PLAYER-POWER TO SCRAP 3-5-2 EXPERIMENT

[luckyluke 2]

Steve McClaren's decision to ditch England's traditional 4-4-2 formation in favour of a 3-5-2 system has reportedly been reversed after leading players revolted against the experiment.

 

According to The Daily Mirror, influential members of the squad are unhappy about the introduction of the new formation and want to use a system they are familiar with in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Macedonia on Saturday.

 

Despite spending the past two days training in the Terry Venables-inspired 3-5-2, a meeting was reputedly arranged for Thursday night at the England hotel in which the players expressed their reservations.

 

McClaren is believed to have welcomed their input and the Mirror says that 'It now seems as if he will leave it up to the England squad to have the final say.'

 

If true, the remarkable exercise of player-power would carry distinct - and unfavourable - echoes of the Sven-Goran Eriksson era when the Swede would frequently be cowed by the influence of senior squad figures.

 

Ironically, in his press conference on Thursday afternoon, Rio Ferdinand repeatedly lauded McClaren's supposed hardline style as opposed to Eriksson's much-derided softly-softly approach.

 

"If he has a problem or he needs something to be rectified, he will just come out and say it to the lad straight away. He's already been doing that," Ferdinand gushed. "Players should definitely be rollicked more often. That's the way I've grown up. Some players might not agree with that and might squirm at being rollicked."

 

The ManYoo defender also argued that McClaren was right to introduce greater tactical flexibility.

 

"In the past England teams have been too rigid in my view," he complained. "Players have been put in positions and then that's it, you just do that and that's what's expected of you.

 

"I think we were over-cautious in our play - not just in the last World Cup but in most World Cups."

 

 

Here we go again....players are far too big for their boots these days.

[Gemmill 42648]

It's fair enough the players voicing their opinions. But then it's up to the manager to turn round and point out that he's the bloke in charge and that they'll play how he tells them to. McClaren is clearly a fanny.

[nufc4ever 0]

It's fair enough the players voicing their opinions. But then it's up to the manager to turn round and point out that he's the bloke in charge and that they'll play how he tells them to. McClaren is clearly a fanny.

 

Except when the player is Craig Bellamy - he clearly knows best tttt.

 

[/stir]

Edited October 6, 2006 by nufc4ever

[The Mighty Hog 488]

Mike Baldwin was on SSN saying it was bollocks, apparently he told the reporter face to face it was. The Neviller was singing from the same hymn sheet aswell. Lets face if anyone was going to lead a dressing room revolt it would be that little toad.

[ewerk 29491]

Mike Baldwin was on SSN saying it was bollocks, apparently he told the reporter face to face it was. The Neviller was singing from the same hymn sheet aswell. Lets face if anyone was going to lead a dressing room revolt it would be that little toad.

 

 

And he would also be a likely victim in a 3-5-2 system.

[Optimistic Nut 31]

Disagree there. Neville would be perfectly suited to a central three alongside Rio & Terry.