Patrick Barclay: Keown’s in full possession of the facts… and he’s spot on

Typical, isn’t it? You wait half your life for a former England defender to come up with a blueprint for the future of the nation’s football — and suddenly two arrive almost at once.

Following in the footsteps of Danny Mills, who was appointed to Greg Dyke’s commission after sending his ideas to the Football Association, is Martin Keown.

He now contributes to the Daily Mail and today the paper gave him two pages to outline a plan to “rescue” the national game from what is seen as perpetual under-achievement in tournaments.

Keown has clearly been thinking long and hard and, while some of his arguments are familiar, he is very strong on the game’s core — its playing.

“In two of the past three World Cups,” he says, “England haven’t scored a goal in the second half of any game. We… have nothing left in the tank.

“The answer? Simple: keep possession and you will be less tired. Some people say that the England team won’t ever play like that… but it makes my blood boil.”

Mine too. Success in international football tends to come not from expressing your country’s natural characteristics — in England’s case directness and aggression — but from altering and adding to them.

Had France relied on their beloved artistry alone, ignoring physique and organisation, they would not have got near the World Cup in 1998 or European Championship in 2000.

Nor would Spain have become triple champions through mere tiki-taka.

And look at Germany, perhaps the most vivid example of a leopard appearing to change its spots, a country that in Brazil next year will rely on slight technicians — Mesut Ozil, Mario Gotze (above) — rather than the sturdy Schnellingers, Briegels and Hrubesches of old.

In truth the Germans were always a mixture. Of late they have adjusted it to the demands of the age and the English must do the same. When they learn to believe in patience and possession, they will have every chance of punching their weight. And, if you think that an English style cannot evolve with that philosophy, note the success over recent years of Michael Carrick.

“Keep possession and you will be less tired.” It’s almost a blueprint in itself. Well said, Martin Keown.