Eriksson: It's life or death but we will win
Sven-Goran Eriksson is confident that his reign as England manager will extend beyond this afternoon and says that his players have much more of a winning mentality than they did in Japan four years ago.
'I have never thought this will be my last game, never even dreamt of that,' Eriksson admitted as he prepared his players to face unfancied Ecuador in temperatures verging on the tropical at 35 degrees. 'The heat will not help us but World Cups are often played in conditions like this and we will just have to cope. We can't go on complaining about it.
'We have reached the stage of life or death for the team now, not just for me, and that is extremely exciting. I think we will thrive on it and firmly believe you will see a better performance from England. We will play good football and we will win.
'For months and months now I have been telling the players that this is our chance of the World Cup, a very good chance, and one that maybe will not come again for a long time. I have spoken so much about it there is no need to say it again before the players take the pitch. I haven't prepared anything special to say and I don't think there is any need to give special advice to young players like Wayne Rooney. He's an experienced international now and he knows what is at stake. I think all the players have got the message and I think they believe they can win. Much more so than was the case in Japan four years ago.'
One thing that is similar to Japan four years ago is the oppressive heat - England ended up citing that as a factor in their disappointing quarter-final capitulation to Brazil in Shizuoka and, while Ecuador might be an easier task than the world champions, the predicted match-time temperature is far from the cooler European conditions England had hoped for. Since Eriksson has now joined David Beckham in promising no more excuses, however, England will just have to go all out for victory. If they win they will have almost a week to recover before a quarterfinal against Portugal or Holland, in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday.
'Maybe the conditions will suit Ecuador better, but there are things we can do too,' Eriksson said. 'Things we are already doing, in fact. Drinking enough fluid is the most important, not just a couple of hours before the game but starting a couple of days before the game. Eating the right meals is important, too, but not as important as drinking.'
Eriksson would not confirm his starting XI, though Rio Ferdinand trained normally yesterday and Gary Neville was absent, so Owen Hargreaves is expected to move to right-back in place of Jamie Carragher, with Michael Carrick coming in as holding midfielder and Rooney playing on his own up front in a 4-5-1 formation. Or 4-1-4-1, if you absolutely insist.
Further evidence that this will be the formation arrived when Carrick, currently being linked with a move to Manchester United, spoke of his delight at playing his first competitive international at such an important juncture.
'The manager took me aside and said, "This is the position that I want you to play and this how you are going to play,"' the Tottenham midfielder explained. 'Then we went out and trained with the system. I would describe it pretty much as a midfield position, probably holding more than the other two. It's pretty much as I've played for Tottenham all season so I'm comfortable with it.
'This will the biggest game of my career by far. There is not one that has come close to this one. The biggest so far was probably the game for Spurs against West Ham at the end of the season, because there was so much at stake. But now obviously this is 10 times bigger than that and everything I have dreamed of.
'I don't think it will be too different. Whenever you step on to the pitch for England, you are desperate to win the game, whether it's a friendly, a qualifying match or in the actual tournament itself.'
Theo Walcott really ought to be coming out with lines like that by now, though his chances of World Cup minutes have receded again now Peter Crouch is back alongside him on the bench. 'I hope you will see Theo in this tournament but I can't guarantee it,' Eriksson said. 'It depends on the matches, but he is ready, that's why I picked him. I think he will play some part, but if he doesn't the experience will be good for the future. You see, I am still thinking of England's future even when I won't be here.'
Probable England XI: Robinson; Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Carrick, Gerrard, J Cole; Rooney.
Paul Wilson in Stuttgart
Sunday June 25, 2006
Observer
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
Sven-Goran Eriksson is confident that his reign as England manager will extend beyond this afternoon and says that his players have much more of a winning mentality than they did in Japan four years ago.
'I have never thought this will be my last game, never even dreamt of that,' Eriksson admitted as he prepared his players to face unfancied Ecuador in temperatures verging on the tropical at 35 degrees. 'The heat will not help us but World Cups are often played in conditions like this and we will just have to cope. We can't go on complaining about it.
'We have reached the stage of life or death for the team now, not just for me, and that is extremely exciting. I think we will thrive on it and firmly believe you will see a better performance from England. We will play good football and we will win.
'For months and months now I have been telling the players that this is our chance of the World Cup, a very good chance, and one that maybe will not come again for a long time. I have spoken so much about it there is no need to say it again before the players take the pitch. I haven't prepared anything special to say and I don't think there is any need to give special advice to young players like Wayne Rooney. He's an experienced international now and he knows what is at stake. I think all the players have got the message and I think they believe they can win. Much more so than was the case in Japan four years ago.'
One thing that is similar to Japan four years ago is the oppressive heat - England ended up citing that as a factor in their disappointing quarter-final capitulation to Brazil in Shizuoka and, while Ecuador might be an easier task than the world champions, the predicted match-time temperature is far from the cooler European conditions England had hoped for. Since Eriksson has now joined David Beckham in promising no more excuses, however, England will just have to go all out for victory. If they win they will have almost a week to recover before a quarterfinal against Portugal or Holland, in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday.
'Maybe the conditions will suit Ecuador better, but there are things we can do too,' Eriksson said. 'Things we are already doing, in fact. Drinking enough fluid is the most important, not just a couple of hours before the game but starting a couple of days before the game. Eating the right meals is important, too, but not as important as drinking.'
Eriksson would not confirm his starting XI, though Rio Ferdinand trained normally yesterday and Gary Neville was absent, so Owen Hargreaves is expected to move to right-back in place of Jamie Carragher, with Michael Carrick coming in as holding midfielder and Rooney playing on his own up front in a 4-5-1 formation. Or 4-1-4-1, if you absolutely insist.
Further evidence that this will be the formation arrived when Carrick, currently being linked with a move to Manchester United, spoke of his delight at playing his first competitive international at such an important juncture.
'The manager took me aside and said, "This is the position that I want you to play and this how you are going to play,"' the Tottenham midfielder explained. 'Then we went out and trained with the system. I would describe it pretty much as a midfield position, probably holding more than the other two. It's pretty much as I've played for Tottenham all season so I'm comfortable with it.
'This will the biggest game of my career by far. There is not one that has come close to this one. The biggest so far was probably the game for Spurs against West Ham at the end of the season, because there was so much at stake. But now obviously this is 10 times bigger than that and everything I have dreamed of.
'I don't think it will be too different. Whenever you step on to the pitch for England, you are desperate to win the game, whether it's a friendly, a qualifying match or in the actual tournament itself.'
Theo Walcott really ought to be coming out with lines like that by now, though his chances of World Cup minutes have receded again now Peter Crouch is back alongside him on the bench. 'I hope you will see Theo in this tournament but I can't guarantee it,' Eriksson said. 'It depends on the matches, but he is ready, that's why I picked him. I think he will play some part, but if he doesn't the experience will be good for the future. You see, I am still thinking of England's future even when I won't be here.'
Probable England XI: Robinson; Hargreaves, Ferdinand, Terry, A Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Carrick, Gerrard, J Cole; Rooney.
Paul Wilson in Stuttgart
Sunday June 25, 2006
Observer
Guardian Unlimited
© Guardian Newspapers Limited 2006
