Andorra

v

England

 

 

European Championship 2008 Qualifier, Group E
8pm, Wednesday 28 March 2007
Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc, Barcelona
Current group standings - click here
Archive: England's record with Andorra - click here

John Terry has insisted England’s players are brimming with pride and excitement every time they pull on a Three Lions jersey despite the intense pressure they are under.

England go into tonight’s crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra well aware of the criticism building after Saturday’s goalless draw in Israel.

It is the nature of modern football that the reaction to every result at international level becomes ever more extreme and ever more critical.

But Terry says not even the prospect of negative headlines and constant questioning takes away the joy of playing for your country.

"There’s nothing better than when you are finishing at Chelsea and coming away with England," he said. "With me and my family the message is always to go away and give it everything.

"There’s nothing that makes you more proud than coming away for your country. No matter what criticism myself or anyone else is getting there’s nothing better - you cant go any higher than that."

It’s yet another example that this England team really do care about playing for the Three Lions, as of course you would expect. So there is a steely determination to grab three points tonight and make up for the goalless frustration of Tel Aviv.

Terry added: "The disappointment in the lads after the game against Israel was like we lost the game because the expectancy was there to win it.

"Nobody spoke a word to each other. At club level when you come away and get beat it’s horrible - at international level it’s 10 times worse, the feeling inside.

"You don’t want to see anyone, you don’t want to speak to anyone. It’s a case of you just want to shoot off and put things right.

"It’s so frustrating because as a group of players we know that the ability and the quality is there. It’s just a case of us making that happen and taking the pressure off the manager and making people write the right things. We can only do that if things are right on the pitch."

It is typical of Terry, who has won so many trophies as captain of Chelsea, that he doesn’t accept anything less than victory - whether playing for club or country.

And he has already set his sights on silverware for England in the long term.

He said: "When you look around the squad of players I honestly believe we can go on and win something. Certainly in my lifetime I want to do that.

"Playing at club level and winning Premierships there’s nothing better than that winning feeling. And we need to bring that into international level."

The first step to achieving that goal is beating Andorra, and it’s a goal that Terry will not underestimate.

He said: "We obviously know what Andorra are about. Things aren’t going too well for them in the group but we respect them. We’re coming into the game hoping we are going to go away with three points. But we have to make that happen. It’s all about the result."