"Hello there - this week from the England camp,

"I think these are two of the biggest games England have played for a long time, especially considering what has happened in the last three matches. Denmark was disappointing, Wales we got the victory without probably playing as well as we hoped and then with Northern Ireland we lost the game which everyone was very disappointed about.

"Now it is up to us to put in two top class performances, as that's what we need in order to qualify for the World Cup. At the moment it feels like these two games are going to be like two Cup Finals - it's these games for a place in the World Cup. Both matches are at Old Trafford and when it comes to the crunch, I think the players in the England squad will produce.

"The players were angry and disappointed and I'm sure you’ll see a positive reaction in the Austria and Poland games. The game was a major disappoint for everyone not just the 11 that played but also the management, the staff and the subs because we are all in this together. Its not just the 11 out on the pitch - it is everybody.

"We all desperately want to qualify for the World Cup and if we had beaten the Northern Irish we would have been a lot closer than we are now. We are under no illusions - we need to get six points from these two games, and if we do that, we qualify for the World Cup and then Northern Ireland will be forgotten about.

"Nothing surprises me anymore, certainly in terms of publicity around the England team. There is never an inbetween with England - its either sky high or we're really bad.

"After a defeat some people get on our back and start to question the manager and put him under intense pressure. As players we are lucky we have got a manager who doesn’t get affected by that. You look around and I can't see anybody else as good as Sven for the job.

"Why don’t we back the manager, why don’t we back the England team and let's go and win this World Cup? The only way we can do that is if everybody pulls in the same direction and that includes the press as well as they play an important part in how supporters approach games.

"I think you look around the world and each top team has a blip every now again even Brazil and Argentina have lost matches in qualification for this World Cup. For us its now a case of getting the points and getting to the World Cup. Sometimes you can react to defeat and become a better team.

"When we develop that type of siege mentality, that’s when we’re at our best. At the moment it has got to the point where there is some stick flying around, the manager and players are being criticised so the players are sticking together and hoping to prove a few people wrong. It all starts on Saturday."

England take on Austria on Saturday 08 October. For all the best build-up and match day coverage, stay logged-on to TheFA.com.