Euro 2016: Roy Hodgson’s England side failed in France because they did not learn from the lessons of the past
HERE we go again...
Two weeks ago, we were talking about that glorious summer of Euro 96 and recalling it with a sense of pride.
One of the reasons we were still harking on about events of 20 years ago was because we have done very little to impress in European or World tournaments since.
That is because we have never learned the lessons.
Over and over, they are thrown in our face and always we fail to act, seeking solace in our entertaining Premier League.
I remain convinced that had the FA kept on Terry Venables in ’96 we could have won the ’98 World Cup.
Instead, after Kevin Keegan replaced Glenn Hoddle, we had a shambles at Euro 2000 similar to this year’s.
So what did we do? Hired expensive foreign coaches to be followed by Englishmen who have also floundered in a failing coaching and development system.
So what now? Who now? It doesn’t matter who gets the England job because until we change our ways, we are condemned to repeat failure.
I can’t say I am inspired by the three-man team appointed to find the next England boss.
Martin Glenn admits he is not a football expert; Dan Ashworth is fairly new to international level and David Gill was lucky at Manchester United — he never had to appoint a manager because he had a brilliant one there for his ten years as chief executive.
Perhaps now he could do what should always be done at times like this — go and talk to big figures and knowledgeable brains to gain insight and information.
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Starting with Alex Ferguson.
And then Arsene Wenger.
I don’t believe for one moment that either of them would take what is currently the poisoned chalice of the England job but their input would be invaluable.
I would certainly be willing to talk to the FA about what is needed, having been a coach now for 14 years, going through the system to become one of fewer than 300 in England who hold a Uefa Pro Licence.
That compares to around 1,500 in Germany and more than 2,000 in Spain.
I also had a taste of the England set-up when I worked with the excellent Noel Blake for an Under-19 game against Turkey.
One thing I do know about is defending and we have got to get back to learning the basics if we are not going to be embarrassed like we were against Iceland.
As sporting director of Gabala in Azerbaijan, I attended an Under-17 tournament in the country and watched the England side closely.
We are producing athletes who are strong, conditioned and well prepared.
Technically, though, they are not as good as Italians and Germans, both of whose defences I have really admired at Euro 2016.
In fact, having worked abroad, the perception is still that we are all heart and no head, not confident in playing to a blueprint for successful football that suits our qualities.
We do not balance the time for academy players properly between gym and pitch.
They need to be out on the pitch more. There’s too much emphasis on sports science.
When I speak to young defenders and ask them what they want to improve, they often say: “My heading.”
It is a neglected skill — they don’t get enough practice in these “pass, pass, pass” days.
That style of football may be admirable but sooner or later you are going to have to head a ball properly.
We saw that against Iceland. It was a failure of coaching that Wayne Rooney was caught marking — or not marking — a big centre-half at the long throw that brought Iceland’s equaliser.
But it was also a lack of leadership in the side where nobody was shouting and sorting out the mismatch.
I still don’t understand why Roy Hodgson didn’t go back to John Terry years ago.
Instead Roy went for easier options. So we ended up with kids and babies out there.
I didn’t see one man stand up when things went wrong.
And they didn’t have the nous to change things.
Why, for example, are we pressing high up the field against a team who just want to sit deep? Just so we can look busy and ‘English’ for the fans?
We should have been inviting teams on to us and winning the ball further back.
We should recognise that the English strength is as a strong, defensively orientated counter-attacking team.
There is a snobbery about defending in the Premier League, particularly when it comes to long throws and high balls. People don’t see it as the sexy side of the game. Call me weird, but I do.
And those managers who do coach well defensively are often ridiculed in the demand for attacking football to please a worldwide TV audience.
I hope people will not start on at Jose Mourinho straight away at United while he sorts things out from the back.
He will understand the United way of doing things but they also have to understand his philosophy — which I share — that if you get things right defensively, it gives you more space offensively.
These days the fashion is for full-backs to show wingers the outside. I would want them shown inside.
If you show them outside, the back four has to drop deeper into the area, leaving space for oncoming attackers.
If you show them inside, they have to lay the ball off and the defence can hold its line along the edge of the penalty area.
And with 85 per cent of goals coming from inside the box, if you can force a team to shoot from distance then you’re doing your job.
I see it with the Italians and the Germans and saw it with Spain when they were winning tournaments.
For all their attacking talents, it was Gerard Pique and Sergio Ramos at their peak who were the foundation.
The Premier League have their brand. The FA need their vision and I would say this to them: As important as finding any new manager is getting things right at the top of the FA then sorting out the coaching system.
Get better coaches at youth levels and pay them properly to attract the best.
Establish four regional centres to develop players better. And talk to real experts.
Then we might finally be better able to defend England’s honour.