The Rise of Millwal

Aldrich is human, not a miracle worker, and there was no magical "buff" to instantly elevate the England squad's capabilities upon his appointment as head coach.

On a psychological level, his arrival might have boosted morale. After all, he was arguably the most high-profile and respected domestic manager England had seen since Ramsey, who only achieved legendary status after winning the World Cup. At the time of his appointment, however, Aldrich's motivational impact appeared even stronger.

But the England national team's issues weren't rooted in morale, so this boost in spirit could be largely discounted.

Identifying problems, solving them, understanding strengths and characteristics, and then tailoring solutions accordingly—this was a systematic and methodical process.

In just one hour, through training matches and his precise analysis, Aldrich gained the complete trust of the squad.

At the very least, his approach seemed reliable. It wasn't as if he stood atop a podium shouting, "Lads, charge! Let's win the title!"

Such a scene was...

Thankfully, Aldrich showed no intention of transplanting Millwall's tactics wholesale into the England national team. This reassured the players further.

Millwall's success didn't mean their strategies were universally applicable. Many top European teams had tried emulating Millwall's methods over the past two years, such as deep-lying playmakers or converting traditional wingers, but the results were underwhelming, often leading to worse performances.

Tailoring strategies to the players and adapting to the situation—that was the right approach to coaching.

Once the players got back on their feet after the session, Aldrich suddenly announced the lineup for the starting positions.

"I don't like players feeling uncertain about their roles. I prefer to present everything openly and clearly—so everyone knows where they stand and what challenges lie ahead. Now, I'll announce the tactical formation we'll be using and the first-choice players for each position. First-choice players, don't get too comfortable—your spots are always under threat. Alternates will have the chance to challenge for starting positions based on their club performances and showings in national team matches."

The room grew tense as Aldrich's words settled in. Shoulders straightened, and expressions turned serious.

A starting role in the national team—this was about personal pride!

"We will no longer be using the 4-4-2 formation. After discussions with the coaching staff, we've devised a 4-3-2-1 system tailored to England's strengths. I'll explain the tactical nuances in detail during training.

Goalkeeper: Seaman.

Right-back: Gary Neville.

Center-backs: Southgate, Ferdinand.

Left-back: Ashley Cole.

Defensive midfielder: Butt.

Right central midfielder: Beckham.

Left central midfielder: Lampard.

Attacking midfielders: McManaman, Scholes.

Forward: Owen.

These will be the first-choice players for their positions, barring injuries or poor form. In our upcoming friendly against Spain and the World Cup qualifier against Albania, these 11 players will likely start, barring unforeseen circumstances."

The lineup announcement didn't surprise most of the squad.

For younger players like Joe Cole or Hargreaves, there was little reaction. Being named to the national team was already a huge accomplishment at their age—starting roles were an aspiration for the future.

However, some players couldn't hide their disappointment.

Campbell, for instance, had been a starting center-back during the Euros. Keegan had chosen him to partner with Adams, leaving out Southgate, likely due to a preference for Campbell's physicality.

Aldrich's approach to pairing center-backs prioritized complementary skills.

For a center-back, strong tackling, positional awareness, and the ability to cover for teammates were crucial. In essence, beyond brute force, adaptability was essential.

Southgate wasn't the towering, rugged defender type, but his skills in intercepting, positional awareness, and anticipation had been honed to perfection at Millwall. Whether partnered with Stam, Helguera, or Materazzi in the past, Southgate's role had always been to respond flexibly and defuse threats.

Southgate needed a tough partner with height for his defensive setup.

Brown was ruled out early on, leaving Ferdinand and Campbell to compete.

From the current perspective, Campbell seemed stronger than Ferdinand. However, Ferdinand was on the rise, playing for a stronger team than Campbell's Tottenham. More importantly, Ferdinand had the opportunity to sharpen his skills in the Champions League with Leeds United, accelerating his growth and improvement.

There was also a less-discussed factor influencing Aldrich's decision to bench Campbell. Campbell seemed mentally fragile. Historically, during his time at Arsenal, he had once walked off the pitch after two glaring mistakes, abandoning the match. This vulnerability reminded Aldrich of the infamous outburst by future Tottenham goalkeeper Gomes, who broke down crying on the field after a mistake.

A center-back with such mental fragility posed a risk to team morale. Aldrich feared a sudden collapse under his command would be disastrous for the team's spirit.

The other defensive positions were less contentious. Phil Neville was placed on the bench, while Ashley Cole was chosen as the starting left-back. Cole's slightly older counterpart, Wayne Bridge, had no complaints. Despite similar appearances over the last two seasons, Cole consistently outperformed Bridge, even when coming off the bench.

The only criticism Aldrich had to withstand was whether Cole could secure more opportunities at the club level.

As for the midfield, both Gerrard and Lampard had equal experience, having first been called up to the national team in 1999. Now, Aldrich had opted to start Lampard, while Gerrard remained on the bench. If there was any discontent, it would be over Lampard's absence from last summer's European Championship, where Gerrard had gone as a substitute. But the Euros that summer were a painful chapter for England,it wasn't a valid reason for Gerrard to complain.

The competition for spots was clear: who was in the best form, and who could deliver? Gerrard and Lampard fought for a single position in midfield.

Aldrich had decided to leave the 33-year-old Ince out of the squad and opted for the defensive midfielder Butt instead. This was simply because England didn't have enough players with Butt's skillset.

Scholes and McManaman starting wasn't unexpected—both played for big clubs, after all.

As for the forward positions, with Shearer stepping down, Heskey thought he might be next. However, only one forward spot remained—and that was for Owen. Alan Smith, eager to prove himself, had no complaints. Just the chance to compete was enough to satisfy him.

Once these decisions were announced, the players had rested enough and moved on to ball-handling drills in small groups.

The coaching staff managed the training content, supervising and guiding the players. Aldrich, meanwhile, stood on the sidelines, occasionally calling players over for individual discussions.

Aldrich first summoned Carragher.

"Jamie, I want to be honest with you. You're an excellent player with great talent. I trust you don't doubt my words—you know why."

Carragher nodded. He understood clearly. Years ago, Aldrich had personally visited him to persuade him to join Millwall. Would Aldrich have done so if Carragher lacked talent?

"However, in the national team, if I were to use you, you'd need to prove yourself at the club level first. More importantly, I'd only play you as a center-back. Right-back? That's covered by Gary, Phil, and Daniel. I've always believed your full potential lies in the center-back position. I hope you understand."

What could Carragher possibly say?

He could only nod and leave, with no assurances to offer.

He had been playing right-back, and it was no secret that he'd been exposed in that position during the Millwall game.

Versatility in a player is a great asset, but it doesn't guarantee that they'll perform at their highest level in every position they're asked to play.

Aldrich continued to meet with Butt and Gerrard, discussing their roles on the national team and subtly suggesting that they should get more opportunities at their clubs.

When he called Owen over, Owen suddenly apologized to Aldrich.

"Coach, I'm sorry, back then..."

Aldrich was taken aback for a moment, recalling how, when he had gone to visit Owen years ago, Owen had refused him at the door, not even allowing him inside or offering him a drink. It had indeed been a bit rude.

Aldrich smiled and said, "Don't worry about the past, Michael. Although the national team doesn't develop players, you need to understand that you're not actually my ideal choice as a striker. The reason you're temporarily guaranteed a starting spot is because of your ability to seize opportunities, but that's not enough. Far from enough. So I have an additional request for you."

Owen didn't expect Aldrich to say such things. After all, he was being courted by Europe's top clubs, and even he couldn't wrap his head around it.

When I wasn't famous, you came after me.

Now that I'm a name, you seem to have lost interest.

Millwall had the money, but they'd never shown interest in Owen. The media's rumors were always quickly denied.

It wasn't Owen's fault—it was Liverpool who had shaped him into a player who didn't quite match Millwall's style.

If Aldrich was truly interested in a goal-scoring forward, why let Van Nistelrooy leave?

"Coach, just tell me. I believe your request will definitely make me stronger. We all want to achieve better results with the national team."

Owen's response reassured Aldrich. He raised one finger and said, "One-touch passing. I just need you to improve your one-touch passing."

Owen was a bit confused. A direct pass without stopping the ball? That wasn't difficult, but what would the success rate be?

"Michael, what I mean by one-touch passing is that, when we're attacking, I need you to assess the situation before receiving the ball and then pass it to a teammate who has found space and faces less defensive pressure. Just one touch. After passing the ball, you can then move forward into the danger zone, rather than doing what you used to—dribbling forward at the first opportunity. I'll explain the more detailed requirements through training and matches."

Owen nodded and ran off to continue training.

Aldrich's changes to the attacking side of the team were significant, and the center forward was a crucial position. However, he couldn't expect Owen to suddenly become a strong playmaker. If he demanded more from Owen, it might only confuse him further.

There's a Chinese saying that applies well to football: "Take a step back, and the sea becomes vast and boundless."

On the football field, sometimes charging forward blindly isn't the best choice. By stepping back, the field opens up, offering more and better opportunities, making the attack more dynamic and flexible.