Rejuvenated Roy: Architect of England’s success

Were you among the far from small group of people who doubted whether England would make the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil? Well, if you were, you had perfectly valid reasons for your fears. Before the all-important double header at home versus Montenegro and Poland, England had failed to live up to the high standards expected of them, had failed to beat any of their main rivals for the automatic qualification spot, and most of all, their manager seemed to be making all the wrong choices.

But well, they won both games, with excellent performances: eye-catching up front and rock solid in defence. And the main man behind it all- Roy Hodgson! The same Roy Hodgson, who had [justly] been criticized of playing too negatively, not making substitutions and failing to inspire confidence in both his players and the fans. But the man answered his critics with a real change of personality and led the Three Lions into the Finals! We highlight the main decisions made by him that helped!

1- Change of approach: He finally let go of the shackles that forced him to play too defensively! A real change in thinking style ensued and the forward play from all the players was fluid, dynamic and efficient. The same players who were accused of being unproductive in the final third- Rooney, Welbeck, Sturridge, Gerrard, picked themselves up for the big occasion and delivered!

2- Getting the defence spot-on: The centre back pairing of Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka has been impeccable. Kyle Walker has done an excellent job at right back, and even Chris Smalling did his bit when he was called in for the Poland game. Superstars Ashley Cole and Leighton Baines are always reliable. And not to forget, the midfield paring of captain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard offers solidity, calm, and superb organization.

3- Andros Townsend: What a revelation! This young man burst on to the stage when the manager called him to play for the England team! Many would have mocked this decision but Andros proved to the world he is not just any winger, but one with astonishing speed, amazing dribbling skills, great crossing and shooting and someone who can cover in defence. He can indeed go and become a legend, and was the key player orchestrating his team’s attack in the last two games.

4- Substitutions: Now this would have gone unnoticed by many, but Roy’s changes in the Poland game so subtly changed it from one of backs-to-the-wall defending to one of good possession and comfort, even at 1-0 up. Fresh legs of Lampard and Wilshere helped to keep the ball, and James Milner set up Gerrard’s clincher.

5- Players who stepped up: Not something the manager did directly, but Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard lead by example, turning in exemplary performances to guide the team to Brazil! The manager surely must have told them to step up!

All in all, we need to give credit to Roy for all the things he did right and for all he has learnt from past mistakes. We also need to give credit to the team for the hard work they have put in. Now England can focus on preparing for the World Cup next year and if they play like this, they will surely go a long, long way!