TIME PLAYERS WROTE THE SCRIPT

MARTIN JOHNSON is a great guy but he has to be prepared to listen to people.

It's not about 'them and us'. He's got to lose that Leicester mentality where it's all about the world being against his team.

It must have been a difficult week for everyone involved with England but Jonno has to accept that sort of criticism comes with the territory. All we're doing as ex-players and critics is reflecting what the public is saying.

Yesterday was a better performance born out of pure frustration. But if it takes all that criticism and two poor displays to bring out England's best performance you have to ask where we are going.

It was better - more ferocious in the tackle, which we needed, and the speed of ball was there.

But we had the bludgeon and no rapier.

Martin Johnson's biggest problem is to decide if he continues with these brutes or goes for the subtler skills of players like Shane Geraghty. Why we have to get two abject performances just to get here I don't know.

The problem is that there won't be a change. Jonno has been told he is guaranteed his position until 2011 and I can't see him sacking his mates.

A lot of people higher up at Twickenham would look very silly if Martin Johnson went.

He's pretty much bomb-proof at the moment - despite Rob Andrew's investigation into the poor results this autumn - because if he went then a lot of people on the committee who appointed him would have to go as well.

But Jonno has to make some tough decisions. He and his coaches must stop reeling off the lines from the spin doctors and stats.

They have to pick proper people in proper positions. Louis Deacon has to go and Steve Borthwick has to go as skipper. Lewis Moody or Jonny Wilkinson can take the captaincy.

There are people on that field who don't deserve to be there.

If the coaches are going to stay they have to listen. They have to show willingness.

One thing is absolutely clear. We cannot afford to go back to pedestrian slow ball and we have to be prepared to put the ball through the hands more.

Wilkinson must be told to stand flatter to allow people to pick a line.

If Rob Andrew does allow these coaches to go through to the Six Nations then he has to make a decision after it.

I have a feeling he will give these coaches a stay of execution.

But he has to spell out some home truths and tell them we have to deliver more consistent performances.

If the coaching staff cannot deliver then things must change.

The players need a structure but they have to play on instinct as well.

The coaches must stop beasting these players during the week and give them their lifeblood back by giving them the responsibility.

Let's have an England plan scripted by the players, not the coaches.

This article has 1 comment