THINGS THE THREE LIONS HAVE TO SORT OUT BEFORE SUMMER COMES AROUND..

Play better teams in friendlies No more picking soft opposition for friendlies that may give the players’ egos a boost and the team a boost in the rankings, as it gives a false idea of England’s place in the world order. Make better use of England age-group players The pathway into the senior team is littered with broken dreams. But the Under-20s won the World Cup this summer and the challenge for England boss Gareth Southgate is to bring those players into the senior set-up over the next few years. Give young players a chance No one can say Southgate is not trying. Marcus Rashford and Dele Alli are the poster boys for the next generation, but if their form dips he needs to keep his nerve and stand by them. Find players who take responsibility England’s defeat to Iceland at last summer’s Euros (above) showed how the team desperately needs players to take control on the pitch. By not naming a

permanent captain, Southgate is trying to flush out leaders, but eventually he will have to settle on one. Make playing for England an honour... not a chore All players are proud to be called up by their country. But the thrill can soon fade for some and the atmosphere around the camp needs to be good enough to make players look forward to international week. Fans showed how vital their role can be with the way they got behind the team as England trailed Slovakia, before going on to win.