Scolari had to apologize for destroying a winning momentum when he rested key players and fielded reserves who either developed cold feet or were not sufficiently prepared for the big stage. Unlike the seniors, they ceded possession easily and failed to implement the game plan effectively.

Czech Republic, in the mother of all upsets so far, went from a victory, to prospects of a play-off, to gifting Turkey a ticket into the quarter-finals. I felt a tinge of regret for Czech Republic’s elimination. Petr Cech, arguably the world’s best goalkeeper, shattered his nation’s hopes when he failed to snuff out two critical moments of opportunism from forward Nihat Kahveci. Cech’s confidence and sharpness were clearly affected by Nihat’s first goal which then resulted in another spectacular goal from his tormentor.

Doubts now arise whether Cech is still the same infallible guy between the posts after two serious head injuries. Certainly, it has been a torrid season for him, besides making uncharacteristic, elementary errors in Euro 08, his club, Chelsea, missed out on major trophies after solid runs into the respective semi-finals.

Cech said: “That game really sums up my season. We came so close but blew it in the end.” He is more or less resigned to such close shaves which illustrates how badly damaged his morale is. It is going to take a long time for him to recover psychologically from this 3-2 defeat. The guilt one has to face, especially when the team remains supportive instead of reproaching him,is not easily overcome.

Football can be such a cruel game at times. Czech Republic have done enough to dominate for more than an hour and notching up two goals in the process, but as I mentioned, the match ain’t over till the whistle is blown when you are up against opponents which never-say-die.

Will it help much if Tomas Rosicky, the team’s captain and heartbeat, has been fit enough to play? I doubt so, the Czechs were already leading and not in need of goals, it was their defense which crumbled towards the end. But I have seen enough potential in this Czech Republic team to remain as a major force in future tournaments. Hopefully, Cech can bounce back from this setback in the coming season with Chelsea appointing a new manager (Scolari).

Coming to Group B, Croatia are elevated from underdog status to hot favorite. Germany’s second spot is up for grabs after a stinging defeat by Croatia. The entire team knew their nation’s proud tradition lies in their hands and they have no more room for error. Fortunately, the Germans came out tops with a 1-0 victory in a highly charged match over derby rival, Austria.

Austria deserve credit for putting up a valiant effort to send Germany into the dumps. History was against them though as they had not accomplished such a feat since defeating West Germany in 1986. Neither team enjoys a superior possession but Austria paid a heavy price for a toothless front line.

Germany were in their usual swashbuckling form and they rued a remarkable Mario Gomez miss as early as the fifth minute. Miroslav Klose delivered a low cross that bypassed goalkeeper Macho, only for Gomez to miscue his shot with the goal at his mercy. Lahm, Podolski, Mertesacker and Klose also wasted chances as Germany blitzed the Austrian defense relentlessly.

The closely contested battle was eventually decided by a thunderous free-kick from captain, Michael Ballack. I am confident of Germany’s chances as the players exhibited a professional attitude and passion under immense pressure. The last time Germany reached the last eight was in 1996 when they went on to lift the trophy. This could be an indication of things to come but for now, a face-off with a more creative opponent, Portugal, presents a severe test on Thursday.

In Group C (what many pundits classified as the Group of Death), it contains the intriguing quarter-final possibilities. I believe few had foresee the Netherlands qualifying with such authoritative performances and Romania could still be in the running while World Cup finalists France and Italy had to slug it out but fate is taken out of their hands.

Netherlands rounded off their campaign with full points in Group C after banking on second-half goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Robin van Persie. Marco Van Basten fielded a largely second-string Oranje team but Romania still found them more than a handful as they were placed on the back foot from the start.

Huntelaar, having passed up one presentable opening in the first half, clinically guided in Afellay’s teasing right-wing cross nine minutes into the second. With three minutes left, Van Persie drove in his second goal in as many games.

To be fair, the reshuffle comprises Arjen Robben, Van Persie and Huntelaar in the first XI, and the Netherlands barely suffered in quality as they retained their shape and forceful thrusts up front. Romania hassled for all the loose balls and the players charged in with their boots to cut the Oranje supply lines at every opportunity.

The timely interventions were all in vain as the Netherlands had too much class to be pegged back in their own half of the pitch. They stamped their authority on this tournament and will now play either Sweden or Russia in the last eight on Saturday. Romania finished in third position and any hopes of progressing further was ended.

In the other Group C match, Italy send France on an early flight home with a 2-0 victory. Thierry Henry tried his best to rally his team after their crushing 4-1 loss to the Netherlands but the disarray which plagued France continued against Italy.

Having started slowly in their first two matches, Les Bleus were keen to seize the initiative and Franck Ribery twice fired efforts wide but his contributions ended with an injury in the tenth minute. Samir Nasri was sent on but France looked out of sorts and Claude Makelele immediately needed to clear a Christian Panucci header off the line.

The game’s turning point was in the 24th minute when Eric Abidal was sent off after fouling Luca Toni, and Andrea Pirlo converted the resulting penalty. Daniele De Rossi’s second-half strike added gloss to a wonderful evening for Italy, dampened only by yellow cards for Pirlo and Gattuso which may weaken the squad in the quarter-final against Spain.

Thierry Henry had a chance to raise French spirits in the 34th minute but after racing on to Toulalan’s slick pass, the FC Barcelona forward directed a cross-shot past the post. Though the result of the Netherlands vs Romania match could render this match irrelevant, at least the Italians showed a keener interest and more enterprise in advancing to the next round. Thus, I have little sympathy for France’s demise.

This result confirmed my belief that Italy were better equipped to deal with this do-or-die situation. Against Romania, Italy dominated proceedings, were more dangerous on the break and created ample chances (even had a legal goal forfeited). The Italians conceded one in a momentary lapse at the back to allow Romania to draw level while France totally wilted under pressure to Holland.

In spite of a team chock-full of talents, France were in tatters without Zinedine Zidane and were unable to grab the game by the scruff of its neck. Thierry Henry, as the captain, was not inspirational on the pitch. If he has featured more prominently for Barcelona or rather, not even left Arsenal, he will have put away the few excellent chances to kill off the Italians. It could have been luck too as Ribery was injured early in the game and Italy survived several close shaves from Benzema.

In Group D, Spain were made to work hard against Sweden. Andreas Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez continued their influential display in the 4-1 win against Russia while David Silva and Fernando Torres created problems down the flanks. It was fitting that Torres was first to break the deadlock.

However, Zlatan Ibrahimovic (non-existent till then) restored parity in a rare moment of brilliance. As the match progressed, Sweden imposed their style of play while Spain lost their shape but I was glad to see their aptitude in changing tactics in mid-track and the immense depth of their squad.

Cesc Fabregas and Santi Cazorla replaced Iniesta and Harnandez and brought a different dimension to their attack. It forced Sweden on the defensive and they held on for their dear life, in fact they looked ready to share the spoils until Capdevila sent a long ball forward and David Villa tucked in his fourth goal in injury time.

I believe the Sweden game is reflective of the challenges ahead. A counterattacking game overwhelmed Russia but a disciplined and stubborn Swedish side required a different approach. By disrupting Spain’s rhythm, Sweden forced them to dig deep into their reserves for a result.

David Villa is the man of the moment and if he continues his scintillating form and telepathic partnership with Torres, Spain should definitely qualify for semis. Very often, they came into tournaments as favorites, only to end up as their own worst enemy and faltering at the critical stages.

If Spain can overcome their mental block by keeping their feet on the ground instead of letting optimism and euphoria get to their egos, I will like to see them in the finals for a change.

Anway, six days have flashed by and the first round of matches ended without much surprises. The favorites stamped their class with authoritative performances and are rightfully leading the pack, except for two letdowns.

France were held to a lackluster draw by Romania. It brought back distasteful memories of the 2002 World Cup when they, as the defending champions, were booted out unceremoniously in the group rounds.

Could it be the absence of the effervescent Zidane? In the two years since he announced his retirement, France are still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their creative midfield dynamo. There is simply no spark or invention in this team but it is not due to a dearth of talents, mind you. Without even mentioning the old guards, the infusion of two exciting youngsters, Benzema and Ribery, is enough to set the stage alight.

Based on the quality of the squad, France shouldn’t be playing like… England, but I saw traces of the England disease in their lack of confidence on the ball and poor understanding between each players.

As for Italy, I am sure they were shell-shocked to see a much vaunted defense being torn apart by the rampaging Orange Army. Nevertheless, it is a folly to underestimate their ability to recover from this setback. Bear in mind the Italians’ motto: “when the going gets tough, the tough gets going” – the more you write them off, the higher the chances of seeing them in the Finals.

Right now, Germany, Portugal and Holland are looking exceptionally strong. However, beginners’ luck has little bearing on future mathces. A moment of complacency can end the campaign, what matters is the gathering and sustaining of momentum as the stakes get higher.

Under Marco van Basten, the Netherlands exhibited a different variant of total football in their 3-0 demolition of Italy. Whether this modern day version is more potent will be decided in the coming days but the stunning display has already won them some notable fans. Germany captain Michael Ballack is among the admirers. He said: “I was really impressed by the Dutch victory against Italy. They played on a high technical level with fast football.”

He could be playing some mind games and lulling them into a false sense of security. I am keeping my fingers crossed on how far the Dutch can progress. To be sure, each generation of the Holland squad has churned out its fair share of superstars but their major problem remains that of a tendency to self-destruct by splitting into different camps.

At the exact moment when they are on everybody’s lips as favorites, certain players, either due to pride, vanity or ego, will unfailingly clamor to take center-stage while putting the team’s fortune in jeopardy. This time, there is some stability but I am not sure how long it will last, probably until the team starts losing or when some key players are left out of the first XI. Ruud van Nistelrooy is now all chums with his coach but not too long ago, both do not see eye to eye on team issues.

Next up is Spain which laid down their marker with an impressive 4-1 rout of Russia. They gave such a dominant display with their speed and fluent passing game that the crafty Hiddink was helpless in reversing the situation. The formidable partnership of David Villa and Fernando Torres can strike fear into the tightest defenses.

It is crucial that Torres is content to play second fiddle to Villa by turning provider instead of scoring goals as he has done with panache for Liverpool; so long as the team wins, it doesn’t really matter who put the chances away. Torres will be a vital cog of the lightning raids Spain launch on their unsuspecting victims.

Traditional powerhouse, Germany, is also in a swashbuckling mood too. Lukas Poldoski scored a brace in the 2-0 win over Poland. For punters, the German juggernaut is always a reliable source of wealth because of their consistent track record. When in doubt, back them and you will usually be rewarded. In the past, the goals scored can even be predicted with alarming accuracy as they never liked to score more than is needed.

Germany had perfected the art of winning on the odd goals and then closing out the opponent efficiently. However, since Jeurgen Klinnsman took over, a sea change has occurred and they are now playing as if goals are the lifeblood of the team.

The Germans will be clashing with Croatia in their second match. Despite winning 1-0 against Austria and showing in the past that they can hold their own against football’s established powers like Italy, Argentina and England, I am not convinced that Croatia have the quality to threaten Germany.

Croatia won’t be trying too hard either since they have already pocketed three points, so a conservative approach followed by dealing a killer blow on Poland, should serve their purpose nicely. I believe their rear guard is sturdy enough to withstand heavy German bombardment.

Actually, if Croatia are adventurous enough, they have an outside chance of surprising the Germans. I sense a serious weakness deep in the German defense – Jens Lehmann. He had not seen much club action and is naturally a bit rusty. Germany coach Joachim Low is either brave or foolish in handing Lehmann the gloves.

I suspect the latter… I mean, if Arsene Wenger favored Alumnia (not a heavyweight by any account) over Lehmann, then something is seriously wrong with his attitude or ability. Moreover, the new ball is not to Lehmann’s liking, which implies that he is likely to screw-up when the pressure is on and the ball comes flying in from all angles.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic believes his team have as much reason to be confident as their opponents Germany. He said: “We approach this game with just as much self-confidence as Germany. Like them, we also won our first match, the winning start has given us great belief in ourselves and the way we are playing.”

He also rallied his charges to prove their worth by destroying the mighty Germans. “I believe any team that beats Germany can hope to beat anybody,” said the 39-year-old.

Meanwhile, Low admitted his players are feeling more upbeat than ever. He said: “We’ve been able to implement what we’ve practised in matches. We are confident going into the game, but Croatia are a good team with attack-minded players and we will face a tough challenge,” said the 48-year-old.

Germany will want to get a second win under their belt and secure qualification as early as possible. Another firm favorite, Portugal, are in sterling form and could be targeting a 100% win in all their Euro 2008 matches en-route to the title, that is if Cristiano Ronaldo stayed on top of his game.

Clearing the Czech hurdle was another step towards ushering the golden era, after winning their first match against Turkey at a canter. Czech Republic are a perennial dark horse and they are looking to better their semi-finalists record in Euro 2004. They edged out Switzerland in the first match but it was done with a huge dose of luck as the Swiss did not play badly and created ample chances.

Against Portugal, their first serious test of Euro 2008, the Czechs were second best to a team overflowing with individual talents. Portugal really looked more at home than Switzerland as they wrapped up the match with goals from Deco, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ricardo Quaresma in a 3-1 win. This virtually guaranteed their berth in the quarter-finals.

The entertaining encounter and easy score-line actually belies a tight match, especially in the first half. While Portugal swarmed forward in numbers and displayed lovely touches, the Czechs refused to cede midfield superiority and counter-attacked in tandem. In fact, they recovered lost ground minutes after conceding an early goal to Deco.

Sionko headed a corner into the roof of the net which left Ricardo stranded. The Czechs further created havoc in Portugal’s defense with a corner which Sionko managed to find space to connect but he couldn’t direct his volley goalwards.

Portugal, when on full flight, are a sight to behold. Their midfield was overpowering in its creativity and possession but in this match, their weaknesses in dead-ball situations were exposed and that could prove to their major stumbling block, if left unchecked.

Turkey survived to fight another day. It is not surprising since the Turks had shown a knack of progressing in major tournaments over the last decade. Starting at a high tempo against Switzerland, the Turks were determined to emerge victorious. A heavy downpour complicated matters as the ball slid and bounded wickedly on the slippery pitch.

Switzerland scored first. Derdiyok was played through and he showed fine composure to square for Hakan Yakin who sidefooted home from two yards. Turkey then drew level when Nihat crossed from the left and Semih scored with a thumping header. The ball escaped through Benaglio’s hands which was a costly mistake.

In injury time, Turkey continued to press forward and fate dealt a cruel hand to the host nation. Arda cut inside from the left and his deflected shot from 25 yards effectively knocked the Swiss out.

Overall, it was an incredible outing and Turkey now have everything to play for which spells bad news for Czech Republic. The match ain’t over till the whistle is blown. Taking this lesson into the match against Turkey will serve the Czechs well.

More Euro 2008 updates soon, till tomorrow.

Last Sunday, the results from the preliminary 2010 World Cup draw revealed that both teams are now in Group 6, together with Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Andorra.

The draw, attended by South African president Thabo Mbeki and other soccer dignitaries, was beamed live to more than 170 countries worldwide. Europe were assigned 13 spots, Africa six (including the hosts), Asia and South America four, and CONCACAF three.

It is automatic qualification for winners of the nine European groups while the other four spots are left to the eight best runners-up to compete in a playoff. When the England-Croatia pairing was announced, there was an audible gasp from the audience. Not too sure if it came from the England camp but definitely the mention of Croatia these days is tantamount to opening up old wounds.

Since England degraded itself into an unseeded position, beggars can’t be choosers. If they clash with any of the traditional powerhouses like Italy, France or Germany, it will take a brave heart to believe they can make the trip to South Africa – adios to the golden generation as they slip into oblivion without any major honors.

As luck would have it, they face-off with Croatia who is ranked 10th in the world. On paper, that should be cause for celebration, barring the memories from the fateful night at Wembley a few days ago.

Taking a close look at Group 6, most will agree it is not easy. If England set their sights on World Cup qualification, then they should start their preparations right away. Speaking of “easy”, England must have looked wistfully at Group 2 with Greece and Switzerland as main threats accompanied by minnows Moldova, Latvia and Luxembourg.

Over the weekend, we have Michael Owen expressing his thoughts about England. He was presumptuous (bordering on arrogance), to imply that no Croatian player would be good enough to play for England. Just because he got injured and was spared the flaming from the press doesn’t give him a license to utter rubbish.

I am disappointed to see a supposedly intelligent player think in this manner. He needs to get a reality check before he can represent England again, top scorer or not. What is worrying is that Owen is not alone and his comments typify the superiority complex of the England team.

Delusions about their greatness while feeling that Croatia got lucky will not get England anywhere. Croatia merit the accolades and respect, having defeated England twice (3-2 and 2-0) in Euro 08 qualifying matches. In fact, since their independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, this East European nation has been a force to reckon with. Their impressive, but short, footballing history will put England to shame.

Croatia finished third in the 1998 World Cup, with Davor Suker clinching the Golden Boot award. They also qualified for the 2002 and 2006 World Cups without dropping a qualifying match. An undefeated record in all competitive matches played on home ground since 1994 still stands today. If England, the founders of modern football, can put together such steady performances on a regular basis, at least fans sporting England jerseys can hold up their heads higher.

To the egocentric players, how about looking in from the other side of the fence? How many of you will be able to step into the Croatia team? From what I have seen, the Croatians have a great first touch and dazzling movement that left England chasing shadows.

They made simple yet effective short passes – which is the way this game should be played. With the exception of Joe Cole, who made an effort to keep the ball on the ground, the rest prefers to send the ball into the air at the slightest opportunity, unleashing long range missiles to the front line relentlessly, hoping for the best.

Players like Eduardo, Modric, and Corluka, would be welcome into any England team. Eduardo will certainly give Owen a run for his money, being younger, quicker, less injury-prone, strong in the air, etc. Maybe England has never heard of all these players or have seen them in the Premier League, thus assuming none of them are on par. That is a simplistic thought.

I am beginning to feel that England overachieved under Erikkson. Although the buck rightfully starts with the manager, the harsh reality is that most English players thrive only domestically, in the junior school of English football. This bunch of prima-donnas can talk tough about blood and guts, but when it comes to the crunch, they lack the technique and skills. Most importantly, they do not know how to play as a team.

Besides Croatia, the new coach will do well to consider the strength of the other teams in Group 6. Ukraine cannot be underestimated. They made it to the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, but missed Euro 2008 by coming in fourth behind Italy, France and Scotland. Andriy Shevchenko scored a goal in the 2-2 draw with France and if he returns to his lethal form as he was for AC Milan, he will be a handful for England.

Belarus is another team with strong technical players. They beat Holland in the euro qualifiers and in the last world cup qualifiers came close to beating Italy away. They step up a gear or two against major teams but tripped over easier opponents. With Alexander Helb in the team (and he isn’t even a key player for Belarus), England should not let their guard down.

As for Kazakhastan, most people will think of the blockbuster movie Borat. Not much is known of their footballing abilities but the traveling distance will be a hindering factor. We mustn’t expect our jet-lagged multi-millionaires to be at their best, so this will need some handling. Andorra should be a face-saving grace for England if all else fails. Getting six points from them should be a breeze.

It will be interesting to see who the FA appoints to be the new England coach. Think positive, on the bright side, England may be rejuvenated once the FA get their act together and appoint somebody with the proper credentials and passion. The players can now string more than five passes together, have a winner’s mentality and exact revenge on Croatia for the humiliating defeats.

Yes, I will go to sleep on that thought. Till tomorrow.

Yes, I know it is the stuff made of fantasies, but what else is there that England fans can hanker for? Israel threw them a lifeline and put them in the driver seat, needing only a draw against Croatia (with home advantage) to ensure qualification, yet this simple hurdle proves too much for McClaren and company.

At Wembley, England were dumped out of Euro 2008 finals unceremoniously when they lost 3-2 to Croatia after pulling level from conceding two early goals. This is the first time since 1984 that England miss out on the European Championship finals.

Frank Lampard converted from a penalty in the 56th minute after defender Josip Simunic had fouled Defoe. That was his only notable contribution, else this performance only confirms that England cannot rely on him to score from open play.

The one-dimensional strategy of Lampard making deep runs from midfield after the strikers knocked on the ball for him is a failure. It may work wonders for Chelsea but time and again, for the national team, he shows an ineptitude in finding the goal despite having an abundance of opportunities at his feet.

Moral of the story: the strikers should just take the chances themselves and let Fat Lamps have his shot when all else has failed. Let him perform his defense splitting passes and do not let him anywhere near the six-yard box. His records after the World Cup campaign for missed shots is high and if we allow him the honor, he will push it through the roof.

For England’s second goal, David Beckham who came on as a substitute, delivered his perfect, trademark cross from the right which Crouch chested down before volleying wide of keeper Stipe Pletikosa.

That would have been a happy result for both teams but Croatia had other plans up their sleeves. At a time when England sat back and defend, Croatia pressed for a winner and they were rewarded when Petric delivered his low, angled left-footed drive flying past Carson into the far post.

The wisdom of fielding Carson, an inexperienced goalkeeper, is debatable. In a match of such significance, we have to choose players on form but also with a mental toughness. Owen and Rooney are drafted to play at the highest level at an early age because they display a fearlessness in their approach. They thrive in big matches and are not awed by the opponents.

A bad judgment in fielding an inexperienced striker will result in the team not scoring but at the very least, not lose if the back line holds firm. On the other hand, a goalkeeper who is not self-assured will cost the team dearly.

This brings us to the question of a safe pair of hands. England has outstanding midfielders and strikers, a so-so defense but a dearth of world-class goalkeepers. This should be the first problem for the youth academy to address before England can revive its championship cause.

Since the days of Gordon Banks and his understudy Peter Shilton, to the recent David Seaman, England did not fare too badly in this department. In fact, it was one of the strongest and because a quality shot-stopper is so hard to dislodge, there were other able goalkeepers who never had a chance to shine.

Today, we have Paul Robinson, Chris Kirkland, Robert Green, Scott Carson and ˜Calamity’ James as choices. They present selection problems to the coach not because each is better than the others but rather each represent a massive gamble that the faint-hearted should never attempt.

As for Steven Gerrard, there have been discussions that he should be displaced in favor of Frank Lampard. To that, my only response is: Bollocks.

He has witnessed a dip in form and did not perform any magic for England in this match. But to use that as an excuse to build a team around Lampard? Unbelievable. Gerrard has more techniques to his game than Lampard who cannot defend, tackle, retain possession, dribble or play on the wings. He can only play in his favorite middle of the park role (passing and taking pot shots) and that is a two-trick pony.

The crux of the problem in midfield is the individual contest between super-inflated egos who are vying for personal glory than to close ranks and fight as a team. This problem plagues even the successful teams. Just ask Frank Rijkaard who is trying to juggle Ronaldinho, Henry, Eto’o and Messi into Barcelona’s outfit.

Meanwhile, the latest news is that McClaren was sacked but this is going to be another long post which I will discuss later. Till tomorrow.

He said: “As a club manager you need a couple of years to make or build a team. In a national team you need three or four years because you do not have the players every day. It’s not McClaren’s fault. I feel for him and hope he is going to continue.”

Watching the match against Austria, I concur with Steve Bilic. Of course, we should let McClaren carry on. England will be the shining beacon of mediocrity and any national coach just need to hold up his report card against McClaren’s and chances are, he will be exonerated. Now that Israel has defeated Russia 2-1, the stage is set for McClaren to win over his critics but I have a nagging suspicion he will falter.

The exhibition match against Austria (co-host of Euro 08) ended with a 1-0 win for England. From David Beckham’s corner kick, Peter Crouch headed in the goal in the 44th minute but they lost Michael Owen to a thigh strain – the last thing England needs from a meaningless match.

Owen, who left in the 34th minute, appears likely to miss England’s final European Championship qualifier, at home against Croatia on Wednesday. The team is already without the talismanic Wayne Rooney, sidelined with an ankle injury. Emile Heskey, Dean Ashton, and Andrew Johnson are also incapacitated.

Before this game, England has only four strikers to deploy: Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Jermaine Defoe and Alan Smith. To illustrate the striker malaise facing a beleaguered England, the quartet managed only a measly two Premier League goals in this season. And the two goals came from Owen, the others have either not found their scoring boots, are warming the bench or played out of position.

In fact, defender Joleon Lescott has outdone Owen in the league with three goals; that should be something for Steve McClaren to chew on. On paper, fielding these strikers doesn’t inspire confidence. Has McClaren exhausted his options or he has not looked hard enough?

Granted there are very few candidates who can shoulder the weight of the nation’s expectations in a match of such gravity, but if Alan Smith is playing, then I am sure there are better choices around.

Why is Smith still in the squad? His technical abilities are limited and his game consists of aimless running, reckless tackles and fouls (under the pretext of winning the ball), interrupting the flow of the game and arguing with match officials. Manchester United made a mistake and couldn’t be faster in offloading him.

In his new club, he is cast as a defensive midfielder. For good reason too, because he cannot score unless the entire opponent’s defense and goalkeeper are malfunctioning. Yet, for England, he still plies his trade as a striker.

The other options like Marcus Bent, Michael Chopra, Kevin Davies and Dave Kitson have never featured in an England call-up before and it is unlikely McClaren will take such a gamble now. Darius Vassell has regressed dramatically since earning his final cap in Euro 2004.

Carlton Cole, once billed as the “most exciting talent” while in the Under-21 team, had an uneasy transition into the senior squad. This season’s sole Englishman in the Premier League’s top scorers, Gabriel Agbonlahor, doesn’t even warrant a cameo appearance in this friendly. As for Arsenal’s raw diamond, Theo Walcott, who was magnificent in the 7-0 drubbing of Prague, he is still behind Smith in the pecking order.

It seems that Steve McClaren is scared of his senior players and he may have linked his job security to their presence on the pitch. He has to understand that only the best man plays. Every team has to make difficult and unpopular choices between players – that is the job of a manager.

If a player is so full of himself and believes he has a divine right to be in the team, and the manager indulges him, then what good is a manager who is not his own man? He should be axed, followed by the player.

The midfield partnership of Lampard and Gerrard is another frustrating aspect. For those who advocated time for this combination to work out, I suggest give it up. Both are attacking midfielders but the natural order of a game dictates that one has to play in a holding role, and that usually means Gerrard is doing it because Lamps does not know how to win a ball or retain possession.

Frank Lampard can make splitting passes and score fantastic long-range goals but his game is flawed. If both are in the team, it doesn’t work in England’s favor as Gerrard possesses a knack of turning a match around on its head when it counted most (Liverpool being the beneficiary of this driving force in countless close shaves) but playing so deep in midfield restricts the chances of that happening.

Gareth Barry and Micah Richards should be included too if England is selecting the best players and not best-paid players. Barry has a stable influence on the team, while allowing Gerrard to venture forward, but it is a wonder that McClaren omitted him so that he can have another look at Lampard and Gerrard in action.

Trying the same recipe for disaster, in a bid to see different results, may not be looked at kindly on Wednesday. There is no room for error against Croatia; if McClaren is still undecided on the right players, and England are dumped out of Euro 08, the FA will have to decide if England deserve someone better to lead them in the World Cup.