Can Roo bounce back after tabloid scandal?

It wasn’t long before the feel-good factor from Friday night’s 4-0 victory over Bulgaria came to a juddering halt, and that’s before England had even checked-in for their flight to Basel.

Wayne Rooney had a hand in three of England’s goals in the opening Euro 2012 qualifier on Friday night but all the while, tabloid hacks were preparing for yet another “Soccer Star Sex Scandal” headline. On Sunday, reports emerged in the Mirror and News of the World that the Manchester United had slept with a prostitute whilst his wife Coleen was pregnant with their first child.

Rooney has, unsurprisingly, been kept away from prying eyes by the FA press team but he is fully expected to start against Switzerland tomorrow night although coach Fabio Capello and various teammates have been wheeled out in a carefully choreographed show of support.

“We have got to make sure things don’t affect us,” proclaimed James Milner. “Things are always being said in the paper, good and bad, about the England team.

“That is part and parcel of football. The only thing that matters is what happens on the field. We just have to make sure we get the result.

“Yes, he has an issue off the pitch but I don’t think that will stop him playing well,” added Steven Gerrard, himself no stranger to dealing with off-field distractions in recent times.

Capello had the final word, weighing in with; “I hope his performance will be the same as at Wembley. I spoke with him and he is happy to play.”

On the field, England will be looking to back up Friday’s victory with another three points away from home against the team that, on paper, provides England’s strongest opposition to that sought after trip to Poland and Ukraine.

The Swiss have yet to start their qualifying campaign but did warm up with a 0-0 stalemate against Australia and coach Ottmar Hitzfeld is likely to have his side well-drilled for the visit of the group favourites.

England only have the one injury concern, with defender Michael Dawson likely to be replaced by Bolton’s Gary Cahill after he sustained an ankle injury on Friday. Hat-trick hero Jermain Defoe has recovered from the knock that saw him limp off.

Time for England to make amends

After the disastrous World Cup campaign, England’s opportunity to begin the reconciliation with their long-suffering supporters begins tonight as the qualification campaign for Euro 2012 begins at Wembley.

Although England fans largely passed up the opportunity to vent their frustrations at their underperforming stars in a recent friendly against Hungary, as Steven Gerrard saved England’s blushes in a 2-1 win, the real work begins now with an opening tie against Bulgaria.

England failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championships, ultimately costing Steve McLaren his job, and the pressure will be piling on Fabio Capello and his new-look England to avoid yet another disappointment in a group that also contains Switzerland, Wales and Montenegro.

Capello is playing down the effects of pressure on his side, claiming that he believes the expectations will “bring out the best” in him and his side. The bookmakers certainly think that England will get off to a winning start, pricing them at a miserly 1/3 best price whilst Bulgaria can be had at as much as 12/1.

Stand-in captain Steven Gerrard took a different approach however, claiming that he wanted his troops to make a “statement” with their performance tonight to prove once and for all that England’s stars do care about those three lions on the shirt.

“I think the players and the manager realise that we are under pressure at the moment,” he claimed. “It’s normal after underperforming at the World Cup so it will really help if we put a good, positive performance tomorrow to get the maximum points and then we can take the confidence from that into the Switzerland game on Tuesday.

“We qualified for the World Cup playing good, attacking football and if we can play to that level then I’m sure that we will get out of this group in similar fashion. The difference this time is that there is the pressure on us but we have the exciting players to help us get off to a winning start.

A number of fringe players, left out of the South African shambles, will once again be given their opportunity to perform on the international stage, with Joe Hart set to continue in goal and Everton’s Phil Jagielka at the back alongside Matthew Upson. Theo Walcott is expected to start although Adam Johnson may have to settle for a place on the bench.

It is still unclear whether Capello will stick to the much-maligned 442 system with Jermain Defoe partnering Rooney although the Spurs striker has struggled with an injury since Tottenham’s Champions League first leg defeat to Young Boys.

Can England Finally Achieve?

England have been regarded as the biggest underachievers on the world stage for some time now. However, their recent good form and change in management, along with the draw they’ve been handed for the 2010 World Cup, means the next competition could be their best chance yet of securing silverware.

England have been given a generous group stage draw, with their first game against the USA, a team who – despite recently beating Spain – are relatively weak, especially defensively. England will also face Slovenia, who they comprehensively beat recently, and should therefore have no problem repeating the feat, and Algeria, who are newcomers to the World Cup, and bring little firepower to the table. It must be said, if England fail to qualify from the said group, then it would probably be remembered as the biggest World Cup upset in history.

The squad this time around is by far the strongest for many years – yes Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard have played in previous World Cups, but as the latter two especially are now at their peak footballing age, the team now have added experience and ability. The defence is another key area for England – in previous campaigns, the likes of Danny Mills, Wes Brown, and Phil Neville have played roles in this half of the pitch, but this year, a seasoned back four of Glen Johnson, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, and Ashley Cole (although his recent injury could prove a problem), should deal with even the most dangerous of attacking forces. Domestic bookmakers seem to be relatively optimistic about England’s chances this year, with many having the team down as second favourites to Spain.

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