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Guilty of betraying their country
21 November 2007
by Jerrad Peters

ENGLAND trudged off the Wembley pitch, Wednesday, out of the rain and into a storm. Humiliated by a 3-2 loss at home to Croatia, the Three Lions will be non-participants when the EURO 2008 finals begin next June. And between now and the next competitive match in ten months' time, the national setup will surely undergo sweeping alterations. No one will be exempt from the inevitable yard-sale. Not the manager, not the players, not the FA.

Indeed, that Steve McClaren has coached his last game as England boss is a practical certainty. Less than two hours after the Croatia debacle, the FA board had arranged an emergency meeting for Thursday afternoon. McClaren will likely be released of his duties before dinnertime.

What was made plainly clear after ninety unbearable minutes in front of nearly 90,000-spectators was that the problems with this England squad are many, are troubled, and are deep-rooted. The manager will bear the brunt of the blame, and rightfully so. But there is plenty to go around. And sorting through it and allocating it will be the FA's primary task as it prepares for the World Cup qualifiers next autumn.

The Gerrard-Lampard debate must be resolved once and for all. And it won't be easy. While critical supporters have been quick to criticize Lampard in the past, he easily outperformed his Liverpool counterpart against both Croatia and Austria. Indeed, he was one of the few England players who looked at all inspired as his teammates dithered in the latter stages of the second-half. He cannot be dropped forever in favor of Gerrard. Rather, the next England coach will have to pick between them when one is faltering and platoon them when circumstances allow.

At the moment, however, that is neither here nor there. The hard truth is that England's ultimate failure has been fifteen months in coming. They have made no progress since McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson after the 2006 World Cup. If anything, they have regressed drastically. The embarrassing 0-0 draw to Macedonia at Old Trafford last year would have been unthinkable under Eriksson. And while the Swede can hardly be said to have coaxed emotion and passion from his players on a regular basis, those intangibles were completely absent over the whole of McClaren's tenure.

Point in case. As Wednesday's match went from anticipation to nightmare to opportunity to bad dream, the manager stood calmly on the sideline, sheltering his head from the rain beneath a red and blue umbrella. He'll need more than that to protect himself from the tempest which awaits.

He's not alone. After the fury settles and the fans become engrossed in their club allegiances once again, the whole of England's national structure will be called into question. Everything will be scrutinized. And for everyone with a stake in the future of English football, it is a period of soul-searching which must occur. In fact, it is long overdue.

Let's not kid ourselves. England were never going to win EURO 2008. Qualifying would have only delayed the inevitable inquest which is about to take place. McClaren would have remained in his job; and the squad, FA, and supporters would have been blinded by the illusion of success. In that light, an absence from the summer tournament is hardly the end of the world. It is a necessary bit of pain and embarrassment to endure while the configuration of the national game is fixed.

The manager will be the obvious place to start. And Brian Barwick, should he survive the next few weeks, should delay the appointment of a new manager until after the end of the current club season. At that time, he will be able to fully survey the landscape with a clear understanding of who is available and willing to be interviewed. A lot of very good managers can either resign or get the sack before summertime. Frank Rijkaard is one. Luiz Felipe Scolari is another. And if Martin O'Neill or Sam Allardyce remain in the FA's plans, June and July would be a far more conscientious time to pursue either one of them. Of course, after nine months out of the game, Jose Mourinho might be itching for high-profile employment as well.

The FA's list of candidates, and ultimate selection, will demonstrate whether it is truly serious about reforming the way it goes about its business. It must be a definitive departure from the old boys' club of Eriksson and McClaren. It must be an individual with the gumption to make difficult decisions, the foresight to properly anticipate an opponent, and the know-how to draw tactics which correspond to the players at his disposal. Ultimately, it must be a personality who can entice a bit of pride and passion from the players, and the stones to drop those who don't display it.

That is where the FA's involvement ends. From there, coaches and players will take England forward. And don't be at all surprised if the cast of characters is decidedly different by August. David Beckham, on 99-caps, has likely played his final match in an England shirt. So too Sol Campbell and Wayne Bridge. Michael Owen has probably seen his last as the go-to striker. Gary Neville will have a difficult time displacing Micah Richards.

Enter the new blood. Ashley Young will be earning a regular place from now on, as will David Bentley, Gabriel Agbonlahor, and Theo Walcott. Gareth Barry and Owen Hargreaves will compete for a consistent spot in midfield. Robert Green will probably get a look between the sticks.

Additionally, get accustomed to watching England line up with a solitary striker. Whoever the new manager is, he will almost certainly recognize the tactical benefits of doing so. It will be Wayne Rooney and a group of wingers and wide-men such as Agbonlahor and Young. And for those who cry foul over a departure from the traditional 4-4-2, witness Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester United; and, for that matter, Italy, France, and Portugal.

But that is a long way off yet. It's far too soon to look ahead. Too hopeful and optimistic given what has just transpired. But in every catastrophe, there is an opportunity. And after so many missed ones, you just get the feeling that this time, as agonizing as it might be, England just might get it right.