Are England mad to ditch mind coach?

ENGLAND footballers have given up travelling with a dedicated sports psychiatrist at the very time when they look as if they could do with extra support for their mental attitude.

There are plenty of unappetising games, such as Friday’s dire match in Malta, when it proves difficult to inspire maximum performance from the players — just where a trusted psychiatrist could prove useful.

But mind coach Steve Peters, who was seen as a Roy Hodgson appointment, has disappeared from the set-up since the Hodgson regime ended in abject failure at Euro 2016.

The thinking at St George’s Park is that the days of players listening to one guru all the time are over and that it is more useful for the England squad to hear from a number of different psychiatrists when they are in camp.

These varied voices are either based at St George’s or brought in by management consultancy firm Lane Four, set up by 1988 Olympic gold-medal winning swimmer Adrian Moorhouse.

Peters always cut a forlorn figure on England duty despite his successful football work with Liverpool, endorsed by former England captain Steven Gerrard.

gravy train has certainly hit the buffers at FIFA for delegates sent to World Cup qualifiers. Rather than the previous five-star lifestyle, officials now stay in three-star hotels while on FIFA duty and the cheapest flights are booked, whatever the inconvenient time for travelling.

RYAN GIGGS is well known in Malta due to the time he has spent on the island, starting from his early days at Manchester United. He also invested in a hotel group there with Gary Neville. Nevertheless Giggs, along with ITV colleagues Paul Ince (right), Ian Wright and Glenn Hoddle, chose to return home from Malta as soon as possible after the game on Friday — even if it meant a 5.30am exit from their hotel on Saturday.

Sport, who at this stage look to have a stronger pundit line-up for the World Cup than their BBC rivals, have already decided to produce their coverage from Russia rather than in London. But, on a rotational basis, the BBC will have first choice of matches.