It seems that the players have been encouraged to pose and answer their own questions during interviews rather than answer those posed to them.
Jamie Carragher, for example, is characteristically tough and demanding as he asks himself “was I pleased with the reception (at Wembley)?” Not wanting to be caught out by his own Paxman-esque inquisitiveness, he immediately responded “Yes”.
Jamie Carragher
Not so easy for Leighton Baines. He successfully tackled himself by venturing into the dangerous territory of how he felt about representing his country. “Did I enjoy the evening?”. “Not really, no” he answers, emphatically.
However, all becomes clear as you flick through today’s newspapers. It is not the training, but their wily old manager, Steve McClaren, showing them the way. At his own news conference yesterday, McClaren threw out the question on everyone’s lips, “do I think Rooney is the key man for England?” The attending throng of journalists did not have to wait long for his words of wisdom. “I do”, came the answer that will cheer the nation.
How long will it take the press pack in South Africa to get wise to the England media master plan?
