England must be system addicts

Turn around the Gunners

“We also had a great togetherness. Back in 1996, Aime Jacquet began planning for the WorldBACKCupin1996,that wasAimetoJacquetbestagedbegantwo years Andlaterifyouinhishave just one who is a bad homeplanningcountryfor theofFrance.World Cup that was influence, it can affect the whole toThebe nationalstagedtwomanageryears laterhad seeninhishis team

squad.reach the semi-homefinalscountryoftheof EuropeanFrance. Championships “inEvenEnglandtheplayers who were not andThenownationalsetaboutmanagerhisstrategyhadseenforvictoryhisplayinginFrancethat98.often were solid in the

teamAnd reachwhen thehefinalisedsemi-finalshis ofselectionthe theregroup.two No–toone is happy if they are not many,EuropeanglaringChampionship–omissions...inEricEnglandCantona playing.andDavidBut they did not let the Ginola.andnow set about his strategy for disappointment affect them.”

victory“Alot inof Francepeople98.were surprised at that,” saidEngland,Manuin contrast, have had Petit,Andwhowhendid makehefinalisedthecuthisandselectionwenton toproblemsenjoyWorldinmajor tournament finals. Cuptheresuccesswere twofollowed–to many,byEuropeanglaringglory– twoAsmanageryearslaterGareth Southgate inomissions.HollandandEricBelgium.Cantona (right) and pointed out after the 2-2 draw with

David“IfyouGinola.asked anyone around that time,ScotlandthenCantonakepthis squad on course for and“GinolaAlotofwouldpeoplehavewerebeen the nexttwosummer’smost finals in Russia, famoussurprisedandatmaybethat,” mostsaid Englandtalentedhave won only three FrenchEmmanuelplayersPetitaround.whodid knockout matches in 25 years.

make“ButtheJacquetcutandleftwentthemonout – and“We have to change that if weto wonenjoytwoWorldsuccessiveCupsuccess we reach the finals,” said tournamentsfollowedby withEuropeanbasicallyglory Southgate. Petit said: “Maybe thetwosameyearssquad.later inIt justHollandproves thatthelongthe season has taken its bestandplayersBelgium.do not always have toll.aplaceTherein is no winter break in the “bestIfyouteam.”asked anyone around that England and many teams played four time,SowhatthendidCantonaJacquetandhaveGinolainhiswouldsquad thatmatchesmadein 10 days over Christmas. have been the two most famous and “It is tough in England, very maybe most talented French players. demanding. But they also need a way

“But Jacquet left them out – and of playing that is settled. We had that we won two successive tournaments with France in 1998 and 2000. with basically the same squad. It just “We didn’t play my way or your proves the best players do not always way. We played OUR way. have a place in the best team.” “We had a system and we stuck to

So what did Jacquet have in his it. And there were players on the pitch squad that made them so successful? who made sure that we did.

“We had a team of proven winners “I watched England play against and we had a team with leaders,” Scotland and when they lost 3-2 to said Petit, who scored in the 3-0 win France and I could not tell you the in the World Cup final against Brazil. system they were playing.”