Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com for England TV, Sven revealed he was relishing the prospect of the first competitive international football since Euro 2004:

"I am looking forward very much to it," he said, "and I hope the form of the players is going to be the same as it was against Ukraine.

"If we play like that I think we have a very good chance of two very positive results.

"It's very important that we play in Germany in 2006 - that's the aim. 

"Every game is important, because if you fail in one or two it means you are out of the qualification and that should be awful."

Despite Sven's confidence of getting the right results, he stressed that qualification games are never easy:

"I thought years ago that maybe playing Albania at home should be easy - it was not," he explained.

"Absolutely every qualification game has been very difficult and very tight - that's international football today.

"Maybe the easiest one we have had was Germany away, but that shouldn't be easy.

"You have to play good football, be very focussed, and never think it's going to be an easy game, whatever team you meet.

Sven was talking to TheFA.com's Dan Freedman. Click the links below to watch the interview in full.

24 August 2004
Sven Exclusive