June 2006 - page 17

For a morale boosting media speech, Sven-Goran Eriksson told his young players Theo Walcott, Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing they deserve to be on the plane and should remain relax. Well, for one that’s the best he could do to ensure his players come out with the best performance ever because he will be under fire that he himself will ask why he ever put such players when they suck come tournament games.

To add to his speech, celebrity player David Beckham has this to say:

“Players like that excite us in the squad and I’m sure they have given the supporters a lift too,” said Beckham.

“Team morale is vital during a tournament and I have been really happy at how the new lads have fitted in and been made to feel welcome.

“I remember when I won my first England cap, back in 1996 against Moldova, and when I played my first game at a World Cup finals against Romania in 1998.

“The older, more experienced players went out of their way to help me fit in and I learned a lot just from watching the way they conducted themselves in training, in the dressing room and around the team hotel.

“It’s a big learning curve for the younger players but they have already shown they are more than up to it.”

With Rooney out during the first few games, these youngsters better keep their hearts and heads intact and be the man on the field.

Anyways, Sven has less than two weeks to prove how good or mediocre he is.

[tags]FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup 2006, World Cup Germany, Soccer, Football[/tags]