WE CAN TAKE THEM TO THE CLEANERS
A brand new chapter for England and its squad
FABIAN DELPH has revealed England’s new generation have their own book club – and they are all ‘cleaners’.
Delph has been reading Tim Grover’s book “Relentless: From Good To Great To Unstoppable” that identifies three types of people: Coolers, Closers and Cleaners.
Grover is the mind guru who helped Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and other basketball champions get to the top
In his book he says the Coolers are good, the Closers are great, but the Cleaners – people such as Jordan and Bryant – are unstoppable.
The Cleaners are well prepared, determined and “in the zone” – and Delph says that fits the squad that reached the semi-finals in Russia and which today will take on Belgium in the third-place play-off.
The Manchester City star said: “The young generation has changed these days. It’s a little bit different.
“These young lads in the team now seem to have that desire and hunger that maybe me and some of the older ones didn’t have at the same age.
“There are about five or six of us who are readers in the squad. Marcus Rashford. That surprised you? Eric Dier, Danny Welbeck. Danny Rose likes a good read. I’m trying to get John Stones to read. I gave him a book. He hasn’t read it. He hasn’t even opened it!”
Delph returned home during the tournament to be with his wife Natalie for the birth of their third child and read Grover’s book on the flight back to Russia.
He added: “I remember doing the parade after we won the Premier League and I wasn’t drinking. I was immediately thinking about the next trophy I could win, which was the World Cup. I think that goes for a lot of the boys in the team.
“There are a lot of Cleaners in this team, a lot of guys who aspire to be good role models and win things.
“A lot of players at big clubs who want to better themselves and it’s refreshing to see. The book was kind of tuning my mind going into battle. Not just me because there are a few readers in the squad. We had a lot of time on our hands.
“You probably imagine us to be on the PlayStation or playing cards, but there are quite a few geeks in the group.”
Delph returned to Russia from his
“I’m trying to get John Stones to read. I gave him a book. He hasn’t read it. He hasn’t even opened it! Danny Rose likes a good read”