Carlos Queiroz has resisted the temptation to call his old friend Sir Alex Ferguson for advice on how to plot England’s downfall.
Iran coach Queiroz was Ferguson’s assistant at Manchester United over two spells, helping them to win three Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League. Queiroz remains close to Ferguson, but reassured England fans he has not tapped into the former United manager’s football brain to try to cause an upset against the Three Lions.
“I confess that I did not receive any help from Scotland!” said a smiling Queiroz. “Of course, we talk frequently as friends. But you can relax, Scotland this time is not supporting anything against England!”
Queiroz, who was at United from 2002-03 and 2004-08, hailed Gareth Southgate’s current squad as the best England have had since their World Cup win of 1966. And the 69-year-old, the first boss to manage at four World Cups on as many different continents, said the attitude of England’s players sets them apart from any other nation.
“I’ve worked with English players,” said Queiroz. “They have a great and fantastic attitude all the time.
“They love to play the game with rhythm and intensity which is part of the culture of English football. If I choose one kind of player to go to war for me, for sure I would not ignore the mentality and attitude of English players.
“This new generation of players Gareth Southgate is bringing for the national team is, in my opinion, probably the most competitive English team since 1966 that I have had the opportunity to see. I remember that team very well. But this team is very functional, very practical, very realistic.
“I worked with the generation of Rio Ferdinand, of Paul Scholes. Fantastic players, like David Beckham and all those guys. But this national team is really different. They take a realistic approach to every single game which makes them very, very dangerous.
“English players are in my heart and are a great example, because they are always ready to play. In training, the intensity, the way they play the game with a direct mind to put the ball inside the net with full intensity, it’s amazing from their side.
“We know that the English culture is not like Spanish or Portugal, obsessed with ball possession. But we also know that in a country like England, Leicester is able to win the championship without so much ball possession, like Manchester City and all these other clubs.”
Queiroz knows his Iran side have it all to do to get a result against England in their Group B opener, a game he hailed as “magic” and the “dream of a lifetime” for him and his players.
“It’s a unique opportunity for the team, the first time we have had the opportunity to play England,” said Queiroz. "To play against them is like magic. It’s a gift. For me, it’s special. For the players it's like the dream of a lifetime.
“Since they were kids, they have been watching English football on TV. We’re very proud and very excited.”
