Kaiser lambasts England

Franz Beckenbauer last night joined the critics rounding on the national coach, Steve McClaren, when he dismissed England as a "school team" who lack heart and leadership.
Beckenbauer, the World Cup-winning captain and coach of West Germany, was shocked by the state of McClaren's team when Germany won 2-1 in an August friendly at Wembley. "It was like a school team, they were not talking and not supporting," he said. "That was the biggest surprise. There is no life in this team. The first time I played against England in 1965 and then during the World Cup in 1966 there was always a certain spirit."
Since that August defeat England's hopes of reaching Euro 2008 have dipped appreciably and, to qualify, they now need to beat Croatia at Wembley next month and hope that Russia drop points against Israel or Andorra. "A European Championship without England wouldn't be the same," added Beckenbauer. "That would be a big loss."
It would also spell the end of McClaren's turbulent spell in charge of the side, although the assistant manager, Terry Venables, feels that would be a serious mistake. "If you tear it up," said Venables, who also stands to lose his own job, "somebody just ends up having to go through it all again."
The man who took England to the semifinals of Euro 96, speaking at an event to publicise the PFA's forthcoming England Legends versus Rest of the World XI charity match, added that he was surprised by Beckenbauer's comments. "I don't know why he says that but he is entitled to his opinion. It's about winning games and it's no good me saying we have been fantastic because the fact is we haven't.
"We got five convincing wins on the trot, scoring 15 goals, and people loved the way the football was being played. But you can't expect to be average at the start of a campaign and fantastic at the end of it.
"Steve has been involved with the team for five years but it is still different [from his role as a coach]. It's not just the football, it's all the things that go around the job. A lot of those things hurt and, if you let them hurt you, that's when your judgment may not be right. You have to keep a very cool head, an ice-cool head."