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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>McClaren quizzes squad over slump </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>McClaren (left) has given his players a chance to have their say</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Steve McClaren is holding meetings with his England squad to canvas their opinions on what went wrong in their Euro 2008 qualifiers.
McClaren held informal talks with his northern-based players before organising another meeting in London.
The players are understood to have been enthusiastic about the chance to have their say about the dismal 2-0 defeat to Croatia and the draw with Macedonia.
McClaren aims to clear the air before the Holland friendly on 15 November.
England received widespread criticism after the defeat in Zagreb, which followed September's goalless draw with Macedonia.
McClaren had employed a 3-5-2 formation to compensate for injuries to Steven Gerrard and Owen Hargreaves, but the system did not pay off and England struggled to find any impetus going forward while finding themselves exposed at the back.
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<DIV class=cap>England found themselves out-muscled by Croatia</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
The former Middlesbrough manager hopes to shake off the hangover from his first defeat by meeting his players in a series of feedback meetings - something that his predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson did not do in person.
McClaren has been on the road with assistant manager Terry Venables, psychologist Bill Beswick and goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence.
As well as boosting morale, the discussions gave the squad a chance to voice their opinions on pre-match preparation, tactics and formation.
McClaren also hopes the series of feedback meetings will help refocus England's Euro 2008 campaign, which swings back into action against Israel on 24 March.
The players were understood to have welcomed the chance to meet the management team and McClaren plans to keep in touch with the squad on a regular basis before they officially meet again before the Amsterdam friendly next month.
He already seen many of his squad in action since the Croatia defeat and postponed a research trip to the US, where he planned to study Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren's training techniques.
England remain top of their Group E Euro 2008 qualifying group but have the same number of points as Macedonia and Croatia and Israel, who also have a game in hand.
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<DIV class=cap>McClaren (left) has given his players a chance to have their say</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Steve McClaren is holding meetings with his England squad to canvas their opinions on what went wrong in their Euro 2008 qualifiers. McClaren held informal talks with his northern-based players before organising another meeting in London.
The players are understood to have been enthusiastic about the chance to have their say about the dismal 2-0 defeat to Croatia and the draw with Macedonia.
McClaren aims to clear the air before the Holland friendly on 15 November.
England received widespread criticism after the defeat in Zagreb, which followed September's goalless draw with Macedonia.
McClaren had employed a 3-5-2 formation to compensate for injuries to Steven Gerrard and Owen Hargreaves, but the system did not pay off and England struggled to find any impetus going forward while finding themselves exposed at the back.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>England found themselves out-muscled by Croatia</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The former Middlesbrough manager hopes to shake off the hangover from his first defeat by meeting his players in a series of feedback meetings - something that his predecessor Sven-Goran Eriksson did not do in person.
McClaren has been on the road with assistant manager Terry Venables, psychologist Bill Beswick and goalkeeping coach Ray Clemence.
As well as boosting morale, the discussions gave the squad a chance to voice their opinions on pre-match preparation, tactics and formation.
McClaren also hopes the series of feedback meetings will help refocus England's Euro 2008 campaign, which swings back into action against Israel on 24 March.
The players were understood to have welcomed the chance to meet the management team and McClaren plans to keep in touch with the squad on a regular basis before they officially meet again before the Amsterdam friendly next month.
He already seen many of his squad in action since the Croatia defeat and postponed a research trip to the US, where he planned to study Seattle Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren's training techniques.
England remain top of their Group E Euro 2008 qualifying group but have the same number of points as Macedonia and Croatia and Israel, who also have a game in hand.
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