[Devongone]

No Jim, I think you are right about the coaching. However much individual talent you have, it also has to have a clear idea of how it is intended to be used - unless you give every player the freedom to think for himself and interpret the team's needs as the game develops. At the moment England seem to be both fearful of expressing themselves AND at a loss how interpret any of the instructions they have been given.

I have an awful feeling that if all that happened was the coach pinned up a team with players in their positions and all that was said, "Lads I've absolute confidence in you all, play your game and go out and enjoy it," they would actually do better. Currently management itself seems to be a negative benefit!