Neville: England can take the final step.
By: FIFAworldcup.com.
As England's longest-serving player, it is worth taking note of Gary Neville's words when he says Sven-Goran Eriksson's present team is the most talented he has played in. Here the Manchester United captain tells FIFAworldcup.com why England are ready to "take the last step of the journey" with their Swedish coach and discusses two strikers who will go head to head in Germany this summer, Wayne Rooney and Dwight Yorke.
FIFAworldcup.com: There are a lot of positive noises coming out of the England camp about the team's prospects this summer. Is this optimism justified?.
Gary Neville: We always go into World Cups very excited about our chances but I think this time we have a better chance and I'm not just saying that because it is this time. We have better players, players who in European football have a really high standing – (Michael) Owen, (David) Beckham, (Frank) Lampard, (Steven) Gerrard, (John) Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole, Joe Cole. That's important because you carry that authority on to the pitch. We have to play well, of course, keep our best players fit and have that little bit of luck that you need. I just hope we can play to our capabilities - that will be the most important thing. Sometimes we've disappointed in previous tournament and there is no excuse this time.
Since losing to Northern Ireland in September, England have won four games in a row. How much confidence did you take in particular from fighting back to beat Argentina and Uruguay?.
We've shown good character in the last two games to come from behind and the way we've won them in the last few minutes is always the most exciting way to win a match. Things like that generate a better spirit. We've been happy with our performances over the last few matches and we hope we can have a really good build-up and get a couple of wins under our belts in the friendlies we have. Hopefully we'll go into the World Cup really fresh and full of confidence.
How do you view your group in Germany?.
My theory is that teams don't go through the heartache of qualification for two years, train like mad for three or four weeks together and then think 'Oh England are coming, we're just going to make it easy for them'. We have Paraguay in the first game, Trinidad and then Sweden with whom obviously there's a big rivalry, and for some players it will be the biggest match of their careers. It's a really difficult group for us but it can be made easy by our performance.
Against Trinidad, you'll be up against your old Manchester United team-mate Dwight Yorke..
That's exactly what I've been talking about - Dwight is 34 now and he's going to be playing against England in the World Cup finals which he would have never thought he'd have the opportunity to do. He has now got the opportunity and he is excited. He's played in some massive games, but this is going to be one of the biggest matches he will play in. It will be the same for the other Trinidad players who play in England and think about England as being one of the great football nations. We’ve got a really difficult game, Dwight is still a really good player and we will have to play close attention to him.
He's been training with you at United, hasn't he?.
He's been training with us for the past two months and will be with us until the end of the season just to keep fit. He is looking good, his control is always very good and he knows the game. They will be very dangerous in that match.
Have any of the England lads been kicking him in training?.
No. We'll do that in the game hopefully. (Laughs.)
Who do you consider the favourites for the FIFA World Cup?.
I think the favourites are always Brazil because they win the most World Cups. They have a collection of players which is incredible in terms of skill and they are the team that everyone feels they have to beat to win it. After that you have to look at Italy, Germany, Argentina - the countries that have a history of winning it. These teams always seem to produce it and even when they're written off they hit the right form at the right moment. That's what we have to do this time.
How important is Wayne Rooney to England's chances?.
Wayne Rooney is very important. Because he is unpredictable, he brings a different dimension with the way we play. He is fearless and a nightmare for defenders. He is probably the one player in the squad who we really probably can't afford to lose. Where Brazil have maybe three or four, we have Wayne Rooney. We have other really good players but he is the one up front who offers that different thing for us.
Is Rooney as fearless as he looks?.
That is the most impressive thing. Nothing fazes him. He believes he should be on the stage and he is just a very, very good footballer with a great attitude to playing football. He is a nightmare to play against – his strength, his power, his control, his skill. He has got a decent scoring record that is getting better and he can produce the unpredictable moment that can win you a match.
You know David Beckham better than most people. How do you think he has changed as he has got older and how do you view criticism of his captaincy?.
I don't think he's changed too much. He still has that great appetite to play. I think the criticism of him comes from the fact that he is captain and if you're England captain then you are going to get criticised. The only way you can answer it is on the pitch and I am sure he will this summer. We are more aware than most that it is going to be our last World Cup and we have to take the opportunity and enjoy it and make the most of it.
Sven-Goran Eriksson will finish as England manager this summer. How do you view his time in charge?.
He has stayed in the job for five years which is an achievement in itself. We went through a period before where we had about four managers in four years and continuity is important if you work with a group of players. People talk about the lack of emotion with Sven but I believe that is as big a positive as it is a negative, because I've seen England managers who have been very emotional yet that's been their biggest failing and it's cost them their job. Everything is level (with Eriksson). If we lose, 'Not happy but it's football'. If we win, 'Yes we played well, but that's football as well'. I think he looks at things in a very grounded way and that's brought a lot of calmness to the job.
Eriksson seems to inspire loyalty in the players. Why is this?.
I think he is loyal in terms of the players he picks. He sticks with the players and there've been very settled squads over the past five years. There's not six or seven changes every time and I think that does inspire loyalty and continuity. I hope it comes to fruition this summer. The squad hasn't changed nor has the manager, and the coaching, the medical staff, the administration is all the same. It's the last step of the journey together and I hope it can be a good step. I hope we can get to the top of the ladder.
Finally, as the longest-serving current England player, what has been the highlight of your time so far in an England shirt?.
EURO 96 was the high point of my England career so far. I hope it can get higher.
And how does that team compare with the current side?.
I think we've got some strong characters, but I don't think we've got as many real powerful leaders. (Tony) Adams, (Stuart) Pearce, (Alan) Shearer, (Paul) Ince, (Paul) Gascoigne, (David) Platt, (Gareth) Southgate. It had captains throughout, David Seaman and Teddy Sheringham too. But I think in terms of actual natural ability this team has a little bit more.
