Trio Walcott: “The David Beckham era is over, the Walcott era had begun.”

Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: “He [Theo Walcott] can become our world-class player. I decided to put Theo in the first XI because I saw against Andorra, and also during training, that he is in a fantastic moment psychologically and physically. He’s very dangerous for defenders on the field… The result was better than I expected but I said in the build-up that there was a lot of confidence among the players. We’ve worked very well for the 10 days we’ve stayed together, during training and in every moment. This is very important. But people must remember, this was only the second game. It was a good performance, a good result, but it’s only one victory and nothing more. It is just a start.” - Fabio Capello.

Runner-up: “For richer or poorer, we’d sold Liverpool to two ruthless businessmen who saw us as a moneymaking opportunity. They didn’t buy Liverpool as an act of charity; they weren’t intent on throwing away all the millions they’d earned over 50 years … They wanted to buy us because the planned stadium offered a chance to generate tons of cash and increase the value of the club.” - Jamie Carragher.

Today’s overview: It has been years since the backpages were so unified behind the England team, but last night’s defeat of Croatia has sent Fleet Street wild with applause.

Martin Samuel called it the “greatest night for the national team since Sven-Göran Eriksson’s players returned from Munich seven years ago,” Kevin McCarra says Fabio Capello “has simply done the maximum possible so far,” Matt Dickinson claims “the pussycats have been replaced by the three lions,” Paul Joyce also excitedly reports “Fabio Capello’s England sent shockwaves resonating around the continent” and Steven Howard claims “It may be early days but the Midas touch the Italian showed in Milan, Madrid, Rome and Turin seems to be rubbing off on players who have under-performed for the national team for as long as we can remember.”

The star of last night’s show, Theo Walcott, comes in for special praise. For Henry Winter, “The David Beckham era is over, the Walcott era had begun.” Richard Williams reports “Walcott’s performance was a triumph both for the player and for his manager.” Jason Burt believes Walcott “gave [England] back the belief they have searched for ever since Germany 2006 and before then.”

Others are more willing to share the love. David Pleat argues that “England were galvanised as an attacking force by having both Rooney and Heskey high up the field and Walcott pushing forward on the right.” Sam Wallace picked out “other brilliant performances, most notably Emile Heskey, whose international rehabilitation was remarkable last night.”

Other stories on England include Paul Doyle’s indecision as to whether its time to brag about Capello’s new England, and Jasper Gerard noted how many England TV viewers were the big losers on a night of rare England glory thanks to Setanta.

West Ham also feature this morning, as they are closing  in on Gianfranco Zola. Dominic Fifield says that the Italian has “pledged to play attack-minded football,” Gabriele Marcotti tries to understand why the Hammers have signed a manager with no experience, while Jason Burt reports “it is understood that he has agreed a three-year deal on a salary of around £1.5m a year.”

In the best of the rest, Rob Stewart links Paul Ince to Newcastle, David Conn speaks to the UK culture secretary, Andy Burnham about his fears for English football, and Andrew Baker reviews James Montague’s new book “When Friday Comes – Football in the War Zone” to see if football can be Middle East’s common language.

For The Times’ Martin Samuel, “this was creation, indeed, quite simply the greatest night for the national team since Sven-Göran Eriksson’s players returned from Munich seven years ago, having thumped Germany 5-1. If perhaps not as patriotically emotive as that occasion, this result was every bit its equal in terms of achievement, coming against a country who had never lost a competitive match on home soil… If this was a triumph for the players, it was nothing less for Capello, whose judgment calls on squad and team selection were vindicated in a way that will buy him months, possibly years, of goodwill within the camp and without. Heskey had an outstanding game, so the absence of Owen was not an issue, and Capello’s preference for Walcott over the ageing legs of David Beckham was a masterstroke. Many would have had Beckham out of the starting lineup, but few thought Walcott ready for a match as big as this, certainly not in the same team as Rooney and Joe Cole. It looked so cavalier for such a pragmatic manager.”

Kevin McCarra (Guardian) asks who needs Michael Owen while trying to keep the nation’s feet on the ground. “How foolish it now seems that there was questioning of Capello’s decision that Owen, in semi-fit condition for Newcastle United, would not be required in Zagreb. Who supposed that Rooney would find the net again for his country after 11 months of frustration? Capello will hear only praise, but he is unlikely to dwell on it. England, after all, did not proceed from Munich to lift the World Cup. With this outcome he has simply done the maximum possible so far.”

Fabio Capello is given his dues from The Times’ Matt Dickinson. “We thought that the road back under this sergeant-majorish Italian was going to be long, hard and dull. This was a man who bans margarine from the dinner table and locks the players in their rooms all day. Instead he gave us a hat-trick from Walcott, whose selection was a bold statement, in the most joyous away-day with England since that famous journey to Munich with Sven-Göran Eriksson. For the time being at least, the England team and their followers are not a bad joke on the march… It may have been only one performance, one step, but at least the players can be sure that the build-up to the next match against Croatia will not feature pussycats in place of the three lions, as had been the case in one Zagreb newspaper.”

The Daily Express’s Paul Joyce also excitedly reports on England’s Croatian triumph. “Fabio Capello’s England sent shockwaves resonating around the continent, as they became the first ever team to win a qualifying game on Croatian soil with a victory that both stunned and delighted in equal measure. In doing so, the nation discovered a new icon in hat-trick hero Theo Walcott, who became the first player since Michael Owen against Germany to grab a treble, as they reacquainted themselves with an old one in Wayne Rooney, who dazzled to drive Croatia to distraction.”

The Sun’s Steven Howard joins the chorus of England supporters this morning. “It may be early days but the Midas touch the Italian showed in Milan, Madrid, Rome and Turin seems to be rubbing off on players who have under-performed for the national team for as long as we can remember. Not only was this the finest win by an England side since the 4-2 defeat of Croatia at Euro 2004 but it was also up there alongside the 5-1 rout of Germany in 2001. Even better, perhaps, since Sven Goran Eriksson’s team had most of the breaks that night in Munich.”

Henry Winter waxes lyrical over Theo Walcott in the Telegraph. “The David Beckham era is over, the Walcott era had begun. The Arsenal attacker was at his irresistible best, tormenting Croatia with his pace and eye for goal. If Walcott’s hat-trick will take the headlines, praise should be showered all over England manager Fabio Capello for getting his tactics spot-on, and his team, for whom Wayne Rooney and Frank Lampard particularly excelled.”

Oliver Kay (The Times) celebrates a glorious night for Walcott and Capello. “On a night when Theo Walcott came of age with an unforgettable hat-trick and Fabio Capello showed why the Football Association pays him £6 million a year, England made history with a hugely impressive 4-1 victory over Croatia to take a significant step towards the 2010 World Cup finals and restore some lost faith in the national team.”

Richard Williams singles out Theo Walcott for praise in the Guardian. “Walcott’s performance was a triumph both for the player and for his manager. Intelligently deployed, he refused to be discouraged when things did not go right in the opening minutes and took each of his three chances with a sang-froid that Owen himself would have envied. Coming in from the right flank on each occasion, he finished with a calmness and a precision that made his success seem almost lacking in drama. For England, his goals constituted the most heartening and promising event since Wayne Rooney’s early appearances.”

More praise for Walcott comes from Jason Burt (Independent). “Two years after being taken to the last World Cup, maybe when he should never have gone, Walcott has set England on the road to the next one. Even more importantly he gave them back the belief they have searched for ever since Germany 2006 and before then. It was a precious occasion. One that will go down in history. And that is some impact to make at 19.”

The Times offer an insightful graphic that analyses Theo Walcott’s performance against Croatia.

Aside from Walcott, David Pleat (Guardian) picks out the performances of Rooney and Heskey up-front for England. “It was obvious from the word go that the manager wanted to play on the front foot, with Wayne Rooney close to Emile Heskey up front and Walcott hugging the touchline on the right, and that benefited England… England were galvanised as an attacking force by having both Rooney and Heskey high up the field and Walcott pushing forward on the right. Walcott’s pace draws cover and makes space for others, and strikers not only enjoy playing with partners but like a supply from wide. Here we had all the ingredients and Heskey, more than anyone, enjoyed this support.”

Sam Wallace (Independent) also find himself sharing round the love for England’s performance. “Walcott is some natural finisher, his three goals were taken beautifully. But there were other brilliant performances, most notably Emile Heskey, whose international rehabilitation was remarkable last night. He dominated the Croatian back four, switching his position all across the back line in the face of some disgraceful racist slurs from the stands. Wayne Rooney scored his first goal since November last year and looked like a new man. Frank Lampard outshone Luka Modric in midfield.”

The Guardian’s Paul Doyle wonders whether its time to brag about Capello’s new England. “Bleak experiences have taught us to scoff at the notion of Premier League stars punishing footballers’ hubris, but tonight England showed it is still possible. Their Croatian counterparts had devoted the build-up to taunting England and predicting another comprehensive triumph – apparently they, like most of us in fairness, had seen next to nothing in Fabio Capello’s reign so far to suggest that the England that turned up in Zagreb tonight would amount to anything more daunting than the callow, confused and clumsy rabble previously led by Steve McClaren. Instead, a solid and bold team deservedly inflicted a first competitive home defeat on the crowing Croats.”

But not all of England were celebrating last night, Jasper Gerard (Telegraph) noting how many England TV viewers were the big losers on night of rare England glory thanks to Setanta. “Setanta are an infuriating company. If you want to ring them for any other reason than to pay them money, you can’t. Instead you must send an e-mail, which they seem to ignore. Not since Ray Wilkins shouted at a ball boy by a TV microphone, “Pass that f—— ball” have a TV company so struggled to muffle unhelpful stadium utterances: the remorseless anti-Setanta chants were dubbed out. Pity Setanta’s commentary wasn’t. Chris Waddle makes Alan Shearer appear insightful, Ian Wright, intelligent, Lee Dixon, critical. Setanta hire the ex-pros who, presumably, can’t get on Sky (yes, there really are one or two). Waddle wittered: “Great start by England.” It wasn’t. They only turned it on later. “That’s what Theo Walcott gives,” as our new star muffed a pull-back. “Chris Waddle,” said his co-commentator. “Your final thought?” A first might have been nice.”

Dominic Fifield (Guardian) reports that West Ham have got their new manager, Gianfranco Zola. “West Ham United hope to introduce Gianfranco Zola as their first foreign manager this afternoon after the Italian agreed a three-year contract with the Upton Park club and was released from his duties with Italy’s Under-21s… West Ham’s chairman, Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, is acutely aware that Zola has not managed at club level. The Italian has vast experience of the Premier League, however, and has pledged to play attack-minded football. His command of English was also a factor and his work with Italy’s junior setup satisfies the board’s demand that the manager should have a commitment to developing young players.”

Baffled by West Ham’s appointment of Zola, Gabriele Marcotti (The Times) tries to understand why the Hammers have signed a manager with no experience. “In terms of image, West Ham could scarcely have done better. But Zola brings another quality to the table, the value of which is far more debatable: he is a star. And you have to wonder, especially when juxtaposed with another alumnus of that Chelsea class, Roberto Di Matteo, how much it weighed on West Ham’s minds… it is amazing how much certain clubs believe that a player’s performance and personality on the pitch reflect on his ability to manage a club. There is the far too obvious fact that men such as José Mourinho, Arsène Wenger and Arrigo Sacchi were little more than pub players, while others who were genuine superstars crashed and burnt when put in charge.”

Jason Burt (Independent) brings some more details about Zola’s appointment at Upton Park. “It is understood that he has agreed a three-year deal on a salary of around £1.5m a year… Zola has also informed West Ham that, after three years away from England, he will move his wife and children back to London and wants to commit himself fully to the club. He has promised an attacking, expansive style of play and is also interested in West Ham’s history of developing players… Zola will work closely with West Ham’s technical director, Gianluca Nani, who has pushed his candidacy after a meeting in Rome last Saturday.”

Turning to Newcastle, Rob Stewart (Telegraph) claims that the Toon’s latest managerial target is Blackburn’s Paul Ince. “Bookmakers slashed the odds of Ince succeeding Keegan, but the powers-that-be at Ewood Park remained unfazed… Newcastle are still keen on appointing Gus Poyet, while Dick Advocaat and Guus Hiddink are also under consideration.”

David Conn speaks to the UK culture secretary, Andy Burnham about his fears for English football. Burnham: “”If football follows the same path in the next 10 years as it has in the last, there is a real risk that the game will lose touch with its core support. We need to ask urgently what we want for the future of our game, before something precious is lost… Professional football has its origins in the community and community organisations. Those origins built the fierce loyalty in clubs, with supporters seeing the clubs as expressions of their identity. That loyalty is actually what makes the clubs so marketable but in marketing them there is a real risk of eroding their place in the community. Regulation has to be led by the FA; it is not for the government to run football. I want the FA to step up to the challenge and lead an in-depth look at regulating the finance of football, for the overall health of the game.”

Moving away from the bogstandard football chat, the Telegraph’s Andrew Baker reviews James Montague’s new book “When Friday Comes – Football in the War Zone” to see if football can be Middle East’s common language. “Simply by collecting passport stamps from Israel and the Arab nations, he achieves something that has defeated many. And by talking about football with Israelis and Palestinians, Iranians and Iraqis, he performs a subtle form of shuttle diplomacy, with the game as the common language. His passion for the sport is a sort of passport in itself, a secret weapon for disarming (alas, only in a figurative sense) border guards and policemen. It also sustains him when obstacles are placed in his way that would have dissuaded others: a lack of buses in the middle of the night on the West Bank, for example.”