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Fabio Capello is no different from any previous England manager in that he believes the blueprint for World Cup success involves exhaustive planning and obsessive attention to detail.
He's good at it, and there's no doubt that looking at the long-term picture is essential. But it's often the ability to improvise and react to unforeseen circumstances that is the difference between winning and losing at the World Cup.
The classic example of this was provided by England's only World Cup-winning manager, Sir Alf Ramsey. He lost the incomparable Jimmy Greaves with a leg injury in the third match of the tournament and then suddenly decided to abandon wingers.
In came Geoff Hurst to replace Greaves and Martin Peters to take a wide midfield position in Ramsey's 'wingless wonders' formation. Both players were international novices with Peters having made his debut just a fortnight before the World Cup. But they were to provide the goals in England's epic 4-2 win over West Germany in the final.
Capello has many of Ramsey's qualities and the Italian coach is likely to be seriously disrupted, probably by injuries, before the start of proceedings in South Africa.
Whatever Capello says in public, he knows in his heart that for England to have any realistic chance next summer he will need ALL his best men playing at their peak. But last night's confident performance at Wembley demonstrated that there is reason for some optimism.
Capello still has issues to resolve. Is Robert Green a better keeper than the vastly experienced David James? Will Rio Ferdinand's indifferent form prompt the manager to examine alternative partners for John Terry?
Frank Lampard, Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard provide a bright, energetic midfield but there is a wide place up for grabs and should Peter Crouch partner Wayne Rooney?
I remember the late Sir Bobby Robson stumbling upon Peter Beardsley as a potential partner to Gary Lineker just four months before the opening game in the 1986 World Cup. Lineker was the tournament's top scorer and said he couldn't have done it without Beardsley.
