England coach ducks Euro 2004 blame

England assistant coach Tord Grip claimed they did nothing wrong in Euro 2004 and could have gone on to win the title if Wayne Rooney, pictured during a training session, had not broken a bone in his foot before losing on penalties to Portugal in the quarter-finals

England assistant coach Tord Grip claims they did nothing wrong in Euro 2004 and could have gone on to win the title if Wayne Rooney had not broken a bone in his foot before losing on penalties to Portugal in the quarter-finals.

"The only thing we could have done differently would have been to score more penalties," he told The Sun newspaper.

"When it comes to penalties you cannot prepare yourself. It's all about luck."

Grip refused to accept any fault on England losing in injury time to France, a poor first half against the Swiss and being worn down by the Portuguese before losing 6-5 in the quarter-final shoot-out.

Former England striker Gary Lineker has argued that England failed because they did not have a plan B once super-kid Rooney went off injured.

England were 1-0 up but retreated and allowed their opponents to take the game to them.

But Grip said: "Its not so surprising you drop back if you lose a player like Rooney, who is clever as a target man and can hold the ball higher up the pitch.

"When he was injured it spread uncertainty in the team. Of course our way of playing would be affected by a player like Rooney getting injured.

"We suddenly got problems to move the ball higher up on the pitch. Rooney was our link up to Portugals half of the field.

"But I still don't see what we should have done different. We lost the match on penalties."

The Swede did accept that skipper David Beckham was a shadow of the player who got England to the 2002 World Cup with his one-man show against Greece.

Beckhams fitness levels were awful and he also missed two penalties, one against the French and a shocker in the shoot-out.

Grip said: "Yes, Beckham can play a lot better.

"Compare him for example when we played Greece in the qualifier when he alone owned the midfield.

"You don't talk to players when they miss penalties. You have to let them be by themselves with their frustration and anger.

"The only thing you can say is that even Diego Maradona missed penalties."

But Beckham's claim that his lack of fitness was to blame on Real Madrid's training programme was dismissed by his Madrid team-mate and Portugal star Luis Figo.

"I don't agree with what David said," Figo said.

"And I think this year we did the work we could, especially playing three times a week."

"I feel fit. It was difficult to train more, although you always feel you can be better."

And he questioned Beckham's commitment.

"Physically, at this moment you are obviously not the same as you were at the start of the season, but it depends how you think about it."