Time to show some fire

He was asked to respond to the stinging criticism that had been delivered by Tony Adams in a newspaper interview. To the suggestion that, like Graham Taylor, he was a turnip'.

That the pressure he was experiencing had "manifested itself in indecision, agitation and a lack of true confidence".

That he had destroyed Paul Robinson's confidence. That his handling of David Beckham had been "shabby".

Even if the timing of the outburst should embarrass a much-admired former England captain, McClaren should have put Adams in his place.

He should have reminded him that, while he was a great player, he was fired after 53 games in charge at Wycombe and is now a relatively anonymous member of the Portsmouth coaching staff.

As it was, McClaren sat in Adams's old training ground at Arsenal and hid behind what was probably a white lie.

"I haven't read what Tony Adams has said and I don't intend to read it," he said. "It's not an issue for me and I don't really care. There's going to be lots of issues, lots of comment and lots of opinion from different people."

Some might respect McClaren more for taking such a stance. For refusing to bite and instead rising above it. For refusing to become embroiled in a public row when the focus should remain on beating Israel at Wembley this evening.

But when this England team is so lacking in confidence, when even Sir Bobby Charlton thinks they are a shambles, a withering response a la Mourinho, Ferguson or Wenger might have been appropriate. Something to stir the emotions.

Something that would create the kind of siege mentality that has worked so well for Manchester United and Chelsea.

John Terry provided a little of what was required when asked to discuss the issue of broken toes and pain-killing injections.

"A broken toe isn't going to kill me," he said with the same patriotic fervour one would normally associate with Adams or Terry Butcher.

"No matter if I walk with a limp when I'm 40," he essentially said. It was wonderful stuff. Inspirational.

In fairness to McClaren, he does appear to have handled his players quite well this week. He has kept them guessing, made them sweat, and removed the comfort blanket that Sven Goran Eriksson so often favoured.

As he revealed yesterday, he made the decision to stick with Paul Robinson three days after watching his goalkeeper self-destruct against Germany last month. But he waited until late on Thursday night before telling him that he was giving him another chance.

"I wanted to make it a tough week for the players," he said. "Make it a difficult week so Saturdays are easy. That was the principle behind it."

After two wins in nine games, and a draw and a defeat at Wembley, a difficult week is just what England's players deserved and needed.

"No excuses," was McClaren's message when England players were dropping like the shares in their official kit suppliers. "No guarantees," has been the follow-up. "I can never guarantee a player a starting position," he said yesterday.

Sticking with Robinson is a gamble given the goalkeeper's recent unsure form for England.

But you must admire McClaren for having his own mind and backing a player who could end up costing him his job. Imagine the reaction, after all, if Robinson drops another clanger and denies England a vital victory, against Israel or against Russia on Wednesday.

While Emile Heskey's selection is less controversial, it is bold when it so smacks of desperation. If recalling Beckham, David James and Sol Campbell left McClaren open to criticism, bringing Heskey back after the best part of three years could end up being remembered as the nadir of his England career.

The statistics offer encouragement, given that Michael Owen has scored 11 goals in 12 starts with his old strike partner.

But concerns remain, not least when Shaun Wright-Phillips is being asked to provide Heskey with ammunition from the right.

Judging by his crossing in training this week, Heskey might wish he was back playing for Wigan. McClaren's decision to go with Heskey does raise the question of why he started two of his three training sessions this week with Andy Johnson as Owen's partner, particularly when he thought it necessary to give his players the day off on Thursday.

It seems he was not entirely convinced that Heskey was the right alternative to the injured Wayne Rooney and the suspended Peter Crouch.

Given that Israel have proved such tough opponents — in their last World Cup qualifying campaign they secured draws in France, the Republic of Ireland and Switzerland and have already held this England side to a goalless draw — the absence of Rooney, Beckham and Frank Lampard is a concern.

McClaren wanted to take on a determined Israel with a more attacking 4-3-3 formation, but Lampard's withdrawal with a thigh injury forced him to change his plans and he now goes to Wembley with Heskey up front, two wingers struggling for regular first-team football at Chelsea and, should Owen Hargreaves be ruled out, Gareth Barry in central midfield.

Russia, and what promises to be a fascinating encounter with Guus Hiddink, is regarded as the more difficult game. But after dropping points at home to Macedonia, and in Croatia and Israel, it is much as McClaren said.

There are no guarantees, just as there weren't when Taylor was in charge.