Joe Cole says England let down by tactics at his three World Cups

Joe Cole says England’s Golden Generation were let down by ‘a lack of tactical sophistication’ at the World Cup with Sven-Goran Eriksson left hoping ‘for a bit of magic’ and ‘petty’ Fabio Capello just as clueless

  • Joe Cole won 56 caps for England and went to the 2002, 2006 and 2010 finals
  • Midfielder says England lacked a proper tactical plan against the best sides
  • They were beaten by Brazil in the 2002 quarter-finals after Ronaldinho lob
  • Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side lost to Portugal during 2006 WAG circus 
  • Disciplinarian Fabio Capello wrecked the unity of the team at 2010 World Cup 
  • Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results

Joe Cole has admitted England’s Golden Generation ‘should have done better’ at the World Cup but were let down by ‘a lack of tactical sophistication’ from Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

The former midfielder went to three tournaments – 2002, 2006 and 2010 – but the Three Lions came up short in all of them despite an incredibly talented team.

Eriksson’s side were beaten by eventual champions Brazil in 2002 and lost on penalties to Portugal in 2006 after Wayne Rooney was sent off.

Joe Cole believes England’s talented ‘Golden Generation’ were let down by the tactics of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello (pictured) at the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Cups

The midfielder scored a stunning goal against Sweden in the 2006 group stage in Germany

Under disciplinarian Capello in 2010, they were thrashed 4-1 by Germany in the last-16 having laboured through the group stage.

Ex-West Ham and Chelsea man Cole, who won 56 England caps and will be part if ITV’s punditry team for Qatar, feels a lingering sense of regret.

Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England lost in the quarter-finals in both 2002 and 2006

‘What was it like being in an England World Cup camp? Wonderful. But complicated, too,’ he wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.

‘It could be tense at times. It could be fun, and it could also be frustrating.

‘My memories of my three World Cups – 2002, 2006 and 2010 – are caveated by one point. We should have done better.

‘We did not because, as players, we were not good enough, and tactically, over those three tournaments, we were nowhere near as sophisticated as other teams.’

Cole believes that Brazil were ‘beatable’ in 2002 but they defeated England 2-1 thanks to Ronaldinho’s infamous lob of David Seaman, with Eriksson’s team unable to reply when the same player was sent off seven minutes later.

The 2006 finals in Germany were dominated by the WAG circus at the team’s hotel in Baden Baden, which resulted in Cole’s now-wife Carly having to quit her job as a personal trainer.

‘In 2006, we had the players, but other factors were against us. Wayne Rooney’s injury had a huge impact. There was no set shape in the team,’ said Cole.

‘Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves both came in and out of the side. We needed to learn to keep the ball. Unfortunately, English football was still emerging from the dark ages of the 1980s and 1990s.

Joe Cole pictured with Teddy Sheringham on the training ground at the 2002 World Cup

Cole’s then girlfriend Carly Zucker came under the spotlight during the 2006 finals 

‘Sven had done his best to keep the players happy and relaxed. As ever, the problem was tactical, against teams who were better at keeping the ball.

‘The plan was just about being solid defensively, getting the ball wide and getting crosses in the box. Beyond that, we were hoping from a bit of magic from someone.’

In South Africa in 2010, Italian coach Capello cut out the players’ families and ran a strict training camp in Rustenburg, which almost led to a player mutiny as results didn’t follow.

‘At one point, I saw Capello give someone a volley of abuse for wearing the wrong shoes around the hotel,’ recalls Cole.

Cole reacts at the end of England’s disastrous 4-1 defeat to Germany during the 2010 finals

‘No butter was permitted on toast at breakfast. This was a consequence of one of his edicts. I could put up with it, but it all felt so petty and pointless.

‘As with Sven before, he did not have a tactical plan to get the best from the side when we had the ball. In some cases, the approach just made it worse.’

The loss to Germany proved to be Cole’s last England appearance.

Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions side open their latest World Cup campaign against Iran on Monday.




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