Chris Smalling admits he must improve in order to make England place his own

By Rob Draper for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 19:47 EDT, 28 June 2014 | Updated: 19:47 EDT, 28 June 2014

Roy Hodgson will re-model his defence in the hope of improving on England’s miserable performance at this World Cup, with Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Glen Johnson all expected to be phased out over the next two years as the manager prepares for Euro 2016.

Though England’s problems in Brazil extended beyond their frailty at the back - they struggled with a two-man midfield and the strike force of Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney must finish better if the attempt to play an attacking style is to reap benefits - it is the defensive personnel which requires urgent attention.

Unfinished article: Chris Smalling has boundless ambition to be the best

England’s defenders lost their concentration at key moments, which subsequently cost them games. Only Gary Cahill, who was still at fault for Mario Balotelli’s goal and Luis Suarez’s second, is expected to survive on the basis that, despite being 28, he has improved a lot in the past two years and may continue to do so.

Hodgson may also need to switch to  4-3-3, as they played against Costa Rica, for the key Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland in September. He dare not lose that or a bandwagon to remove him may gather pace.

The problem for Hodgson is the dearth of defenders ready to replace those who struggled in Brazil. Luke Shaw and Kieran Gibbs will battle for the left-back spot. But Everton’s John Stones and Liverpool’s Jon Flanagan will have to make enormous strides in the next two years or he will have to rely on his current reserves in Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Kyle Walker — and none look good enough at present to bring an immediate improvement.

How the future looks: England could line up for Euro 2016 like this

Smalling and Jones left for the World Cup with ex-Manchester United captain Roy Keane suggesting they should ‘count their blessings’ to be in the squad. Smalling, 24, recognises the next six months could define his career.

He is no longer a promising youngster and will be aware that his new United manager Louis van Gaal will try to sign Mats Hummels after this World Cup as his first-choice centre-half. Yet with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand gone and Cahill and Jagielka vulnerable, Smalling has a narrow window of opportunity to seize his chance and become centre-half for club and country.

‘Yes, it is my goal,’ said Smalling. ‘I’ll be looking to get a little breakthrough now, to go back and cement my place. Roy knows I’m a centre-back and next season I intend to stake my claim.

Heads up: Smalling knows he has work to do to hold down a place in the England starting XI

‘I see this as my chance. The last couple of years have been stop-start and I see it as going back this summer, having a good pre-season and taking that position and making it my own.’

Smalling, who played against Costa Rica, articulates the issues well. ‘There are a lot of players stepping up now, even younger players than myself. I think it is about time a few of us really gave something back because it is long overdue.’

Smalling dismisses the claims from Harry Redknapp that some young players don’t care about playing for England. ‘I don’t really know where those stories come from because being able to play for your country and being able to come to places like this, these are the ones that we’ll never get back,’ he said.

Heading home: Smalling gets off the plane in Manchester after England's early World Cup exit

‘That is a disappointment and a regret that we will all have to live with, because we can’t re-do this tournament.

‘Seeing other countries progress and watching on TV and seeing them qualify, that’s going to be what drives us through the whole qualification for Euro 2016. Next time we really must take it.’

Smalling for one must, for if England can’t improve defensively, then they will never reverse their decline as a football nation.