Nigel Backs England

As the inquest into England's failure to progress further in the World Cup continues, Nigel Winterburn says: think positive.

"I think we did okay, but performance wise we didn't reach the heights we were hoping for.

"Considering the build up to the campaign, with injuries to David Beckham and Gary Neville, it didn't look like Michael Owen was 100% fit either, Steven Gerrard was out...a lot of key players who probably would have played were missing.

"It does disrupt you a little bit because even though the players who came in did really well, such as Trevor Sinclair, they weren't regularly in the England squad.

"Sven had to put 11 players together very quickly, and I think sometimes that might have shown in our play.

"But we got to the quarter-finals, and I think they can be proud of what they achieved considering what people were saying before the start of the tournament.

"And you have to put things in perspective because it didn't even look as if we were going to qualify.

"It is just that everyone is disappointed because you get chances in life and sometimes you have to take them. With a lot of the major teams already out, a lot of people were thinking that if only we could overcome Brazil there would be a golden chance of getting to the World Cup final - and you don't get too many chances to do that as a player!

"If you ask anybody they will say that game was disappointing - we didn't play well as an attacking force, not even throughout the tournament I suppose.

"We defended really well, but now we have to think about the positive things to come out of this tournament.

"We've had a good look at players who wouldn't have been considered as regular England internationals, we have got a young team, and we have reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

"That, to me, is positive, because if people are saying we didn't play as positively as we can, it means if we do play well at a major tournament we should be looking to get to major finals.

"I think this team is capable of going to a final - sooner, I hope, rather than later, for the sake of the whole country."