Gareth Southgate took the sensible approach over Eric Dier, now English players must start thinking... passion is over-rated, it's brains you want

  • You won't hear me banging on about passion - it's an over-rated quality in sport 
  • It's superficial and glib and lacking any quantifiable worth
  • English midfielders are often caught out against the best when it really matters
  • READ:  Tuesday's column on Danny Drinkwater and England

A travesty of a refereeing decision that ended Northern Ireland’s World Cup dreams and potentially brought to a close one of the greatest eras of international football there warrants more than a sarcastic line or two. A video assistant referee would have made light work of such a mistake – but, hey, maybe it just isn’t as appealing or controversial enough compared to a sweary WAG? Glennjo95, Londonderry.

Or maybe I covered the decision in great detail in the 1,100 word match report I wrote from Belfast on the night, Glenn. In fact, I was the only chief sports writer or chief football writer at a national newspaper who bothered to make the trip over to cover the game. So it wasn’t that I have ignored Northern Ireland’s qualifier, or belittled their misfortune, just that I didn’t need to discuss the ramifications on Tuesday, having written, at length, about them the previous Thursday. 

As for the sweary WAG, Lisa Evans – she wasn’t just sweary, she was appallingly, overtly, racist. Even then, I didn’t include her in the column to create controversy. I included her as a way of telling a story about an amusing night at a restaurant owned by Marco Pierre White. A little light and shade, Glenn. Certainly more fun than another boring treatise on VAR. My thoughts on that subject are well documented anyway. Obviously, it would have sorted out this particular travesty; others, it wouldn’t. 


We’ve gone round in circles on this a hundred times. I’d rather try to make a few people laugh. Certainly during international week because it can get a bit dry. We end up eulogising goalless draws, for heaven’s sake.

Point one: on Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Martin Samuel is spot on. Loftus-Cheek has been a part of the first-team set up at Chelsea for around three years prior to his loan move to Crystal Palace. In the first he was competing against Cesc Fabregas, Nemanja Matic, Oscar and John Mikel Obi for a place. All were playing well in a Chelsea side that won the league. The next season Chelsea’s midfield wasn’t playing well but when he did get a chance, Loftus-Cheek was not an upgrade. Last season he was again up against experienced senior players who were doing well in a system that didn't really suit him. Sometimes, no matter how talented a player is, he has to be in the right place at the right time. On Friday against Germany he was, and judging by the way Chelsea are delaying Fabregas’s new contract, maybe next season will be his time. Barryarif, Devon.

I hope so, Barry. I thought it was interesting that Ryan Giggs talked about the robustness that is needed to play regularly after Loftus-Cheek came off injured against Brazil. He implied that Marcus Rashford had it, because he was getting matches, and Loftus-Cheek did not. It will be interesting to see if he can sustain a substantial run in the Crystal Palace team this season. At Chelsea, I thought he seemed lightweight for such an imposing athlete and he didn’t deliver as I expected when he got the odd break. Maybe, though, he just isn’t that type of player. Those who have watched him throughout his career say he is much closer to a number ten than the modern central midfielders we are used to, that he is a rival to Dele Alli for England, rather than one of the deeper midfield starters like Jordan Henderson. Fair enough, but Alli is tough, too, and puts a foot in – sometimes too much. I thought Loftus-Cheek was excellent against Germany but that the game went on around him against Brazil. In any midfield position these days, a player has to be assertive.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek started for England against Germany and Brazil (above)

Ruben Loftus-Cheek started for England against Germany and Brazil (above)

Point two: music’s not for everyone.

Pita’s ‘Get Out’ gave me a headache. PPhillips, Southend.

Well, firstly, bless you for listening. Secondly, sorry about that. The point I was trying to make with that particular piece of music last week is that I’ve never greatly minded being out on a limb on stuff. I realise Pita’s ‘3 (Get Out)’ comes as a bit of a shock. The noise that overwhelms the melody is rather extreme, yes. But I find it beautiful. I’ll go a little further. Trapped with it inside headphones, my first reaction was that it was unlistenable; but, then again, I’m always rather intrigued by sounds that are very different. So I stuck with it and, persevering, by the end, I found it utterly euphoric. I could have stood up and cheered. It gave me goosebumps. Anyway, those who were here last week will know what all that was about, and those that were not – well, we’ll soon be moving onto more earthbound matters of captaincy and international selection. But first: more from Pita. Gentle stuff this time. No nasty surprises. Unless you think music shouldn’t be crackly.

Point three: passion and the England captain.

I bet Samuel will come out when Harry Kane is given the captaincy permanently and say we need a captain with more passion – which Eric Dier has in abundance. Spurs Man, United Kingdom.

Then you don’t know me at all, do you? I think passion is one of the most over-rated qualities in sport, superficial and glib and lacking any quantifiable worth. I thought John Terry and Tony Adams were great captains and both fit our understanding of the passionate leader – but so, too, was Bobby Moore, who was clearly a very different character. 

I was very disappointed when Dier said he didn’t pay attention to the last World Cup, to the extent of not even knowing who had won, because it showed a lack of intellectual engagement with the game that I feel has been England’s problem in the past. You hear former Liverpool players say how Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano would constantly talk and analyse football. Suddenly, the intelligent reading of a game throughout their careers is no mystery. How many of those little brainboxes, running the midfield, breaking up play, using the ball intelligently and smartly in our league are foreign? 

Think of N’Golo Kante, or the way Kevin De Bruyne has adapted his game this season. Don’t tell me they don’t watch football, don’t study how it is played or how it is developing. We need our players thinking like that. Dier struck me as a smart, versatile player in his position, but if he doesn’t commit mentally to how the game is played he will be caught out against the best when it really matters – as English midfielders so often are. 

I was encouraged that Southgate said he uses Dier as a sounding board, so they must talk football, but this is only the start. If this generation is not to go the same way as its predecessors, it needs more people who embrace the game on an intellectual level. So, no, you’ll never find me banging on about passion. It’s brains you want.

Point four: about Danny Drinkwater, and the international call.

Where were England when Danny Drinkwater was at the top of his game winning the league with Leicester? No, he joins one of the elite clubs and without a full 90 minutes under his belt he is called up. He did the right thing. Firstly, you clearly don’t only get one chance with England. Some players can fail at several tournaments and still get picked, we have seen that before. Bryan Robson, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, the list is almost endless when it comes to failures picked to play. Delman666, London.

For a start, you are wrong. When Drinkwater was at the top of his game with Leicester, he was called up by Roy Hodgson and given his England debut. Hodgson named him in a squad on March 17, 2016, for matches with Germany and Holland, and he played against Holland on March 29. He made three appearances for England before signing for Chelsea. I remember this because on February 8, 2016, I advocated picking Drinkwater for England.

'England have good creative midfielders, but few capable of adequately protecting the back four. Jack Wilshere is too often injured, and it isn’t his role. Fabian Delph, Michael Carrick, Jordan Henderson, Jonjo Shelvey, Tom Cleverley and Ryan Mason are not good enough. They would not get into any other major team at the tournament. Eric Dier impressed on his full debut, in a friendly with France in November, although it is hard to read too much into that match. And then there is Drinkwater. He has been magnificent for Leicester this season. There was no comparison between him and Delph, head to head, on Saturday. Yet if players such as Alli and Ross Barkley are to be used to their potential in France, the defensive midfield role is vital. It needs a player with discipline and little ego, who can do the job as detailed – and no group of players have executed a gameplan as efficiently as Leicester this season. Drinkwater isn’t a conventional defensive shield. Claudio Ranieri charges N’Golo Kante with breaking up play, and he does it superbly. Drinkwater gets forward, and is a supply line for Vardy, but that does not matter here. He has a high energy level, tackles well and possesses good positional sense, all the qualities of a defensive midfielder. Given the opportunity to play for England, it is worth discovering if he also has the selflessness and discipline to make the slight alterations to his game and utilise those attributes that Hodgson needs.'

As for your second point, about the number of chances a player gets, those you mentioned all took the opportunity early in their careers. Rooney made an immediate impact and his first tournament drew comparisons, from Sven Goran Eriksson, with Pele’s arrival at the World Cup in 1958; Beckham was a key component of the Glenn Hoddle team that won Italy’s qualifying group for the 1998 World Cup; while Robson is still acknowledged by his peers as one of England’s greatest midfielders. There is a world of difference between keeping faith with a player who has shown his quality, and indulging a comparative international novice like Drinkwater. Had he played and impressed regularly over two years this would not have been an issue. The fact is, he still has to prove himself and turning up would have shown willing. It’s not as if Southgate would have forced him to play injured, but it would have demonstrated admirable commitment.

Danny Drinkwater spent the international break with his club, Chelsea

Danny Drinkwater spent the international break with his club, Chelsea

What is it with these writers? They all seem to go after Chelsea players even when they are doing the right things. Drinkwater has played less than 90 minutes of football this season and they think he should risk his career. Herby55, Washington.

Risk his career? What nonsense. Believe it or not, this is about England, not Chelsea. It does not make the slightest difference who Drinkwater plays for. You may believe the world revolves around Chelsea; I don’t.

Eric Dier refused an England Under-21 call-up when Southgate was the manager, Dier is now England captain. It didn’t do him any harm, Martin. Spoilt Rich Kid, Chelsea.

Now, I could answer this myself, explaining that Dier was concentrating on breaking into Tottenham’s team in his preferred position at centre-half rather than playing for England under-21’s at full-back; or I could refer you to the current manager of England. Here he is, from the time of Dier’s withdrawal...

'It is an interesting one, we had quite a mature conversation about it and Eric feels there are parts of his game that he wants to work at. Long term we both agree that he is unlikely to be a full-back and is going to be a centre-half. Without wishing Mauricio Pochettino a problem, I think I agree with that so we said he will stay with Spurs. It took me by surprise a little bit as he would have been in the squad and we thought he did well in Croatia, but he feels his time is best served on the training ground. He didn’t want there to be any misunderstanding about him not wanting to play for England because he does. He’s had opportunities in the past to play for Portugal. He doesn’t want to do that. Eric completely has my blessing. I have had other scenarios where players have elected not to come and they are not here, but I am totally comfortable with this.'

In other words, Southgate seems to be judging each case on its merit which seems very sensible. He may think Dier was a young man making more of a career move, than a more experienced player such as Drinkwater taking what might be considered a short-term decision. Plus, Dier’s take on his future proved very astute; and being right helps.

England boss Gareth Southgate had Eric Dier as captain against Germany and Brazil

England boss Gareth Southgate had Eric Dier as captain against Germany and Brazil

Drinkwater said he didn’t feel fit enough to play for England. What is the issue with that? If he was injured again on international duty for a friendly and was laid off for another three months, what would you say then? He should risk his club career for a shot at an international friendly? Good one. Cfcprotocol, London.

Again with the career risk? Don’t you think it possible that Southgate might know a bit about football, and might be able to make judgements in consultation with his medical staff that do not end up crippling his players? Have you seen what happened with Philippe Coutinho during this international break? Picked injured, reported injured, got fit during his time away with Brazil, and played on Tuesday night at Wembley. Might that option have been available to Drinkwater? He has made one start and three substitute appearances for Chelsea since Countinho last played for Liverpool.

People should read the article and try to understand it. Samuel’s comments are qualified. He makes it abundantly clear that the article is based on some educated assumptions which appear to be reasonable. Drinkwater said no to England with a minor injury when he's not a usual member of the squad. This was a chance for him to break in. It’s different than the other regular squad members pulling out because they’ve already made their mark – this was his chance. You can argue it was understandable because it’s his career but he sits on the bench at Chelsea anyway. Big mistake. MakeBritainGr8Again, Liverpool.

Actually, the reason I wrote in a qualified manner is because there remains uncertainty over the precise nature of Drinkwater’s withdrawal. Southgate initially said that Drinkwater had told him he felt he would be better served staying with Chelsea and working on his fitness. Chelsea later said he was injured. Yet that isn’t what Southgate was told. It could be the club was trying to protect its player from negative headlines and exaggerated his condition. There might have been a simple miscommunication. Either way, in the circumstances, I thought it wise not to make definitive statements. Britain has strong libel laws and to baldly state that Drinkwater is not interested in international football would be hard to justify. He has, after all, joined the squad on previous occasions. I wasn’t even judgemental of Drinkwater, if you revisit the piece. I merely pointed out that international football offers precious few chances to impress and, in rejecting this one, Drinkwater may now find he is at the back of queue. Whether that bothers him, only he will know.

Point five: and now the view from Brazil, on the subject of commitment.

It's funny to read some of this here, because in Brazil the first thing people say when the team loses is that the players are not committed enough. Some say Brazilians are only patriotic when it comes to football, but I believe the pressure the players get here is crazy. Maybe people in Brazil must not be too passionate, or we will struggle, like in 2014. Natália Medella, Rio de Janeiro.

I think part of the problem in Brazil, Natalia, is that people feel distanced from the modern national team. So few of the current squad play there and I noticed on Tuesday night the starting XI was comprised of players from two continents – Europe and Asia – and none of the substitutes used came from South America, either. It was pointed out to me in 2014 that few of the Brazilian public would have seen a player like David Luiz in action. He was with Benfica after 26 matches for Vitoria. Roberto Firmino played 38 times for Figueirense before coming to Europe; Marcelo has played more than ten times as many games for Real Madrid as he did for Fluminese. Maybe that is why, in defeat, the fans turn on the stars in a way they might not have in previous eras. Having said this, take a look at the majority of the comments at the bottom of the England-Brazil match report if you wish to see the pressure of expectation. I thought a young England team were well organised and stuck to a difficult job against superior opposition. The majority of posters, however, are unremittingly negative about the team and its chances. No doubt many of these same contributors accuse the press of building players up to knock them down. Hey ho. Still, a handy excuse to finish with a bit of Brazilian. Until next time.