It was in February 2001 that Sven-Goran Eriksson started work in earnest with England by beating Spain at Villa Park, the same ground where they will meet Holland in tonight's friendly. Four years on, the Swede was bound to review the progress made and the prospects for the time he has left in the job.
His opportunities with England are narrowing because he is expected to stand down after the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany. He is conscious that it is an advantage to have the tournament played on European soil. "I think we can win it," he said before restating his determination that the squad must be allowed to prepare as thoroughly as their rivals.
The manager believes he will enjoy a four-week gap from the end of the next domestic season, even though that raises the possibility of the FA Cup final going ahead in midweek. "I know the Cup final is a big tradition and I hope this can be resolved," he said. "I understand it's not the best for the fans to go to Wembley or Cardiff on a Wednesday.
"But four weeks is very important. All the other countries have that. What I know is that the biggest thing in the career of a footballer is the World Cup. You can't do anything bigger than that, with all respect to the FA Cup, the Premier League and the Champions League."
The selection of men he will take to Germany, with qualification close to being assured, matters as much as their condition. Eriksson intends to study the debuts of Stewart Downing and Andy Johnson this evening. He promises them 45 minutes of involvement and they will be introduced for the second half.
The more immediate significance for England, though, lies in Shaun Wright-Phillips's first start for his country and the role in which he will be deployed. Eriksson says he will be at "outside right". In effect this means he will be in advance of David Beckham in a 4-3-3 formation when England are on the attack.
It seems that the manager plans to imitate Chelsea, though, by having the supplementary strikers, Wright-Phillips and Wayne Rooney, drop back when the opposition have the ball. The system allows Eriksson, almost uniquely, to put everyone in their normal position.
The formation may suit his players but that will be to no avail if it is also to the liking of the Holland team that coach Marco van Basten is reshaping.
ENGLAND: Robinson; G Neville, Carragher, Brown, A Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard; Wright-Phillips, Owen, Rooney.
NETHERLANDS: Van der Sar; Kromkamp, Bouhlarouz, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst; Van Bommel, Landzaat, Van der Vaart; Castelen, Makaay, Kuijt.
