Regardless of how much I was paid I am not sure that I would cope with the enormous pressure that was placed upon English players during this world cup. A 1-1 draw with the USA was apparently a disaster, the beginning of the end for Capello's men, and a 1-0 win over Slovenia was apparently a sign that we were now ready to go on and win the cup. Neither of these assumptions were correct. It seems that the English fear of taking penalties has now seeped into their football playing at a national level, and all the while the media circle them like gulls stalking carrion floating in the sea, delighting in failure and waiting for the opportunity to descend and pick apart the players or the manager.