RAMSEY'S RECIPE

THESE days the media always report on the England manager selecting his squad for friendlies, competition fixtures and tournaments.

- Michael Stewart

But it wasn't always like that. The manager didn't always have the freedom or power to make his squad selections and choices. There was a pioneer who paved the way for that to happen.

In October 1962, Alf Ramsey was appointed manager of the England national team following the resignation of (Sir) Walter Winterbottom, who had been managing the national team since 1946.

Ramsey was only the second ever manager of the national team after Winterbottom, but he had seen the struggles his predecessor had with getting squad consistency.

Players such as Billy Wright were mainstays in the team but the likes of Stanley Matthews and Nat Lofthouse were never capped anywhere near the number of times they perhaps should have been.

Ramsey knew that if he took over he needed autonomy. And he fought for just that.

Having been a defender for England at the 1950 World Cup, he knew how his predecessor had no control of team selections and that this was done by a board selection panel of high-ranking people from the various topflight clubs - and they tended to favour their own players rather than those in the best form.

So Winterbottom had to wait until the team was selected before adapting his tactics. Ramsey was determined to follow his own path.

Having agreed to take the job in October 1962, he stayed as Ipswich manager until the end of the 62/63 season.

Ramsey made a huge statement in his first press conference: “England will win the 1966 World Cup.”

He began utilising a bold tactic of a narrow formation which led to his England team being dubbed the wingless wonders. His appointment of Bobby Moore as captain at the age of 21 was met with scepticism but he was determined to do things his own way.