England must be prepared to sacrifice for success

Another tournament, another early exit. Just what is it with England? Having slipped to 20th in the latest FIFA world rankings, the Three Lions are 12/1, joint-sixth favourite’s with Belgium to win Euro 2016.

If proper planning is put into place with subtle conviction and applied with perception, England shouldn’t win an international competition for at least six years. It gives time to build on the strategy already in place, and make tweaks from the lessons learned in Brazil.

Not just on an internal level. Those involved in the set-up need to look at the successes and failures of other countries, and understand what they did, how, and more importantly, why.

To suggest that England need to replicate the German model is lazy. Two years ago, when Spain followed up their World Cup win with an emphatic Euro 2012 victory over Italy, the same journalists and commentators were saying the same about La Roja.

Essentially Iberian culpability fell with those directly involved with the continued evolution of the Spanish game. They staunchly stuck by the ‘tiki taka’ system that had served them so well in the past, and ignored hints to become more unpredictable. One big clue that should have motivated a re-think was Barcelona’s battering from Bayern Munich in the 2012/13 Champions League semi-final.

Germany have demonstrated the intelligence to keep adapting, though they will come unstuck at some point. The question is when? No doubt Die Mannschaft can dominate for at least the next six years, though the Three Lions should position themselves in the meantime to pounce when the time is right.

Building the impressive football academy at St George’s Park is a step in the right direction. Young players are at least starting to receive a broad tangible tuition about the game. What key decision makers must now deliberate is the methods that they adhere to.

It is all very well promoting small-sided games, based on skill and close ball control, using minimum touches, and propagating a ‘pass and move’ philosophy. To do any of this, young players must have their instincts, intelligence and awareness honed appropriately.

Psychology and simple motor skills need to take centre stage at the very beginnings of grass roots, and only then can youth contingents begin to develop the way they go about their business on the football pitch. Between the ages of six and 10, neurological activity has a vital impact on the speed at which children learn.