Adams criticises cautious Eriksson
Tony Adams has criticised Sven-Goran Eriksson’s ‘‘over-cautious’’ approach to the World Cup finals - and suggested a greater ‘‘wit and invention’’ is required if England are to progress further in the future.
The former England skipper voiced fears that an inability to change the team’s style could see ‘‘an outstanding generation’’ of England players go unfulfilled.
He said: ‘‘Sven-Goran Eriksson, I believe, took England as far as they could have gone with the tactics he employed this time around.
‘‘If England are to progress and realise the potential of this group, to beat the very best nations in the latter stages of tournaments, then Eriksson will have to think again about how he adds some wit and invention to the solidity and resolve.
‘‘I hope my concerns about him as a coach, which I expressed at the outset of the competition, prove wrong in the longer term.
‘‘Perhaps, with the absence of (Steven) Gerrard and the early stage of development of this squad, he did not feel he could he more expansive.
‘‘His teams in club football, though, show him to be a cautious leader. But the game has moved on from over-caution in recent years.’’
Adams drew an unflattering comparison between England, who arrived home from Japan last night after being knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Brazil on Friday, and the underperforming Gunners sides of the mid-90s.
He added: ‘‘England’s performances reminded me of Arsenal in the mid-90s, when we would stay tight and compact as a unit and win games on the break by using Ian Wright as our outlet for a quick, early ball. It brought cup runs, but not sustained success,’’ he added in The Observer newspaper.
