England v Norway preview

v NORWAY

INTERNATIONAL MATCH 8PM, WEDNESDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2014 WEMBLEY STADIUM CONNECTED BY EE OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME £6

Match zone

phil Jones

“We need to be positive” Defender Phil Jones helped England keep a clean sheet in their last World Cup game and says the side must put on a performance ahead of the Euro qualifers Phil, having exited the World Cup at the group stage, do you feel the team has to win and send a message out tonight?

It is important to win. Friendly or no friendly, it is definitely important to win, especially at Wembley in front of our own fans. We need to put on a performance for those supporters and for us as well, because we have got an important qualifier a few days later against Switzerland.

So it is massively important for us to regroup and hit the ground running.

From a personal point of view, how did you find the World Cup experience?

Personally, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed being at the Euros two years prior to that, but I didn’t play and that was disappointing. So to play in a World Cup was great, even though we were already out and that was hugely disappointing having been together for so long and trained for the weeks

Jones is hoping to become a starter for England this campaign

building up to the tournament. But playing in a World Cup in Brazil is not something that everyone has on their CV. To wear the England shirt in front of thousands of fans in a World Cup was special.

The defence received quite a bit of credit after the Costa Rica game, having kept a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw. Were you pleased with your own performance that day?

Yes I think, overall, I did well but we wanted to win the game. I actually think there were a lot of players who came out with quite a bit of credit that day, but it was probably overseen by the obvious disappointment of being knocked out of the tournament prior to that match.

As you say, you have a huge qualifying match against Switzerland later this week. Were you impressed by their progress in Brazil?

Yes, they are a strong national team and they have some good individual players. They will be a threat so we know that we need to put in a good performance against Norway tonight, so that we are prepared for the challenge at hand. The preparation period is crucial and we need to win tonight and put on a good performance. We will need to be bright, we need to be positive and we need to win the game. That’s what we plan to do.

How much do you know about Norway and the threats they pose?

International football is never easy, it doesn’t matter who you are up against. Every nation always has one or two individuals who can produce something and we have studied them all week. Josh King is somebody I know from his United days. He is a good player, he is quick, he is strong and can score goals. Mats Daelhi and Magnus Eikrem might also be involved, who I also know from United, so they have got some good young players coming through and it will be a test for us.

“ I’d like to play at centre-back for both club and country”

Is there a feeling that places are up for grabs following the World Cup? Do you sense an opportunity to nail down a centre-back spot?

I hope I can play well for United and ultimately, nailing down a starting spot is the aim for anybody that is in the squad. Everybody wants to start but you have to prove yourself first. I hope starting for United under the new manager [Louis van Gaal] will help me achieve that. I have always said that I would like to play at centre-back for both club and country, so hopefully I can do that.

The England captaincy has been a major talking point following Steven Gerrard’s retirement. Is that a job you fancy in the future having captained the Under-21s?

To captain your club is one thing but captaining your country is another thing entirely. It would be one massive achievement if I ever got to put on that armband, but I think there are quite a few more targets that I have got in mind before that.

I’m sure whoever takes on the captain's role with England will do a terrific job.

Do you think your team-mate Wayne Rooney could captain both club and country?

Yes, I think he has got the football ability and the personality to take on that role. He is a born leader and I am sure he would do a great job in both roles.

At United, you’ve been playing in Louis van Gaal’s 3-5-2 formation and that is obviously a new set-up for you. How have you found the process of learning the new system and could you imagine England lining up that way?

Well, that is a decision for Roy Hodgson first of all, but I personally enjoy the system. When everyone is working well together and knows what they should be doing on the pitch then it certainly works and is very difficult for teams to play against.

I think the more we train and play the more people understand their role on the pitch.

TheFA.com

TheFA.com

England v Norway 3 September 2014 21

Match zone

STeven GERRARD

Legend

From boy to man: Gerrard through the ages

After captaining the Three Lions at his sixth major tournament, Steven Gerrard bowed out of international football with 114 caps and a whole load of memories

Retiring from England was a very difficult decision to make, it is something that I have been contemplating for a long time, and not just since the end of the World Cup. It’s a decision I’ve taken very seriously and it’s been tough. It’s swung both ways at times and I’ve had to take an awful lot of advice from people. It was certainly one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make since I turned professional at 18.

It is strange in a way because I still feel as though I could play for England in September, October, November, I’m still in great physical condition. But, big picture-wise, over the next two, three, four years, the best thing for my body, where I stand now, is to step aside out of the international fold and give my body the best chance to perform well.

After the World Cup it was important that I came away from football. I had some time to be alone, time to be with my close family and friends and discuss and talk about what was going to be the best decision for me moving forward.

I tried to have an initial chat with Roy Hodgson straight after the World Cup, but I was too emotional to talk to him.

The England fans have been fantastic with me from day one.

I’d like to think that my performances 24 England v Norway 3 September 2014

have shown effort and determination; I’ve given everything I can for England, every time I’ve gone out.

Admittedly I’ve never always hit top form, but I think the basics and what is required when you put an England shirt on is to give 100 per cent, fight and give your best. I’d like to think I’ve always given that.

I’ve got mixed feelings looking back at the World Cup. Performance-wise, I don’t think we did too much wrong, I also think there are some fantastic players in the group – young players who are going to get better and learn. For me, because I know what’s in the dressing room and the belief I have in Roy, Ray Lewington and Gary Neville, I know things will turn around for the better.

I’m stepping aside knowing that there are some really good experienced players in that dressing room. They have to help nurture and progress the young talent and help them grow in the international set-up. England do produce good players and moving forward things will improve and I’m very confident of that.

Looking back at my debut in 2000, it was such a high, to run out at the old Wembley – it was a dream come true. To go out there for my England debut against Ukraine and share a pitch alongside the likes of Tony Adams, Alan Shearer, David Beckham, Paul Scholes – top players

in their era – to be part of that as a young 19-year-old was a phenomenal feeling. I think I had 30 or 40 tickets in Wembley that night, people had travelled from the north to support me. It’s certainly one of the highlights of my international career – you always remember your debut.

The following month I was in the squad for the Euros and when I was named in that group, I really didn’t think I was worthy. It was a wonderful experience, and a vital experience, and it helped me to grow.

Getting that little taste of the action, what it’s about and what is expected at that level, it certainly brought me on in leaps and bounds as a player.

The experience from the recent World Cup for the lads will be important in their development, in two years’ time they’ll know what is expected and they’ll improve and raise their game even more.

I’ve had some great memories playing for my country. Of course I’d like to be talking about finals and semi-finals, but I'm really proud of the journey I’ve been on. I am able to say I beat Germany 5-1 in their backyard and also score a very important goal to help England qualify for this recent World Cup. In amongst a lot of frustration and negatives, there are some unbelievable highs that I’ll live with for a very long time.

It’s a dream every time you put the armband on and you lead that

group of players out to try and win a game for your country – it’s a special feeling. The England captaincy should never be disrespected or underestimated.

I lost out on the captaincy on a couple of occasions with previous managers.

But the day I got it, I said to myself – ‘it may not always work out the way you want it to, but always show respect to the armband, be dignified, be humble and give your best’.

“I tried to have an initial chat with Roy Hodgson after the World Cup, but I was too emotional”

Deciding to retire at this point, on 114 caps, shows everyone that I’m not a selfish person. It’s not about me breaking records because that's not important. Individual accolades and records have always come as a bonus for me, both for Liverpool and England. I could have easily carried on and broken Peter Shilton’s record but I had to make the right decision for the England team, for the England manager, for me and for Liverpool.

timeline ■ 31 May 2000 Gerrard makes his England debut v Ukraine, playing 82 minutes at right-back.

■ 17 June 2000 Makes his first appearance in a major tournament at Euro 2000 as England beat Germany 1-0.

■ 1 September 2002 Scores his first goal for England, the second in the 5-1 demolition of Germany in Munich.

■ 31 March 2004 Captains his country for the first time in a Friendly against Sweden in Gothenburg.

■ 17 June 2004 Scores his first goal in a major tournament, the third in a 3-0 win over Switzerland at Euro 2004.

I’m still an England fan and still have huge respect for everyone in the set-up and the supporters.

I suppose I still have a role with the England players at Liverpool, to try and help them, to give them advice when they are going away playing for England. I’ll still be there to watch the games but it’s going to be different for me not being the captain and not being a player. I still have a role like every other person who loves England – and that’s to continue trying to help the national team improve.

TheFA.com

TheFA.com

■ 20 June 2006 Scores his second goal of the 2006 World Cup, a powerful header against Sweden in Cologne.

■ 2 September 2006 Scores his tenth England goal, against Andorra at Old Trafford.

■ 6 September 2006 Wins his 50th cap, against Macedonia in Skopje.

■ 6 February 2006 Captains England for the fifth game in a row.

■ 5 February 2008 named England’s 2007 Player of the Year.

■ 12 June 2010 Captains England at the World Cup finals and scores after four minutes in England’s opening game against USA. ■ 16 May 2012 Gerrard is named official England captain by Roy Hodgson ahead of Euro 2012.

■ 14 November 2012 Makes his 100th appearance for England, against Sweden.

■ 3 February 2013 Named England Player of the Year for the second time.

■ 14 June 2014 Captains England at the World Cup, his sixth major tournament.

■ 24 June 2014 Plays his last game for England.

■ 21 July 2014 Gerrard announces his England retirement, ending with 114 caps, the third most in England history.

England v Norway 3 September 2014 25

Brian Deane

An Englishman in norway

Deane has been in charge at Sarpsborg 08 for two years

John Cofie

A former England U17 international and Manchester United youth player, Cofie was released

by Barnsley at the end of the 2013-14 season and joined Molde in August 2014. With ten games remaining the club sit top of the Norwegian first division.

At one point in the 1990s there were over 30 Norwegians plying their trade in English football. But one man has now gone the other way. Former Sheffield United and Leeds forward Brian Deane, now manager of Sarpsborg, discusses his journey into coaching…

Brian, explain how the move to the Sarpsborg dugout came about…

When I first finished playing I thought I would leave football behind and try my hand at something else. But when you’ve been around the game so long, it’s hard to stay away and my interest picked up again.

A colleague and I had started an academy called The International Academy for Football and Education and at the beginning we had a lot of players from Norway coming to work with us.

We were going to a lot of the colleges in Oslo, Fredrikstad and Stavanger looking to recruit students to come over to England to play and study.

While I was doing that, I took the opportunity to meet up with some of my old team-mates that I’d stayed in touch with. I saw Jan Aage Fjortoft [from my Sheffield United days] and [ex-Leeds team-mate] Gunnar Halle. I also met up with Tore Pedersen, who had played at Blackburn Rovers and is now an agent, and told him that I had ambitions in the professional game.

By this time, I had completed my [coaching] badges and we talked about the possibilities of getting involved with a club in Norway.

He identified that the club I’m at now – Sarpsborg – were looking for a new manager. He thought it was perfect for me. A small club, but with good traditions and a good way of playing football. He managed to get me an interview for the job and I met them for three interviews over a period of time. I managed to convince them that I was the right person for the job.

What attracted you to try your hand at football management?

The experience that I had with the academy – just being involved with the game and the players again – it really reawakened my competitive spirit from when I was playing. I hated losing and I still do. That’s never going to go away. I felt that with the academy, even though we were winning games, the urges weren’t being satisfied by the games that I was being involved in and I just felt ready for the next step.

54 England v Norway 3 September 2014

And what do you think the club saw in you?

As a player I was managed by some of the top managers in the game at the time – Howard Wilkinson, George Graham, Terry Venables, Graeme Souness, Graham Taylor – all of those I have learnt from and had good and bad experiences with. In my own role now, I’ve focused on the good parts of each of those managers and really focused on getting the best out of players on a day-to-day basis.

You’ve completed your UEFA badges, but are there some parts of management you can’t learn in a classroom?

I’ve been fortunate. I played abroad with Benfica.

I played with Leeds United when they were having a really good time. I played for Sheffield United when they were enjoying their most successful time in the modern era. We weren’t the best team but we were big on team spirit and we always used to try and find a way of giving ourselves an edge. That’s the side of the game I’ve tried to bring into my management work, because so much of the success on the pitch is mental. I think that’s something you can only really learn from being in the game.

You’ve been in Norway for two years. Do you harbour ambitions to come and manage back home one day?

Of course. I’m an Englishman at the end of the day. I came to Norway because I saw it as an opportunity to get some experience. It can be very hard to even get an interview in England, so this has been a really good way of finding out for myself whether I can cope out of my comfort zone and in a different footballing culture. I’m realistic though and I’m not somebody who thinks I’m going to be flooded with offers from the Premier League, but I’d like the opportunity to build a CV and get a chance back home. I think I have a lot to offer given the experiences I’ve had and some of the clubs I’ve played for.

Have you enjoyed living in Norway?

I love it here. It’s a beautiful country. The people are very laid back, but also serious at the same time.

Ben Amos

Now Manchester United’s second choice goalkeeper, England youth international Amos spent time on loan at Molde in 2010 before returning to England for loan spells with Oldham Athletic, Hull City and Carlisle United. Amos has appeared for England at U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and Under-21 levels.

“I came to Norway as it was opportunity to get some experience.

It can be very hard to even get an interview in England”

Paul Davis

After leaving Arsenal in 1995 following 17 years at the club, Davis briefly joined Stabaek.

However, he made just one substitute appearance before returning to England to see out the rest of his playing days with Brentford – where he made five appearances for the west London club before retiring.

Obviously they love their football out here.

I knew that before I moved over because I’d spent so much time here and I have had a lot of team-mates from Norway.

And finally, you are well known in England for being the first player to score in the newly formed Premier League back in 1992. What are your memories of that day?

It was one of those days where there had been this massive fanfare. Sky had become involved in football and changed the face of the domestic game in England. It was promoted as ‘a whole new ball game’ with lots of fancy adverts leading up to it. It was just a whole new concept of football and it was a very exciting time to be a part of it all.

We knew something special was happening.

I’d always had a pretty good scoring record on the first day of the season so I fancied myself to get a goal that day. But at the time there were some phenomenal strikers also all in action. Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Les Ferdinand – all of these top players. As it happened, I did manage to score, but it was not until half-time when I got a phone call that I realised [I was first].

Lee Chapman

The former Leeds United forward ended his career playing in Norway after making five appearances for Stromsgodset in 1996. He scored one goal during his time there before hanging up his boots for good.

The International Academy for Football and Education is an Independent Football and Education Programme designed to provide a professional football club training programme combined with a University Degree (BA Hons in Sport Coaching). For information visit www.footballandeducation.com TheFA.com

The AngloNordic connection…

Lee Chapman

TheFA.com

3 September 2014 England v Norway 55

ENGLAND 2014 AUTUMN/ WINTER COLLECTION CHECK IT OUT ON ENGLANDSTORE.COM