But German legend Beckenbauer believes he noticed worrying habits already ingrained in the team when his country won a friendly 2-1 at Wembley on August 22.

“It was like a school team, they were not talking and not supporting,” he said of England’s performance that night.

“That was for me the biggest surprise. There is no life in this team.”

He added: “The first time I played against England in 1965, then the World Cup in 1966, there was always a certain spirit.”

Former England manager Graham Taylor – in charge the last time the English failed to qualify for a major finals in 1994 – believes Beckenbauer’s assessment is harsh.

He agrees, however, that there is a lack of communication in the current squad.

“I think there is life in the team but I understand where he’s coming from,” Taylor said.

“There isn’t a Tony Adams, a Stuart Pearce, a Paul Gascoigne, who, as well as playing with their feet, played with their mouths as well.

“That is one of the things the present England team are short of – I don’t think they are loud enough.”

Taylor believes some of the players suffer from a change of character when they play for their country.

He added: “You very rarely see an England player bawl out one of his colleagues in an international game. You do see them do that in club football.”