Sam Allardyce wants England’s players to use Iceland shame to come back stronger than ever
New Three Lions boss is confident players have mental strength to bounce back from terrible Euro 2016
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SAM ALLARDYCE has admitted his first priority is to change the England players’ mentality.
The new Three Lions boss will tell his squad to use the pain of this summer’s Euros as fuel for achieving success.
After humiliation against Iceland, it was clear the problem was between the ears for his homegrown stars of the Premier League.
And Big Sam’s job — helped by the sport psychologists he will use — is to make sure they do not freeze on the big stage again.
He said: “First and foremost it is about regaining a little bit of confidence they may have lost.
“We’ve always been very good at qualifying for tournaments, especially the Euros when we went through the whole campaign and never lost a game.
“So let’s get started from day one, let’s put that to bed, put it aside and start delivering.
“It was a very bitter experience as we all know but the players should keep that inner drive, hold it and use it as a positive and say ‘I don’t want to experience that again’.
“We are going to try to qualify for the World Cup and when we go next time we are better prepared mentally to succeed.”
Allardyce is not expected to make widespread changes.
Wayne Rooney will stay as skipper and there will not be an exodus of players heading into international retirement.
The likes of James Milner and Gary Cahill, who were asked about their futures before this summer, are waiting to see Big Sam’s plans before making any decisions.
He said: “I’m sure what we did in the past will just need tinkering here and there with my ideas, what I want rather than what happened before. I’m sure it won’t need a lot to change and really think-tanks will be very important for me with staff who have experienced international football, talking to them about their job, how they do it and what they deliver.
“It is for me to take that on board and try to package it all together to deliver our expertise in each area and put the team out.”
With his backroom team in place, it will then be down to the 61-year-old to make sure his players perform on the road to Russia.
He said: “Man-management is my strength.
“There is no doubt that over many years now I’ve accumulated great coaching technique and accumulated the sport science ideas which everyone knows has been one of my biggest adventures from 2000 when I took Bolton to the Premier League.
“I love finding a person who has great qualities in their department and promote their strengths. That gives me greater strength to do my job.”
Big Sam will be doing a lot of his work out of the National Football Centre in Burton, which was important for the FA.
He said: “I know St George’s Park extremely well and have been there many times on my refresher course and my pro-licence.
“I have always been very impressed with the facilities.
“It is long overdue that we have this facility to take every team forward, from grassroots to international level.”
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The Impossible Job? Well, Allardyce certainly reckons it is the biggest job in the world.
He added: “As a youngster you dream of playing football and you finally make it, your next dream has to be what is the next level for you?
“You dream of being a manager, you achieve it and work through the ranks and look for the ultimate goal.
“If you strive for the ultimate goal you might never get there but if you keep going and keep being successful you will.
“So for me it is a privileged position to now get to the top of the tree.
“No job is bigger than this for me.”