World Cup 2018: Fabian Delph reveals the ‘geeks’ in the England squad include Marcus Rashford, Eric Dier and Danny Welbeck
FABIAN DELPH revealed England’s squad is riddled with bookworms.
The 23 players have now spent six weeks together and, while they have developed a close bond, they have not all been playing computer games or watching Love Island.
Manchester City star Delph said: “There are a few books out of the library. There are a few readers in the squad. We had a lot of time on our hands.
“You probably imagine us to be playing on the PlayStation or cards, but there’s a few geeks in the group.
“Marcus Rashford. That surprised you? Eric Dier, Danny Welbeck. I’m trying to get John Stones to read. I gave him a book. He hasn’t read it. He hasn’t even opened it!
“Danny Rose likes a good read. There’s about five or six of us.”
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Delph has just read Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable.
He said: “It was kind of tuning my mind going into battle. A few have read it.
“It’s weird having read the book because I remember doing the parade after we won the Premier League and I wasn’t drinking — I was straightaway thinking about the next trophy I could win which was the World Cup.
“I think that goes for a lot of the boys in the team.
"These young lads now seem to have the desire and hunger that maybe me and some of the older ones didn’t at that age.”
There is no doubt the image of England’s players has improved massively over the tournament.
elph, who returned home during the tournament for the birth of his third daughter, added: “We are in the public eye, we are role models.
“I did think we would go back as super-heroes because I genuinely thought we were going to win the World Cup. That has not happened.
“Yes, we have a role to play. The four days I did get to go back, I genuinely felt the love and support of the nation.
“From what my wife and friends have been telling me, it has been great back home, so we need to continue that, we need to continue to be good role models and try to help the young guys look up to us and try to do what we have done.
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“The diversity in the squad has definitely brought people together. It is great for the country and for us as players to be part of that too, and almost force that to happen.
“Having everyone behind us gave us that push to do as well as we have done.
"At the back of our minds in the days and weeks and years to come we might be kicking ourselves. I genuinely felt we’d win.
“I’d hope we are going back to a better country, the nation seems to have been brought together.
“I can’t speak about it yet because I am not back but from what I’ve heard it seems to be a better place.
“If we continue to do what we are doing and unite people, then I’m sure we’ll be living in a better England.”