THE TEA LIONS
England squad stock up with British brew, Jaffa Cakes and baked beans for the World Cup
THE Three Lions will be lifting the cuppa – as they bring their own tea bags for a proper brew during the World Cup in Russia.
Jaffa Cakes will also be on the menu for the tournament kicking off on June 14.
The taste of home continues with baked beans and English mustard included as part of a special championship diet.
Experts are fine-tuning menus for the England base in Repino, near St Petersburg, as bosses hope we can finally beat our penalty hoodoo.
Manager Gareth Southgate, who names his 23-man squad on Wednesday, is working with the World Cupwinning under17s on the “mind games” for a winning spot kick.
Southgate, who missed one in a semi-final shootout to Germany at Euro 96, told the Three Lions podcast: “We have a couple of projects with players and our analysis team on successful and unsuccessful shootouts.”
England went out of the World Cup on penalties in 1990, 1998 and 2006. FA head of player development Matt Crocker said the Under-17s benefited from changes in approach. After losing to Spain on penalties in last year’s European Championship, they tackled key areas and beat Japan in a shoot-out before their World Cup win against Spain in India last year. The most eager candidates could be rated before a game, and coaches will work with them on “go-to” options before they walk from the halfway line. Mr Crocker said: “Some told us, ‘We don’t want to practise them every day’. They just want to take it in a game, because that’s their style, so we tailor it to specific needs.” It is all part of the recipe for success that includes a diet of fruit, fish, meat, veg and pasta plus the latest in sports nutrition – and treats from home. Sir Alex Ferguson was a big fan of Jaffa Cakes while boss of Manchester United, and is said to have ordered players to eat three before games for a quick energy boost. England’s opening game is against Tunisia on June 18. They then play Panama on June 24 and Belgium on June 28. They play Nigeria and Costa Rica next month before leaving for Russia.