CAPTAIN John Terry admits the England squad needed a ‘‘kick up the backside’’ after failing to qualify for Euro 2008 – and revealed how a session of video nasties from Fabio Capello helped guide them back towards next summer’s World Cup finals.
England are now transformed from the ill-fated Steve McClaren era, which ended with defeat to Croatia on a rainy November night at Wembley two years ago.
Seven successive qualifying victories have left Capello’s men on the brink of securing safe passage to the 2010 showpiece tournament, where expectations of a nation are set to be raised once more.
‘‘Not being in the Euros gave us all a kick up the backside which maybe we needed,’’ said Chelsea defender Terry.
‘‘We were not playing well and we all admitted that. Now things are going well, we are working hard for each other and the manager deserves a pat on the back.
‘‘He has shown us videos when we did not work back and fight for each other.
‘‘When you see things like that on the screen with the manager standing there, it makes you want to fight harder for your team-mates.’’ Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney took his tally to ten in seven games with a double against Andorra at Wembley on Wednesday.
Terry feels the 23-year-old can prove the difference if England are to make an impact in the World Cup.
‘‘Being in tournaments with him, Wayne has been the one who can unlock things and break defences down,’’ said the England captain.
‘‘Even away from his goalscoring, which is fantastic at the minute and he is in a great vein of form, his build-up play and link-up play is some of the best around.”
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