He might do it too. Liverpool proved that it is possible to win a cup despite a poor manager who seemed out of his depth.
I have always disliked Eriksson's methods. He seems to hand out caps as rewards to players in form ,like the worst England managers did way back, with little regard for a continuity of style and pattern. The concept of TEAM seems to play little part in his thinking or picks.
Friendlies are used, not to give the first choice side more time to get some understanding, but to give the second string 20 mins, often out of position, to try to prove their worth. This is an idiotic policy for a side which suffers more from lack of familiarity rather than shortage of talent.
If the main strikers are likely to be Owen and the crazy kid, why play Crouch when one is unavailable rather than a player closer to the style of the one missing? The attacking style for a team with a lofty centre forward is not going to be the same as one with a player like Rooney.
Will Crouch play in the WC? Unlikely, unless forced by injury. Then we will,once again, be forced to adapt to a strange attack rather than slot in someone who is familiar with a style of play like the rest of the side.
Is it so difficult for him to understand? Look at any good league side like the recent Arsenal and Man U sides, Chelsea now, and certainly Pool in the past, and we see a team style. If any of these had to field 4 reserves the style of the side remains unchanged. Although it might lose a bit of skill it would still look and play in a way every member understood. Does anyone yet know what the England teams style is? One game back it was a lone striker with DB central of 5? Now a towering forward with DB on the right? What next?
This squad has more talent than the one which won the WC under Ramsey. But everyone in that group knew exactly what was expected of them and played as a team familiar with each other and the system, and this was the same for the reserves. Doubt if it will can ever happen with this man.
LC
