Pile on the pressure to win the World Cup, Woodward tells Eriksson

Former England rugby union manager Clive Woodward, seen here in July 2005, has said that England football boss Sven-Goran Eriksson had to crank the pressure up to boiling point if he wanted to win the World Cup too.

Former England rugby union manager Clive Woodward has said that England football boss Sven-Goran Eriksson had to crank the pressure up to boiling point if he wanted to win the World Cup too.

Woodward insisted top players perform at their peak when the heat is on and the full horror of defeat is laid bare.

England face Ecuador in the football World Cup round-of-16 in Stuttgart on Sunday and Woodward refused to look any further, saying that it was crucial to focus on one game at a time.

Speaking on BBC radio about the side he coached to glory in the 2003 rugby union World Cup, Woodward said: "They performed better when the pressure was at its greatest and I'm really hoping that you've got the same sort of players in the football team.

"And I think you have...the (Steven) Gerrards, the (John) Terrys, the Joe Coles."

Woodward, who quit England and is now the director of football at English Championship football club Southampton, said he would crank up the pressure on the players.

"There's no way that you as a coach can take the pressure away from what's happening on Sunday: it's a massive game.

"I passionately believe real world-class players play better when the pressure is at its greatest.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson (L) congratulates forward Wayne Rooney during the World Cup match against Sweden on June 20.

"So I would build the whole thing up: really stressed what was going to happen if we won, if we played well at the weekend; talked about having to get on the plane and fly home; and just make sure everybody realises what is at stake.

"There is no Monday, let's face it. If we don't win Sunday, it's all history."

Asked if the thought the England football team could lift the trophy, he said: "I never expected England to win the rugby World Cup; I just went game by game.

"I think it's really dangerous to talk about quarter-finals, semi-finals, winning world cups. You just talk about winning your next game.

"I totally believe England can beat Ecuador. That's all we should be talking about. Then the rest of the World Cup will take care of itself."