ENGLAND were the only side at the recent World Cup Finals in Germany that had two teams.

One team was made up of the 'Untouchables', while the other team - the 'Others' - was there to make up the numbers.

That was what some English journalists told me when I was assigned to Frankfurt Stadium as Fifa media officer for England's World Cup opener against Paraguay.

The Untouchables consisted of players whom then-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson would never drop. And they included players like David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Michael Owen and golden boy Wayne Rooney.

They were the sacred cows of England - players who could not be sacrificed.

Their reputations preceded their merits of selection, no matter if they were off-colour or lacking in fitness.

They would be on the start list regardless of form, even if there were other better options in the squad.

Despite having all the WAGs (wives and girlfriends) in tow, it was evident England were not a happy family.

One could tell the contrast in attitudes of the two 'teams'.

At their training sesssion in Frankfurt Stadium on the eve of the Paraguay clash, the Untouchables were in buoyant mood, training with an intensity and purpose.

The Others worked hard but were going through the motions, playing a supporting role, well knowing that no matter how hard they worked, they would not get to start. Or even worse, not get to play at all.

At the media session after training, the Untouchables were the media darlings. The Others just slipped quietly back to the dressing room.

It didn't help that a few members of the Untouchables were actually well below par.

Owen and Rooney were rushed back from their respective injuries - their places in the starting 11 apparently reserved even though they were far from their best.

Lampard and Gerrard had not shown they could play effectively and to each other's strengths in the same midfield. Yet, they would continue to do so.

And Beckham, being the blue-eyed boy of Eriksson, would always be the first name on the team sheet, with a capital 'C' for captain, beside his name. The Swede had always managed to turn a blind eye to the Real Madrid star's indifferent performances.

Many critics pointed at Eriksson's reluctance to rock the boat as the main reason for England's failure at the World Cup.

ACCOMMODATE

Because of his resolve to accommodate the Untouchables into his starting line-up - at all costs (even if it meant restricting his tactics to suit the Untouchables) - England lost their edge.

Eriksson famously revealed his football philosophy 'Football is about making as few mistakes as possible'.

It was an overcautious approach and it showed in England's insipid performances at the World Cup.

If early signs are anything to go by, new England manager Steve McClaren is now determined to change all that.

McClaren was there at the World Cup as assistant to Eriksson and he would have seen the damaging effects of a disunited England.

So, the first chance he got, he wielded the axe and sacrificed the most sacred of cows - Beckham.

The message was resounding: No matter how big a star you are, I'll drop you if you're not performing. There are others waiting at the wings to take your place.

McClaren is thorough, meticulous and organised. He would be scribbling furiously on his notepad at the sidelines, noting all his players' performances, while Eriksson sat impassively by his side.

He is innovative, too. Although McClaren has played 4-4-2 in all his three England matches so far, he has since spoke of his willingness to adapt and change his tactics and playing system to suit the situation.

He showed it when he took charge of Middlesbrough, where he played several formations to varying degrees of success. That is a huge contrast to Eriksson's single-route approach that was widely criticised.

That also meant that his players knew they would stand a good chance to be thrown into action, as and when the need arose, and not be hampered by team-mates with bigger reputations.

While Eriksson enjoyed a close relationship with the Untouchables, the same treatment was not fully extended to the Others.

But McClaren, in contrast, is a popular coach among the players, serving as a link between dressing room and management.

He has the ability to bind 22 football stars together to play as one unit, as shown by his excellent work in keeping a star-studded Manchester United team together during their 1999 European Cup-winning season.

Perhaps, this is what England need after all. Just playing with one team, not two.

And McClaren looks to be the perfect man to lead them.