'Last year Ashley Young played left wing always, or sometimes right wing. This year he changed  position and improved a lot. Now he is a really, really important player because the movement between the lines is there.

'When we need to defend we are always nine players defending, one forward, but when we go forward the quality of the England players is really, really good and we are really, really dangerous. I forgot to  mention (Gary) Cahill. He is young, but really interesting; that someone so young and so good plays with big confidence is good. And the keeper, too. Hart. Very good.'

He seems to take the greatest pleasure in the fluency of England's football. Something he hopes to build on come the Euro 2012  qualifier with Switzerland in June. 'At this moment with Young,  Downing, when Rooney plays, the movement is there and it is now easy to find the solution, when they are in a good moment,' he said.  'For this reason the style is good..'

So good, he admitted, that he actually thinks these players have given him a fresh problem. A real selection headache when it comes to selecting a competitive squad.

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