Mr Samuel gets carried away in the Times:
‘That Paul Scholes should have retired from international football having not travelled beyond the last eight of a leading tournament is criminal. He had, by common consent, a unique talent, a way of seeing the intricacies of passing and movement that set him apart. Eriksson smothered him.
‘Scholes had a goalscoring record of one in three games before Eriksson arrived, falling to one in nine during the Swede’s time as head coach. He went three years without scoring and ended his England career marginalised, stranded forlornly on the left side of a flat midfield four.
‘Rio Ferdinand, right now, is the most significant player in English football, the one who could shake Eriksson’s team from their slumber and take them into the unknown in Germany. Wayne Rooney was a sensation in Portugal, Frank Lampard’s goalscoring record makes him the most vital midfield player since David Platt, but the national team have not possessed a player of Ferdinand’s ability since Bobby Moore retired. A central defender who can join up with midfield is essential to success at international level.’