsal games against Belgium and Norway. |
| Frank Lampard and John Ruddy were injured in training and by the end it was possible to name a full XI of the players who had been ruled out because of injuries. “It won’t feature in my team-talk,” Hodgson said. “We won’t be talking about being careful with injuries because, once you do that, you set yourself up to be injured. But that’s not to say it doesn’t concern me.” | Frank Lampard and John Ruddy were injured in training and by the end it was possible to name a full XI of the players who had been ruled out because of injuries. “It won’t feature in my team-talk,” Hodgson said. “We won’t be talking about being careful with injuries because, once you do that, you set yourself up to be injured. But that’s not to say it doesn’t concern me.” |
| Every team needs a bit of luck but the priority for Hodgson is to firm up his ideas about his team and formation to play against Italy and, on that front, Peru should be obliging opponents. England wanted a good send-off, before flying to their next training camp in Miami on Sunday, and the FA have chosen a team that has not qualified for the World Cup since 1982. Peru finished seventh out of nine teams in their qualifying group and are currently 42nd in Fifa’s world rankings. More than that, this is not even their A-list squad, with their captain, Claudio Pizarro, among those left out. | Every team needs a bit of luck but the priority for Hodgson is to firm up his ideas about his team and formation to play against Italy and, on that front, Peru should be obliging opponents. England wanted a good send-off, before flying to their next training camp in Miami on Sunday, and the FA have chosen a team that has not qualified for the World Cup since 1982. Peru finished seventh out of nine teams in their qualifying group and are currently 42nd in Fifa’s world rankings. More than that, this is not even their A-list squad, with their captain, Claudio Pizarro, among those left out. |
| “I don’t know what their A squad is and I doubt that many do,” Hodgson said. “I do know they have changed coach [Pablo Bengoechea replaced Sergio Markarián in March] and he will be preparing for the next major tournament. Maybe he is prepared to start with a new team of players and maybe this is the A team now.” | “I don’t know what their A squad is and I doubt that many do,” Hodgson said. “I do know they have changed coach [Pablo Bengoechea replaced Sergio Markarián in March] and he will be preparing for the next major tournament. Maybe he is prepared to start with a new team of players and maybe this is the A team now.” |
| Yet Hodgson has not been swotting up a great deal on the opposition. “It’s been a bit unusual. You’re usually only focusing on the game you’re about to play. This time, Peru hasn’t really featured in our thinking.” | Yet Hodgson has not been swotting up a great deal on the opposition. “It’s been a bit unusual. You’re usually only focusing on the game you’re about to play. This time, Peru hasn’t really featured in our thinking.” |
| His team will effectively be the one he intends to play in Manaus – Hodgson will then use the friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras in Miami to experiment – and Paul Scholes is not alone when it comes to wanting England to play with the attacking sophistication that Liverpool showed last season. | His team will effectively be the one he intends to play in Manaus – Hodgson will then use the friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras in Miami to experiment – and Paul Scholes is not alone when it comes to wanting England to play with the attacking sophistication that Liverpool showed last season. |
| Hodgson could conceivably play five outfield players from Anfield and four of them – Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge – contributed 53 goals in the Premier League last season, which to put it in context is more than 11 other clubs managed in total. | Hodgson could conceivably play five outfield players from Anfield and four of them – Gerrard, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Daniel Sturridge – contributed 53 goals in the Premier League last season, which to put it in context is more than 11 other clubs managed in total. |
| Gerrard described it as a “compliment” to hear what Scholes had said and Hodgson’s wishes fell in line with the former Manchester United midfielder’s. “There’s no reason why the players who’ve done it in the red shirt of Liverpool can’t do that in the white and red shirt of England,” he said. | Gerrard described it as a “compliment” to hear what Scholes had said and Hodgson’s wishes fell in line with the former Manchester United midfielder’s. “There’s no reason why the players who’ve done it in the red shirt of Liverpool can’t do that in the white and red shirt of England,” he said. |
| Equally, it is a bit too simplistic just to believe it works this way. For starters, England’s Liverpool contingent are not playing with a team-mate with Luis Suárez’s gifts. Liverpool have tried to blitz opponents in the opening 20 minutes of matches. “We tried that against Chelsea and were beaten,” Gerrard pointed out. “It doesn’t work all the time.” | Equally, it is a bit too simplistic just to believe it works this way. For starters, England’s Liverpool contingent are not playing with a team-mate with Luis Suárez’s gifts. Liverpool have tried to blitz opponents in the opening 20 minutes of matches. “We tried that against Chelsea and were beaten,” Gerrard pointed out. “It doesn’t work all the time.” |
| Either way, it is understandable if Hodgson is already growing a little weary of Scholes, bearing in mind his critique of Wayne Rooney the previous week, and how it bounces back on him at England press conferences. “If I’m going to have to comment, and defend people, or challenge opinions, every time this happens, I’m going to be a very busy man at this World Cup. Maybe the next one is Franz Beckenbauer or Pelé, who knows? The opinions that really count are from the staff and the players.” | Either way, it is understandable if Hodgson is already growing a little weary of Scholes, bearing in mind his critique of Wayne Rooney the previous week, and how it bounces back on him at England press conferences. “If I’m going to have to comment, and defend people, or challenge opinions, every time this happens, I’m going to be a very busy man at this World Cup. Maybe the next one is Franz Beckenbauer or Pelé, who knows? The opinions that really count are from the staff and the players.” |
| The bad news for Hodgson is that José Mourinho will be supplying a daily column for Yahoo throughout the tournament. So perhaps it is for Hodgson’s good that he is not really an internet man. | The bad news for Hodgson is that José Mourinho will be supplying a daily column for Yahoo throughout the tournament. So perhaps it is for Hodgson’s good that he is not really an internet man. |
| For the time being, however, England feels like a good news story. Now it is for the players to show that is not simply because no football has actually been played yet. |