Bertrand is now a convert to the ways of Eddie Jones
RYAN BERTRAND has been converted to the Eddie Jones school of management after quizzing him when the England rugby boss paid a visit to the football training camp last week.
The Southampton left-back bought into the Australian’s philosophy of players taking individual responsibility and is anxious to transfer that to Gareth Southgate’s squad.
“Eddie gave us massive inspiration when he came,” says Bertrand.
“His team have been on a fantastic record-breaking run and the lads dug deep to try and find out how that was achieved.
“It wasn’t just temporary success, but sustainable success, and the boys came out of the meeting with a much clearer idea of how that can be achieved.
“We’re creating a new culture under Gareth, an open culture that is focused on being the best we can be.
“That comes down to working hard. That was one of Eddie’s main points. To sustain any success you just have to work harder.
“We want to achieve things for the country as a group.
“We all have the ability, so there’s no reason for us not to.
“The rugby players bought into personal responsibility and in the end, it’s the players who lead.
“The players need to be looking after one another and make sure the demands are met. That was one of the main philosophies of the rugby lads.
“It perhaps happens more at club level because you get more time.
“But Gareth has tried to give us a direction and we’re very focused on creating a great culture.
“That’s why when he had that meeting to talk to us about his plans he invited everyone, not just those who had been called up.
“For longevity of the team going
forward, we’re going to need all these players. It’s important we all buy into it.”
Bertrand will almost certainly start against Lithuania tonight but his mind will not be on cementing his place in the absence of injured regular left-back Danny Rose. He won his first cap back in 2012 shortly after becoming an unlikely star of Chelsea’s Champions League triumph against Bayern Munich.
It’s taken him four-and-a-half years to reach cap number 12 and, like Rose, is ideally suited to the wing back role should Southgate opt to use it.
“It’s not been more important for me to impress this week than when I’ve been in the team before,” he says. “It’s a very competitive team we have. We have great depth in all positions, especially at fullback and you can’t get caught up in personal ambitions.
“You must try to provide your team with what needs to be done and you can reflect afterwards.
“I like both left-back and wing-back. I relish the chance to adapt to new roles.
“When I was first in the youth team at Chelsea, in Jose Mourinho’s first era at Chelsea, we were really adaptable.
“We knew the systems inside out and would change from one to the other within a game. That gave you an edge.
“England will be a stronger force if we are adaptable.”