DAZZA HAS AN URGE TO WIN GROUP
DARREN ANDERTON admits that he was transported back to 1998 when Tunisia were pulled out of the hat in Moscow alongside England.
And now he is backing Gareth Southgate’s side to use their opener against the north Africans as a springboard for success in this summer’s World Cup.
England will meet Tunisia in Volgograd on June 18, knowing that a positive result is essential with Belgium lurking at the end of Group G.
It was a similar story 20 years ago, with heavilyfancied Colombia expected to progress serenely from the group stages in France.
England started that tournament with a bang – beating Tunisia 2-0 on a baking hot day in Marseille.
And Anderton believes it’s essential that this England side follow suit.
Dazza said: “1998 really showed how important it is to win your group. If we had managed that, then we would have been in the other half of the draw.
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“If we had done that then we could have done a Croatia and reached the semi-finals at least.
“This World Cup draw brought back some good memories, though.
“The way that things have gone in recent competitions means we can’t take anything for granted – but it’s a pretty good draw.
“A few of those players in and around the squad now have tournament experience and that counts for so much when it comes to a World Cup.
“Hopefully, they’ll get a good start in the tournament and go and express themselves. We’ve seen in the Premier League just how critical the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli are to club and country.
“Now this is a massive opportunity for them to have an impact on the global stage.
“They’re surrounded by good players too. I think we go into tournaments with a negative mindset sometimes.
“But I hope the young guys in this side will make sure that isn’t the case.
Perfect
“The Tunisia game is just one of those matches that you have to get through.
“I remember it being baking hot back in 1998 and Alan Shearer (left) getting an early goal.
“Paul Scholes then scored an absolutely unbelievable strike and it ended up being the perfect start to the tournament.
“Hopefully England can manage the same kind of start in Russia.”
Then, as now, the 1998 World Cup saw the emergence of a new generation of young English talent.
The likes of Scholes, Sol Campbell and David Beckham all made their mark on the tournament.
Ultimately, though, the dismissal of Beckham against Argentina in the last 16 cost England dear.
“We should have gone a lot further in that tournament,” he says, recalling how Glenn Hoddle’s men had lost their second match to group winners Romania before beating Colombia.
“It was obviously a huge disappointment that we didn’t beat Argentina. We could have been three or four up at half-time, but it was 2-2 after 90 minutes... and then penalties.”